Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program: Americans with Disabilities Act National Network Knowledge Translation Center | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the official title of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program: Americans with Disabilities Act National Network Knowledge Translation Center."

Which federal agency administers this grant?

This is a discretionary federal research and development grant administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), through the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 93.433.

How many awards were anticipated under this competition?

The opportunity was designed to support a single national project, with an anticipated single award.

What was the maximum anticipated award amount?

The opportunity anticipated a single award of up to $850,000.

What was the application deadline for the posted opportunity?

The application deadline for the posted opportunity was April 19, 2016.

What is the main purpose of the DRRP program in general?

At its core, the DRRP program exists to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act. DRRPs are used to develop and test methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technologies that can measurably improve independent living and employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities, with special emphasis on people with the most significant disabilities.

What is the specific focus of this particular DRRP competition?

This competition focuses on the infrastructure and research needed to translate ADA-related knowledge into real-world practice more effectively. Rather than funding a clinical intervention or a device prototype, it supports a national effort to make ADA information more practical and usable for the audiences who rely on it.

What project is expected to be funded under this opportunity?

The funded project is expected to function as the ADA National Network Knowledge Translation Center, referred to here as the ADAKT Center.

What does "knowledge translation" mean in the context of this opportunity?

In this context, knowledge translation (KT) refers to strengthening how ADA information is packaged, communicated, delivered, and applied so that what is known about ADA rights, obligations, and implementation more reliably reaches key audiences and is used correctly in real-world settings.

Is the ADAKT Center expected to work independently or in coordination with others?

The center is expected to carry out KT and related activities in active collaboration with the existing ADA National Network grantees. The opportunity emphasizes coordination across the Network, alignment of strategies, support for consistent approaches to sharing information, and improvements in how technical assistance and ADA resources are developed, delivered, and evaluated.

Who are the intended audiences for improved ADA knowledge translation?

The opportunity highlights audiences such as individuals with disabilities, employers, service providers, educators, policymakers, and ADA technical assistance providers.

What are the core responsibilities of the ADAKT Center under this grant?

The opportunity describes several core responsibilities: (1) coordinate and support knowledge translation activities across the ADA National Network, (2) conduct research aimed at improving ADA-related knowledge translation, (3) manage and maintain the Outcome Measurement System (OMS) database, and (4) organize and support an ADA research conference.

What does it mean to coordinate and support KT activities across the ADA National Network?

Based on the description provided, this includes helping partners use evidence-informed communication strategies, packaging ADA information in formats appropriate for different audiences, promoting practices that increase uptake, and supporting correct application of ADA guidance across Network entities.

Does the opportunity require research, or is it purely a dissemination project?

It requires research. The project is expected to do more than disseminate information; it must study which KT approaches work best, for whom, and under what conditions, so ADA-related communication and training can improve over time.

What is the Outcome Measurement System (OMS) database, and what is required related to it?

The opportunity requires the center to manage and maintain the OMS database, positioning the center as a backbone for collecting, storing, and using performance and outcome data connected to ADA National Network activities. The description implies responsibilities such as supporting consistent reporting practices, ensuring data quality, enabling analysis to inform improvement, and maintaining continuity of measurement over time so outcomes can be tracked and compared network-wide.

What is the purpose of the ADA research conference mentioned in the requirements?

The center must organize and support an ADA research conference that brings together researchers, practitioners, and other stakeholders to share findings, identify gaps, and help set directions for future ADA-related research and knowledge translation work.

What kinds of organizations are eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, city/township, and special district governments; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) status; and for-profit organizations other than small businesses, along with other entities as clarified in the full notice.

Is this opportunity limited to nonprofits or universities?

No. The eligibility list includes nonprofits, higher education institutions, multiple levels of government, tribal governments and organizations, and for-profit organizations other than small businesses (plus other entities as clarified in the full notice).

Is the intended scope local, regional, or national?

The opportunity is structured to fund one national center with national reach, integrated with the ADA National Network entities that already provide day-to-day interface with the public and stakeholder organizations.

How does this opportunity connect to independent living and employment outcomes?

DRRPs are intended to measurably improve independent living and employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. In this competition, the pathway is improving how ADA knowledge is translated into practice so that ADA rights, obligations, and implementation guidance are more effectively understood and applied by key audiences.

Does the opportunity emphasize any particular population within the disability community?

In describing the broader DRRP program, the opportunity notes special emphasis on people with the most significant disabilities.

Is the project expected to create a device, technology prototype, or clinical intervention?

No. The specific focus described is not a clinical intervention or a device prototype. It is centered on knowledge translation infrastructure, related research, network-wide coordination, outcomes measurement support, and convening through a research conference.

What is the intended long-term outcome of funding this ADAKT Center?

The opportunity frames the intended outcome as improving how ADA knowledge is translated into practical, usable guidance, strengthening consistent and effective technical assistance and resources across the ADA National Network, and supporting better real-world application of ADA information to ultimately improve independent living and employment outcomes for people with disabilities.