A Demonstration to Scale Innovative Person-Centered Approaches to Falls Prevention through Clinical-Community Partnerships

The Administration for Community Living (ACL), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity titled A Demonstration to Scale Innovative Person-Centered Approaches to Falls Prevention through Clinical-Community Partnerships. This initiative is part of a broader federal effort to address the significant public health challenge of falls among older adults, which result in millions of injuries, hospitalizations, and deaths annually. ACL, through its Center for Innovation and Partnership, is tasked with advancing research, demonstration, and evaluation activities that strengthen the Aging Network and improve outcomes for older populations. This funding opportunity specifically focuses on scaling evidence-based falls prevention interventions through coordinated partnerships between healthcare systems and community-based organizations. The purpose of this program is to expand the reach and effectiveness of falls prevention strategies by leveraging community care hubs and clinical partnerships. The selected grantee will implement a demonstration project that scales two proven interventions: the CDC’s STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths and Injuries) algorithm for screening and assessing fall risk, and the Stepping On program, a community-based intervention designed to reduce fall risk through education and behavioral change. The initiative aims to increase access to these services across five regional geographies, particularly targeting older adults aged 60 and above who are at risk of falling. Funding will be provided through a single cooperative agreement, with a total expected funding amount of 4,781,733 dollars over a three-year project period. The grantee is expected to distribute at least 75 percent of the funding as sub-awards to community care hubs, while retaining up to 25 percent for coordination, technical assistance, and evaluation activities. Allowable uses of funds include program implementation, infrastructure development for clinical-community partnerships, data systems for evaluation, and support for evidence-based interventions. Unallowable costs include construction, basic research, and certain restricted activities outlined in federal regulations. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement for this opportunity. Eligible applicants include a wide range of U.S.-based entities such as state and local governments, nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, institutions of higher education, tribal governments, and public housing authorities. Individuals and foreign entities are not eligible. Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to administer sub-awards, provide technical assistance, and conduct rapid-cycle evaluation. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov and includes a project narrative, budget narrative, standard federal forms, and supporting attachments such as resumes and letters of commitment. Applicants must also maintain active registrations with SAM.gov and Grants.gov. Applications will be evaluated based on criteria including project relevance, approach, impact, organizational capacity, and budget justification. The review process includes an initial compliance screening followed by a merit-based scoring by a review panel. The expected award date is September 30, 2026, with the project period beginning immediately thereafter and lasting 36 months. Applicants are encouraged to submit an optional notice of intent prior to the full application deadline to assist the agency in planning the review process. The application deadline is July 27, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time, with an optional notice of intent due earlier in July. The program emphasizes rapid implementation, with key milestones such as sub-award distribution within 120 days of award and full program rollout within the first year. ACL will maintain substantial involvement throughout the project period, providing guidance, oversight, and coordination with other federal initiatives. Contact for programmatic inquiries is William Bleser via email.

Focus on demonstrating capacity to scale programs rapidly through partnerships; emphasize data-driven subaward process and evaluation capability; align clearly with ACL priorities and measurable outcomes