Disaster Assistance for State Units on Aging (SUAs) and Tribal Organizations

The Disaster Assistance for State Units on Aging and Tribal Organizations in Major Disasters Declared by the President is administered by the Administration for Community Living within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, specifically through the Administration on Aging. This funding opportunity is designed to provide targeted financial support to State Units on Aging and federally recognized Tribal Organizations that are already receiving funding under the Older Americans Act and are operating in areas impacted by a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration. The program aligns with federal priorities to strengthen aging services infrastructure and ensure that older adults can continue to live independently and safely following major disasters. The primary purpose of the grant is to reimburse and support recovery-related expenses incurred by aging service providers when disaster events disrupt services. Funds are intended to address immediate and short-term needs that cannot be covered by other disaster assistance programs. These include restoring or maintaining essential services for older adults, such as case management, outreach, counseling, and advocacy. The program also supports the provision of direct goods and services, including emergency food, home-delivered meals, transportation, medical supplies, and home safety or cleanup services, ensuring continuity of care for vulnerable populations. Funding is available only when a Major Disaster is declared by the President under the Stafford Act, and only for geographic areas included in that declaration. The total expected program funding is six hundred thousand dollars, with individual awards ranging from thirty thousand to two hundred thousand dollars. Up to seven awards are anticipated, each supporting a one-year period of performance with a twelve-month budget period. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, allowing eligible entities to fully utilize federal funds for approved activities without requiring additional financial contribution. Eligibility is limited to State Units on Aging receiving Title III funding and federally recognized Tribal Organizations receiving Title VI funding under the Older Americans Act, provided they operate in designated disaster areas. Applications from individuals, foreign entities, or organizations outside the defined eligibility criteria are not accepted. Applicants must demonstrate the specific impact of the disaster on their services, including the number of older adults affected, disruption to programs, and the scale of unmet needs. This ensures that funding is directed to areas with the greatest demonstrated need. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov by the stated deadline, along with completion of federal forms such as the SF-424 and SF-424A, a project narrative, and a budget narrative. The project narrative must clearly describe the disaster impact, proposed interventions, expected outcomes, and implementation plan. Applicants must also outline how funds will be distributed to impacted service areas and describe measurable outcomes tied to recovery efforts. Registration with SAM.gov and Grants.gov is required prior to submission. Applications are evaluated through a competitive review process that includes initial screening for eligibility and completeness, followed by a merit-based scoring process. Review criteria include project relevance and need, proposed approach, anticipated impact, organizational capability, and budget justification. Each of these categories carries equal weight in scoring. Final funding decisions also consider factors such as geographic distribution, past performance, and alignment with agency priorities. The application deadline is July 27, 2026, with awards expected to be issued by September 30, 2026, which also serves as the anticipated project start date. An optional notice of intent may be submitted after the deadline, though it is not required for eligibility. Successful applicants will receive a formal Notice of Award outlining funding amounts and conditions. Post-award requirements include financial and performance reporting, compliance with federal regulations, and alignment with program objectives to ensure effective use of funds in disaster recovery contexts.

Clearly quantify disaster impact and affected population; align proposed activities with measurable outcomes; ensure budget justification is detailed and tied to recovery needs