Expanding Financial Literacy and Empowerment: Increasing Awareness and Use of ABLE Accounts for Americans with Disabilities
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations and projects that advance financial literacy and ABLE account awareness for Americans with disabilities. Eligible applicants typically include nonprofits, disability organizations, state agencies, and community-based providers serving individuals with disabilities. The grant supports national and state-level efforts to increase ABLE account access, particularly for Medicaid/SSI recipients and disabled individuals aged 46 or younger with disability onset. Projects must coordinate marketing, develop population-specific outreach, and strengthen state systems to overcome barriers to economic security.
Funding instruments are cooperative agreements (not simple grants), indicating ACL expects active agency collaboration throughout the project. No cost-sharing is required.
Key dates
- Mar 3, 2026 Applications open
- Jun 22, 2026 Application deadline in 20 days
- Aug 28, 2026 Award announced
- Sep 1, 2026 Project start
This grant is for organizations and projects that advance financial literacy and ABLE account awareness for Americans with disabilities. Eligible applicants typically include nonprofits, disability organizations, state agencies, and community-based providers serving individuals with disabilities. The grant supports national and state-level efforts to increase ABLE account access, particularly for Medicaid/SSI recipients and disabled individuals aged 46 or younger with disability onset. Projects must coordinate marketing, develop population-specific outreach, and strengthen state systems to overcome barriers to economic security.
Funding instruments are cooperative agreements (not simple grants), indicating ACL expects active agency collaboration throughout the project. No cost-sharing is required.
Program 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.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- County Government
- Nonprofits
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Special District
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
Details
This grant is for organizations and projects that advance financial literacy and ABLE account awareness for Americans with disabilities. Eligible applicants typically include nonprofits, disability organizations, state agencies, and community-based providers serving individuals with disabilities. The grant supports national and state-level efforts to increase ABLE account access, particularly for Medicaid/SSI recipients and disabled individuals aged 46 or younger with disability onset. Projects must coordinate marketing, develop population-specific outreach, and strengthen state systems to overcome barriers to economic security.
Funding instruments are cooperative agreements (not simple grants), indicating ACL expects active agency collaboration throughout the project. No cost-sharing is required.
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative (scope, approach, partnerships, timeline)
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Organizational capacity statement (staff experience, prior federal grants)
- Letters of Support (from state ABLE programs, disability organizations, community partners)
- Evaluation Plan (metrics for outreach, awareness, account adoption)
Program contact
- 👤 David Jones
- 📧 David.Jones@acl.hhs.gov
- 📞 202-795-7367
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.631 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$3,898,324
-
$2,473,630
-
$2,425,000
-
$2,252,586
-
$2,150,000
-
$1,734,953
-
$1,674,972
-
$1,449,268
-
$1,449,268
-
$1,449,073
Top States by Funding
- DC 3 awards $5.4M
- VA 2 awards $5.0M
- MA 3 awards $4.8M
- KS 3 awards $3.6M
- OH 2 awards $3.2M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.631). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $12,500,000 | |
| 2025 | $12,500,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Nonprofits, disability organizations, state agencies, and community-based providers serving people with disabilities are eligible. ACL typically seeks organizations with existing infrastructure and partnerships in disability services.
What is an ABLE account and why does this grant matter?
ABLE accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts for people with disabilities. As of January 2026, eligibility expanded to include 14 million people, creating urgent need for outreach and education about the accounts.
What types of activities does this grant fund?
The grant supports coordinated marketing (national, state, community levels), population-specific outreach partnerships, and systems-level strengthening at the state level to increase ABLE account awareness and use.
What is the funding amount and timeline?
Awards range from $1,000,000 to $1,500,000. The deadline is June 22, 2026. Project duration is typically 2–3 years for PNS grants, though exact duration should be confirmed in the full NOFO.
What makes a competitive application?
Strong applications demonstrate existing relationships with disability service providers, clear metrics for outreach reach, partnerships with state ABLE programs, and strategies targeting underserved populations like veterans and SSI recipients.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Highlight existing partnerships with disability organizations, state agencies, and community stakeholders. ACL values collaborative approaches and networks already in place.
- Focus on the January 2026 eligibility expansion to 46-year-old onset age. Show how your project will reach the newly eligible 14 million people.
- Include data-driven outreach strategies targeting specific populations: Medicaid/SSI recipients, veterans, and disabled individuals outside traditional benefit programs.
- Explain how your project will strengthen state-level ABLE infrastructure, not just run awareness campaigns. Systems-level thinking is key.
- Use cooperative agreement language in your narrative. Emphasize how you'll collaborate with ACL and maintain flexibility as the program evolves.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Focusing only on general disability awareness without specific ABLE-account education. Underestimating the cooperative agreement requirement—ACL expects ongoing partnership, not a standalone project. Overlooking the newly eligible 14-million-person population created by the 2026 expansion.
Similar grants
- OPEN 27-0343-10 FFY27 Local Agency General Non-Enforcement — Illinois Department of Transportation
- ROLLING Annual Agency Threshold Application Applicants for Funding Start Here — Texas City of Austin - Austin Public Health
- CLOSED Virginia’s Black Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) Grant – FY26 — Virginia The Virginia Department of Historic Resources
- ROLLING RTAP Grant Program (Rolling) — Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation
- ROLLING Rail Industrial Access Grant (RIA) — Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation