Addressing Dementia in Tribal and Urban Indian Communities: CAReS Program
🏛 Indian Health Service
Can you apply?
This grant is for Tribal nations, Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations serving American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Applicants must demonstrate capacity to deliver dementia care improvements or caregiver support services. Two funding options exist: Option A (Dementia CAReS) supports one national coordinating entity managing mini-projects, champion networks, and evaluation. Option B (Caregiver Support Center) supports one national training and technical assistance hub. Both options require a 5-year commitment with annual budget periods.
Key dates
- Aug 14, 2025 Applications open
- Jun 1, 2026 Application deadline today
- Aug 21, 2026 Award announced
- Sep 1, 2026 Project start
This grant is for Tribal nations, Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations serving American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Applicants must demonstrate capacity to deliver dementia care improvements or caregiver support services. Two funding options exist: Option A (Dementia CAReS) supports one national coordinating entity managing mini-projects, champion networks, and evaluation. Option B (Caregiver Support Center) supports one national training and technical assistance hub. Both options require a 5-year commitment with annual budget periods.
Program description
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) supports Tribal and Urban Indian communities in strengthening dementia care and services for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people. Rooted in Indigenous values and community self-determination, the program will fund meaningful, measurable improvements that span the full dementia care continuum, from early recognition to caregiver support.
Option A – Dementia CAReS (Care Access, Resources, and Support). One national
awardee will coordinate four integrated priorities:
- Mini-Project Funding to help clinics launch culturally tailored services.
- A Dementia Champion Network connecting frontline leaders.
- Success Sharing through case studies and toolkits.
- Evaluation & Data using common performance measures and dashboards.
Option B – Dementia Caregiver Support and Training Center. One national awardee will deliver dementia caregiver support training, services, resources, and technical assistance. Services will support Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations. The awardee will develop and implement a comprehensive, culturally relevant caregiver support and training model. It will prioritize leadership and advocacy, caregiver support, and knowledge and skills development. Across both options, recipients will document emerging practices using standardized measures. These measures will guide continuous quality improvement and improve outcomes for AI/AN people and their caregivers.
Across both options, recipients will document emerging practices using standardized measures. These measures will guide continuous quality improvement and improve outcomes for AI/AN people and their caregivers.
Funding range for Option A (CAReS) per applicant for the first budget period: $500,000 to $750,000
Funding range for Option B (Caregiver Support) per applicant for the first budget period: $250,000 – $300,000
We expect to fund projects in 5 one-year budget periods for a total period of performance of 5 years.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
Details
This grant is for Tribal nations, Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations serving American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Applicants must demonstrate capacity to deliver dementia care improvements or caregiver support services. Two funding options exist: Option A (Dementia CAReS) supports one national coordinating entity managing mini-projects, champion networks, and evaluation. Option B (Caregiver Support Center) supports one national training and technical assistance hub. Both options require a 5-year commitment with annual budget periods.
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative (scope of work, methods, evaluation plan)
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Organizational capacity documentation
- Letter(s) of support from Tribal partners or community organizations
- Proof of IRS 501(c)(3) status or Tribal governmental authority
- Resumes of key personnel
Program contact
- 👤 Division of Grants Management
- 📧 dgm@ihs.gov
- 📞 301-443-5204
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.933 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$183,616,051
-
$157,117,425
-
$128,797,340
-
$107,162,695
-
$34,776,044
-
$11,404,476
-
$8,665,038
-
$8,408,708
-
$7,703,988
-
$4,114,304
Top States by Funding
- PA 2 awards $312.4M
- MA 2 awards $191.9M
- VA 1 awards $107.2M
- OK 12 awards $13.9M
- CA 12 awards $13.9M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply?
Tribal nations, Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations. Applicants must serve American Indian and Alaska Native populations and show capacity to implement dementia services.
What are the two funding options?
Option A (CAReS) is $500K-$750K and coordinates mini-projects and a champion network. Option B (Caregiver Support) is $250K-$300K and provides training and technical assistance.
Is cost-sharing required?
No cost-sharing is required for this grant.
What is the project timeline?
Projects run for 5 years with annual one-year budget periods. Continuation funding depends on satisfactory performance.
What activities are supported?
Culturally tailored dementia services, caregiver training, champion network building, case studies, toolkits, and evaluation using standardized measures.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize cultural relevance and how your approach honors Indigenous values and community self-determination.
- Show a clear plan for documenting outcomes using the standardized performance measures mentioned in the NOFO.
- Provide concrete examples of how you will reach frontline clinics and caregivers in your communities.
- If applying for Option A, detail how mini-project funding will support clinics launching new services.
- Address sustainability and how your work will continue beyond the grant period.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail when they omit cultural components or treat dementia care as generic healthcare rather than community-centered. Weak applications lack clear evaluation plans or fail to show genuine connection to Tribal/Urban Indian communities. Applicants who don't address all elements of their chosen option (A or B) are less competitive.
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