Opportunity Information: Apply for ED ACL GRANTS 052115 001
Apply for ED ACL GRANTS 052115 001
- The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "HHS/ACL/NIDILRR Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTC) Outcomes Measurement for Home and Community Based Services CFDA Number 84.133B 6" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.133 National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 21, 2015 and posted on May 21, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 20, 2015 Applications Available May 21, 2015. Note On July 22, 2014, President Obama signed the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA). WIOA was effective immediately. One provision of WIOA transferred the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) from the Department of Education to the Administration for Community Living (ACL) in the Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, NIDRRs name was changed to the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). For FY 2015, all NIDILRR priority notices will be published as ACL notices, and ACL will make all NIDILRR awards. During this transition period, however, NIDILRR will continue to review grant applications using Department of Education tools. NIDILRR will post previously approved application kits to grants.gov, and NIDILRR applications submitted to grants.gov will be forwarded to the Department of Educations G 5 system for peer review. We are using Department of Education application kits and peer review systems during this transition year in order to provide for a smooth and orderly process for our applicants. Date of Pre Application Meeting June 11, 2015. Date of Pre Application Meeting Interested parties are invited to participate in a pre application meeting and to receive information and technical assistance through individual consultation with NIDILRR staff. The pre application meeting will be held on June 11, 2015. Interested parties may participate in this meeting by conference call with NIDILRR staff from the Administration for Community Living between 100 p.m. and 300 p.m., Washington, DC time. NIDILRR staff also will be available from 330 p.m. to 430 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the same day, by telephone, to provide information and technical assistance through individual consultation. For further information or to make arrangements to participate in the meeting via conference call or to arrange for an individual consultation, contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice. Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply June 25, 2015. Notice of Intent to Apply Due to the open nature of the RRTC priority announced here, and to assist with the selection of reviewers for this competition, NIDILRR is requesting all potential applicants submit a letter of intent (LOI). The submission is not mandatory and the content of the LOI will not be peer reviewed or otherwise used to rate an applicants application. Each LOI should be limited to a maximum of four pages and include the following information (1) The title of the proposed project, the name of the applicant, the name of the Project Director or Principal Investigator (PI), and the names of partner institutions and entities (2) a brief statement of the vision, goals, and objectives of the proposed project and a description of its proposed activities at a sufficient level of detail to allow NIDILRR to select potential peer reviewers (3) a list of proposed project staff including the Project Director or PI and key personnel (4) a list of individuals whose selection as a peer reviewer might constitute a conflict of interest due to involvement in proposal development, selection as an advisory board member, co PI relationships, etc. and (5) contact information for the Project Director or PI. Submission of a LOI is not a prerequisite for eligibility to submit an application. NIDILRR will accept the optional LOI via mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or commercial carrier) or email, by June 25, 2015. The LOI must be sent to Marlene Spencer, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 550 12th Street SW., Room 5133, PCP, Washington, DC 20202 or by email to marlene.spencer@acl.hhs.gov. For further information regarding the LOI submission process, contact Marlene Spencer at (202) 245 7532. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications July 20, 2015.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $875,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $875,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) County governments State governments Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Independent school districts Special district governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) For profit organizations other than small businesses.
- Eligible Applicants States public or private agencies, including for profit agencies public or private organizations, including for profit organizations IHEs and Indian tribes and tribal organizations.
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Opportunity Summary:
This funding opportunity is for a Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) focused on outcomes measurement for Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) under CFDA 84.133 (listed in the synopsis as 84.133B-6). It sits within the broader Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program, which supports research, demonstration projects, training, technical assistance, and dissemination activities intended to strengthen rehabilitation-related methods, procedures, and technology. The larger program purpose is to increase full inclusion and integration of people with disabilities in everyday life, including employment, independent living, family support, and broader economic and social self-sufficiency, with particular attention to individuals with the most significant disabilities. A core emphasis is improving the effectiveness of services authorized by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
The RRTC mechanism specifically funds centers that combine well-designed research with training, technical assistance, and active dissemination in topical areas identified by NIDILRR (the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). In this competition, the topical area is outcomes measurement for HCBS, meaning applicants are expected to concentrate on building and improving the ways programs and systems define, measure, compare, and use outcomes for services delivered in home- and community-based settings. While the synopsis does not list the detailed priority language, it makes clear that the center is expected to produce practical, usable knowledge and tools that help stakeholders such as service providers, people with disabilities, family members, policymakers, and other research and service-system partners make better decisions and improve service effectiveness.
