Deadline: 22-Jul-2026
The National Augmentative and Alternative Communication Peer Support Network opportunity supports the development of a national peer-led system for people with speech-related disabilities who use or need AAC. The initiative aims to strengthen mentorship, leadership, self-determination, and access to communication supports across the United States.
The program will provide one cooperative agreement with expected total funding of $2,325,000 over three 12-month budget periods from September 30, 2026, to September 29, 2029. Funding of up to $775,000 is available per budget period.
What is the National AAC Peer Support Network Opportunity?
The National Augmentative and Alternative Communication Peer Support Network opportunity is a federal funding initiative to strengthen peer support for people with speech-related disabilities.
The project will create and expand a national peer-led network that helps AAC users connect, share knowledge, access support, and build confidence.
The network will be designed by and for people with speech-related disabilities.
Main Purpose of the Opportunity
The main purpose of the opportunity is to support a sustainable national peer support system for AAC users.
The initiative aims to:
- Expand a national AAC peer support network
- Strengthen peer mentorship among AAC users
- Promote self-determination
- Build leadership skills
- Increase confidence among people with speech-related disabilities
- Improve access to AAC resources
- Support independence and community participation
- Strengthen safety, long-term security, and economic mobility
- Create modern and sustainable AAC peer support structures
Funding Agency
The opportunity is provided by the Administration for Community Living.
It is administered through:
- Administration on Disabilities
- Office of Disability Services Innovation
The initiative supports ACL’s broader goal of improving independence, inclusion, and community participation for people with disabilities.
Funding Amount
The program will provide one cooperative agreement.
Expected total funding is $2,325,000.
Funding will be provided over three 12-month budget periods.
The maximum funding available is up to $775,000 per budget period.
Project Period
The expected project period runs from September 30, 2026, to September 29, 2029.
The project will be implemented across three 12-month budget periods.
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 build, manage, and sustain a national peer support network for AAC users.
Target Beneficiaries
The initiative is designed to support people with speech-related disabilities who use or need Augmentative and Alternative Communication.
Target beneficiaries include:
- AAC users
- People with speech-related disabilities
- Individuals who cannot rely solely on speech for communication
- Families and supporters of AAC users
- Peer mentors
- Disability service organizations
- Community-based support networks
Why AAC Support is Needed
An estimated 5 million people in the United States have speech-related disabilities and cannot rely only on speech for communication.
Many people who need AAC face barriers to access, training, confidence, peer support, and long-term use.
A national peer support network can help AAC users share experiences, learn from one another, and overcome barriers to communication access and community participation.
What is Augmentative and Alternative Communication?
Augmentative and Alternative Communication refers to communication methods and tools used by people who cannot rely solely on speech.
AAC may include:
- Speech-generating devices
- Alphabet boards
- Handwriting
- Gestures
- Facial expressions
- Eye-gaze systems
- Vocalizations
- Brain-computer interfaces
- Other communication tools and strategies
AAC can support independence, self-expression, decision-making, safety, education, employment, and community life.
Key Focus Areas
The opportunity focuses on strengthening AAC peer support and improving access to communication resources.
Key focus areas include:
- AAC peer support
- National peer-led networks
- Self-determination
- Leadership development
- Mentorship among AAC users
- Communication access
- Economic mobility
- Long-term security
- Safety for AAC users
- AAC education and resources
- Peer support group development
- Participation of AAC users and supporters
- Sustainable network-building
Core Objectives
The project is expected to build a modern and sustainable national AAC peer support system.
Core objectives include:
- Expanding access to peer support
- Increasing AAC knowledge
- Growing AAC peer support groups
- Supporting AAC users in sharing lived experience
- Helping individuals access AAC that matches their needs and preferences
- Building confidence and leadership among AAC users
- Creating practical resources for AAC users and supporters
- Improving opportunities for independence and community engagement
- Supporting long-term sustainability of peer-led AAC networks
Peer-Led Approach
The network will be designed by and for people with speech-related disabilities.
This peer-led approach ensures that the project reflects the lived experiences, needs, preferences, and priorities of AAC users.
Peer support can help individuals build confidence, learn practical strategies, navigate systems, and develop stronger connections with others who use AAC.
Expected Project Activities
The funded project may support a wide range of activities to strengthen national AAC peer support.
Expected activities may include:
- Building a national AAC peer support network
- Creating AAC peer support groups
- Developing mentorship opportunities
- Producing training and resource materials
- Supporting AAC users in leadership roles
- Sharing strategies for AAC access and use
- Connecting AAC users and supporters nationwide
- Developing sustainable peer support models
- Promoting participation in community life
- Strengthening communication-related independence
Resource Development
The project will create resources that improve AAC knowledge and support peer learning.
Resources may help AAC users, families, professionals, and community supporters understand:
- AAC options and tools
- Peer support models
- Communication rights
- Strategies for AAC use
- Barriers to AAC access
- Ways to support self-determination
- Leadership and advocacy skills
- Community participation opportunities
Economic Mobility and Security
The initiative also supports broader outcomes related to economic mobility, safety, and long-term security.
AAC access and peer support can help individuals:
- Communicate their needs and choices
- Participate in education or employment
- Build confidence in public settings
- Access services and supports
- Strengthen decision-making
- Improve personal safety
- Increase independence and long-term stability
Key Concepts Explained
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Augmentative and Alternative Communication includes tools and methods that help people communicate when speech alone is not enough.
