A practical guide to Administration for Community Living grants for aging and disability services, who is eligible, key programs, and how to apply.

2025–2026 STATUS UPDATE: HHS announced restructuring in March 2025 that consolidates SAMHSA, HRSA, OASH, ATSDR, and NIOSH into a new “Administration for a Healthy America (AHA)” as part of a ~25% HHS workforce reduction. Programs and contact pathways may have shifted. Verify at hhs.gov.

For organizations serving older adults and people with disabilities, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) is the federal agency that funds the country’s largest network of community-based aging and disability services.

ACL grants support the Aging Network, Centers for Independent Living, Protection and Advocacy systems, University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, elder-rights and adult protective services, and many community-living and caregiver-support programs. For any organization in aging or disability services, ACL is essential to understand alongside HRSA, SAMHSA, and CMS.

This guide covers how ACL grants work, the major programs, and how to win them.

TL;DR: Quick Answers

What does ACL fund? Aging and disability services that enable community living, Older Americans Act programs, Centers for Independent Living, Developmental Disabilities Act programs, caregiver support, and elder rights.
Who can apply? State units on aging, Area Agencies on Aging, Centers for Independent Living, Protection and Advocacy systems, University Centers, nonprofits, and tribal organizations.
What are the major programs? Older Americans Act Title III programs, ADRC funding, Independent Living programs (Title VII Rehab Act), DD Act formula and discretionary, elder-justice and adult protective services, and lifespan respite.
What’s the timeline? Federal pacing; formula funding annual, competitive grants on annual cycles.

How ACL Funding Works

ACL is part of DHHS. Like other federal grants, funding mixes formula and competitive streams:

Formula grants flow to State Units on Aging (SUAs) and state Centers for Independent Living programs, which then sub-grant to the Aging Network (Area Agencies on Aging, Title VI tribal grantees) and Centers for Independent Living.

Competitive (discretionary) grants support innovation, demonstration, and capacity work, accessed directly by states, AAAs, nonprofits, universities, and others.

Major ACL Programs

A non-exhaustive sample:

Older Americans Act (OAA) Title III programs. Supportive services, congregate and home-delivered meals, family caregiver support, evidence-based health promotion.
Title VI Native American programs for Older Americans Act services.
Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) and No Wrong Door funding.
State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) funding.
Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP).
Centers for Independent Living (CILs) program.
Developmental Disabilities Act programs. State Councils on DD, Protection and Advocacy systems, University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs), and Projects of National Significance.
Elder Justice and Adult Protective Services (APS) grants.
Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.
Lifespan Respite Care Program.
Alzheimer’s Disease programs.
Paralysis Resource Center, Limb Loss Resource Center, and other condition-specific programs.

Who Is Eligible

Eligibility varies; common applicants include:

State Units on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging (the Aging Network)
Centers for Independent Living and State Independent Living Councils
State Councils on Developmental Disabilities and Protection and Advocacy systems
University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs)
Nonprofits and community-based organizations serving older adults and people with disabilities
Tribal organizations (especially Title VI)
States and local governments

Read each NOFO closely, see how to read a grant RFP.

How to Apply

Identify the right program and authorizing statute. OAA, Rehab Act Title VII, and DD Act programs operate under different rules.
Register on SAM.gov and Grants.gov early.
Coordinate with your state Aging Network or DD/IL network. Funding decisions often run through state partners.
Document need with aging and disability data. Census ACS data, AAA service data, state long-term-services and supports data, and disability-specific data support your statement of need.
Use evidence-based and person-centered approaches. ACL prioritizes person-centered, consumer-controlled service design.
Build a clear logic model and outcomes.
Show meaningful partnerships and consumer engagement. Older adult and disability community voice in design is critical, secure letters of support.
Prepare a realistic budget with match where required.
Plan for compliance and reporting.

Tips for a Competitive ACL Application

Center consumer voice and choice. ACL’s foundation is person-directed, community-living services; reflect that in design and language.
Address equity and underserved populations explicitly, rural older adults, multiply marginalized people with disabilities, and tribal communities.
Show alignment with No Wrong Door / ADRC principles where relevant.
Demonstrate cross-system partnerships. Aging, disability, healthcare, and housing systems coordinate increasingly.
Plan sustainability. Many ACL grants are catalytic; show how the work continues.
Document evidence base. ACL favors evidence-based programs (like CDSME, falls prevention, chronic-disease self-management) for related funding.

How Grantboost Helps With ACL Applications

Organizations serving older adults and people with disabilities braid ACL, HRSA, SAMHSA, CMS, HUD, DOT, and foundation funding. Grantboost continuously scans federal and state funding and surfaces scored, mission-matched opportunities across these funders.

Drafts come back in your organization’s voice (see training AI on your past proposals), structured around each ACL program’s specific requirements, with every grant tracked in one pipeline.

Try Grantboost free and build stronger ACL proposals.

ACL Grants: A Guide to Administration for Community Living Funding