Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program: Community Living and Participation (Research)

This grant opportunity, under the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program, seeks to fund research aimed at improving community living and participation outcomes for people with disabilities. Applicants must propose a systematic, intensive study grounded in clearly defined hypotheses or research questions, designed to generate either new scientific knowledge or a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Projects may be classified as research, development, or a hybrid of both, determined by peer review rankings, and are required to span a 36-month period divided into three 12-month budget periods, with a total performance window from September 30, 2026, to September 29, 2029. Each budget period may receive funding between $495,000 and $500,000, with a maximum total award of $1.5 million per project, and proposals exceeding these limits will be disqualified. There is no cost-sharing requirement, but indirect costs may be claimed at an approved rate or up to a de minimis rate of 15% of modified total direct costs. Research must focus exclusively on individuals with disabilities, including specific demographic or disability subpopulations, and is expressly prohibited from supporting any diversity, equity, inclusion, or accessibility (DEI/DEIA) activities or research. Applications must demonstrate alignment with the Administration for Community Living’s strategic priorities and are subject to rigorous evaluation across seven weighted criteria, with design of research activities carrying the highest weight at 50 points. Applicants must submit a comprehensive application package through Grants.gov, including mandatory forms such as SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, the Project Narrative Attachment, Budget Narrative Attachment, Project Abstract Summary, and the Grants.gov Lobbying Certification, alongside supporting documents like biosketches, a data management plan, commitment letters, an indirect cost rate agreement, a table of contents, and references. All files must be in PDF format, use Times New Roman or Arial 12-point font, and adhere to specific spacing requirements. SAM.gov registration with a valid Unique Entity Identifier is required for eligibility, and continued maintenance of this registration throughout the award period is mandatory. The evaluation process includes pass/fail responsiveness gates to ensure compliance with procedural and substantive requirements; non-compliant applications are immediately disqualified. Merit review scores, while central, are only one factor in award decisions—portfolio balance, geographic distribution, past performance, cost reasonableness, and available funding are equally considered. Risk