Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 061708 002
Apply for ED GRANTS 061708 002
- The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs) Universal Interface and Information Technology Access CFDA 84.133E 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 Jun 17, 2008 and posted on Jun 17, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 1, 2008 Applications Available June 17, 2008. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications August 1, 2008. Date of Pre Application Meeting July 9, 2008. 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 NIDRR staff. The pre application meeting will be held on July 9, 2008. Interested parties may participate in this meeting by conference call with NIDRR staff from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services between 100 p.m. and 230 p.m., Washington, DC time. NIDRR staff also will be available from 300 p.m. to 400 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 for an individual consultation, contact Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of Education, Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), room 6029, 550 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20202. Telephone (202) 245 7462 or by e mail Donna.Nangle@ed.gov.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $950,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $950,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities County governments Independent school districts Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) State governments Private institutions of higher education Special district governments 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) Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) City or township governments 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:
The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs) grant opportunity titled "Universal Interface and Information Technology Access" (CFDA 84.133, suffix E6) is a discretionary grant competition run by the U.S. Department of Education through the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The core goal of the RERC program is to strengthen and improve rehabilitation-related services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended). It does that by funding advanced engineering research and development focused on innovative technologies that directly address real-world rehabilitation problems or remove environmental barriers that keep people with disabilities from full participation. In practical terms, the program is aimed at pushing forward new or improved assistive and accessible technology solutions, then testing and demonstrating them so they can be adopted more broadly.
This specific competition focuses on universal interface and information technology access, which signals an emphasis on making mainstream and specialized information technologies easier to use by people with a wide range of disabilities. While the synopsis does not list the technical priorities in detail (those are in the official Federal Register notice), the general RERC model is clear: centers are expected not only to invent or refine technology, but also to demonstrate and evaluate it in realistic settings. Beyond the engineering work itself, RERCs are also expected to support changes in service delivery systems, meaning they should help the field figure out how new tools can be integrated into rehabilitation practice, community programs, education, employment supports, and other real service environments. Another major expectation is technology transfer: RERCs are intended to stimulate production and distribution of new technologies and equipment in the private sector, so that promising prototypes do not remain stuck in the lab. Training is also a built-in component, with centers providing training opportunities that help develop the next generation of researchers, engineers, clinicians, and practitioners who understand disability, accessibility, and rehabilitation technology.
From a funding and scale standpoint, the opportunity anticipated a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1) with an estimated total funding amount of $950,000 and an award ceiling of $950,000, indicating one center would be funded at roughly that level for the competition cycle described. The posting date was June 17, 2008, with applications made available the same day, and the deadline for transmittal of applications was August 1, 2008. The archive date listed was August 31, 2008. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which means applicants were not required to provide non-federal matching funds as a condition of the award.
Eligibility is described broadly and includes states and public or private agencies, public or private organizations (including for-profit organizations), institutions of higher education, and Indian tribes and tribal organizations. The detailed eligibility list also references a wide range of entity types that can apply, such as small businesses, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), state and local governments, public housing authorities, school districts, special district governments, and tribal governments and organizations. In other words, the competition was structured to allow many kinds of capable organizations to compete, as long as they could meet the program expectations for running a research center and carrying out the required research, development, evaluation, dissemination, and training activities.
Applications were to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov rather than by email, using the downloadable application package associated with CFDA 84.133 (not the alpha suffix). The synopsis emphasizes that applicants must search Grants.gov by the base CFDA number (84.133) and that emailed submissions would not be accepted. For technical help with Grants.gov, applicants were directed to the Grants.gov Helpdesk at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov, reflecting the standard federal electronic submission process.
To support applicants before submission, NIDRR scheduled a pre-application meeting on July 9, 2008, offering both a conference-call session (1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Washington, DC time) and individual consultation hours by telephone later that day (3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Washington, DC time). The main program contact listed for arranging participation and receiving technical assistance was Donna Nangle at the U.S. Department of Education (telephone 202-245-7462; email Donna.Nangle@ed.gov). Another contact mentioned for difficulties accessing the full announcement electronically was Julius Cotton (202-245-6140; julius.cotton@ed.gov). The synopsis repeatedly notes that the authoritative requirements, performance measures, priorities, and full submission instructions are contained in the official Federal Register notice, and it points applicants to federal online resources for accessing that notice.
Overall, this opportunity is best understood as funding one major RERC center focused on universal interfaces and information technology access, with expectations that the awardee will conduct high-level engineering R and D, produce and evaluate usable technology outcomes, help drive adoption through systems change and private-sector production/distribution pathways, and contribute training and field-building activities. The structure and language make it clear that the government is not just paying for research papers, but for a center that can move accessible technology forward from concept to real-world impact.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): RERC - Universal Interface and Information Technology Access (CFDA 84.133E6)
What is this grant opportunity?
