ACL National Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Resource Center

The Administration for Community Living, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is offering funding through a cooperative agreement to establish and operate a National Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Resource Center. This initiative is administered through the Administration on Aging and aligns with federal priorities focused on whole person health, independence for older adults, and reduction in preventable healthcare utilization. The program builds on decades of federal investment in chronic disease self-management programs, which have reached hundreds of thousands of individuals nationwide and are recognized for improving health outcomes and quality of life among older adults and people with disabilities. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support a centralized national resource center that strengthens the aging and disability network’s ability to scale evidence-based chronic disease self-management programs. The center will provide tiered technical assistance, training, tools, and data infrastructure to support grantees and partners. It will also serve as a bridge between federal leadership and community-based organizations, ensuring consistent communication, accountability, and performance improvement across the network. The initiative emphasizes prevention, self-management, and community-based interventions as alternatives to reactive clinical care. Funding will be provided through a cooperative agreement structure, meaning there will be substantial federal involvement in project implementation. The total expected funding is approximately 2977686 dollars over a three year period, distributed across three annual budget periods. Individual applicants may request between 750000 and 992562 dollars per year. Funds are intended to support technical assistance delivery, database development and maintenance, training, evaluation, and resource development. Certain costs are restricted, including construction, basic research, and activities that do not align with federal policy requirements. There is no cost sharing requirement for applicants. Eligible applicants include domestic nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, tribal entities, institutions of higher education, hospitals, faith-based organizations, and community-based organizations. Individuals and foreign entities are not eligible. Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to operate a national initiative, including managing data systems, delivering technical assistance, and coordinating across diverse stakeholders. Applications must include detailed narratives, work plans for each project year, and comprehensive budget justifications. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov and includes multiple required components such as a project narrative, budget narrative, work plans, and supporting documentation. Applicants must adhere to strict formatting and page limits. Evaluation criteria are comprehensive and include assessment of need, approach, impact, organizational capacity, and budget justification. Reviewers will score applications based on clearly defined criteria totaling 100 points, with emphasis on technical approach, measurable outcomes, and ability to manage a national program. Key dates include an application deadline of July 22, 2026, with submissions due by 1159 pm Eastern Time. An optional notice of intent is due seven days after the funding announcement posting. Awards are expected to be issued by September 30, 2026, with the project period beginning immediately and continuing for three years. The program is not explicitly stated as recurring, and only one award is expected under this opportunity.

Ensure strong measurable outcomes; demonstrate national scale capability; clearly define database and TA strategy; align with ACL priorities