Apply now for National Information and Referral Support Center (US)

Deadline: 22-Jul-2026

The Administration for Community Living is seeking applications for the National Information and Referral Support Center to strengthen information access systems for older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, and families. The initiative will improve the quality, coordination, professionalism, and accessibility of information and referral services nationwide.

The program will operate as a three-year cooperative agreement with expected total funding of $675,000. Funding of up to $225,000 is available per budget period, and eligible applicants include nonprofit entities, governments, tribal organizations, community-based organizations, hospitals, faith-based organizations, and institutions of higher education.

What is the National Information and Referral Support Center?

The National Information and Referral Support Center is a nationwide initiative designed to improve information, referral, and assistance systems across aging and disability networks.

The center will serve as a trusted national resource that helps older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, and families connect with community-based services and supports.

It will also provide training, technical assistance, resources, and professional development for organizations and professionals delivering information and referral services.

Main Purpose of the Program

The main purpose of the program is to improve access to reliable information and referral services across the United States.

The initiative aims to:

• Strengthen aging and disability information and referral systems
• Improve access to services and supports
• Increase professionalism among information and referral professionals
• Support national training and technical assistance
• Promote standards and certification
• Improve coordination across service networks
• Share evidence-informed and culturally responsive practices
• Support the operation and enhancement of the Eldercare Locator

Funding Amount

The program has a total budget of $225,000 per budget period.

The maximum funding available per applicant is up to $225,000 per budget period.

The initiative is expected to operate as a three-year cooperative agreement.

The expected total program funding is $675,000.

Who is Eligible?

Eligible applicants include domestic public or private entities.

Eligible applicants may include:

• Public nonprofit entities
• Private nonprofit entities
• State governments
• Local governments
• Indian tribal governments
• Indian tribal organizations
• Faith-based organizations
• Community-based organizations
• Hospitals
• Institutions of higher education

Applicants should demonstrate the capacity to provide national leadership, training, technical assistance, and resource development for aging and disability information and referral systems.

Target Beneficiaries

The initiative will support systems and organizations serving:

• Older adults
• People with disabilities
• Caregivers
• Families
• Aging network professionals
• Disability network professionals
• Information and referral specialists
• Tribal and Native communities
• Community-based service providers

Organizations Supported by the Center

The Support Center will provide technical assistance and resources to a wide range of organizations.

These include:

• State Units on Aging
• Area Agencies on Aging
• Tribal organizations
• Native Hawaiian organizations
• Urban Indian organizations
• Centers for Independent Living
• Nonprofit organizations
• Community-based organizations
• Aging and disability service providers

Key Focus Areas

The National Information and Referral Support Center will focus on improving service quality, access, standards, training, and coordination.

Key focus areas include:

• Aging and disability information and referral services
• Information access systems
• Eldercare Locator support
• National technical assistance
• Professional training
• Peer learning
• Certification support
• Standards promotion
• Emergency preparedness
• Technology use
• Culturally responsive engagement
• Tribal and Native community outreach
• Evidence-informed practices
• Community-based service coordination

Core Objectives

The initiative is designed to strengthen national information and referral capacity.

Core objectives include:

• Increasing the quality of information and referral services
• Improving professional skills and knowledge
• Expanding access to reliable information
• Supporting consistent service delivery
• Enhancing coordination among aging and disability networks
• Promoting national standards and benchmarks
• Encouraging Community Resource Specialist-Aging/Disabilities certification
• Sharing replicable models and promising practices
• Supporting emergency preparedness strategies
• Improving culturally responsive outreach and engagement

Support for the Eldercare Locator

The program will support the implementation, operation, and enhancement of the Eldercare Locator.

The Eldercare Locator helps connect older adults, caregivers, and families with local services and supports.

The Support Center will help strengthen the systems, resources, and professional practices that make referral services more reliable and accessible.

Training and Technical Assistance Activities

The Support Center will provide national training and education opportunities for information and referral professionals.

Activities may include:

• Webinars
• Toolkits
• Issue briefs
• Learning collaboratives
• Peer exchanges
• Conference presentations
• Written guidance
• Implementation resources
• Training materials
• Technical assistance sessions

The center will also organize one national in-person training event each project year.

National In-Person Training Event

The Support Center will organize a national in-person training event each project year.

This event will focus on key issues related to:

• Aging services
• Disability services
• Caregiving
• Information and referral systems
• Professional standards
• Service access
• Community-based supports

Professional Standards and Certification

The initiative will promote national standards for information and referral services.

It will also encourage interest in Community Resource Specialist-Aging/Disabilities certification.

The center will support the use of benchmarks and professional development tools that help information and referral professionals deliver consistent, high-quality services.

Technology and Emergency Preparedness

The program will support the use of technology to improve information and referral services.

It will also promote emergency preparedness strategies that help organizations respond to crises and service disruptions.

This may include resources and guidance for maintaining access to information and support during emergencies, disasters, or public health events.

Engagement with Tribal and Native Communities

The Support Center will maintain engagement strategies for Indian tribes, tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and Urban Indian organizations.

These strategies should be culturally responsive and community-informed.

The program will support approaches that respect tribal sovereignty, local knowledge, cultural context, and community priorities.

Collaboration and National Coordination

The initiative will collaborate with national organizations, federal agencies, ACL resource centers, and other networks.

Collaboration will help strengthen information and referral systems and ensure that effective practices are shared widely.

The Support Center will play a national leadership role in connecting organizations, sharing resources, and improving coordination across aging and disability networks.

Key Concepts Explained

Information and Referral Services

Information and referral services help people find and connect with available community resources, benefits, programs, and supports.

