Washington, D.C., Jan. 20, 2026 — Congress has announced a bipartisan agreement to provide a $100 million increase for Alzheimer’s and dementia research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), along with $41.5 million for implementation of the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in fiscal year 2026. This agreement includes a historic investment in BOLD funding — the highest annual amount since the law was enacted — reinforcing the federal government’s continued commitment to addressing one of the nation’s most urgent public health challenges. When signed into law, it will bring total annual federal dementia research funding to $3.9 billion — accelerating progress against dementia for all communities nationwide.
“This agreement shows that Congress continues to recognize Alzheimer’s as a bipartisan priority and a growing public health crisis,” said Robert Egge, Alzheimer’s Association chief public policy officer and Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM) president. “Sustained federal investment is essential to accelerate scientific discovery and strengthen public health responses for the millions of families affected by this disease. We are deeply grateful to bipartisan congressional champions — including Sens. Susan Collins and Patty Murray, and Reps. Tom Cole and Rosa DeLauro — whose leadership helped make this critical progress possible.”
The additional research funding will drive progress across the full spectrum of Alzheimer’s and dementia science — from understanding disease mechanisms and identifying biomarkers, to advancing prevention strategies and developing more effective treatments and care approaches.
Separately, funding for implementation of the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act will strengthen the nation’s public health response to dementia by building capacity in states and communities to reduce risk factors, promote early detection and diagnosis, better support caregivers, and improve health outcomes for people living with the disease.
“For more than a decade, bipartisan support in Congress has driven real progress against Alzheimer’s and other dementia,” Egge added. “This continued investment tells families impacted by dementia that their voices matter and that advancing effective treatments and a cure remains a national priority.”
More than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease — and millions more are impacted as caregivers and loved ones. These numbers are expected to grow as our nation ages. The funding finalized by Congress builds on years of bipartisan leadership and reflects a sustained commitment to confronting the disease through both scientific innovation and a strong public health infrastructure.