AAC User
An AAC user is a person who uses augmentative or alternative communication methods, devices, or systems to communicate.
Peer Support
Peer support means people with shared lived experience helping one another through mentorship, guidance, encouragement, and practical knowledge-sharing.
Self-Determination
Self-determination means having the ability and support to make choices, express preferences, set goals, and direct one’s own life.
Cooperative Agreement
A cooperative agreement is a funding arrangement in which the federal agency remains substantially involved in the project’s direction, coordination, or implementation.
Speech-Related Disability
A speech-related disability affects a person’s ability to rely on speech as their primary method of communication.
How the Program Works
The program will fund one recipient to build and operate a national AAC peer support network.
The recipient will receive funding through a cooperative agreement over three 12-month budget periods.
The project should create a sustainable national resource that helps AAC users connect, learn, mentor one another, and access communication support.
How to Apply
Applicants should prepare a proposal that demonstrates strong experience with disability services, AAC, peer support, national network-building, and inclusive leadership.
Suggested Application Steps
- Confirm that the applicant is an eligible domestic entity.
- Review the purpose and goals of the AAC peer support opportunity.
- Develop a national peer support network model.
- Ensure the project is designed by and for people with speech-related disabilities.
- Describe how AAC users will lead and shape the network.
- Explain how mentorship and peer support groups will be developed.
- Include strategies for resource development and knowledge sharing.
- Explain how the project will support self-determination and leadership.
- Describe how the network will improve AAC access and participation.
- Prepare a sustainability plan for the national network.
- Develop a budget of up to $775,000 per budget period.
- Submit the application according to ACL’s official requirements.
Assessment Considerations
Applications should demonstrate the ability to build a national, inclusive, and sustainable AAC peer support network.
Reviewers may consider:
- Applicant experience with AAC
- Experience serving people with speech-related disabilities
- Strength of peer-led design
- Inclusion of AAC users in leadership roles
- Quality of the mentorship model
- National reach and scalability
- Resource development capacity
- Sustainability strategy
- Ability to support diverse AAC users
- Budget clarity and feasibility
- Alignment with ACL priorities
Expected Results
The initiative is expected to improve communication access and peer support for AAC users nationwide.
Expected results may include:
- A stronger national AAC peer support network
- More AAC peer support groups
- Increased AAC user participation
- Improved access to AAC knowledge and resources
- Stronger leadership skills among AAC users
- Increased confidence and self-determination
- Better peer mentorship opportunities
- Stronger community connections
- Improved independence and engagement
- A sustainable national model for AAC peer support
Why It Matters
Communication is essential for independence, safety, relationships, education, employment, and full participation in community life.
People with speech-related disabilities may face barriers when they lack access to appropriate AAC tools, peer support, and practical guidance.
A national AAC peer support network can help individuals connect with others who understand their experiences and can share strategies for communication, advocacy, and daily life.
By centering the leadership of AAC users, the initiative supports self-determination, inclusion, and long-term empowerment.
Tips for Strong Applications
A strong application should clearly show how the project will be peer-led, sustainable, and nationally relevant.
Applicants should focus on:
- Meaningful leadership by AAC users
- Strong knowledge of AAC systems and barriers
- Practical peer support model
- Clear plan for mentorship and group development
- Strong national outreach strategy
- Inclusive and accessible communication methods
- High-quality resource development
- Focus on self-determination and independence
- Sustainability beyond the grant period
- Clear budget and implementation timeline
Applicants should show how the project will help AAC users connect, participate, lead, and access communication supports that match their preferences and needs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid proposals that do not clearly center AAC users and peer leadership.
Common mistakes include:
- Treating AAC users only as beneficiaries rather than leaders
- Providing a weak peer support model
- Not explaining how the network will be national
- Failing to address sustainability
- Not including mentorship strategies
- Providing limited detail on resource development
- Ignoring accessibility in communication and participation
- Not explaining how the project supports self-determination
- Providing a budget that is not aligned with project activities
- Failing to show experience with speech-related disabilities or AAC
FAQ
What is the National AAC Peer Support Network opportunity?
It is a funding opportunity to develop and strengthen a national peer-led support network for people with speech-related disabilities who use or need Augmentative and Alternative Communication.
Who is offering the funding?
The opportunity is offered by the Administration for Community Living through the Administration on Disabilities and the Office of Disability Services Innovation.
How much funding is available?
The program provides expected total funding of $2,325,000 over three budget periods, with up to $775,000 available per budget period.
How many awards are expected?
One award is expected.
What is the project period?
The project period is expected to run from September 30, 2026, to September 29, 2029.
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 is AAC?
AAC includes communication methods and tools such as speech-generating devices, alphabet boards, handwriting, gestures, facial expressions, eye-gaze systems, vocalizations, and brain-computer interfaces.
Conclusion
The National Augmentative and Alternative Communication Peer Support Network opportunity will strengthen peer-led support for people with speech-related disabilities across the United States. With expected total funding of $2,325,000 over three years, the initiative will help build a sustainable national network that promotes AAC access, mentorship, leadership, confidence, and self-determination.
Strong applications will demonstrate deep experience with AAC, meaningful leadership by people with speech-related disabilities, a clear national peer support strategy, practical resource development, and a sustainability plan that supports long-term communication access and community participation.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
