Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) Program: RERC on Rehabilitation Strategies, Techniques, and Interventions | HHS 2023 ACL NIDILRR REGE 0096

Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2023 ACL NIDILRR REGE 0096

The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) Program: RERC on Rehabilitation Strategies, Techniques, and Interventions is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), through the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). The core goal of the broader RERC program is to strengthen the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act by funding advanced engineering research and development that tackles real-world rehabilitation challenges. In practice, this means supporting the creation of innovative technologies that either solve specific rehabilitation problems or reduce environmental barriers that limit full participation for people with disabilities. Beyond research and prototyping, RERCs are also expected to demonstrate and evaluate emerging technologies, support improvements in how services are delivered, encourage private-sector production and distribution of new devices and equipment, and provide training opportunities that build capacity in the rehabilitation engineering workforce.

This specific competition focuses on rehabilitation strategies, techniques, and interventions, with an emphasis on work that measurably improves health and functional abilities for people with a wide range of disabilities. The intended impact includes improvements across multiple domains such as physical functioning, cognition, sensory function, and communication. A central priority is serving people with the greatest support needs, meaning applicants should be prepared to address complex, high-impact rehabilitation challenges rather than incremental improvements that only benefit those with relatively fewer barriers. The work funded under this RERC is expected to lead to new or improved products, devices, and technological advances that can be used to enhance rehabilitation services in both clinical settings (such as hospitals, outpatient rehab clinics, and therapy programs) and community settings (such as home-based rehabilitation, community health programs, and other real-world environments where people live, work, and participate).

The opportunity is structured as a single anticipated award in FY 2023, signaling a competitive, center-like award intended to anchor a substantial program of coordinated research and development. The maximum annual award amount (award ceiling) is $925,000, and the project period is 60 months, organized into five 12-month budget periods. This multi-year structure typically supports a pipeline from early-stage concept and engineering development through iterative prototyping, testing, evaluation, and steps that can speed adoption or scale, including engagement with service systems and the private sector to move successful technologies toward production and distribution.

Eligible applicants span a wide range of organization types, reflecting the program's interest in drawing from strong research institutions, community-based expertise, and commercialization capacity. Eligible entities include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities, other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other applicants as allowed under the program's additional eligibility language. The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category is science and technology and other research and development, listed under CFDA 93.433.

Key administrative details in the source information include the funding opportunity number HHS 2023 ACL NIDILRR REGE 0096 and a posting (creation) date of January 24, 2023. The original closing date was March 25, 2023, with electronically submitted applications due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the listed due date. Overall, the opportunity is designed to fund a comprehensive rehabilitation engineering center effort that not only invents and validates promising interventions and technologies, but also helps ensure those advances can realistically reach rehabilitation practice, improve outcomes, and reduce barriers for people with disabilities, especially those who require significant supports.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) Program: RERC on Rehabilitation Strategies, Techniques, and Interventions" 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 Jan 24, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 25, 2023 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (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 $925,000.00 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 (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for HHS 2023 ACL NIDILRR REGE 0096

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