Strengthening the Direct Care Workforce: A Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Initiative

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) will award a single three‑year cooperative agreement to operate and expand the Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center. The purpose is to provide technical assistance, capacity‑building resources, and cross‑sector coordination to mitigate the shortage and high turnover of direct‑care workers serving older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers. The award ceiling and floor are both $2,000,000, and eligible applicants include state, county, city, tribal, and higher‑education entities (excluding foreign entities). The initiative emphasizes data‑driven strategies, workforce training, recruitment, retention, and policy advocacy. • One award; $2 M total funding over three years • Cooperative agreement (grant‑type) • Target audience: direct‑care workforce supporting seniors and persons with disabilities • Eligible applicants: U.S. public‑sector entities and certain private higher‑education institutions • Expected deliverables: technical assistance tools, best‑practice guides, webinars, stakeholder engagement, and evaluation reports • Project start anticipated 09/30/2027; award decision 09/16/2027