Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2020 ACL AOA EECC 0414
The Engaging Older Adults grant opportunity (HHS 2020 ACL AOA EECC 0414) is a discretionary funding announcement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL), through the Administration on Aging (AoA). Its core purpose is to strengthen the national aging network so it can help older adults stay socially connected, independent, and active for as long as possible. The opportunity is grounded in a growing evidence base showing that social isolation and loneliness are widespread among older adults and are tied to serious health and cost impacts, including higher risks of physical and mental health problems, increased mortality risk, and billions of dollars in additional Medicare spending each year. AoA is using this funding to push the field beyond awareness and toward practical, scalable approaches that expand meaningful social engagement.
Rather than paying for direct services at a single site, AoA is looking to fund one national-level cooperative agreement (one expected award, up to $150,000) to deliver technical assistance and to serve as a central hub for effective, replicable engagement strategies. The funded organization is expected to act as a national resource that can gather what works, package it into usable guidance, and help state, tribal, and local aging network organizations adopt or improve interventions. This builds on prior ACL investments, including an Engagement and Older Adults Resource Center, but the key shift here is that applicants must focus on a specific targeted intervention area instead of covering social engagement in a broad, general way.
Applicants are invited to choose a focused area of intervention and propose how they would help the aging network expand and tailor that approach. The announcement lists examples of possible focus areas, such as community involvement (including senior centers, recreation programs, and senior housing), technology-based engagement (including online/digital approaches and potential artificial intelligence-enabled interventions), intergenerational models (education, mentoring, co-located programs), volunteerism, and supportive service-linked engagement approaches (for example, nutrition and transportation programs, friendly visiting, or telephone-based support). These examples are not exhaustive, and applicants may propose other intervention targets if they make a clear case for their value and replicability.
Across whatever intervention area is selected, AoA outlines three broad objectives applicants must address. First, expand the reach of the aging network so more older adults can stay socially engaged and active using the chosen intervention. Second, increase the network’s ability to tailor that intervention to meet diverse needs, explicitly factoring in culture, disability, and other differences that shape access and relevance. Third, design and carry out a training and technical assistance strategy that helps aging network organizations understand how to apply the intervention effectively in their communities.
The required work plan is essentially a national technical assistance and knowledge-management project. The grantee must assess the program development and technical support needs of aging network organizations and use that assessment to set technical assistance priorities. The grantee must also identify and engage organizations already implementing programs in the selected focus area, learn what strategies are successful, and translate those lessons into practical resources others can use. AoA expects the grantee to propose clear methods for identifying, synthesizing, and widely disseminating innovations, such as a national searchable database, a dedicated website, newsletters, webinars, and similar channels. Ongoing training and technical assistance should be available through multiple formats, potentially including phone and email support, connections to subject matter experts, webinars, and conference presentations.
A notable expectation is that the project also includes public-facing awareness and education efforts aimed at older adults and caregivers, helping them understand the benefits of the targeted engagement approach as a way to reduce isolation and loneliness. Materials created through this work should be shareable across the broader ACL ecosystem, including tools like the Eldercare Locator, and distributed through the aging network for maximum reach. Throughout all activities, applicants are expected to explicitly consider and respond to the needs of underserved groups, including low-income older adults, rural communities, and minority populations, so that the engagement strategies promoted do not unintentionally widen disparities.
Administrative details in the announcement include a creation date of March 24, 2020, an original application closing date of May 29, 2020 (with electronic submissions due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern), and the use of a cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically indicates substantial federal involvement and collaboration during the project. The activity area is listed under income security and social services, with CFDA number 93.048, and eligibility is described broadly as “Others” with additional eligibility clarification referenced in the full notice.Apply for HHS 2020 ACL AOA EECC 0414
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Engaging Older Adults" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.048.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 24, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 29, 2020 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Engaging Older Adults Grant (HHS 2020 ACL AOA EECC 0414) - FAQs
What is the Engaging Older Adults grant opportunity?
The Engaging Older Adults grant opportunity (HHS 2020 ACL AOA EECC 0414) is a discretionary funding announcement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), through the Administration on Aging (AoA). It is focused on strengthening the national aging network so it can better help older adults stay socially connected, independent, and active for as long as possible.
Why is AoA funding work on social engagement for older adults?
The opportunity is grounded in evidence showing that social isolation and loneliness are widespread among older adults and are linked to serious health and cost impacts. The announcement highlights connections to higher risks of physical and mental health problems, increased mortality risk, and billions of dollars in additional Medicare spending each year. AoA is using this funding to move beyond awareness and toward practical, scalable approaches that expand meaningful social engagement.
What is AoA trying to achieve with this funding?
AoA is aiming to strengthen the national aging network by supporting a national-level effort that can identify effective engagement strategies, package them into usable guidance, and help state, tribal, and local aging network organizations adopt or improve interventions that reduce social isolation and loneliness.
Is this grant intended to pay for direct services at a single site?
