Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program: Community Living and Participation (Research) | HHS 2019 ACL NIDILRR DPCP 0330

Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2019 ACL NIDILRR DPCP 0330

This grant opportunity comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), specifically the Administration for Community Living (ACL) through the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). It is part of the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program under the broader Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program. The central goal is to support rigorous work that improves real-world outcomes for people with disabilities by building stronger evidence, tools, and approaches that help people live and participate in their communities. The focus is especially on individuals with the most severe disabilities, and on producing results that strengthen the effectiveness of programs and services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended).

The specific priority for this competition is Community Living and Participation (Research). Applicants are expected to propose a research project aimed at improving community living and participation outcomes for individuals with disabilities. In practical terms, that means the proposed work should connect clearly to how people with disabilities live, engage, and take part in everyday community settings, such as housing and independent living, transportation, community-based services and supports, civic and social participation, family supports, and related factors that influence inclusion and self-sufficiency. The opportunity emphasizes that projects must go beyond general program descriptions and instead be built around clear hypotheses or research questions that drive a systematic, intensive study. The expected output is either new (or fuller) scientific knowledge, or a deeper understanding of the problem being studied, so proposals should be designed to generate credible evidence that can inform policy, practice, and service delivery.

This is described as a field-initiated DRRP competition, meaning applicants are not limited to a single prescribed intervention model. Instead, researchers and organizations are encouraged to bring forward well-justified, evidence-building ideas within the community living and participation domain. Even so, the work must stay aligned with DRRP program purposes: developing and testing methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technologies; running research, demonstration, and related activities (including international activities where appropriate); and ultimately advancing inclusion, integration, employment, independent living, family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant (not a formula award), categorized under science and technology and other research and development, with CFDA 93.433. The funding opportunity number is HHS 2019 ACL NIDILRR DPCP 0330, originally posted January 23, 2019, with an application deadline of March 25, 2019 (electronically submitted applications due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date). The listed award ceiling is $500,000. The opportunity indicates an expectation of one award in the listing, while also noting NIDILRR planned two field-initiated DRRP awards in the community living and participation domain overall; those awards could end up being two research projects, two development projects, or one of each, depending on peer review rankings and how applications score.

Eligibility is broad and includes many common research and public-service entities: 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 nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education, in the nonprofit categories listed). The listing also includes an “Others” category with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement, suggesting some additional entity types may qualify depending on the program’s specific clarifications.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as funding for strong, question-driven disability and rehabilitation research that produces usable evidence on how to improve community living and participation for people with disabilities. Competitive projects would typically be expected to show a tight link between the research questions and the outcomes that matter for inclusion and community life, use sound research methods, and demonstrate how findings can improve services, supports, or technologies in ways that are meaningful for people with disabilities and the systems that serve them.

• 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 Jan 23, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 25, 2019 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 $500,000.00 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 2019 ACL NIDILRR DPCP 0330

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