Opportunity Overview
The New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS), Division of Aging Services (DoAS) has issued the 2026 Enhancing Services and Decreasing Stress for Caregivers and the Persons Living with Dementia (PLWD) in their Care Request for Proposals. The program expands the evidence-based Stress-Busting Program for Family Caregivers statewide to improve caregiver well-being and New Jersey’s dementia-care capacity.
Funding and Deadlines
A total of $350,000 is available. DoAS expects to make up to seven grants of up to $50,000 each. Each award covers one county. An applicant may receive up to three grants total under this initiative, including prior awards, but must submit a separate proposal for each county.
Applications opened in SAGE on September 18, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Questions are due October 1, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. ET. The required Letter of Interest and completed SAGE Registration form are due October 15, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Full proposals are due through SAGE October 22, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Eligible Applicants and Counties
Eligible applicants are nonprofit or governmental entities able to be trained and subsequently offer Stress-Busting Program classes in the proposed county. Priority is given to applicants able to offer classes in both English and Spanish. Applicants with existing DHS grants or contracts must be in good standing, must satisfy the RFP’s fiscal-viability and non-debarment requirements, and must maintain required conflict-of-interest policies.
Eligible counties are Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, Union, and Warren. Camden, Gloucester, and Sussex are not eligible under this round.
Program Requirements
Successful applicants must purchase a nationwide Stress-Busting Program license from WellMed, train and maintain required facilitators and master trainers, deliver the nine-week caregiver program, offer at least one class series outside regular business hours, coordinate respite support for participating caregivers, and submit fiscal and programmatic reporting through SAGE. At least $30,000 of each award must be spent on classes during the grant period.
Submission Mechanics
The Letter of Interest and completed SAGE Registration form must be submitted together by email to Doas.Grants@dhs.nj.gov. After approval, applicants receive access to the opportunity in SAGE. The full proposal must be submitted through SAGE; paper and email proposals are not accepted. Only PDF uploads are accepted for proposal documents.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 92/100. This is a strong New Jersey healthcare and caregiver-support funding opportunity for qualifying nonprofits and governmental entities with dementia-care, caregiver support, training, aging-services, or related community-program capacity.
N9+ Solution/Partner Fit: 0/100. Dr. Miltie Direct Vendor Fit: 0/100. QC Healthcare Fit: 35/100. The RFP is tightly centered on implementation of the licensed Stress-Busting caregiver intervention and its staffing, training, class-delivery, respite coordination, and reporting requirements. The RFP does not establish a role for N9+ hardware or a direct Dr. Miltie vendor submission. Initial Atlas work should therefore focus on applicant eligibility, county strategy, SAGE readiness, narrative/package development, and applicant-controlled compliance materials rather than device positioning.
Next Action
Eligible organizations should select the target county, confirm nonprofit/governmental eligibility and DHS good standing, verify staffing and bilingual-delivery capacity, prepare the SAGE Registration form and Letter of Interest, and assemble the required proposal narrative, budget, work plan, financial, governance, and compliance materials before the October deadlines.
Verified source: New Jersey DHS Division of Aging Services 2026 RFP and current DHS Notices of Funds Available page.