Expanding Financial Literacy and Empowerment: Increasing Awareness and Use of ABLE Accounts for Americans with Disabilities

Key Facts

Status: Open

Posted date: March 3, 2026

Opportunity ID: 361403

Opportunity number: HHS-2026-ACL-AOD-DFLA-0025

Opportunity category: Discretionary

Agency name: Administration for Community Living

Agency code: HHS-ACL

Award floor: $1,000,000

Award ceiling: $1,500,000

Cost sharing required: No

Funding Instrument Types
  • Grant
Category of Funding Activity
  • Income Security and Social Services
Eligible Applicants
  • City or township governments
  • County governments
  • Independent school districts
  • Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
  • 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
  • Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
  • Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
  • Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
  • Special district governments
  • State governments
Tools
Categories (use these for quoted searches)
  • agency_code:hhs_acl
  • category_of_funding_activity:income_security_and_social_services
  • cost_sharing_or_matching_requirement:false
  • eligible_applicants:city_or_township_governments
  • eligible_applicants:county_governments
  • eligible_applicants:independent_school_districts
  • eligible_applicants:native_american_tribal_governments_federally_recognized
  • eligible_applicants:native_american_tribal_organizations_other_than_federally_recognized_tribal_governments
  • eligible_applicants:nonprofits_having_a_501_c_3_status_with_the_irs_other_than_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:nonprofits_that_do_not_have_a_501_c_3_status_with_the_irs_other_than_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:public_and_state_controlled_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:public_housing_authoritiesindian_housing_authorities
  • eligible_applicants:special_district_governments
  • eligible_applicants:state_governments
  • funding_instrument_type:grant
  • opportunity_category:discretionary
  • status:open
Description

This grant is funded under the Projects of National Significance (PNS) authorized by the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act. Its purpose is to increase awareness, access, and use of ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) accounts so that individuals with disabilities have the resources needed to better support their health and economic well-being and improve their economic security and mobility. Since 2015, the ABLE Act has authorized states and territories to establish tax-advantaged programs—ABLE accounts—that allow individuals with disabilities to save and invest money. These accounts may be used for qualified disability expenses, including education, food, housing, transportation, employment training, assistive technology, and health care. Beginning in January 2026, ABLE eligibility requirements were expanded to include individuals with an age of disability onset up to 46, increased from the previous limit of 26. As a result, an estimated 14 million people will be eligible for ABLE accounts, including approximately 1.2 million veterans. This expansion presents a significant opportunity to broaden outreach to individuals receiving Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), as well as individuals with disabilities who are not enrolled in disability benefit programs, to help overcome barriers to achieving good health and meaningful employment. To advance these goals, the grant will support strategies such as coordinated marketing efforts at the national, state, and community levels; population-specific approaches implemented through partnerships with ACL grantees and community stakeholders; and a strengthened systems approach at the state level. ACL recognizes that ABLE-related supports can play a critical role in increasing economic security and mobility for individuals with disabilities.

Expanding Financial Literacy and Empowerment: Increasing Awareness and Use of ABLE Accounts for Americans with Disabilities
This grant is funded under the Projects of National Significance (PNS) authorized by the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act. Its purpose is to increase awareness, access, and use of ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) accounts so that individuals with disabilities have the resources needed to better support their health and economic well-being and improve their economic security and mobility. Since 2015, the ABLE Act has authorized states and territories to establish tax-advantaged programs—ABLE accounts—that allow individuals with disabilities to save and invest money. These accounts may be used for qualified disability expenses, including education, food, housing, transportation, employment training, assistive technology, and health care. Beginning in January 2026, ABLE eligibility requirements were expanded to include individuals with an age of disability onset up to 46, increased from the previous limit of 26. As a result, an estimated 14 million people will be eligible for ABLE accounts, including approximately 1.2 million veterans. This expansion presents a significant opportunity to broaden outreach to individuals receiving Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), as well as individuals with disabilities who are not enrolled in disability benefit programs, to help overcome barriers to achieving good health and meaningful employment. To advance these goals, the grant will support strategies such as coordinated marketing efforts at the national, state, and community levels; population-specific approaches implemented through partnerships with ACL grantees and community stakeholders; and a strengthened systems approach at the state level. ACL recognizes that ABLE-related supports can play a critical role in increasing economic security and mobility for individuals with disabilities.
Expanding Financial Literacy and Empowerment: Increasing Awareness and Use of ABLE Accounts for Americans with Disabilities
Open
Administration for Community Living
Income Security and Social Services
Grant
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
Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
2026-03-03