Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program: Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this grant opportunity?

This is a discretionary research and development grant from 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). It is offered under NIDILRR's Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) authority within the broader Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program.

What is the overall purpose of the funding?

The overall aim is to strengthen the real-world effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act. The opportunity supports work that develops and spreads improved methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technologies to improve independent living and employment outcomes for people with disabilities, with a strong emphasis on individuals with the most significant disabilities.

What specific project is being funded?

The funded project is the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC). The MSKTC is expected to function as a knowledge translation hub tied closely to existing rehabilitation model system programs.

Which Model System programs must the MSKTC work with?

The MSKTC must work in close collaboration with three established Model System programs: the Burn Model System, the Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Model System, and the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Model System.

What does it mean that the MSKTC is a "knowledge translation hub"?

In this opportunity, knowledge translation means actively coordinating with the Burn, SCI, and TBI Model System grantees so research findings and practical lessons from each network are turned into usable, accessible resources. The intent is that information is not produced in isolation, but packaged and shared in ways that support real-world use.

What are the major required activities for the MSKTC?

Major required activities include: producing systematic reviews of existing research relevant to SCI, TBI, and burn injury; developing information products for the SCI, TBI, and burn communities; and identifying and applying effective dissemination strategies so products reach intended audiences in practical, understandable forms.

What topic areas must the systematic reviews cover?

The systematic reviews must address existing research relevant to spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and burn injury.

What is the purpose of the systematic reviews?

The reviews are intended to synthesize what is already known, identify what is supported by evidence, and translate large bodies of research into clear conclusions that can guide practice and future research.

Who are the intended audiences for the MSKTC's information products?

The information products are intended for clinicians, service providers, policymakers, people with disabilities, and their families, across the SCI, TBI, and burn communities.

What does the opportunity require regarding dissemination?

The MSKTC must identify and apply effective dissemination strategies so information products actually reach the audiences who need them and are presented in forms that are practical and understandable. The center is also intended to coordinate dissemination so efforts are not fragmented across separate projects.

What does it mean that the MSKTC is a central dissemination resource?

It means the MSKTC is expected to serve as the main dissemination point for Model System products and research findings, including maintaining an organized, reliable platform or set of channels where stakeholders can find outputs and where dissemination activities are coordinated.

Is training and technical assistance required as part of this project?

Yes. The MSKTC must provide training and technical assistance to the Model System grantees specifically around knowledge translation, helping the SCI, TBI, and Burn Model System centers strengthen their ability to move research into practice through communication, packaging of findings, stakeholder engagement, and dissemination planning.

Which federal agency and offices are associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with HHS (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), ACL (Administration for Community Living), and NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research).

What is the opportunity number and CFDA number?

The opportunity number is HHS-2016-ACL-NIDILRR-DP-0162, and it is listed under CFDA 93.433.

What type of award instrument is used?

The award instrument is a grant.

How many awards are expected?

The opportunity anticipates a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1).

What is the annual funding ceiling for this award?

The annual award ceiling is $800,000.

When was the opportunity posted, and what was the closing date?

The opportunity was posted on March 24, 2016 (and created the same day). The closing date was May 23, 2016.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility includes a wide range of public and private entities, including: state governments; county governments; city or 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; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and other applicants as clarified in the notice's additional eligibility information.

What kind of organization is this opportunity designed for?

This opportunity is designed for an organization capable of operating as a national-level coordinating and technical assistance center, with the infrastructure and expertise to synthesize evidence, produce high-quality knowledge products, and support coordinated dissemination across the Burn, SCI, and TBI Model System networks.

What emphasis does this opportunity place on disability populations?

The opportunity emphasizes improved independent living and employment outcomes for people with disabilities, with a strong emphasis on individuals with the most significant disabilities.

Is this opportunity focused on creating new research studies or translating existing knowledge?

Based on the required activities described, the emphasis is on knowledge translation, including systematic reviews of existing research and the development and dissemination of usable information products, coordinated with the Burn, SCI, and TBI Model System programs.