Administration for Community Living · Department of Health and Human Services

Field Initiated Projects Program (Development)

Opening soon

In short: Administration for Community Living expects to make 8 awards of $245,000 to $250,000. Open to many kinds of groups. See who can apply.

Deadline: Opens Oct 12, 2026 · due about Dec 14, 2026 Estimate, not confirmed by the funder ?
Award size: $245K – $250K
Total available: $2M · about 8 awards
Match ?: Not required · Work out your budget and match
Who can apply: Larger business, Public college or university, Tribal government, County government, State government, Nonprofit without 501(c)(3), Private college or university, Small business, Tribal organization, Special district (utility, fire, etc.), City or town government, Nonprofit with 501(c)(3)
Where: Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee

Read the official notice Should we apply? Sign in to save Get ready

Opening soon: the funder has announced this grant, but you can't apply yet. Use the time to get ready and check whether it fits.

Before you apply: federal grants require an active SAM.gov registration (Unique Entity ID) and a Grants.gov account. Registration is free but can take weeks, so start now, not when the deadline is close. Get-ready checklist

How this fits you

Available in Roane County (nationwide program)
No match required
Past Tennessee awards on file: 12

Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.

About this grant

The purpose of the Field Initiated Projects program is to generate new knowledge through research or to develop methods, products, procedures, or 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 disabilities who have the greatest support needs. In carrying out a development project under a Field Initiated Projects 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 of people with disabilities. Please note that this will be the funding opportunity for Field Initiated Projects development proposals. We will invite Field Initiated Projects research proposals under a separate announcement. NIDILRR plans to make 16 Field Initiated Projects awards. NIDILRR's Field Initiated Projects 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. Grants will have a 36-month project period, with three 12-month budget periods.

Who can apply, from the official notice

States; public or private agencies, incuding for-profit agencies; public or private organizations, including for-profit organizations; IHEs' and Indian tribes and tribal organizations. Foreign entities are not eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement. Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity announcement.

Official notice: https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/9179a04a-da76-447f-8d23-3a5e899ddd47 · Printed from grantme.click/grants/a3be882c-142e-46c2-87f0-30bd7832fa85

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Writing the need statement? Roane County facts with citations.

Who in Tennessee has won this program

3 awards to Tennessee groups in 2 counties since 2020 · 0 in Roane County. Largest shown:

Past Tennessee winners
Past winner	Where	Amount	Fiscal year
Vanderbilt University	Nashville	$449K spent that year	2025
Serious Health LLC	Chattanooga, Hamilton County	$100K	2023
Redacted Due to Pii	Knoxville, Knox County	$70K	2020

Source: Federal Audit Clearinghouse; USAspending.gov. Past awards show who this program funds. They don't guarantee future awards.

Tennessee groups that got this money through a state agency or another organization

This federal money also reaches local groups as pass-through grants. 9 pass-through grants on file · 0 in Roane County. Largest shown:

Tennessee pass-through grant winners
Past winner	Where	Through	Amount	Fiscal year
Vanderbilt University	Nashville	Virginia Commonwealth University	$305K spent that year	2025
Vanderbilt University	Nashville, Davidson County	Virginia Commonwealth University	$191K	2023
Vanderbilt University	Nashville, Davidson County	Virginia Commonwealth University	$186K	2024
Vanderbilt University Medical Center	Nashville, Davidson County	The Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Corporation	$19K spent that year	2025
Meharry Medical College	Nashville, Davidson County	Sh	$16K spent that year	2024
Tennessee Disability Coalition	Nashville, Davidson County	Syracuse University	$11K spent that year	2025
Vanderbilt University Medical Center	Nashville, Davidson County	Vanderbilt University	$11K spent that year	2023
State of Tennessee	Nashville	University of Oregon	$5,815 spent that year	2024
Vanderbilt University	Nashville, Davidson County	Virginia Commonwealth University	—	2025

Source: USAspending.gov pass-through reports (the first recipient reports each one of $30,000 or more).

Similar grants open or opening soon

From other funders, about the same kind of work in Roane County.

DoW Reconstructive Transplant, Investigator-Initiated Research Award · Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA · Due Nov 4, 2026 · 26 days left
Engineering Research Initiation (ERI) · U.S. National Science Foundation · Due today (Oct 9, 2026)
Quick Response Research Awards (post-disaster field research) · Natural Hazards Center (University of Colorado Boulder) · No deadline listed: see the official notice
Antarctic Research Not Requiring U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) Field Support · U.S. National Science Foundation · Due Jan 15, 2027 · 98 days left

About the federal program

ACL National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, also called “(NIDILRR)”
Program number 93.433 (the federal Assistance Listing number) · U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL) · Cooperative agreement (a grant with close agency involvement)

How applications are judged

Objectives of projects and programs must be in consonance with and should contribute to achievement of the goals and objectives of the Institute. Proposed research and development activities must be rigorous and of high quality. Adequate facilities must be available or planned to carry out the specific project or program. Personnel must be trained and qualified to carry out the proposed programs, and staffing patterns must be appropriate. Demonstrations of adequate plans and procedures for ensuring the relevance to current needs in rehabilitation and the potential for project results must be effectively utilized. Commitment of available resources on the part of the applicant and evidence that the applicant has knowledge of rehabilitation issues as well as knowledge of past and present related research activities. A statement showing that the estimated cost to the government is reasonable in relation to anticipated project results. Demonstrate the ability and capacity to achieve stated goals. Demonstrate, coordinate and cooperate with regional programs, State agency programs, and private rehabilitation facilities. Specific weighted selection criteria are contained in program regulations.

Match

None required (federal program listing).

This program on SAM.gov

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