Expanding Financial Literacy and Empowerment: Increasing Awareness and Use of ABLE Accounts for Americans with Disabilities

This federal Notice of Funding Opportunity (HHS-2026-ACL-AOD-DFLA-0025) from the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Administration on Disabilities, announces a three-year cooperative agreement estimated at $3,000,000 ($1,000,000 per budget period) to fund a single awardee. The project's primary goal is to expand financial literacy and increase the enrollment and use of tax-advantaged ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) accounts among Americans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Eligible applicants include domestic public or private non-profit entities, tribal governments, faith-based and community organizations, hospitals, and institutions of higher education. To resolve barriers such as fear of losing public benefits and lack of system integration, the recipient must implement a coordinated, three-pronged national approach: 1. **Embedding ABLE:** Integrating financial literacy and enrollment support into existing federal, state, and local systems during key life transition points (e.g., early childhood, school transitions, employment onboarding) and executing a pilot program. 2. **Community Outreach:** Leveraging trusted, grassroots networks—such as the Developmental Disabilities (DD) Network, Centers for Independent Living, and faith leaders—to deliver peer-to-peer coaching and direct engagement. 3. **National Marketing:** Launching digital, social media, and values-based storytelling campaigns, creating accessible toolkits, and conducting targeted outreach to unserved and underserved communities. Additionally, the recipient will establish a diverse national ABLE Advisory Group to guide the project. Applications are due by August 1, 2026, with an expected project start date of September 30, 2026. No cost-sharing is required, and funding cannot be used for direct deposits into individual ABLE accounts or DEIA activities.