Research to Spread and Scale the Impact of Evidence-Based Falls Prevention Programs and Interventions

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration on Aging (AoA), has released a funding opportunity aimed at expanding and scaling the impact of evidence-based multifactorial falls prevention programs among older adults. This initiative responds to the persistent gap between the development of health interventions and their broader implementation across clinical and community settings. Despite proven small-scale success, such programs often lack widespread adoption due to insufficient research on implementation strategies. The initiative leverages implementation science to enhance understanding of how to effectively deploy these interventions through the Aging Network and affiliated partners. The grant specifically funds research projects that focus on scaling existing evidence-based multifactorial falls prevention programs, not the development of new ones. Applicants are expected to incorporate implementation research strategies and collaborate with organizations in the Aging Network. Proposed interventions must align with the Title III-D criteria of the Older Americans Act, and applicants can choose from a list of approved programs or demonstrate equivalency for others. Emphasis is placed on collecting and analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data to assess implementation effectiveness, public health impact, and sustainability of interventions. Funding for this opportunity totals $4.65 million, with up to three awards anticipated. Each project may receive between $1.45 million and $4.65 million over a 48-month period. Eligible applicants include domestic public or private non-profit entities with a demonstrated record in implementation research and collaboration with the Aging Network. There are no cost-sharing or matching fund requirements, though voluntary contributions of non-federal resources are allowed and will be monitored if proposed. Applications must include a detailed project narrative, work plans for each project year, a combined and itemized budget narrative, vitae or biosketches of key personnel, and letters of commitment from relevant Aging Network partners. These documents must be submitted through Grants.gov by the application deadline. Applications that do not include letters of support or exceed formatting requirements will be disqualified. The estimated application deadline is not specified, but the anticipated award and project start date is September 1, 2025. Review criteria include the significance of the proposed research, methodological rigor, organizational capacity, feasibility, and alignment with public health objectives. Each application will be evaluated by a peer review panel, with a maximum possible score of 100 points across various categories, including project narrative, budget justification, and supporting documentation. Contact information for further inquiries includes the general HHS grant site and a specific contact name and email, although these details were not fully specified in the source document. Additional program information and resources are available at https://acl.gov/grants/open-opportunities.