Aging and Disability Networks

Aging and disability networks include organizations that support older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, and families through local, state, tribal, and national services.

Technical Assistance

Technical assistance means expert support, guidance, training, and resources that help organizations improve their programs and services.

Community Resource Specialist-Aging/Disabilities Certification

This certification supports professional recognition and skill development for specialists who help individuals access aging and disability resources.

Culturally Responsive Practice

Culturally responsive practice means delivering services in ways that respect the culture, language, values, and lived experiences of the communities being served.

Cooperative Agreement

A cooperative agreement is a funding arrangement in which the federal agency remains actively involved in the project’s direction, coordination, and implementation.

Expected Project Activities

The funded recipient will be expected to deliver national support activities that strengthen information and referral systems.

Expected activities may include:

• Providing technical assistance to aging and disability networks
• Developing training resources
• Supporting professional development
• Promoting certification and standards
• Organizing peer learning opportunities
• Sharing promising practices
• Supporting culturally responsive engagement
• Developing implementation tools
• Coordinating with national partners
• Supporting Eldercare Locator-related improvements

Expected Results

The National Information and Referral Support Center is expected to improve the quality and consistency of services nationwide.

Expected results may include:

• Stronger information and referral systems
• Better access to community-based supports
• Improved professional capacity
• More consistent service delivery
• Increased use of national standards
• Greater awareness of certification pathways
• Stronger coordination among aging and disability networks
• Better support for tribal and Native communities
• Improved emergency preparedness
• Wider dissemination of effective models and practices

Why It Matters

Older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, and families often need clear and reliable information to access services and supports.

Information and referral systems help people navigate complex service networks and connect with the right resources.

By strengthening training, standards, technical assistance, and coordination, the National Information and Referral Support Center can improve access, reduce confusion, and support better outcomes for individuals and families.

The program also helps organizations deliver more professional, culturally responsive, and effective services.

How to Apply

Applicants should prepare a proposal that demonstrates national capacity, technical expertise, partnership strength, and experience supporting aging and disability networks.

Suggested Application Steps

1. Confirm that the applicant is an eligible domestic entity.
2. Review the program purpose and cooperative agreement requirements.
3. Develop a national technical assistance and training plan.
4. Explain how the project will support aging and disability information and referral systems.
5. Describe planned resources, webinars, toolkits, peer learning, and training events.
6. Include a strategy for supporting the Eldercare Locator.
7. Explain how the project will promote standards and certification.
8. Describe engagement with tribes, tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and Urban Indian organizations.
9. Include plans for collaboration with national organizations, federal agencies, and ACL resource centers.
10. Prepare a budget of up to $225,000 per budget period.
11. Demonstrate capacity to manage a three-year cooperative agreement.
12. Submit the application according to ACL’s official requirements.

Assessment Considerations

Applications should show strong capacity to provide national leadership and high-quality technical assistance.

Reviewers may consider:

• Applicant experience
• National reach
• Understanding of aging and disability networks
• Quality of the training and technical assistance plan
• Capacity to support professional standards
• Strength of certification support strategies
• Quality of tribal and Native engagement plans
• Ability to develop useful resources
• Collaboration with relevant partners
• Feasibility of the project plan
• Budget clarity and alignment with program goals

Tips for Strong Applications

A strong application should clearly show how the applicant will serve as a national resource for information and referral systems.

Applicants should focus on:

• Strong experience in aging and disability services
• Clear national technical assistance strategy
• Practical training and professional development plan
• Strong understanding of information and referral systems
• Culturally responsive engagement methods
• Meaningful tribal and Native community outreach
• Clear standards and certification support
• Evidence-informed resource development
• Strong partnership and coordination plan
• Realistic budget and implementation timeline

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid broad proposals that do not clearly explain how services will be delivered nationally.

Common mistakes include:

• Providing a weak technical assistance plan
• Failing to address the Eldercare Locator
• Not explaining how professional standards will be promoted
• Ignoring certification support
• Providing limited detail on tribal and Native engagement
• Not showing collaboration with aging and disability networks
• Submitting unclear training activities
• Failing to include practical resource development
• Providing a budget that is not aligned with program activities
• Not demonstrating capacity to manage a national cooperative agreement

FAQ

What is the National Information and Referral Support Center?

It is a national initiative that strengthens information and referral services for older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, and families.

Who is offering the funding?

The funding is offered by the Administration for Community Living, Administration on Aging, Office of Supportive and Caregiver Services.

How much funding is available?

The program provides up to $225,000 per budget period, with expected total funding of $675,000 over three years.

Who can apply?

Eligible applicants include domestic public or private nonprofit entities, state and local governments, Indian tribal governments and organizations, faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, hospitals, and institutions of higher education.

What services will the Support Center provide?

The center will provide national technical assistance, training, resource development, peer learning, standards promotion, certification support, and coordination with aging and disability information and referral systems.

What organizations will receive technical assistance?

The center will support State Units on Aging, Area Agencies on Aging, tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, Urban Indian organizations, Centers for Independent Living, nonprofits, and community-based organizations.

What training activities are expected?

Training activities may include webinars, toolkits, issue briefs, peer exchanges, learning collaboratives, conference presentations, written guidance, implementation resources, and one national in-person training event each project year.

Conclusion

The National Information and Referral Support Center will strengthen access to information, services, and supports for older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, and families. Through national training, technical assistance, professional standards promotion, certification support, and culturally responsive engagement, the program will improve the quality and coordination of information and referral systems across aging and disability networks.

Strong applications will demonstrate national leadership capacity, deep knowledge of aging and disability services, effective technical assistance strategies, strong partnership networks, and a clear plan to support culturally responsive, high-quality information and referral services nationwide.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.