No. The announcement emphasizes that this is not designed to fund direct services at a single site. Instead, it is intended to support one national-level cooperative agreement to deliver technical assistance and serve as a central hub for effective, replicable engagement strategies.
How many awards does AoA expect to make under this announcement?
The announcement indicates one expected award.
What is the maximum award amount?
The opportunity describes funding of up to $150,000.
What type of funding mechanism is used?
The mechanism is a cooperative agreement. The announcement notes that a cooperative agreement typically indicates substantial federal involvement and collaboration during the project.
Who is the federal sponsor for this opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), through the Administration on Aging (AoA).
What is the CFDA number for this grant?
The CFDA number listed in the announcement is 93.048.
What activity area does this opportunity fall under?
The activity area is listed as income security and social services.
When was the announcement created?
The announcement creation date is March 24, 2020.
What was the application closing date and submission time?
The original application closing date was May 29, 2020, with electronic submissions due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern.
What is meant by strengthening the "national aging network" in this grant?
Based on the announcement, strengthening the national aging network means improving the capacity of state, tribal, and local aging network organizations to implement and improve interventions that help older adults remain socially engaged, independent, and active, using practical guidance, training, and technical assistance delivered through a national hub.
What is the main role of the funded organization?
The funded organization is expected to act as a national resource and central hub. Key responsibilities include gathering evidence and lessons about what works, translating those lessons into practical resources, and providing training and technical assistance so aging network organizations can adopt or improve engagement interventions.
Does the applicant have to choose a specific intervention focus?
Yes. A key requirement is that applicants must focus on a specific targeted intervention area rather than addressing social engagement broadly in a general way.
What are examples of targeted intervention focus areas mentioned in the announcement?
Examples listed include:
- Community involvement (such as senior centers, recreation programs, and senior housing)
- Technology-based engagement (including online and digital approaches and potential artificial intelligence-enabled interventions)
- Intergenerational models (including education, mentoring, and co-located programs)
- Volunteerism
- Supportive service-linked engagement approaches (such as nutrition and transportation programs, friendly visiting, or telephone-based support)
Are applicants limited to the example focus areas provided?
No. The announcement states the examples are not exhaustive. Applicants may propose other intervention targets if they make a clear case for their value and replicability.
What are the three broad objectives applicants must address?
Across the chosen intervention area, the announcement outlines three objectives:
- Expand the reach of the aging network so more older adults can stay socially engaged and active using the chosen intervention.
- Increase the network's ability to tailor the intervention to meet diverse needs, explicitly factoring in culture, disability, and other differences that affect access and relevance.
- Design and carry out a training and technical assistance strategy that helps aging network organizations understand how to apply the intervention effectively in their communities.
What kinds of activities are expected in the work plan?
The work plan is described as a national technical assistance and knowledge-management project. It includes assessing the program development and technical support needs of aging network organizations, setting technical assistance priorities based on that assessment, identifying and engaging organizations already implementing programs in the chosen focus area, and translating successful strategies into practical resources.
What does AoA expect regarding identifying and sharing effective practices?
AoA expects applicants to propose clear methods to identify, synthesize, and widely disseminate innovations. Examples of dissemination tools mentioned include a national searchable database, a dedicated website, newsletters, webinars, and similar channels.
What types of training and technical assistance formats are suggested?
The announcement anticipates ongoing training and technical assistance offered through multiple formats, which may include phone and email support, connections to subject matter experts, webinars, and conference presentations.
Does the project need to include public-facing awareness and education?
Yes. A notable expectation is that the project includes public-facing awareness and education efforts aimed at older adults and caregivers, helping them understand the benefits of the targeted engagement approach as a way to reduce isolation and loneliness.
How should materials created through the project be used and shared?
The announcement indicates that materials should be shareable across the broader ACL ecosystem, including tools like the Eldercare Locator, and distributed through the aging network for maximum reach.
How does the announcement address equity and underserved populations?
Applicants are expected to explicitly consider and respond to the needs of underserved groups. The announcement specifically mentions low-income older adults, rural communities, and minority populations, and emphasizes that promoted engagement strategies should not unintentionally widen disparities.
How should projects address diversity in culture and disability?
The announcement requires applicants to increase the aging network's ability to tailor the chosen intervention to meet diverse needs, explicitly factoring in culture, disability, and other differences that shape access and relevance.
Is this opportunity connected to prior ACL investments?
Yes. The announcement notes that this effort builds on prior ACL investments, including an Engagement and Older Adults Resource Center, while shifting the emphasis to a more targeted intervention area rather than a broad approach.
What does it mean to serve as a "central hub" under this grant?
Based on the announcement, serving as a central hub means functioning as a national resource that gathers what works, packages it into usable guidance (such as tools, resources, and training), and supports adoption and improvement by state, tribal, and local aging network organizations through technical assistance and dissemination channels.
What is known about eligibility for applicants?
Eligibility is described broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility clarification referenced in the full notice.
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