Administration for Community Living

Supports aging, disability, and independent living services by channeling public resources to states, tribes, nonprofits, and communities.

The Administration for Community Living is a U.S. HHS agency that backs aging, disability, and independent-living work. It awards more than $1 billion a year in grants and also runs formula allocations and prize competitions, so its role reaches well beyond a single program line.

Its main channels are NIDILRR, AoA, AoD, and CIP. Formula grants flow to states, tribes, and territories under the Older Americans Act and disability law, while competitive awards reach nonprofits, universities, and some small businesses. The record also includes an SBIR Phase II opportunity tied to NIDILRR, which shows that ACL can support applied research and assistive-technology work alongside service delivery.

Applicants do best when the proposal serves a defined population and can be routed through an established state, tribal, nonprofit, or university partner. ACL is best understood as a federal financing hub for aging and disability services, with fit determined by whether the work is research, service delivery, or capacity building.