Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2021 ACL AOD DNCE 0098
The Projects of National Significance: Community Collaborations for Employment Program is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL), designed to help communities build stronger, more coordinated pathways from school to adult life for youth with developmental disabilities. The central focus is on improving how local systems work together so that young people and their families can navigate services more easily and get better results, especially in the areas of competitive integrated employment (CIE), postsecondary education without the need for remediation, and independent living. Rather than funding a single agency to deliver services in isolation, the program supports broad, structured collaborations across a community so partners jointly plan, implement, and improve transition supports.
Funded projects are expected to tackle common problems families face during the transition years, such as fragmented programs, confusing eligibility rules, duplicated efforts across agencies, and inconsistent practices from one provider to another. Grantees and their partners are asked to reduce service complexity, improve coordination and information-sharing, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and create practical tools that make service delivery more consistent across agencies. The overall intent is capacity-building at the community level: strengthening relationships, building shared processes, and aligning resources so youth experience a smoother transition from school into work and/or further education.
A defining feature of this opportunity is the requirement for meaningful, ongoing involvement of a wide range of stakeholders from the very beginning, including pre-application planning and design through full implementation. ACL anticipates collaborations that bring together community developmental disability providers and agencies, Centers for Independent Living, local offices of state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies, local education agencies (such as school districts), local businesses and employers, self-advocacy organizations, institutions of higher education, other disability-serving community organizations, and other relevant government agencies (for example, education-related entities). The expectation is that these partners are not just supporters on paper, but are integrally engaged in decision-making and execution.
Key project activities include conducting a community landscape analysis to map local needs, gaps, and existing resources, followed by developing a community collaboration plan that lays out how partners will work together and what changes will be made to improve transition outcomes. Grantees are also expected to develop a coordinated team approach to supporting youth with developmental disabilities as they move from school into employment or postsecondary education, making full use of existing pathways and options available to students with disabilities. Employer engagement is a major component: projects should build relationships with local businesses that can lead to real competitive integrated employment outcomes, including approaches such as supported employment and customized employment when appropriate.
In addition to planning and service alignment, the program emphasizes continuous collaboration and quality improvement. Activities may include regular cross-partner meetings, joint trainings, and site visits to strengthen relationships and ensure consistent practice. Projects are also expected to track participating students progress, actively identify barriers that are slowing or blocking success, and make ongoing adjustments to improve both the youth experience and the experience of their families. Finally, evaluation is not optional: grantees must assess the impact of their collaboration efforts and use findings to develop, refine, and share best practice ideas that can inform other communities.
Administratively, the opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement, indicating that ACL is likely to have an active role in supporting or guiding the work beyond standard grant oversight. The funding opportunity number is HHS 2021 ACL AOD DNCE 0098, listed under CFDA 93.631 in the income security and social services category. Eligible applicants include a broad set of entities such as state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in the nonprofit categories). The award ceiling is $225,000, with an anticipated eight awards. The opportunity was created on June 14, 2021, and the original closing date was August 13, 2021, with electronic applications due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.Apply for HHS 2021 ACL AOD DNCE 0098
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Projects of National Significance: Community Collaborations for Employment Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.631.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 14, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 13, 2021 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $225,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the Projects of National Significance: Community Collaborations for Employment Program?
It is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL). The program is designed to help communities build stronger, more coordinated pathways from school to adult life for youth with developmental disabilities by improving how local systems work together.
2) What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The main purpose is community-level capacity-building to make the transition from school to adult life smoother and easier to navigate for youth with developmental disabilities and their families. The program focuses on strengthening relationships among partners, building shared processes, and aligning resources so services are less fragmented and outcomes improve.
3) What outcomes is the program trying to improve?
The program emphasizes better results in:
- Competitive integrated employment (CIE)
- Postsecondary education without the need for remediation
- Independent living
4) Does the program fund a single organization to deliver services on its own?
No. A central feature of this opportunity is support for broad, structured community collaborations rather than isolated service delivery by a single agency. Partners are expected to jointly plan, implement, and improve transition supports.
5) What common transition problems is the program expected to address?
Funded projects are expected to tackle issues that families often face during the transition years, including fragmented programs, confusing eligibility rules, duplicated efforts across agencies, and inconsistent practices from one provider or system to another.
