Applications due Monday, March 17, 2025
ACL's National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) is announcing new funding opportunities for the Field Initiated Projects (FIP) programs for minority-serving institutions (MSI).
The purpose of these grant opportunities is to generate new knowledge through research or to develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technologies to maximize the full inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living, family/caregiver support, and economic and self-sufficiency of people with disabilities, especially people with the greatest support needs. Another purpose of this grant opportunity is to improve the capacity of minority-serving institutions to conduct high-quality disability and rehabilitation research and development.
- FIP Minority-Serving Institution: Research — In carrying out a research activity under a FIP research grant, a grantee must identify one or more hypotheses or research questions and, based on the hypotheses or research questions identified, perform an intensive, systematic study directed toward producing (1) new scientific knowledge, or (2) better understanding of the subject, problem studied, or body of knowledge.
- FIP Minority-Serving Institution: Development — In carrying out a development activity under a FIP development grant, a grantee must use knowledge and understanding gained from research to create materials, devices, systems, methods, measures, techniques, tools, prototypes, processes, or intervention protocols that are beneficial to the target population.
Parties eligible to apply for FIP-MSI grants are limited to minority entities and Indian tribes as authorized by Section 21 (b)(2)(A) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. A minority entity is defined as a Historically Black College or University (HCBU) (a part B institution, as defined in Section 322(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended), a Hispanic-serving institution of higher education (IHE), an American Indian tribal college or university, or another IHE whose minority student enrollment is at least 50%. NIDILRR is especially interested in applications from individual minority entities that have historically been underrepresented in the federal research arena. Foreign entities are not eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement.
NIDILRR plans to make four FIP-MSI awards. Grants will have a 36-month project period, with three 12-month budget periods. NIDILRR's FIP-MSI grants will include a combination of research applications and development applications, depending on the combined ranking of individual research and development applications by the peer review panel.
Contact shelley.reeves@acl.hhs.gov if you have questions about these funding opportunities.
See Notices of Funding Opportunity: HHS-2025-ACL-NIDILRR-IFST-0106, "Field Initiated Projects Program: Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI) — Research," and HHS-2025-ACL-NIDILRR-IFST-0107, "Field Initiated Projects Program: Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI) — Development," posted December 12, 2024.
To stay current on NIDILRR grant opportunities, please visit grants.gov and search: NIDILRR or 93.433.
NIDILRR, part of ACL, generates new knowledge and promotes its effective use so that people with disabilities can perform activities of their choice in the community. NIDILRR also works to expand society’s capacity to provide full opportunities and accommodations for people with disabilities.