The Disaster Assistance for State Units on Aging (SUAs) and Tribal Organizations in Major Disasters Declared by the President grant is administered by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) – Administration on Aging (AoA) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This funding opportunity provides reimbursement and assistance funds to eligible State Units on Aging (SUAs) and federally recognized Tribal Organizations that receive grants under Title VI of the Older Americans Act (OAA). The grant is designed to provide relief in areas that have been designated as Major Disaster Areas under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, following a Presidential disaster declaration.

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support aging service organizations in responding to disasters affecting older adults. The funds help fill critical gaps in service delivery caused by disasters, such as additional outreach, case management, home cleanup and safety, emergency medications, transportation, extra home-delivered meals, and other immediate needs of older adults. Funding can only be used for permissible expenses not covered by other disaster relief resources, and applicants are required to coordinate with their ACL Regional Office and local emergency management teams before applying.

The total estimated funding available for this opportunity is $600,000, with a minimum award of $30,000 and a maximum award of $600,000 per project period. ACL expects to issue approximately seven awards under this announcement, with each award covering a 12-month project period. The funds requested by applicants are based on three factors: (1) the number of older persons affected, (2) the severity of need, and (3) the availability of disaster assistance funds under the Older Americans Act.

Eligible applicants include State Units on Aging (SUAs) in federally declared major disaster areas and federally recognized Tribal Organizations currently receiving a Title VI grant under the OAA. These applicants must demonstrate the impact of the disaster and how funding will address urgent needs. No cost-sharing or matching is required for this opportunity, but applicants can voluntarily contribute non-federal resources.

The application process requires submission through Grants.gov, with a Letter of Intent due by October 10, 2024, and the final application due by September 2, 2025. The anticipated award announcement date is September 30, 2025. A rolling application process is available, meaning applications may be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are fully distributed.

Applications will be evaluated based on five criteria: Project Relevance & Need (20 points), Approach (20 points), Budget (20 points), Project Impact (20 points), and Organizational Capacity (20 points). The grant requires applicants to submit a project narrative, budget justification, and other supporting documents. Awardees must comply with reporting requirements, including financial and performance reports.

For more information or assistance, applicants can contact:

Project Officer: Kathleen Votava, Phone: 202-795-7603
Grants Management Specialist: Miles Rather, Phone: 202-240-3165
Additional resources are available at www.grants.gov and www.acl.gov. Applicants are requested, but not required, to submit a letter of intent to apply for this funding
opportunity to assist ACL in planning for the application independent review process. The
purpose of the letter of intent is to allow our staff to estimate the number of independent
reviewers needed and to avoid potential conflicts of interest in the review.