The opportunity was posted May 21, 2015, with applications available the same day and a closing deadline (deadline for transmittal of applications) of July 20, 2015. One award was anticipated, with an estimated total funding amount of $875,000 and an award ceiling of $875,000. No cost sharing or matching was required. The funding instrument is a discretionary grant, and the activity category is listed as Education, reflecting the program lineage and the federal systems used to post and review the competition.
Applicants were required to submit applications electronically through Grants.gov, using the downloadable application package associated with CFDA 84.133 (the guidance specifically notes not to include the alpha suffix in the search). The process described allowed applicants to download the package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit through Grants.gov; email submission of an application was not permitted. The synopsis repeatedly emphasizes that the Federal Register notice is the controlling document and that applicants should rely on it for exact requirements such as eligibility details, priorities, submission instructions, performance measures, and contact points.
The eligible applicant pool is broad and includes states and local governments, public and private agencies and organizations (including for-profit entities), institutions of higher education (public or private), federally recognized tribal governments, and tribal organizations. The listing also mentions various nonprofit categories (with and without 501(c)(3) status), school districts, special district governments, and other entities as clarified in the full notice. In practical terms, the competition appears designed to attract multi-partner center proposals that can credibly conduct rigorous research while also delivering training and technical assistance to the field and translating findings into guidance or products that improve measurement and implementation.
Because the competition occurred during the federal transition created by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the synopsis includes an administrative note: NIDRR had been transferred from the U.S. Department of Education to the Administration for Community Living (ACL) within HHS, and renamed NIDILRR. Even though ACL would publish priority notices and make awards for FY 2015, the application and peer-review workflow still relied on Department of Education tools and systems during the transition period. In effect, applicants submitted through Grants.gov, and submissions were routed into ED systems for peer review to keep the process stable while the agency move was underway.
To support prospective applicants, a pre-application meeting was scheduled for June 11, 2015, held by conference call with NIDILRR staff. The meeting included a group technical assistance window (1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Washington, DC time) and an additional period for individual consultation by telephone (3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.). This structure signals that NIDILRR expected complex proposals and wanted to reduce avoidable mistakes around interpreting the priority, preparing center-style work plans, or navigating federal submission requirements.
The notice also requested, but did not require, a Letter of Intent (LOI) due June 25, 2015. The LOI was explicitly not scored and not used to rate applications; its main purpose was logistical, helping NIDILRR identify appropriate peer reviewers and manage conflicts of interest. The LOI was limited to four pages and needed to include the proposed project title; applicant and project leadership details (Project Director/Principal Investigator and key partners); a brief but sufficiently detailed statement of the project vision, goals, objectives, and proposed activities; a proposed staffing list; names of individuals who could pose a reviewer conflict due to relationships or involvement; and PI contact information. LOIs could be submitted by mail or email to the program contact listed (Marlene Spencer), underscoring that the LOI was separate from the formal Grants.gov application submission process.
For applicant support and official communication, the synopsis provides contacts for both technical submission issues and programmatic questions. The Grants.gov systems contact listed is Julius Cotton (with an Education Department grants email), and the program manager contact is Marlene Spencer at ACL/HHS (with phone and email). Overall, the opportunity is framed as a single-center, outcomes-measurement-focused RRTC meant to advance the science and practice of evaluating HCBS, while also ensuring the results are translated into training, technical assistance, and dissemination that improve real-world rehabilitation and community living services aligned with the Rehabilitation Act.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity funds a Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) focused on outcomes measurement for Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) under CFDA 84.133 (listed in the synopsis as 84.133B-6).
2) What larger program does this RRTC competition fall under?
It sits within the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program, which supports research, demonstration projects, training, technical assistance, and dissemination activities intended to strengthen rehabilitation-related methods, procedures, and technology.
3) What is the overarching purpose of the broader program?
The broader program purpose is to increase full inclusion and integration of people with disabilities in everyday life, including employment, independent living, family support, and broader economic and social self-sufficiency, with particular attention to individuals with the most significant disabilities. A core emphasis is improving the effectiveness of services authorized by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
4) What is an RRTC expected to do under this mechanism?
The RRTC mechanism funds centers that combine well-designed research with training, technical assistance, and active dissemination in topical areas identified by NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research).
5) What is the topical focus for this specific RRTC competition?
The topical area is outcomes measurement for HCBS. Applicants are expected to concentrate on building and improving the ways programs and systems define, measure, compare, and use outcomes for services delivered in home- and community-based settings.
6) Who is expected to benefit from the RRTC's work?
