Center for Dementia Respite Innovation
The Alzheimer’s Association Center for Dementia Respite Innovation (CDRI) funds new respite care innovation projects across the country. Over the course of five years, the CDRI will award $20 million in competitive grants to local respite care providers to improve and increase the delivery of person-centered dementia care with a focus on innovation, collaboration, outcomes, accessibility, affordability and sustainability.
About the CDRI
The Administration for Community Living, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, awarded the Alzheimer’s Association a $25 million grant to enhance respite services for people living with dementia and their caregivers nationwide. This grant — the largest ever made to the Association — established the CDRI.
The CDRI will support grant recipients through online training and technical assistance so respite services are dementia-capable, especially for communities at higher risk for Alzheimer's or other dementia. The CDRI will collect data and study the outcomes of these improvement projects to inform public policy.
The CDRI is led by:
- Sam Fazio, Ph.D., vice president, care & support programs and research, Alzheimer’s Association
- Joseph Gaugler, Ph.D., professor and director of the Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota
- Sandy Markwood, CEO, USAging
Alzheimer's Association CDRI staff lead:
- Isabella Marini, associate director of Center for Dementia Respite Innovation
Additional Alzheimer's Association support staff:
- Lauren Stratton, Ph.D., director of psychosocial research and program evaluation
- Lorna Prophater, M.S., senior director of care professional services
Special awards opportunity
Local respite providers can now apply for a grant to integrate innovative solutions into their programs and affect change across several service delivery sites in just six months.
What is respite care
Respite care allows caregivers the chance to take care of errands while knowing their loved one with dementia is with a caring individual. Respite care allows the person living with dementia to spend time with others with the same challenges, in a supportive environment.What types of opportunities are available
- Start-up awards provide the opportunity for an organization or provider not already providing respite services to get involved in respite and implement a small innovative program.
- Pilot awards provide the opportunity for an organization or provider already providing respite to enhance a program or add innovation to an existing/new program.
- Continuation awards provide the opportunity to enhance a program further or explore a related respite component after the successful completion of a Start-up or Pilot award.
Who is eligible for a CDRI grant
Organizations providing services to communities at higher risk for Alzheimer's or other dementia are encouraged to apply. This may include domestic public or private for-profit or non-profit entities, such as state and local governments and organizations, faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, hospitals, and higher education institutions.
Grant RFA
View the CDRI grant program's objectives, eligibility, submission process, and more.
CDRI grant application details
- RFA Release Date: February 24, 2025
- Letter of Intent Due Date: March 24, 2025, 11:59 p.m. ET
- Application Due Date: April 25, 2025, 11:59 p.m. ET
- Award Notification Date: May 30, 2025
- Participation Period: July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, with the potential opportunity to apply for future continuation awards.
- Requirements: Awarded providers or organizations must contribute a match of 25%, including 2.5% in indirect costs. These costs can include time and effort, volunteer hours, supplies and materials.
- CDRI information and support webinar: Learn more about the key goals of the CDRI project, such as how to develop innovative and cost-effective respite services. Topics also include CDRI grant application requirements and criteria. Watch webinar.
For more information
For more details about the CDRI and its grant application process, view our Frequently Asked Questions (PDF). Email any additional questions to cdri@alz.org.
2024 CDRI grant recipients
View a list of the 2024 CDRI grant recipients (PDF), including details about the recipient's dementia-specific respite programming and their grant award amount.
Funding disclosure
This project is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $13,261,685 with 75 percent funded by ACL/HHS and $3,285,728 with 25 percent funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.