Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2016 ACL NIDILRR RE 0155
Apply for HHS 2016 ACL NIDILRR RE 0155
- The HHS-ACL in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs) Program: Low Vision and Blindness" 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 24, 2016 and posted on Mar 24, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 23, 2016. (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 $925,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 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, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs) Program: Low Vision and Blindness is a discretionary federal grant opportunity 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). It sits in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category (CFDA 93.433) and is designed to fund a specialized research center focused on practical technology solutions for people with low vision and blindness.
At its core, the RERC program exists to strengthen the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act by pushing forward advanced engineering research and turning that research into real-world technologies. The intent is not just to study problems, but to actively develop innovative tools and systems that address specific rehabilitation challenges or eliminate environmental barriers that limit participation. Beyond research and development, the program expects RERCs to demonstrate and evaluate new technologies in realistic contexts, help drive improvements in how services are delivered, encourage private-sector production and distribution of newly developed technologies and equipment, and create training opportunities so that knowledge and technical capacity spread beyond the center itself.
This particular competition funds an RERC dedicated to low vision and blindness. NIDILRR’s stated goal is for the center to research, develop, and evaluate innovative technologies that measurably improve independent functioning for individuals with low vision and blindness in everyday settings, especially schools, communities, and workplaces. The emphasis on these environments signals an interest in technologies that support learning, mobility, communication, access to information, employment tasks, and community participation, rather than narrowly clinical or laboratory-only solutions. The opportunity also explicitly requires that the RERC’s work promote independence across the lifespan, meaning the center’s scope should account for the needs of children, working-age adults, and older adults, as well as transitions between life stages.
A notable feature of the opportunity is its inclusive definition of the target population. The RERC must consider individuals with low vision and blindness of all ages, including people who are deaf-blind and people with multiple disabilities. That requirement matters because it pushes applicants to design and test technologies that can work under complex accessibility conditions, such as situations involving combined sensory loss, additional physical or cognitive disabilities, or varying levels of functional vision. It also implies that usability, adaptability, and compatibility with assistive technologies and support services are central expectations, since a one-size-fits-all approach often fails for these groups.
In terms of funding structure, the opportunity was offered as a grant with an award ceiling of $925,000 and an expectation of a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1). The funding opportunity number is HHS 2016 ACL NIDILRR RE 0155. It was originally posted on March 24, 2016, with a closing date of May 23, 2016 (which remained the current closing date in the listing). Because only one award was anticipated, the competition would have been structured to select a single lead center to carry out the full set of RERC responsibilities for this topic area.
Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of public, private, nonprofit, academic, and governmental entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and 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 Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and other entities as allowed under additional eligibility language in the full notice. This breadth reflects the program’s applied nature and the expectation that effective rehabilitation engineering work often requires multidisciplinary teams and strong partnerships across research institutions, service systems, community organizations, and industry.
Overall, this grant opportunity aims to establish a high-impact rehabilitation engineering hub that can move from research to prototypes to evaluation and, ultimately, to broader adoption. The federal priorities embedded in the description make clear that NIDILRR is looking for work that directly improves independence and participation for people with low vision and blindness, while also helping the broader ecosystem, including service providers and private-sector manufacturers, deliver and scale effective technology solutions.
FAQs: Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs) Program - Low Vision and Blindness (CFDA 93.433)
What is this grant opportunity?
This is a discretionary federal grant opportunity for a Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) focused on Low Vision and Blindness. It is 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).
Which federal agency and office administer the program?
The program is administered by HHS under ACL, specifically through NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research).
What is the main purpose of the RERC program?
The RERC program is intended to strengthen the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act by advancing engineering research and translating that research into practical, real-world technologies. The focus is on developing and evaluating tools and systems that address rehabilitation challenges and reduce or eliminate environmental barriers that limit participation.
What makes this RERC competition different from general research funding?
This opportunity emphasizes applied outcomes: developing innovative tools and systems, demonstrating and evaluating them in realistic contexts, supporting improvements in service delivery, encouraging private-sector production and distribution, and creating training opportunities to spread knowledge and technical capacity beyond the center.
What topic area does this specific RERC competition fund?
This competition funds an RERC dedicated to low vision and blindness, with the goal of researching, developing, and evaluating innovative technologies that measurably improve independent functioning in everyday settings.
What outcomes is NIDILRR aiming for with this center?
NIDILRR states that the center should produce technologies that measurably improve independent functioning for individuals with low vision and blindness in everyday settings, particularly in schools, communities, and workplaces.
Which environments are emphasized for technology development and evaluation?
The description highlights everyday settings, especially schools, communities, and workplaces. This indicates an emphasis on solutions that work in practical, real-life contexts rather than being limited to clinical or laboratory settings.
Does the opportunity require a lifespan approach?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly calls for promoting independence across the lifespan, meaning the center should account for the needs of children, working-age adults, older adults, and transitions between life stages.
Who is included in the target population?
The target population includes individuals with low vision and blindness of all ages. It also explicitly includes people who are deaf-blind and people with multiple disabilities.
Why does inclusion of deaf-blind individuals and people with multiple disabilities matter in this competition?
Because it signals expectations that technologies be usable under complex accessibility conditions, such as combined sensory loss and additional physical or cognitive disabilities. It also implies that adaptability, usability, and compatibility with assistive technologies and support services are important.
What kinds of activities are RERCs expected to perform beyond research?
In addition to research and development, the program expects centers to demonstrate and evaluate new technologies in realistic contexts, help drive improvements in service delivery, encourage private-sector production and distribution of technologies and equipment, and create training opportunities so knowledge and technical capacity extend beyond the center.
Is the goal only to study rehabilitation barriers, or to build solutions?
The stated intent is not just to study problems. The emphasis is on actively developing innovative tools and systems that address rehabilitation challenges or eliminate environmental barriers that limit participation.
What category does this opportunity fall under?
It is listed under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number provided is 93.433.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is HHS 2016 ACL NIDILRR RE 0155.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed is $925,000.
How many awards were expected under this competition?
The listing indicates an expectation of a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1).
What does it mean that only one award was expected?
It means the competition was structured to select a single lead center to carry out the full set of RERC responsibilities for the low vision and blindness topic area.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was originally posted on March 24, 2016.
What was the closing date listed for applications?
The closing date shown in the listing is May 23, 2016.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad. Eligible applicants include state, county, and 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 Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and other entities as allowed under additional eligibility language in the full notice.
Are nonprofit organizations required to have 501(c)(3) status to be eligible?
No. The eligibility description includes nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education).
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes for-profit organizations other than small businesses.
Are colleges and universities eligible to apply?
Yes. Both public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are included in the eligibility list.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility description includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations.
Are local education agencies like independent school districts eligible?
Yes. Independent school districts are explicitly listed as eligible applicants.
What kinds of technology areas might be relevant based on the description?
The description emphasizes technology that supports independence and participation in schools, communities, and workplaces. It points to needs tied to everyday functioning such as learning, mobility, communication, access to information, employment tasks, and community participation.
Is the center expected to support technology adoption beyond prototypes?
Yes. The program description includes encouraging private-sector production and distribution of newly developed technologies and equipment, signaling an expectation that successful outputs move toward broader adoption.
Is training a required part of the center's role?
The program description states that RERCs are expected to create training opportunities so knowledge and technical capacity spread beyond the center itself.
What is the overall vision for the funded center?
The opportunity aims to establish a high-impact rehabilitation engineering hub that can move from research to prototypes to evaluation and, ultimately, to broader adoption, with a clear focus on improving independence and participation for people with low vision and blindness.
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