Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP): Assistive Technology to Promote Independence and Community Living | HHS 2020 ACL NIDILRR DPGE 0415

Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2020 ACL NIDILRR DPGE 0415

The Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP): Assistive Technology to Promote Independence and Community Living opportunity is a discretionary grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), specifically through the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and its National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). The overall aim of the DRRP program is to fund research, development, demonstration projects, training, and related activities (including work with international dimensions when appropriate) that lead to better methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technologies. The end goal is practical impact: improving inclusion and integration of people with disabilities across daily life domains such as employment, independent living, family support, and long-term economic and social self-sufficiency, with an emphasis on people with the most significant disabilities, and on improving the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended).

This specific DRRP priority focuses on assistive technology and related innovations that help people with disabilities live more independently and participate more fully in their communities. A clear emphasis is placed on supporting community living and independent living outcomes, especially for people who are aging with disabilities. In other words, the funding is meant to push forward technologies and applied research that address real-world barriers that emerge or intensify as people with disabilities grow older, such as changes in mobility, strength, cognition, sensory functioning, access to transportation, or the availability of caregivers and services. The program is oriented toward solutions that can be developed, tested, and translated into use in everyday settings, rather than remaining purely conceptual.

NIDILRR also signals a particular interest in proposals that address the needs of people with disabilities in rural, frontier, or tribal communities. This reflects the reality that many assistive technology and rehabilitation service models assume access to dense service networks, broadband connectivity, specialty clinicians, or nearby repair and distribution channels, which are often limited outside urban areas. Projects that consider these contexts might focus on design constraints like long distances, lower infrastructure availability, fewer specialists, affordability, and cultural relevance, with an eye toward technologies that can be supported and maintained locally and sustainably.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2020-ACL-NIDILRR-DPGE-0415 and falls within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development funding activity category (CFDA 93.433). The award ceiling is $500,000 per award, and the forecast anticipated making about four awards. The original posting indicates a creation date of March 26, 2020, with an original closing date of May 26, 2020, and electronically submitted applications due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date. The notice also states that this forecast replaced earlier related documents (HHS-2020-ACL-NIDILRR-DPGE-0405 and HHS-2020-ACL-NIDILRR-DPGE-0406), meaning this listing superseded those prior versions.

Eligibility is broad and includes many public, private, and nonprofit entities that could realistically carry out applied research and development. Eligible applicants include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other applicants as clarified in the opportunity’s additional eligibility information. This wide eligibility pool is consistent with the program’s applied nature, since effective assistive technology R&D and demonstration work often involves partnerships among universities, disability service providers, community organizations, healthcare and rehabilitation systems, and technology developers.

In practical terms, this grant opportunity is about moving assistive technology forward in ways that measurably improve day-to-day independence and community participation for people with disabilities, while paying special attention to the lived realities of aging with a disability and to communities that are often underserved due to geography and infrastructure limitations.

• 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): Assistive Technology to Promote Independence and Community Living" 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 Mar 26, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 26, 2020 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 4 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, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for HHS 2020 ACL NIDILRR DPGE 0415

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