PPHF Geriatric Education Centers

Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP)
CFDA 93.969 Active Grant

Program Funding

Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.

Latest annual funding
$39.1M FY2025
$44.2M
FY24
$39.1M
FY25

Funded Projects

Examples of what this program has supported.

FY2025 In Academic Year 2023-2024, the most recent year with available data, there were 70,717 participants and 61,641 graduates across 299 sites nationwide in the GWEP program. Grantees developed or enhanced 9,402 courses, training 1,130,534 participants from numerous disciplines. Grantees also offered 1,718 continuing education courses and trained 415,736 participants from medically underserved communities, primary care settings, and rural areas. GWEP grantees engaged in faculty development, resulting in 15,411 faculty trained and 38,351 trainees of teaching faculty from various disciplines.

Program Objective

The purpose of this program is to educate and train the health care and supportive care workforces to care for older adults by collaborating with community partners. GWEPs must maximize patient and family engagement to address care gaps and improve health outcomes for older adults by integrating geriatrics with primary care and other appropriate specialties using the Age-Friendly Health Systems Framework. The goal of this program is to educate and train the primary care and geriatrics workforces and other appropriate specialties to provide age-friendly and dementia-friendly care for older adults in integrated geriatrics and primary care sites/delivery systems. Program objectives are: 1) to develop reciprocal partnerships between academia, primary care sites/delivery systems (including nursing homes), and community organizations, to transform clinical training environments into integrated geriatrics and primary care sites/delivery systems that are age-friendly and dementia-friendly, 2) to provide interprofessional geriatrics clinical training and education to students, residents, fellows, faculty, and preceptors in Tribal, Tribal Organizations, Underserved and/or Rural (TTOUR) primary care sites/delivery systems with the intent to have them practice in these sites upon completion of their program, and 3) to establish and/or maintain education and training programs in TTOUR primary care sites/delivery systems that provide the supportive care workforce, direct care workers, and the primary care workforce with the knowledge and skills to improve the care of older adults, including persons living with dementia, by using innovative technology and methods.

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

  • Nonprofit Organization
  • U.S. Territory Government
  • U.S. State Government

Eligible applicants are accredited health professions schools and programs. The following entities are eligible applicants: Schools of Allopathic Medicine; Schools of Veterinary Medicine; Schools of Dentistry; Schools of Public Health; Schools of Osteopathic Medicine; Schools of Chiropractic; Schools of Pharmacy; Physician Assistant Education Programs; Schools of Optometry; Schools of Allied Health; Schools of Podiatric Medicine; and Schools of Nursing The following accredited graduate programs are also eligible applicants: Health Administration; and Behavioral Health and Mental Health Practice, including: Clinical Psychology, Clinical Social Work, Professional Counseling, and Marriage and Family Therapy. In addition, these are also eligible entities under GWEP: a health care facility, a program leading to certification as a certified nurse assistant, a partnership of a school of nursing and health care facility, or a partnership of a program leading to certification as a certified nurse assistant and a health care facility. Faith-based and community-based organizations, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments and Native American Organizations may apply if otherwise eligible. Applicants must be located in the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Federated States of Micronesia.

Beneficiaries

  • U.S. State Government
  • U.S. Territory Government
  • Nonprofit Organization

A trainee receiving support from award funds under this program must be a citizen, non-citizen national of the United States, an individual lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States, or any other “qualified alien” under section 431(b) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104-193, as amended.

How to Apply

Award Procedure

Notification of award is made in writing (electronic) through a Notice of Award.

Decision Timeline

  • Approval: From 120 to 180 days

Approximately 120 - 180 days after receipt of applications.

Program details & compliance

Description

The purpose of this program is to educate and train the health care and supportive care workforces to care for older adults by collaborating with community partners.