6) What types of system improvements are grantees expected to make?
Projects are expected to reduce service complexity, improve coordination and information-sharing, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and create practical tools that make service delivery more consistent across agencies and partners.
7) Who is expected to be involved in the collaboration?
ACL anticipates collaborations that include meaningful, ongoing involvement of a wide range of stakeholders, such as:
- Community developmental disability providers and agencies
- Centers for Independent Living
- Local offices of state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies
- Local education agencies (for example, school districts)
- Local businesses and employers
- Self-advocacy organizations
- Institutions of higher education
- Other disability-serving community organizations
- Other relevant government agencies (including education-related entities)
8) How involved do partners need to be?
Partners are expected to be integrally engaged in decision-making and execution, not just listed as supporters. The opportunity emphasizes meaningful, ongoing involvement starting at the pre-application planning and design stage through full implementation.
9) What are the key required or expected project activities?
Key activities described for funded projects include:
- Conducting a community landscape analysis to map local needs, gaps, and existing resources
- Developing a community collaboration plan that explains how partners will work together and what changes will be made
- Creating a coordinated team approach to support youth moving from school into employment or postsecondary education
- Engaging employers to support real competitive integrated employment outcomes
- Ongoing collaboration and quality improvement through cross-partner meetings, trainings, and site visits
- Tracking participating students progress, identifying barriers, and making adjustments over time
- Evaluating impact and using findings to develop, refine, and share best practices
10) What is a community landscape analysis in the context of this program?
It is an assessment activity described in the opportunity to map local needs, gaps, and existing resources related to transition supports. The intent is to understand the local system and identify where coordination, alignment, and improvements are needed.
11) What is a community collaboration plan?
It is a plan developed after the landscape analysis that lays out how partners will work together and what changes will be made to improve transition outcomes. It is meant to formalize shared work, roles, and improvement strategies across the community collaboration.
12) How does the program address employment for youth with developmental disabilities?
Employer engagement is a major component. Projects should build relationships with local businesses and employers that lead to real competitive integrated employment outcomes. The opportunity also notes approaches such as supported employment and customized employment when appropriate.
13) Does the opportunity emphasize coordination with existing student disability pathways and options?
Yes. Projects are expected to make full use of existing pathways and options available to students with disabilities while building a coordinated team approach that supports youth as they move from school into employment or postsecondary education.
14) What does continuous collaboration and quality improvement look like under this program?
The opportunity highlights ongoing activities such as regular cross-partner meetings, joint trainings, and site visits to strengthen relationships, improve consistency of practice, and support continuous improvement over the course of the project.
15) Are projects expected to track student progress and address barriers during implementation?
Yes. Projects are expected to track participating students progress, actively identify barriers that slow or block success, and make ongoing adjustments to improve both the youth experience and the experience of their families.
16) Is evaluation required?
Yes. The opportunity states that evaluation is not optional. Grantees must assess the impact of collaboration efforts and use findings to develop, refine, and share best practice ideas to inform other communities.
17) What type of award is this (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
This opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement, which indicates ACL is likely to have an active role in supporting or guiding the work beyond standard grant oversight.
18) What is the funding opportunity number and CFDA listing?
The funding opportunity number is HHS 2021 ACL AOD DNCE 0098. It is listed under CFDA 93.631 in the income security and social services category.
19) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Other tribal organizations
- Public housing authorities / Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in the nonprofit categories)
20) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $225,000.
21) How many awards are anticipated?
ACL anticipated eight awards.
22) When was the opportunity created and when was it originally due?
The opportunity was created on June 14, 2021. The original closing date was August 13, 2021.
23) What time were electronic applications due on the deadline date?
Electronic applications were due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.
24) What does "competitive integrated employment (CIE)" mean in this opportunity?
The opportunity identifies competitive integrated employment (CIE) as a central outcome area for youth with developmental disabilities. It is referenced as the kind of employment outcome projects should work toward through coordination and employer engagement.
25) What is the overall approach ACL is trying to promote with these funds?
The overall approach is to improve how local systems work together so families can navigate services more easily and youth can achieve better outcomes. Rather than focusing on isolated program delivery, the emphasis is on structured collaboration, coordinated teams, reduced duplication, clearer processes, and ongoing evaluation and learning that can be shared as best practices.
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