Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program: Community Living and Participation (Research) | HHS 2018 ACL NIDILRR DPCP 0271

Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2018 ACL NIDILRR DPCP 0271

This funding opportunity is a discretionary research grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), through NIDILRR (the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). It sits within the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) and Centers Program and focuses specifically on the topic area of community living and participation for people with disabilities. The central goal is to support rigorous work that improves real-world outcomes tied to living in the community and taking part in everyday life, with a strong emphasis on inclusion, integration, and independence, particularly for individuals with the most significant disabilities.

The program is designed to fund projects that plan and conduct research, demonstrations, training, and related activities (including international activities when relevant). In practice, this means the grant is meant to push forward new methods, procedures, service approaches, and rehabilitation technologies that help people with disabilities participate more fully in society. The opportunity is also tied to strengthening the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended), so applicants are expected to produce knowledge and tools that can translate into better systems, supports, and service delivery.

Under this specific priority, applicants must propose a field-initiated DRRP project aimed at improving community living and participation outcomes. The solicitation makes it clear that the work must be research-oriented: the grantee is expected to identify one or more hypotheses or research questions and then carry out an intensive, systematic study. The intended outputs are either (1) new or full scientific knowledge, or (2) a stronger understanding of the issue being studied. In other words, it is not just a general program improvement effort; it needs a clear research design and a structured approach to generating evidence that others can learn from and use.

This is a field-initiated opportunity, meaning applicants can propose their own specific research focus within the community living and participation domain rather than responding to a narrowly predefined intervention. NIDILRR stated it planned to make one award in this domain. Depending on peer review rankings, the selected award could be funded as a research project or as a development project, which signals that strong proposals could range from generating new evidence to developing and refining tools or approaches that support participation and community living.

Key administrative details include the funding opportunity number (HHS-2018-ACL-NIDILRR-DPCP-0271) and CFDA number 93.433. The maximum award amount listed is $475,000 (award ceiling), and the expected number of awards is 1. Applications were required to be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date listed (original closing date: April 16, 2018), and the opportunity was created on February 15, 2018.

Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types that commonly conduct disability and rehabilitation research. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; and nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in the nonprofit category). The listing also includes an “Others” category with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement, indicating that some additional applicant types may qualify depending on the specific clarification provided there.

Overall, this grant opportunity is aimed at producing credible, structured research that advances what is known about how to help people with disabilities live in the community and participate in social, civic, and everyday life. The emphasis on systematic study, clear research questions or hypotheses, and knowledge generation reflects NIDILRR’s intent to fund work that can move the field forward and strengthen disability-related services and supports under the Rehabilitation Act framework.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program: Community Living and Participation (Research)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.433.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 15, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 16, 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 $475,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for HHS 2018 ACL NIDILRR DPCP 0271

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