ACL Awards $3M to States to Implement the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers

ACL is pleased to announce the selection of awardees to receive funding for a third round of Advancing State Implementation of the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers grants. Six state units on aging (SUAs) will receive cooperative agreements for a range of activities to support family caregiving. Each project will be funded for a period of 24 months, with one 24-month budget of up to $490,000. Following the successful initial allocations for FY 2025 and FY 2026, funding for this initiative has increased by $1 million in the third year, demonstrating sustained interest and support by Congress.

The purpose of the funding is to continue to develop statewide activities that advance the goals, recommendations, and actions outlined in the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers and its forthcoming 2026 update (collectively, the Strategy). The National Strategy established the foundational framework for a coordinated national approach to supporting family caregivers. Building on that foundation, the 2026 update reflects lessons learned, progress made, and evolving needs and priorities identified during the four years since the Strategy's release.

The Strategy provides a framework to foster collaboration and break down silos among the many systems and programs that support family caregivers. The Strategy identifies actions that can be advanced at every level of government and across the public and private sectors to help ensure that family caregivers have the resources and supports they need to maintain their own health, well-being, and financial security while providing crucial support to others. States receiving implementation awards must focus their efforts on at least three of the five goals outlined in the Strategy, based on each state's needs and priorities.

Additionally, SUAs will collaborate with their state developmental disabilities agency as well as at least one additional state agency and a tribe or tribal agency. Grant activities will have a strong emphasis on engaging populations with highest economic and social needs. The first cohort of grantees has yielded groundbreaking innovation and promising results, laying a strong foundation for this work. ACL looks forward to the expansion of the third cohort while welcoming back four SUAs for the next iteration of their efforts.

2026 State Implementation Grant Recipients

• California Department of Aging
• Illinois Department on Aging
• Maryland Department of Aging
• Massachusetts Executive Office of Aging and Independence (AGE)
• Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
• Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Over 63 million family caregivers provide support for older adults and individuals with disabilities to live in the community each year. As the nation's population continues to age and life expectancy continues to increase, the need for support provided by a family member or friend will more than likely increase. The multi-faceted collaborations leveraged by these state implementation grants are intended to increase awareness, knowledge, and access to the range of services and resources to increase positive outcomes for older adults, individuals with disabilities, and their caregivers.

The project period for these grants is September 30, 2026, to September 29, 2028. During that time, in addition to the above activities, the state implementation awardees will work to identify ways to sustain their programs after the conclusion of the grant.

The first cohort of Advancing State Implementation of the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers funding was awarded in September 2024 and concluded September 2026. The second cohort was awarded in 2025 and will complete its activities in September 2027. Read about the existing projects.

See Notice of Funding Opportunity: HHS-2026-ACL-AOA-CGNS-0032,"Advancing State Implementation of the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers," posted June 22, 2026.