Public Health Strategies to Address Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias: The National Healthy Brain Initiative, BOLD Public Health Centers of Excellence, and Public Health Adoption Accelerator

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is offering a cooperative agreement funding opportunity titled Public Health Strategies to Address Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias: The National Healthy Brain Initiative, BOLD Public Health Centers of Excellence, and Public Health Adoption Accelerator. This initiative is administered through the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and reflects the agency’s broader mission to strengthen public health systems and improve outcomes related to chronic diseases. The program aligns with national legislation including the Building Our Largest Dementia Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act and supports implementation of the Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map Series. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to build and translate evidence-based strategies that promote brain health and address Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias across the United States. The program emphasizes a population-level public health approach, focusing on prevention, early detection, caregiving support, and improved data systems. Funded organizations will support state, tribal, local, and territorial public health agencies by enhancing workforce capacity, improving surveillance systems, and promoting adoption of proven interventions that reduce cognitive decline and improve quality of life for affected populations. Funding is structured across three components. Component 1 supports national organizations implementing Healthy Brain Initiative strategies, including training development and coordination across partners. Component 2 funds specialized Centers of Excellence focusing on dementia risk reduction, early detection, or caregiving, with responsibilities including translating research into practice and delivering technical assistance. Component 3 establishes adoption accelerator programs that scale effective public health strategies through dissemination and implementation science. Awards are issued as cooperative agreements, meaning CDC will have substantial involvement throughout the project period. The total estimated funding for the program is 35,000,000 dollars over a five-year period, distributed across approximately seven awards. Annual funding ranges vary by component, with Component 1 receiving between 2,500,000 and 3,000,000 dollars per year, Component 2 between 750,000 and 1,000,000 dollars per year, and Component 3 between 750,000 and 1,200,000 dollars per year. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. Funds must be used for allowable programmatic purposes such as training, technical assistance, data collection, and public health strategy implementation, while restrictions prohibit use for research, clinical care, or lobbying activities. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and includes a wide range of entity types such as state and local governments, tribal organizations, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, higher education institutions, and for-profit organizations. Applicants may apply for multiple components but must submit separate applications for each. The application process requires registration in SAM.gov and Grants.gov, submission of standard federal forms, and preparation of detailed project narratives, work plans, evaluation strategies, and supporting documentation such as letters of support and organizational capacity materials. Applications are due by June 26, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. The expected award date is August 29, 2026, with a project start date of September 30, 2026. The period of performance is five years, divided into annual budget periods. Applications will be evaluated based on criteria including background and approach, evaluation and performance measurement, and organizational capacity. CDC staff will actively collaborate with awardees throughout the project to ensure alignment with national priorities and achievement of program outcomes.

Align proposals closely with the Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map; demonstrate national reach and partnerships; provide strong evaluation plans and measurable outcomes; ensure separate applications per component