Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Disability Statistics and Demographics | HHS 2018 ACL NIDILRR RTGE 0248

Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2018 ACL NIDILRR RTGE 0248

The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Disability Statistics and Demographics is a discretionary federal grant opportunity offered by 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). It sits within the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program (CFDA 93.433) and funds science and technology and other research and development activities intended to strengthen the evidence base behind disability-related services and policies authorized under the Rehabilitation Act. The core idea is to support a center that combines research, training, technical assistance, and broad dissemination so that the resulting knowledge is not just published but is actually usable by practitioners, policymakers, and the disability community.

This particular RRTC focuses specifically on disability statistics and demographic data, with the goal of improving how disability information is collected, analyzed, interpreted, and made accessible for real-world decision-making. The center is expected to advance the use and usefulness of disability-relevant, nationally representative data so that disability policies and practices can be better informed and better targeted toward full inclusion, opportunity, and appropriate accommodations. In practical terms, that means working with large-scale data sources that represent the U.S. population, producing analyses that clarify trends and disparities affecting people with disabilities, and translating those findings into forms that are understandable and actionable for multiple audiences, not only technical researchers.

A major component of the work is methodological improvement: strengthening survey methods and measurement approaches related to people with disabilities across a wide range of disability types and lived experiences. This emphasis reflects a common challenge in disability statistics, where definitions, survey questions, sampling approaches, and accessibility barriers can affect who is counted, how accurately disability is captured, and whether subgroups are visible in the data. By improving these methods, the RRTC is meant to help ensure that disability statistics better reflect reality and can support fair comparisons, program planning, and evaluation.

The opportunity also places strong weight on knowledge translation and public-facing dissemination. Rather than limiting outputs to academic reports, the center is expected to actively translate findings for rehabilitation service providers, people with disabilities, family members, policymakers, and other research stakeholders. That includes developing guidance, training materials, technical assistance, and other products that help users interpret disability data correctly and apply it to policy design, service delivery, and accountability efforts.

One of the most concrete deliverables described is the creation and implementation of a web-based platform designed to improve public access to disability-related data. This suggests a commitment to making statistics easier to find, explore, and use, potentially through dashboards, tools, documentation, or curated datasets that lower the barrier for non-specialists while still supporting rigorous use by analysts. The broader intent is to move beyond isolated studies and create lasting infrastructure that improves how disability demographics and statistics are accessed and used over time.

In terms of eligibility and scale, the competition is open to a wide range of applicants, including state, county, and local governments; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; and for-profit organizations other than small businesses (plus other entities as allowed under the notice). The award ceiling is $875,000, and the opportunity anticipates making a single award, meaning one lead center is expected to carry out the full scope of work, typically with partners or subawards as needed. The funding opportunity number is HHS-2018-ACL-NIDILRR-RTGE-0248, with an original application closing date of February 20, 2018 (applications due by 11:59 p.m. ET), and a posting/creation date of December 22, 2017.

• 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 Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Disability Statistics and Demographics" 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 Dec 22, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 20, 2018 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 $875,000.00 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, Independent school districts, 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, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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