Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2021 ACL AOA CSSG 0018
The 2021 Empowering Communities to Address Behavioral Health and Chronic Pain through Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Programs grant (Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2021-ACL-AOA-CSSG-0018) is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL). It uses a cooperative agreement funding instrument, meaning the federal agency typically expects to have an active role in supporting and guiding recipients during the project period rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. The program sits within the health activity category and is associated with CFDA 93.734. The opportunity was created on December 3, 2020, and the original application closing date was February 2, 2021.
At its core, the grant is designed to help communities strengthen how they respond to behavioral health needs and/or chronic pain among two priority groups: older adults and adults with disabilities. The focus is not just on providing services, but on building a coordinated community approach that can show results and last beyond the grant. The program emphasizes practical, evidence-based self-management education and self-management support models that help people build skills to manage ongoing conditions in everyday life, including symptom management, communication with providers, medication and treatment adherence, goal setting, and maintaining function and quality of life.
The opportunity has two main goals. Goal 1 is about planning and strategy: applicants are expected to form robust partnerships and develop a comprehensive, results-based strategy for addressing behavioral health and/or chronic pain locally. In practice, this points to cross-sector collaboration among organizations that touch the target populations, such as aging services, disability networks, healthcare providers, behavioral health providers, community-based organizations, and potentially payers and other stakeholders. The strategy is expected to be more than a general intention; it should be grounded in community needs and built around measurable outcomes, coordinated referral pathways, and a clear plan for delivering and tracking services.
Goal 2 is about expansion and participation: grantees are expected to significantly increase the number of older adults and adults with disabilities who actually enroll in and complete evidence-based self-management education and/or self-management support programs. The intention is to empower participants to manage chronic conditions more effectively, specifically in the areas of behavioral health and chronic pain, while also improving access and uptake at the community level. A key feature of this goal is sustainability. Applicants are expected to pursue strategies that keep these programs operating after federal funding ends, which often implies planning for ongoing delivery capacity, workforce development (such as training facilitators), referral and recruitment systems, partnerships that embed programs into existing service pipelines, and potential financing or reimbursement approaches where feasible.
Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, other Native American tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education). This wide range of eligible applicants reflects the community-based nature of the work and recognizes that effective behavioral health and chronic pain supports often require coordination across multiple local systems.
In terms of scale, the award ceiling listed is $300,000, and ACL expected to make about eight awards under this announcement. Overall, the grant is best understood as a community capacity-building and service expansion initiative: it supports the creation of a coordinated local strategy and the measurable growth of evidence-based self-management offerings for older adults and adults with disabilities, with an explicit expectation that grantees plan early for how the work will continue after the grant period ends.Apply for HHS 2021 ACL AOA CSSG 0018
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2021 Empowering Communities to Address Behavioral Health and Chronic Pain through Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.734.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 03, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 02, 2021. (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 $300,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled 2021 Empowering Communities to Address Behavioral Health and Chronic Pain through Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Programs.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is HHS-2021-ACL-AOA-CSSG-0018.
Which federal agency is offering this grant?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), specifically the Administration for Community Living (ACL).
What type of funding instrument is used?
The grant uses a cooperative agreement, which generally means ACL typically expects to have an active role in supporting and guiding recipients during the project period (rather than only issuing funds with minimal involvement).
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 93.734.
What activity category does this program fall under?
The program sits within the health activity category.
When was this opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on December 3, 2020, and the original application closing date was February 2, 2021.
What is the main purpose of the grant?
The grant is designed to help communities strengthen how they respond to behavioral health needs and/or chronic pain by expanding practical, evidence-based self-management education and self-management support and building a coordinated community approach that can show results and last beyond the grant period.
Who are the priority populations for this grant?
The two priority groups are older adults and adults with disabilities.
What topics or conditions does the grant focus on?
The focus is on supporting communities in addressing behavioral health and/or chronic pain among the priority populations through evidence-based self-management education and support approaches.
What kinds of skills are emphasized in the self-management approach?
The opportunity emphasizes practical skills that help people manage ongoing conditions in everyday life, including:
- Symptom management
- Communication with providers
- Medication and treatment adherence
- Goal setting
- Maintaining function and quality of life
What are the two main goals of the grant?
The opportunity has two main goals:
- Goal 1 (Planning and strategy): Build robust partnerships and develop a comprehensive, results-based community strategy to address behavioral health and/or chronic pain.
- Goal 2 (Expansion and participation): Significantly increase enrollment and completion of evidence-based self-management education and/or self-management support programs among older adults and adults with disabilities.
What does Goal 1 require applicants to do?
Goal 1 emphasizes creating strong partnerships and developing a comprehensive, measurable strategy. Based on the description provided, this points to cross-sector collaboration and planning that is grounded in community needs and built around measurable outcomes, coordinated referral pathways, and a clear plan for delivering and tracking services.
What types of partners are relevant to the community strategy?
The opportunity describes cross-sector collaboration among organizations that touch the target populations, such as:
- Aging services organizations
- Disability networks
- Healthcare providers
- Behavioral health providers
- Community-based organizations
- Potentially payers and other stakeholders
What does Goal 2 require grantees to do?
Goal 2 focuses on increasing the number of older adults and adults with disabilities who enroll in and complete evidence-based self-management education and/or self-management support programs, with the intention of improving participants' ability to manage chronic conditions related to behavioral health and chronic pain while improving access and uptake community-wide.
Does the opportunity emphasize sustainability after the grant ends?
Yes. Sustainability is described as a key feature of the opportunity. Applicants are expected to pursue strategies that allow programs to continue operating after federal funding ends.
What sustainability approaches are mentioned in the opportunity description?