Mission Categories

Primary: Health Education

Other categories:
General Health and Medical

Use of Funds

Allowed Uses

Projects must develop collaborations with at least one community organization, one academic institution, and one primary care longitudinal clinical rotation site to ensure integrated delivery systems. Grantees must use funds for the following activities: 1. Develop reciprocal partnerships between applicant and a) academic schools of health professions, b) TTOUR primary care sites/delivery systems, and c) community organizations to transform primary care sites/delivery systems that provide age-friendly and dementia-friendly care for older adults; 2. Train the health care workforce in TTOUR primary care sites/delivery systems to provide age-friendly and dementia-friendly health care for older adults and achieve and maintain Level 1 and/or Level 2 Age-Friendly Health System recognition; 3. Provide students, residents, and/or fellows with a minimum of eight weeks per year of longitudinal clinical rotations in TTOUR primary care sites/delivery systems including nursing homes. Provide support to students, residents and/or fellows while they are in clinical rotation(s) at TTOUR primary care sites/delivery systems; 4. Provide faculty and preceptors with the knowledge and skills to educate the health care workforce to provide age-friendly and dementia-friendly care to older adults in TTOUR primary care sites/delivery systems; 5. Using the apprenticeship framework, provide education and training for direct care workers to support career advancement within their discipline as geriatrics specialists. For example, the development of career ladders for certified nursing assistants to become advanced geriatrics specialists and/or community health workers to become advanced geriatrics specialists; 6. Provide interprofessional training that involves at least three health care professions, one of which is medicine. Interprofessional training and education must address the primary care needs of older adults in TTOUR primary care sites/delivery systems including all of the following topics: continuum of care for older adults; ADRD and other mental health issues including delirium, anxiety, depression, substance use and opioid use disorders, and serious mental illness; risk reduction for chronic disease, including dementia; early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and management of dementia; enrollment of older adults in clinical trials; emergencies, and disasters on the health and health care of older adults; elder justice; training on performing the annual wellness visit; training on vaccinations; and use of methods such as MCC e-Care Plan, artificial intelligence and assistive technology, and mobile health technologies to provide telehealth and in-person care delivery; 7. Deliver age-friendly and dementia-friendly programs that provide health care and supportive care workers with the knowledge and skills to improve care to older adults; 8. Partner with schools of nursing and nursing homes to integrate into the curriculum age-friendly didactic content and clinical care learning opportunities on care of older adults, including persons living with dementia, who reside in nursing homes. The overall goal is to increase the number of nurses who elect to practice in nursing homes after graduation; 9. Adhere to HHS Evaluation Policy and evaluation standards and best practices described in OMB Memorandum M-20-12 when evaluating their program for effectiveness; and 10. Evaluate program effectiveness. Student support is provided to trainees only while they are participating in longitudinal clinical rotations. Funds may not be used to acquire real property or for the construction of buildings or the acquisition of land, to pay for equipment costs not directly related to the purposes of the GWEP, or for continuation education certificates. Annually, at least $230,000 must be used solely for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias education and training. Indirect costs under training awards will be budgeted and reimbursed at 8 percent.

Restrictions

Funds may not be used to acquire real property or for the construction of buildings or the acquisition of land, to pay for equipment costs not directly related to the purposes of the GWEP, or for continuation education certificates. Annually, at least $230,000 must be used solely for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias education and training. Indirect costs under training awards will be budgeted and reimbursed at 8 percent of modified total direct costs rather than on the basis of a negotiated rate agreement and are not subject to upward or downward adjustment.

Required Documentation

Applicants should review the individual HRSA Notice of Funding Opportunity issued under this assistance listing for any required proof or certifications which must be submitted with an application package.

Reporting & Compliance

Audit Required
Yes — Annual
Records Retention
3 years

Applicable 2 CFR 200 Subparts

  • Subpart B — General Provisions
  • Subpart C — Pre-Federal Award Requirements
  • Subpart D — Post-Federal Award Requirements
  • Subpart E — Cost Principles
  • Subpart F — Audit Requirements

Contacts

Jennifer Solomon, MA, Medical Training and Geriatrics Branch, Division of Medicine and Dentistry, Bureau of Health Workforce
301-443-0024
Division of Medicine and Dentistry Bureau of Health Workforce, Rockville, MD 20857
Data from SAM.gov Federal Assistance Listings. Source published: 2026-01-05. Spec v2.0. Last synced: 2026-05-30 02:34:22.