The center is expected to produce practical, usable knowledge and tools that help stakeholders such as service providers, people with disabilities, family members, policymakers, and other research and service-system partners make better decisions and improve service effectiveness.
7) How many awards were anticipated?
One award was anticipated.
8) What was the estimated total funding amount and award ceiling?
The estimated total funding amount was $875,000, and the award ceiling was $875,000.
9) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The synopsis states that no cost sharing or matching was required.
10) What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding instrument is a discretionary grant.
11) What activity category is associated with this opportunity?
The activity category is listed as Education, reflecting the program lineage and the federal systems used to post and review the competition.
12) When was the opportunity posted, and when were applications due?
The opportunity was posted May 21, 2015, with applications available the same day. The closing deadline (deadline for transmittal of applications) was July 20, 2015.
13) How were applications required to be submitted?
Applicants were required to submit applications electronically through Grants.gov using the downloadable application package associated with CFDA 84.133.
14) Can an application be submitted by email instead of Grants.gov?
No. Email submission of an application was not permitted. The process required uploading and submitting through Grants.gov.
15) How do applicants find the correct application package on Grants.gov?
The guidance notes to search using CFDA 84.133 and specifically notes not to include the alpha suffix in the search.
16) What document is considered the controlling source for requirements?
The synopsis emphasizes that the Federal Register notice is the controlling document and that applicants should rely on it for exact requirements such as eligibility details, priorities, submission instructions, performance measures, and contact points.
17) Who was eligible to apply?
The eligible applicant pool is broad and includes states and local governments; public and private agencies and organizations (including for-profit entities); institutions of higher education (public or private); federally recognized tribal governments; and tribal organizations. The listing also mentions various nonprofit categories (with and without 501(c)(3) status), school districts, special district governments, and other entities as clarified in the full notice.
18) Does the synopsis suggest a particular style of proposal is expected?
Yes. In practical terms, the competition appears designed to attract multi-partner center proposals that can credibly conduct rigorous research while also delivering training and technical assistance to the field and translating findings into guidance or products that improve measurement and implementation.
19) What is the relationship between NIDRR and NIDILRR mentioned in the synopsis?
The synopsis includes an administrative note that during the WIOA transition, NIDRR was transferred from the U.S. Department of Education to the Administration for Community Living (ACL) within HHS and renamed NIDILRR.
20) Which agency handled the priority notices and awards for FY 2015, and which systems were used for submission and review?
ACL would publish priority notices and make awards for FY 2015, but the application and peer-review workflow still relied on Department of Education tools and systems during the transition. Applicants submitted through Grants.gov, and submissions were routed into ED systems for peer review.
21) Was there a pre-application meeting?
Yes. A pre-application meeting was scheduled for June 11, 2015, held by conference call with NIDILRR staff.
22) What was the format and timing of the pre-application meeting?
The meeting included a group technical assistance window from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Washington, DC time and an additional period for individual consultation by telephone from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
23) Was a Letter of Intent (LOI) required?
No. The notice requested, but did not require, a Letter of Intent (LOI).
24) When was the LOI due?
The LOI was due June 25, 2015.
25) Was the LOI scored or used to rate applications?
No. The LOI was explicitly not scored and not used to rate applications.
26) Why did the agency request an LOI if it was not required or scored?
Its main purpose was logistical, helping NIDILRR identify appropriate peer reviewers and manage conflicts of interest.
27) What was the LOI page limit?
The LOI was limited to four pages.
28) What information needed to be included in the LOI?
The LOI needed to include: the proposed project title; applicant and project leadership details (Project Director/Principal Investigator and key partners); a brief but sufficiently detailed statement of the project vision, goals, objectives, and proposed activities; a proposed staffing list; names of individuals who could pose a reviewer conflict due to relationships or involvement; and PI contact information.
29) How could the LOI be submitted?
LOIs could be submitted by mail or email to the program contact listed (Marlene Spencer). The LOI process was separate from the formal Grants.gov application submission process.
30) Who should applicants contact for Grants.gov submission or system issues?
For technical submission issues, the Grants.gov systems contact listed is Julius Cotton (using an Education Department grants email).
31) Who should applicants contact for programmatic questions?
The program manager contact listed is Marlene Spencer at ACL/HHS (phone and email provided in the synopsis).
32) What is the main expected outcome of the funded center's work?
The opportunity is framed as a single-center, outcomes-measurement-focused RRTC meant to advance the science and practice of evaluating HCBS, while also ensuring results are translated into training, technical assistance, and dissemination that improve real-world rehabilitation and community living services aligned with the Rehabilitation Act.
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