Home Access and Independence Grant — Tennessee, October 2026
The Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging (DDA) announced a competitive grant round to support accessibility, safety, function, and independence improvements in existing residential settings serving adults with disabilities and older adults. This is financial assistance to qualifying service providers, not a government equipment-purchasing bid.
Applicant award and eligibility
Individual award: up to $30,000 per eligible provider organization. The department identifies $150,000 in total funding for this round; this overall amount is not an individual award. Approved project expenses are paid through cost reimbursement.
Eligible applicants are existing Tennessee DDA residential provider organizations in good standing with relevant licensure and recredentialing requirements. They must serve people receiving 1915(c) waiver, ECF CHOICES waiver, or CHOICES waiver services. The public announcement requires a current Service License, current recredentialing letter, and most recent Home Inspection Report.
Application window and permitted work
The controlling 13-page RFA, issued October 12, 2026, requires applications by October 30, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST), as written in the RFA. Tennessee normally observes daylight time on this October date, so confirm the funder’s exact cutoff interpretation; do not assume a one-hour extension. Applications must be emailed to allison.moore@tn.gov and labeled with the applicant name and solicitation title.
Eligible direct modifications include ramps, accessible bathrooms, widened doorways, safer flooring, and smart-home features tied to documented resident needs, together with approved materials, contractor labor, installation, permits, and inspections. Excluded expenses: maintenance, cosmetic improvements, new construction, staff costs, vehicles, property acquisition, and costs available through another reasonable funding source. Applicants must pay approved expenses first and request reimbursement with invoices and proof of payment; all costs must be paid and grant funds spent by June 30, 2027.
Official instructions and verification notes
The controlling RFA requires a current DDA Service License, current recredentialing letter, latest Home Inspection Report, and four scored narrative components: documented housing/accessibility need, person-centered impact and independence, implementation feasibility, and budget reasonableness/sustainability (25 points each). Include property address and ownership/lease status, number of residents benefiting, photographs of existing barriers, resident involvement (without identifying personal information), detailed proposed modifications and timetable, documented contractor/vendor estimates, and the state budget attachment. Selected awardees must obtain an active Tennessee Edison Supplier ID before a grant contract can be executed; the RFA does not state a mandatory matching percentage. The separate pro forma grant contract and FAQ documents were not fully retrievable for independent review.
Official controlling 13-page Home Access and Independence RFA and DDA funding page were reviewed October 29, 2026.
Official source: Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging — Grant Funding Opportunities. Information checked October 29, 2026.