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The National Paralysis Resource Center Offers Funding Opportunities to Address Social Isolation

January 21, 2021

Applications due March 16.

ACL's National Paralysis Resource Center (managed by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation) is announcing new funding opportunities for organizations and agencies that serve people living with any type of paralysis.

Ongoing research on COVID-19 shows that social isolation and loneliness have increased during the pandemic. Previous research found that social isolation is linked to many physical and mental health problems including heart disease, diabetes, heart failure, stroke, dementia, anxiety, depression, and suicide. To address these problems being exacerbated by the pandemic, a new grant opportunity was created.

  • COVID-19: Addressing Social Isolation Quality of Life (QOL) grants fund projects that address social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic with the goal of enhancing connectedness of people living with paralysis and their caregivers to their communities and preventing adverse health outcomes. Grants will be awarded within the range of $25,000 - $50,000.

A second grant opportunity is also available:

  • The Direct Effect Quality of Life (QOL) grants offer up to $25,000 to nonprofit organizations for projects that clearly impact individuals living with paralysis, their families, and caregivers.

Read the Application and Program Guidelines and to visit the Reeve Foundation website for an overview of the QOL grant program and the QOL grant application process.

A free Application Technical Assistance Webinar will be held on Tuesday, February 9 at 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm EST. Register here.

QOL grant applications are available and are to be completed online through the Reeve Foundation online grants portal. The online application submission deadline is Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at 11:59 pm ET.

The Foundation is no longer able to provide individual pre-award assistance either by telephone or email. However, they welcome questions about the application process to QOL@ChristopherReeve.org. All questions submitted via email will be collected, aggregated, and answered in a Questions and Answers document posted on their website. The deadline for emailed questions is Friday, February 12.

Quality of Life (QOL) grants are federally funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL). Organizations that have previously been awarded a Quality of Life grant in any category may re-apply for funding one year following the close of their grant and notification of grant closure by the Reeve Foundation.


ACL funds the Paralysis Resource Center to provide comprehensive information for people living with spinal cord injury, paralysis and mobility-related disabilities and their support networks. Resources include information and referral by phone and email in multiple languages including Spanish; a peer and family support mentoring program; a military and veterans program; multicultural outreach services; quality of life grants; and a national website.


Last modified on 01/21/2021


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