Ten regional centers will provide information, technical assistance, training, and research on the Americans with Disabilities Act
ACL has awarded $11,074,444 in fiscal year 2026 funding for the 10 regional centers of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) National Network. The awards, made through ACL’s National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), keep a nationwide resource operating for people with disabilities, employers, public agencies, businesses, and others who want to understand and carry out the ADA.
Since 1991, the ADA National Network has helped people and organizations put the ADA into practice. Each regional center offers information, guidance, and training shaped by what its region needs. Working with the ADA Knowledge Translation Center, the centers also create evidence-based resources on practical accessibility topics. The goal is equal opportunity, independent living, and participation in work and community life. Learn more at adata.org/national-network.
“The ADA National Network helps turn the principles of the ADA into practical action,” said Kristi Hill, Ph.D., Acting Director of NIDILRR. “Whether someone has a question about workplace accommodations, accessible technology, healthcare access, or community participation, the network provides reliable, evidence-based information that helps people understand their rights and responsibilities. These Trump Administration awards ensure that expertise remains available in every region of the country.”
The new awards cover all 10 regions. Regional centers can respond to local needs while working as one national network, with a focus on practical accessibility in workplaces, healthcare, businesses, and public settings.
Regional focus areas include:
- Northeast ADA Center: small businesses, state and local governments, and web accessibility professionals
- Mid-Atlantic ADA Center: building local capacity for accessibility reviews and studying workplace accommodations
- Great Plains ADA Center: hospital accessibility, rural communities, and accessible recreation
- Southwest ADA Center: how people with disabilities use generative AI to find health information
- Pacific ADA Center: training on healthcare access and practical ADA implementation
Funded Regional Centers
| REGION | RECIPIENT AND CENTER | FY2026 FUNDING |
|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Institute for Human Centered Design New England ADA Center |
$1,000,000 |
| Region 2 | Cornell University Northeast ADA Center |
$1,112,165 |
| Region 3 | TransCen Inc Mid-Atlantic ADA Center |
$1,112,165 |
| Region 4 | Syracuse University Southeast ADA Center |
$1,246,000 |
| Region 5 | University of Illinois Great Lakes ADA Center |
$1,246,000 |
| Region 6 | Memorial Hermann Health System Southwest ADA Center |
$1,112,164 |
| Region 7 | University of Missouri System Great Plains ADA Center |
$1,000,000 |
| Region 8 | University of Northern Colorado Rocky Mountain ADA Center |
$1,000,000 |
| Region 9 | Public Health Institute Pacific ADA Center |
$1,245,950 |
| Region 10 |
University of Washington
Northwest ADA Center |
$1,000,000 |
Separately, NIDILRR awarded the University of Washington $850,000 in FY2026 funding (Grant 90DPAD0025) for the ADA National Network Knowledge Translation Center, which helps turn research into useful resources. That award is covered in a separate announcement and is not part of the $11,074,444 above.
These investments use research and information to strengthen understanding of the ADA and help people with disabilities take part in work and community life.
About NIDILRR
The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), part of the Administration for Community Living at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, funds research and development that helps people with disabilities improve their health and function, employment, and participation in community life.