ACL Announces $3 Million to Expand ABLE Accounts Enrollment and Financial Literacy

ACL has awarded Northwestern University a $3 million Project of National Significance grant to increase awareness and use of Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts. Through a three-year cooperative agreement, Northwestern will lead a national effort to help increase enrollment in ABLE accounts and improve financial literacy among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and other disabilities.

Financial education will be part of the project to help people with disabilities and their families make informed financial decisions and use ABLE accounts to build greater financial security, independence, and opportunity.

Northwestern's RISEI Labis partnering with nonprofit TransCen, Inc.to carry out Project ReachABLE, which focuses on:

• Key life moments: Share information on ABLE accounts and money management when people with disabilities and their families are making important decisions about work, benefits, education, services, and other areas of life.
• Community outreach: Work with people with disabilities, families, service providers, community organizations, and other partners to help more people understand ABLE accounts and how they can support financial independence.
• National outreach: Reach people across the country with clear information about ABLE accounts and encourage eligible people with disabilities and their families to learn about and use them.

ACL and a National ABLE Advisory Group will help guide the project. More than half of the Advisory Group members will be people with disabilities and self-advocates.

Individuals interested in serving on the National ABLE Advisory Group or who have questions about the project may contact [email protected].

See Notice of Funding Opportunity: HHS-2026-ACL-AOD-DFLA-0025,"Expanding Financial Literacy and Empowerment: Increasing Awareness and Use of ABLE Accounts for Americans with Disabilities," posted June 22, 2026.