This is a discretionary grant competition for a Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) titled "Universal Interface and Information Technology Access" under CFDA 84.133 (suffix E6). It is run by the U.S. Department of Education through the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
What is the overall goal of the RERC program?
The RERC program aims to strengthen and improve rehabilitation-related services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended). It does this by funding advanced engineering research and development that creates or improves technologies addressing real-world rehabilitation problems and/or removing environmental barriers that limit full participation by people with disabilities.
What does this specific competition focus on?
This competition focuses on universal interface and information technology access. Based on the synopsis, that signals an emphasis on making mainstream and specialized information technologies easier to use by people with a wide range of disabilities.
Does the synopsis list the technical priorities for the competition?
No. The synopsis indicates that the detailed technical priorities are contained in the official Federal Register notice, not in the synopsis itself.
What is NIDRR expecting the funded RERC to do?
The expected RERC model described in the synopsis includes:
- Advanced engineering research and development (R&D) to create innovative technologies or improve existing technologies related to rehabilitation and accessibility.
- Demonstration and evaluation of technologies in realistic settings (not only laboratory work).
- Work that supports changes in service delivery systems so technologies can be integrated into real rehabilitation and community service environments (for example, rehabilitation practice, community programs, education, employment supports, and other service settings).
- Technology transfer efforts to stimulate production and distribution of new technologies and equipment in the private sector, so outcomes move beyond prototypes.
- Training activities to develop researchers, engineers, clinicians, and practitioners with skills in disability, accessibility, and rehabilitation technology.
Is this grant intended mainly for publishing research papers?
The synopsis frames the intent as funding a center that moves accessible technology forward from concept to real-world impact. That includes developing technology, testing and demonstrating it in realistic environments, supporting adoption through systems change, and enabling private-sector production and distribution.
How many awards were expected?
The opportunity anticipated a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1).
What is the estimated funding amount and maximum award size?
The estimated total funding amount was $950,000, and the award ceiling was also $950,000. This indicates one center would be funded at roughly that level for the described competition cycle.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The synopsis states there was no cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to provide non-federal matching funds as a condition of the award.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described broadly and includes states and public or private agencies, public or private organizations (including for-profit organizations), institutions of higher education, and Indian tribes and tribal organizations.
Does the eligibility list include specific organization types?
Yes. The synopsis references a wide range of eligible entity types, including small businesses, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), state and local governments, public housing authorities, school districts, special district governments, and tribal governments and organizations.
How were applications required to be submitted?
Applications were to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov using the downloadable application package associated with CFDA 84.133. Applications were not accepted by email.
When searching in Grants.gov, which CFDA number should applicants use?
The synopsis emphasizes that applicants must search Grants.gov by the base CFDA number (84.133), not the alpha suffix.
Were emailed submissions accepted?
No. The synopsis explicitly states that emailed submissions would not be accepted.
What were the key dates listed for this opportunity?
- Posting date: June 17, 2008
- Applications available: June 17, 2008
- Deadline for transmittal of applications: August 1, 2008
- Archive date: August 31, 2008
Was there a pre-application meeting?
Yes. NIDRR scheduled a pre-application meeting on July 9, 2008.
What was the format and timing of the pre-application meeting?
The pre-application meeting included:
- A conference-call session from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Washington, DC time
- Individual consultation hours by telephone from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Washington, DC time
Who was the main program contact for participation and technical assistance?
The main program contact listed was Donna Nangle at the U.S. Department of Education: 202-245-7462, Donna.Nangle@ed.gov.
Who could be contacted if there were difficulties accessing the full announcement electronically?
The synopsis lists Julius Cotton as a contact for difficulties accessing the full announcement electronically: 202-245-6140, julius.cotton@ed.gov.
Where should applicants look for authoritative requirements and submission instructions?
The synopsis notes that authoritative requirements, performance measures, priorities, and full submission instructions are contained in the official Federal Register notice, and it directs applicants to federal online resources to access that notice.
Where can applicants get technical help with Grants.gov?
For technical support with Grants.gov, the synopsis directs applicants to the Grants.gov Helpdesk at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.
What is meant by "technology transfer" in this opportunity?
In the RERC context described, technology transfer means activities intended to stimulate production and distribution of new technologies and equipment in the private sector, so that promising prototypes and research outputs are more likely to become widely available products or solutions.
What kinds of real-world settings are implied for demonstration and evaluation?
The synopsis emphasizes evaluation and demonstration in realistic settings and points to integration in service delivery systems, including rehabilitation practice, community programs, education, employment supports, and other real service environments.
What does "universal interface" imply in the context of this RERC?
Based on the synopsis wording, it implies an emphasis on interfaces and access approaches that make information technologies easier to use by people with a broad range of disabilities, including across mainstream and specialized technologies.
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Previous opportunity: Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs) Accessible Public Transportation Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 CFDA Number 84.133E
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