Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2018 ACL CIP NWBC 0285
The No Wrong Door (NWD) System Business Case Development opportunity is a discretionary federal grant offered through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL), under a cooperative agreement structure (Funding Opportunity Number HHS 2018 ACL CIP NWBC 0285; CFDA 93.048). It is designed specifically for state governments and centers on strengthening and proving the value of streamlined access systems for long-term services and supports (LTSS), especially home and community-based services. The NWD model itself is a joint effort led by ACL in collaboration with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), with the broader purpose of helping states make it easier for people of all populations to find, understand, and enroll in the supports they need while reducing confusion, duplication, and administrative waste.
At its core, the opportunity responds to a long-standing problem in LTSS access: many states have multiple entry points, eligibility pathways, and enrollment processes that differ depending on population group (older adults, people with disabilities, veterans, etc.) and on the funding source behind the service. That fragmentation can force individuals, families, and caregivers to navigate overlapping or inconsistent systems, repeat the same steps multiple times, and face delays in getting help. At the same time, duplicative processes and poorly coordinated workflows contribute to rising pressure on state and federal budgets, particularly Medicaid, and can make service delivery less efficient and less person-centered. Another major challenge highlighted in the announcement is that many access systems do not consistently capture or integrate data in ways that let states measure key outcomes, compare performance, or demonstrate return on investment, which makes it harder to justify improvements or sustain reforms over time.
This FOA focuses on business case development for high-performing, streamlined LTSS access systems, meaning the funding is meant to help states build clear, evidence-backed arguments showing that coordinated NWD approaches improve efficiency and/or generate cost savings. Rather than funding direct service expansion, the emphasis is on strengthening the infrastructure, analytics, and evaluation methods needed to quantify the impact of streamlined access. The intent is to help states document how improved access pathways affect multiple payers and multiple populations, how they influence healthcare utilization patterns, and what the financial or operational return on investment looks like at both the state and federal levels. In practice, a state might use this support to demonstrate that better coordination reduces unnecessary institutional placements, avoids redundant assessments, improves timeliness of service connection, or reduces preventable healthcare use, and then translate those changes into credible cost and efficiency metrics.
Award funding may be used for several practical system-building activities tied to evaluation and performance measurement. The announcement specifically notes allowable uses such as developing an integrated data system, assessing and improving existing data elements, and implementing training protocols needed to support the intervention being tested. This points to projects that connect data across agencies or programs, clean up and standardize what is collected, and ensure frontline staff and partner organizations apply consistent practices that make performance measurable. The broader expectation is that participating states will enhance or modify their existing LTSS delivery and access systems and pair those changes with more sophisticated approaches to evaluating outcomes, so that the resulting business case is credible to policymakers, funders, and stakeholders.
Administratively, the grant was announced with a creation date of April 11, 2018, and an original closing date of June 11, 2018, with electronic submissions due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date. The award ceiling is listed as $600,000 per award, and the notice lists expected awards as 9, although the narrative description also references funding up to 7 state grantees, which suggests the final number of awards could depend on available funds, application quality, or program decisions. Overall, the opportunity is aimed at states that already have some level of LTSS access infrastructure and are ready to strengthen coordination and data capacity so they can clearly demonstrate, in measurable terms, the efficiency gains and cost impacts of a mature No Wrong Door system.Apply for HHS 2018 ACL CIP NWBC 0285
- 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 "No Wrong Door System Business Case Development" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.048.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 11, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 11, 2018 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 $600,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 9 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the No Wrong Door (NWD) System Business Case Development opportunity?
It is a discretionary federal grant opportunity focused on helping states develop a strong, evidence-backed business case showing the value of a streamlined No Wrong Door (NWD) system for long-term services and supports (LTSS), especially home and community-based services.
Which federal agency is offering this funding?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL).
What type of award is this (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
This opportunity is offered under a cooperative agreement structure.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) and CFDA number?