The description highlights examples that often imply sustainability planning, including:
- Building ongoing delivery capacity
- Workforce development (such as training facilitators)
- Developing referral and recruitment systems
- Creating partnerships that embed programs into existing service pipelines
- Exploring financing or reimbursement approaches where feasible
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Other Native American tribal organizations
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education)
Why is eligibility so broad for this grant?
The description explains that the wide eligibility reflects the community-based nature of the work and recognizes that effective behavioral health and chronic pain supports often require coordination across multiple local systems.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $300,000.
How many awards were expected to be made?
ACL expected to make about eight awards under this announcement.
Is this grant primarily for direct services or for building community capacity?
Based on the description, it is best understood as a community capacity-building and service expansion initiative. It supports creating a coordinated local strategy and measurably expanding evidence-based self-management offerings for the priority populations, with an explicit expectation to plan early for continuation beyond the grant period.
What does "evidence-based" mean in the context of this opportunity?
The opportunity emphasizes evidence-based self-management education and evidence-based self-management support models. The description does not list specific program names, but it indicates that supported models should be grounded in evidence and focused on practical self-management skills and measurable results.
What outcomes or performance expectations are implied?
The opportunity calls for a results-based strategy with measurable outcomes, coordinated referral pathways, and a plan for delivering and tracking services. It also expects a significant increase in the number of people who enroll in and complete the evidence-based programs.
Does the grant require coordination of referrals?
The description indicates that the community strategy should include coordinated referral pathways to connect older adults and adults with disabilities to the self-management education and/or support programs.
What is the overall summary of what this grant supports?
Overall, the grant supports a coordinated community approach that (1) builds partnerships and a measurable strategy to address behavioral health and/or chronic pain, and (2) expands participation and completion in evidence-based self-management education and support programs for older adults and adults with disabilities, with sustainability planning built in from the start.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Health
Next opportunity: 2021 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2021)
Previous opportunity: National Urban Indian Behavioral Health Awareness
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for HHS 2021 ACL AOA CSSG 0018
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (HHS 2021 ACL AOA CSSG 0018) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| 2021 Empowering Communities to Reduce Falls and Falls Risk Apply for HHS 2021 ACL AOA FPSG 0015 Funding Number: HHS 2021 ACL AOA FPSG 0015 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Health Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| 2021 Integrated Networks to Deliver and Sustain Evidence-Based Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Programs Apply for HHS 2021 ACL AOA CSSG 0014 Funding Number: HHS 2021 ACL AOA CSSG 0014 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Health Funding Amount: $1,400,000 |
| Tobacco Prevention and Control-Related Public Health Law Technical Assistance Apply for CDC RFA DP21 2103 Funding Number: CDC RFA DP21 2103 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - NCCDPHP Category: Health Funding Amount: $385,000 |
| Fiscal Year 2021 Ending the HIV Epidemic – Primary Care HIV Prevention Apply for HRSA 21 092 Funding Number: HRSA 21 092 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Mental Health Awareness Training Apply for SM 21 007 Funding Number: SM 21 007 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis Category: Health Funding Amount: $16,778,013 |
| Grants for Expansion and Sustainability of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances Apply for SM 21 004 Funding Number: SM 21 004 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis Category: Health Funding Amount: $15,030,147 |
| 2021 Integrated Networks to Deliver and Sustain Evidence-Based Falls Prevention Programs Apply for HHS 2021 ACL AOA FPSG 0017 Funding Number: HHS 2021 ACL AOA FPSG 0017 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Health Funding Amount: $1,100,000 |
| Garrett Lee Smith (GLS) Campus Suicide Prevention Grant Apply for SM 21 003 Funding Number: SM 21 003 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis Category: Health Funding Amount: $2,450,504 |
| Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) Apply for HRSA 21 015 Funding Number: HRSA 21 015 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Partnering with National Organizations to Increase Vaccination Coverage Across Different Racial and Ethnic Adult Populations Currently Experiencing Disparities Apply for CDC RFA IP21 2106 Funding Number: CDC RFA IP21 2106 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - NCIRD Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Enhancement and Expansion of Treatment and Recovery Services for Adolescents, Transitional Aged Youth, and their Families Apply for TI 21 001 Funding Number: TI 21 001 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis Category: Health Funding Amount: $9,524,682 |
| Tribal Behavioral Health Grant Program Apply for SM 21 011 Funding Number: SM 21 011 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis Category: Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Support of Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) using Integrated Modeling Apply for CDC RFA GH21 2101 Funding Number: CDC RFA GH21 2101 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - CGH Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Integrated Substance Use Disorder Training Program (ISTP) Apply for HRSA 21 087 Funding Number: HRSA 21 087 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems: Health Integration Prenatal-to-Three Program Apply for HRSA 21 078 Funding Number: HRSA 21 078 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration Category: Health Funding Amount: $255,600 |
| Cooperative Agreement for National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Disaster Distress Helpline Apply for SM 21 005 Funding Number: SM 21 005 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis Category: Health Funding Amount: $18,228,788 |
| Limited Competition: National Institute on Aging (NIA) Late Onset of Alzheimers Disease (LOAD) Family-Based Study (FBS) (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA AG 22 001 Funding Number: RFA AG 22 001 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $2,400,000 |
| National Center for Child Traumatic Stress – Category I, National Center for Child Traumatic Stress Cooperative Agreement Apply for SM 21 008 Funding Number: SM 21 008 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis Category: Health Funding Amount: $6,000,000 |
| National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative – Category II, Treatment and Service Adaptation (TSA) Centers Apply for SM 21 009 Funding Number: SM 21 009 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis Category: Health Funding Amount: $17,853,000 |
| Engaging the dental workforce to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S. (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA DE 21 002 Funding Number: RFA DE 21 002 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "HHS 2021 ACL AOA CSSG 0018", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.