National Center for Law and Elder Rights
🏛 Administration for Community Living (HHS-ACL)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Oct 27, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations providing legal assistance to older adults. Applicants must have capacity to deliver national legal support services under the Older Americans Act. Activities include case consultations, training, substantive legal advice, and system design/implementation for local legal assistance providers.
Organizations must demonstrate expertise in elder law and ability to collaborate with other national centers. Nonprofit organizations, universities, law schools, and legal services organizations are typical applicants. The grant funds development of legal assistance delivery systems that serve older individuals nationwide.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
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Key dates
- Oct 27, 2026 Applications open
- Mar 5, 2027 Application deadline in 128 days
- May 1, 2027 Award announced
- May 1, 2027 Project start
Program description
Section 420(a)(1) of the Older Americans Act (OAA) requires a national legal assistance support system which provides, develops, and supports legal assistance activities for older individuals, including case consultations, training, the provision of substantive legal advice and assistance, and assistance in the design, implementation, and administration of legal assistance delivery systems to local providers of legal assistance to older individuals. Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity, the Administration for Community Living plans to award up to four (4) cooperative agreements to organizations that will collaborate and collectively function as the National Center for Law and Elder Rights.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative/Proposal
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Organizational Capacity Documentation
- Letters of Support/Collaboration
- Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)
Program contact
- 👤 Kari Benson
- 📧 aoa.oaa@acl.hhs.gov
- 📞 (202) 401-4634
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.048 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$66,701,512
-
$50,000,000
-
$32,636,000
-
$15,463,698
-
$13,015,977
-
$12,893,892
-
$9,949,997
-
$9,779,231
-
$9,097,121
-
$8,389,500
Top States by Funding
- DC 13 awards $164.3M
- NY 7 awards $54.9M
- MO 6 awards $35.6M
- CA 6 awards $22.4M
- VA 8 awards $21.8M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Organizations with expertise in elder law and legal assistance to seniors can apply. Universities, law schools, nonprofits, and established legal services organizations are typical applicants.
What is the deadline?
The deadline is fixed for March 5, 2027. Plan ahead—this is a competitive cooperative agreement requiring extensive documentation.
What activities does this grant fund?
The grant funds case consultations, training, legal advice, and designing legal assistance delivery systems. Up to four organizations will be funded to work collectively as one national center.
How competitive is this grant?
Very competitive. Only four awards will be made from the total funding pool, so applications must demonstrate clear expertise and national impact potential.
What is the funding range?
Awards typically range from $250,000 to $400,000 per cooperative agreement. Exact amounts depend on project scope and demonstrated need.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize your organization's track record in elder law services and legal assistance. Demonstrate concrete past successes serving older adults.
- Clearly explain how your organization will collaborate with the other three national centers. Detail specific coordination mechanisms and communication plans.
- Show strong relationships with local legal assistance providers. Evidence of existing partnerships strengthens your case significantly.
- Address cost-sharing requirements upfront in your budget narrative. Explain how your organization will sustain funding after the grant period ends.
- Focus your proposal on scalability and national reach. Reviewers want to see how your services will benefit older adults across multiple states and regions.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Submitting a proposal without demonstrating clear elder law expertise or legal services experience. Failing to show readiness for national-level collaboration with competing organizations.
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