Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program: Community Living and Participation (Development) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program: Community Living and Participation (Development)?

It is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the Administration for Community Living (ACL), through NIDILRR, focused on improving real-world community living and participation outcomes for people with disabilities. This specific priority emphasizes development work that turns existing research knowledge into practical, usable outputs for everyday community life.

What is the main goal of this funding priority?

The main goal is to support projects that translate established research into tools, approaches, or other practical outputs that can be used by people with disabilities and by the systems that support community living and participation. The opportunity is aimed at improvements tied to participation, independence, inclusion, and related community outcomes.

Is this opportunity focused on basic research?

No. This priority is centered on development rather than basic research alone. Proposals should be grounded in research evidence, but the emphasis is on producing something usable in real community settings.

What types of projects are required under this priority?

Projects must be development projects. That means the work should involve creating or refining models, methods, tools, applications, processes, or devices that benefit individuals with disabilities, with a clear connection to improving community living and participation.

What kinds of development activities are included or encouraged?

The scope explicitly includes design and development activities such as building and testing prototypes and establishing processes that make an innovation usable and transferable. The expectation is that the project will move research knowledge into practical implementation-ready outputs.

Can projects include research activities at all?

The broader DRRP community living and participation portfolio can include research, development, or combined projects. However, for this specific priority, applicants should be strong on applied development aims and show how the work translates existing research knowledge into usable outputs.

How long is the project period?

The project period is 36 months.

How is the budget/project period structured?

The 36-month project period is divided into three 12-month budget periods. This structure typically aligns with expectations for annual milestones and measurable progress each year.

What kinds of milestones or deliverables are implied by the 36-month structure?

The announcement suggests steady development progress over time, such as moving from design specifications to prototype development, then to refinement, usability testing, implementation planning, or other development-stage deliverables aligned with community participation impacts.

What is the funding opportunity number and program classification information?

The funding opportunity is identified as HHS 2026 ACL NIDILRR DPCP 0222. It falls under CFDA 93.433 and is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

How many awards are expected?

The opportunity anticipates making about two awards.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling is $500,000.

When is the application due?

The original closing date listed is August 5, 2026.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad across public, private, nonprofit, and for-profit sectors, as long as the applicant is a U.S.-based eligible entity. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; 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 those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible entities listed in the notice.

Are faith-based or community organizations eligible?

Yes. Faith-based and community organizations are eligible as long as they meet the stated requirements.

Are foreign organizations eligible to apply?

No. Foreign entities are explicitly not eligible to apply for or receive awards under this announcement. The applicant organization and project leadership must be domestic.

Can a project still use international research or best practices?

Yes. While foreign entities cannot apply or receive awards, the opportunity notes that the work may still draw on international literature or best practices, as long as the applicant organization and award recipient are eligible U.S.-based entities.

What makes a proposal competitive given the small number of expected awards?

Because about two awards are anticipated, proposals generally need to be sharply focused, well-justified, and clearly positioned to deliver a concrete development output within the three-year timeframe, with a credible pathway for adoption or use by people with disabilities, service providers, communities, or systems that influence community living and participation.

What is meant by a "clear line of sight" to improving outcomes?

It means the proposal should clearly connect the planned development work (for example, a tool, process, or device) to real-world improvements in community participation, independence, inclusion, or related community living outcomes for people with disabilities.

Who is expected to use the outputs of funded projects?

The opportunity emphasizes outputs that can be used by the target population (people with disabilities) and by the systems that support them, such as service providers, communities, or other systems influencing community living and participation.

What kinds of outputs are the program looking for?

Outputs may include newly created or refined models, methods, tools, applications, processes, or devices, along with development work such as prototypes and processes that support usability and transferability in real community settings.

Does the announcement indicate whether awards will always go to development projects?

The program notes that awards in the broader domain may support research projects, development projects, or a mix of both depending on peer review rankings. For this priority, applicants should emphasize applied development aims and practical outputs grounded in research evidence.