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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Program

2026 Grant Funding Opportunity

Addressing Dementia in Tribal and Urban Indian Communities: CAReS Program

Supporting and expanding Tribal and Urban Indian Organization capacity for culturally responsive dementia care for American Indian and Alaska Native people, caregivers, and communities.

Couple in visiting a medical provider

IHS created this NOFO to help improve care, services, and outcomes for AI/AN people living with or at risk of cognitive impairment or dementia, their caregivers, and their communities. Rooted in Indigenous values, the program supports meaningful, measurable improvements in dementia care.

Choose between two funding tracks based on your role and experience:

  1. Dementia CAReS Grant (Option A)
  2. Dementia Caregiver Support and Training Center (Option B)

You must design activities to serve and respond to the needs, culture, and historical experiences of AI/AN people living with dementia and their caregivers. You will conduct ongoing program evaluation on your project’s progress, incorporating real-world clinical and program data, and provide regular reports of your findings.

Funding Overview and Eligibility

Funding Announcement Number: HHS-2026-IHS-ALZ -0001

Opportunity Name: Addressing Dementia in Tribal and Urban Indian Communities: CAReS Program

Eligibility

A 501(c)(3)

  • A 501(c)(3) organization that has demonstrated expertise as follows:
    • Providing a variety of services to Tribes, area health boards, and Tribal Organizations, and playing a major role in focusing attention on AI/AN care needs, resulting in improved health outcomes for Tribes
    • Promoting and supporting health care and education for AI/AN people, including improving the quality of Indian health care
    • Administering national or regional health programs

Federally recognized Indian Tribes

  • An Indian Tribe as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(14).

Tribal Organizations

  • A Tribal Organization, as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(26), which refers to the definition in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304(l)).

Urban Indian Organizations

  • An Urban Indian organization, as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(29).

Funding Options A and B

DEMENTIA CARES GRANT (OPTION A)

One Dementia CAReS Grant (Care Access, Resources, and Support) recipient will provide funding, training, and technical assistance to Tribal and Urban Indian communities across the country.

The CAReS grant supports local community-led actions to improve access to dementia care through mini-projects, shared learning, and culturally aligned tools. Our goal is to expand services and build stronger, more responsive clinical systems.

Strategies include:

  1. Mini-Project Program: Provides small project funding, training, and support to Tribal and Urban Indian clinics in priority areas to address direct care, service, and training needs
  2. Call to Action Network: Builds a national network of dementia champions and helps expand the reach into other Tribal and Urban Indian communities. It helps people learn from one another and collectively work together to improve care and outcomes
  3. Sharing Local Successes: Collects and shares real-world examples from Tribal and Urban Indian communities. This increases awareness, spreads new ideas, and encourages others to act
  4. Evaluation and Data: Tracks and shares effective practices. This helps communities, program leaders, and IHS measure and evaluate progress, improve quality, and guide future efforts by using jointly developed measures

DEMENTIA CAREGIVER SUPPORT AND TRAINING CENTER (OPTION B)

One Dementia Caregiver Support and Training Center grant recipient will provide dementia caregiver support training, services, resources, and technical assistance to Tribes, Tribal Organizations, and Urban Indian Organizations. This work will help build strong, culturally grounded systems that support dementia caregivers, improve care outcomes, and enhance the well-being of elders living with dementia.

Funded activities will include:

  • Conducting national outreach to raise awareness of dementia caregiver needs in Tribal and Urban Indian communities.
  • Developing and delivering culturally relevant caregiver support training, services, resources, and technical assistance.
  • Planning for long-term sustainability and evaluating the impact of your new caregiver support and training program, services, and systems.
  • Documenting and sharing your lessons learned, successes, and emerging practices with Tribal and Urban Indian Health Organizations, communities, and health systems.

Activities should reflect the unique history, culture, and experiences of AI/AN people you serve, including caregivers and families.

Application Submission

Process: You must submit your application through Grants.gov. Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov . For instructions on how to submit in Grants.gov, see the Quick Start Guide for Applicants.Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov   Make sure that your application passes the Grants.gov validation checks or we may not get your submisson. Do not encrypt, zip, or password protect any files.

Exceptions: If you cannot submit through Grants.gov, you must request a waiver before the application due date. Send your waiver request to DGM@ihs.gov. Include a clear justification for your need to deviate from the required application submission process. Failure to register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov in a timely way is not cause for a waiver. We will not accept applications outside of Grants.gov without an approved waiver.

We will email you if we approve your waiver. This notification will include submission instructions. If we approve your waiver, we must receive your application by 5 pm ET on the application deadline date.

Application Support Tools

Resources to Support Planning