Across the nation, more than 70 million paid and unpaid caregivers provide support that makes community living possible for older adults and people with disabilities. Meanwhile, the direct care workforce faces historic shortages, and family caregivers are increasingly called upon to fill gaps. Physical, emotional, and financial strains impact their ability to continue providing care, and the result is a growing crisis that threatens the ability of millions of Americans to live independently.
ACL’s Caregiver AI Prize Challenge seeks practical and effective ways to use AI to help address these challenges — reimagining how technology can improve care quality, reduce burden, and strengthen the caregiving infrastructure for the future. The competition will recognize and reward innovators who are developing, testing, and scaling AI-enabled tools to support both family caregivers and the direct care workforce.
Challenge Tracks
The challenge includes two tracks running simultaneously. Teams will compete for prize awards across three phases (design, implementation, and scaling).
- Track 1: AI Tools for Caregivers
- Track 2: AI Tools for Extending the Caregiver Workforce
Key dates
March 2026 — Informational Webinar
April 15, 2026 — Intent to Apply Submission (optional)
May 2026 — Informational Webinar
July 31, 2026 — Phase 1 Applications Due
September 2026 — Phase 1 Winners Announced
Phase 2 and Phase 3 dates will be announced at a later date.
If you would like to receive updates on the challenge, email CaregiverAI@acl.hhs.gov with the subject line “Join List." Questions can be sent to the same email address.
You may also be interested in:
HHS Press Release on The Power of Caregivers for a Healthy America Event
ACL’s fact sheet: The Power of Caregivers
HHS event: The Power of Caregivers for a Healthy America | November 18, 2025