Supporting Aging Caregivers 2026

The New York State Council on Developmental Disabilities is offering the Supporting Aging Caregivers of Adults with Developmental Disabilities grant to support an innovative and scalable model that helps people with developmental disabilities and their aging caregivers plan for long-term residential stability, safety, and well-being when caregivers can no longer provide support. The initiative responds to the significant reliance on family caregivers in New York State and the risks of housing instability, service disruption, and crisis placement as caregivers age. The Council seeks person-centered, actionable solutions that improve preparedness, strengthen continuity of support, and reduce reliance on emergency placements. The selected grantee is expected to develop, implement, and evaluate an initiative integrating housing stability and innovative living arrangements, financial and benefits planning, preparation for future support and caregiving, legal considerations and decision-making, health care considerations, and crisis prevention. Housing is intended to be a primary focus and may encompass certified residential opportunities, aging in place, shared living arrangements, paid neighbors, natural supports, and other community-based solutions. Planning should consider the benefits and risks of housing models, operate within the Home and Community Based Services Settings Rule framework, and consider safeguards and legal review. Proposals may also explore enhanced support roles such as future planning navigators, specialized coordinators, or enhanced brokerage models. The project should provide education, direct assistance, planning support, stakeholder engagement, and capacity building. Priority should be given to caregivers age 60 and older who support individuals with complex support needs, while the initiative should remain inclusive of families and family members who could benefit. Training and education should reach caregivers, siblings, self-advocates, extended family members, trusted supporters, and professionals involved in long-term planning, including care managers, brokers, fiscal intermediaries, attorneys, and health care providers. The initiative should also consider technology and health-related supports, particularly for people with co-occurring conditions or intensive support needs, and should develop proactive planning frameworks, transition timelines, and triggers that enable action before a crisis occurs. One grantee may receive up to 250000 dollars per year for up to five years, for total funding of up to 1250000 dollars, subject to the availability of funding. The anticipated five-year contract period is January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2031. Each project budget line item will be reviewed for allowability and reasonableness, and project costs must be appropriate, necessary, and prudent. The Council reserves the right to request a revised budget when proposed costs do not satisfy these standards. The provided source does not explicitly state a required cost share or matching percentage, although a Match-Cost-Sharing document is listed among the opportunity documents. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, public or private institutions such as universities, colleges, and hospitals, disability-service organizations, community-based organizations, Tribal organizations, and consortia, groups, or partnerships among organizations. The lead applicant cannot be a for-profit organization, although a for-profit organization may participate as a subcontractor to the lead applicant. Individuals cannot apply. Organizations whose staff participated in developing the project or RFP are ineligible both as direct applicants and as subcontractors. Nonprofit applicants must be prequalified in the New York State Statewide Financial System by the proposal deadline or they will be disqualified. Government entities do not have to prequalify but must register in SFS to apply. The RFP was released September 1, 2026, and proposals must be submitted through SFS by October 2, 2026. Questions about the RFP must be submitted through the specified Qualtrics process no later than September 16, 2026. Questions and RFP changes are expected to be posted by September 21, 2026. The anticipated award announcement is October 30, 2026, followed by the anticipated contract start on January 1, 2027. Application materials listed with the opportunity include the RFP, E016 Business with Russia certification, Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Certification, Attestation of Compliance for Timeliness, expenditure-based budget template, workers compensation and disability insurance information, Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire, Match-Cost-Sharing document, allowable and unallowable expenses guidance, work plan template, Gender-Based-Violence Policy Attestation, and program-specific questions. The selected grantee must provide direct assistance, convene and engage stakeholders, deliver training and educational opportunities, collect participant and project data, evaluate implementation and outcomes, and identify promising practices and opportunities for replication and sustainability. Project data must be provided to the Council quarterly and culminate in a final impact report containing recommendations for how New York State can address the needs of aging caregivers and people with developmental disabilities. Desired outcomes include greater family preparedness, housing stability, continuity of support, reduced crisis placements, increased awareness and use of benefits and resources, identification of promising practices, improved understanding of caregiver needs, and recommendations for policy and systems improvements. The designated issuing officer is Jacqueline Hayes, Program Planner, at jacqueline.hayes@cdd.ny.gov. Questions about SFS registration and prequalification may be directed to helpdesk@sfs.ny.gov or 518-457-7717.