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS 2018 ACL CIP NWBC 0285. CFDA: 93.048.
Who is eligible to apply?
The opportunity is designed specifically for state governments.
What is the overall purpose of the No Wrong Door (NWD) model?
The NWD model aims to make it easier for people across all populations to find, understand, and enroll in the long-term services and supports they need, while reducing confusion, duplication, and administrative waste.
Which federal partners are involved in the NWD model?
The NWD model is described as a joint effort led by ACL in collaboration with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
What problem is this funding meant to address in state LTSS systems?
The opportunity targets fragmentation in LTSS access, such as multiple entry points, differing eligibility pathways, and inconsistent enrollment processes across populations (older adults, people with disabilities, veterans, and others) and funding sources. These issues can force people to repeat steps, navigate overlapping systems, and experience delays.
Does this grant fund direct services or service expansion?
No. The focus is on business case development and the infrastructure, analytics, and evaluation methods needed to quantify the impact of streamlined access systems, rather than expanding direct services.
What does “business case development” mean in this opportunity?
It means building a clear, credible, evidence-backed argument that coordinated NWD approaches improve efficiency and/or generate cost savings, supported by measurable outcomes and data.
What types of outcomes is the program trying to measure or demonstrate?
The opportunity emphasizes measuring and documenting efficiency gains and cost impacts, potentially including reduced duplication, improved timeliness of connecting people to services, fewer redundant assessments, avoided unnecessary institutional placements, and reduced preventable healthcare utilization.
Why is data integration and performance measurement emphasized?
The announcement highlights that many access systems do not consistently capture or integrate data in ways that allow states to measure outcomes, compare performance, or demonstrate return on investment. This grant supports strengthening data and evaluation capacity so states can credibly justify improvements and sustain reforms.
What kinds of activities can award funds be used for?
Allowable uses mentioned include developing an integrated data system, assessing and improving existing data elements, and implementing training protocols needed to support the intervention being tested.
What does “integrated data system” imply in the context of this FOA?
Based on the description, it implies connecting or coordinating data across agencies or programs, standardizing and improving what is collected, and enabling more reliable performance measurement and evaluation of streamlined LTSS access.
What is meant by “training protocols” in this opportunity?
The FOA references implementing training protocols to support the intervention being tested, which suggests training frontline staff and partner organizations so practices are applied consistently and outcomes can be measured reliably.
Is the goal to evaluate impacts across multiple populations and payers?
Yes. The FOA stresses documenting how improved access pathways affect multiple payers and multiple populations, and how they influence healthcare utilization patterns, including impacts relevant at both state and federal levels.
How much funding is available per award?
The award ceiling is listed as $600,000 per award.
How many awards were expected?
The notice lists expected awards as 9, but the narrative also references funding up to 7 state grantees. This suggests the final number could depend on available funds, application quality, or program decisions.
When was the opportunity created and when was it due?
The creation date is April 11, 2018. The original closing date is June 11, 2018.
What was the submission deadline time and time zone?
Electronic submissions were due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.
What kinds of states is this opportunity aimed at?
It is aimed at states that already have some level of LTSS access infrastructure and are ready to strengthen coordination and data capacity to demonstrate, in measurable terms, the efficiency gains and cost impacts of a mature No Wrong Door system.
How does this effort relate to Medicaid and broader budget pressures?
The announcement notes that duplicative processes and poorly coordinated workflows contribute to rising pressure on state and federal budgets, particularly Medicaid. The business case focus is intended to help quantify efficiency gains and potential cost impacts associated with streamlined access.
What is the connection to home and community-based services?
The opportunity centers on strengthening streamlined access systems for LTSS, with particular emphasis on home and community-based services.
What is meant by “streamlined access” in this context?
Streamlined access refers to more coordinated and less duplicative pathways for people to learn about, qualify for, and enroll in LTSS, reducing confusion, repeated steps, and administrative waste.
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