Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2026 ACL NIDILRR DPHF 0225
The Administration for Community Living (ACL), through its National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), is offering a discretionary research grant under the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program focused on resilience and positive mental health outcomes among people with spinal cord injury (SCI). The purpose of this opportunity is to support a research project that builds practical, evidence-based knowledge about what helps individuals with SCI adapt, cope, and experience better mental health and psychological well-being over time. In other words, the funded work is expected to move beyond deficit-focused framing (such as only studying distress or impairment) and instead investigate protective factors, strengths, supports, and interventions that may promote recovery, adjustment, and sustained quality of life for people living with SCI.
This funding opportunity is listed as HHS 2026 ACL NIDILRR DPHF 0225, categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development, with CFDA number 93.433. The project period is 36 months, structured as three 12-month budget periods, which typically means performance and spending are planned and reported annually while maintaining a cohesive three-year research plan. Only one award is expected to be made under this announcement, and the maximum federal funding amount (award ceiling) is $700,000. The application closing date is August 5, 2026, and the opportunity record was created on July 6, 2026.
Eligibility is broad across public, private, nonprofit, and for-profit sectors within the United States and its eligible jurisdictions. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education as well as private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible entities that meet federal requirements. Faith-based and community organizations are explicitly eligible if they otherwise meet the stated eligibility rules. Foreign entities are not eligible to compete for or receive awards under this announcement, which means the applicant organization must be domestic, even if research collaborations or consultation involve international expertise (any such arrangements would still need to comply with federal grant rules and the terms of the award).
At a high level, a competitive application under this DRRP priority would be expected to propose a clear, well-justified research agenda focused on resilience and positive mental health outcomes for people with SCI. That generally implies defining what “resilience” and “positive mental health” mean in the context of SCI, identifying measurable outcomes (for example, psychological well-being, life satisfaction, hope, meaning, participation, social connectedness, self-efficacy, or related constructs), and explaining why the proposed research will fill an important gap for rehabilitation practice, community living, and long-term outcomes. Because NIDILRR-funded DRRPs are typically aimed at producing usable knowledge, applicants usually need to show how findings will be translated into practice or inform programs, services, supports, or future intervention development that can realistically improve the lives of people with SCI.
In short, this is a three-year, single-award research grant from ACL/NIDILRR designed to advance the science of resilience and positive mental health in spinal cord injury, open to a wide range of U.S.-based governmental, academic, nonprofit, tribal, and private-sector applicants, with applications due August 5, 2026 and funding up to $700,000.Apply for HHS 2026 ACL NIDILRR DPHF 0225
- The Administration for Community Living in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program: Research on Resilience and Positive Mental Health Outcomes Among People with Spinal Cord Injury" 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 2026-07-06.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-08-05. (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 $700,000.00 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, 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, Small businesses, Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this grant opportunity?
This is a discretionary research grant offered by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) through the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) under the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program. The specific focus is resilience and positive mental health outcomes among people with spinal cord injury (SCI).
What is the purpose of the funding?
The purpose is to support a research project that builds practical, evidence-based knowledge about what helps individuals with SCI adapt, cope, and experience better mental health and psychological well-being over time. The funded project is expected to produce usable knowledge that can inform rehabilitation practice, community living, services, supports, or future intervention development.
What topic area should the research address?
The research should focus on resilience and positive mental health outcomes for people with spinal cord injury (SCI). The emphasis is on factors and approaches that promote recovery, adjustment, and sustained quality of life rather than only documenting problems or impairment.
Does the grant encourage a specific framing of mental health in SCI?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly emphasizes moving beyond deficit-focused framing (such as studying only distress or impairment) and instead examining protective factors, strengths, supports, and interventions that may promote positive mental health and psychological well-being in people living with SCI.
What kinds of outcomes might a project measure?
The announcement points to outcomes such as psychological well-being, life satisfaction, hope, meaning, participation, social connectedness, self-efficacy, and related constructs. Applicants are expected to define and justify what “resilience” and “positive mental health” mean in the SCI context and identify measurable outcomes.
How long is the project period?
The project period is 36 months (three years).
How are the budget periods structured?
The 36-month project period is structured as three 12-month budget periods. This typically means the project plans, spending, and reporting are organized annually while remaining part of a cohesive three-year research plan.
How many awards will be made?
Only one award is expected to be made under this announcement.
What is the maximum funding available?
The maximum federal funding amount (award ceiling) is $700,000.
When is the application due?
The application closing date is August 5, 2026.
When was this opportunity posted?
The opportunity record was created on July 6, 2026.
What is the opportunity number?
The funding opportunity is listed as HHS 2026 ACL NIDILRR DPHF 0225.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number provided for this opportunity is 93.433.
How is the opportunity categorized?
It is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad across public, private, nonprofit, and for-profit sectors within the United States and its eligible jurisdictions. Eligible applicant types include:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Other tribal organizations
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category)
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category)
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
- Other eligible entities that meet federal requirements
Are faith-based and community organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based and community organizations are explicitly eligible if they otherwise meet the stated eligibility rules.
Are foreign organizations eligible to apply?
No. Foreign entities are not eligible to compete for or receive awards under this announcement. The applicant organization must be domestic (U.S.-based).
Can the project include international collaborators or consultants?
The information provided indicates the applicant organization must be domestic, even if research collaborations or consultation involve international expertise. Any such arrangements would still need to comply with federal grant rules and the terms of the award.
What would a competitive application generally be expected to include?
Based on the description, a competitive application would generally be expected to propose a clear, well-justified research agenda focused on resilience and positive mental health outcomes for people with SCI. This typically includes defining key concepts (like “resilience” and “positive mental health” in the SCI context), identifying measurable outcomes, explaining the gap the research will fill, and describing how the results will be translated into practice or otherwise used to improve real-world programs, services, supports, or intervention development.
Is the research expected to have practical use?
Yes. The opportunity notes that NIDILRR-funded DRRPs are typically aimed at producing usable knowledge. Applicants are generally expected to show how findings will be translated into practice or inform programs, services, supports, or future intervention development that can realistically improve the lives of people with SCI.
Is this an intervention grant or can it be broader research?
The description emphasizes researching protective factors, strengths, supports, and interventions, and it emphasizes practical, evidence-based knowledge. The provided information does not restrict the project to interventions only, but it does indicate that applicants should explain how findings can inform practice, programs, supports, or future intervention development.
What population should the research focus on?
The research focus is on people with spinal cord injury (SCI).
What agency is sponsoring the grant?
The grant is offered by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) through NIDILRR.
What program is this under?
This opportunity is under the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program.
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