Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) Program: RERC on Technologies to Support Aging-in-Place for People with Long-Term Disabilities | HHS 2018 ACL NIDILRR REGE 0264

Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2018 ACL NIDILRR REGE 0264

The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) Program opportunity titled "RERC on Technologies to Support Aging-in-Place for People with Long-Term Disabilities" is a discretionary federal grant funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Administration for Community Living (ACL), specifically under NIDILRR (the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research). Its overall aim is to strengthen and modernize rehabilitation-related services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act by investing in advanced engineering research and development that tackles real-world barriers faced by people with disabilities. In practical terms, the program supports the creation, improvement, testing, and adoption of innovative technologies intended to solve specific rehabilitation problems, reduce environmental obstacles, and make daily life and community participation more accessible.

This specific RERC competition focuses on aging-in-place for people who have long-term disabilities and are getting older. The central idea is that many individuals are aging with conditions they have lived with for years or decades, and their needs can change as they encounter age-related shifts in strength, endurance, cognition, sensory function, and health complexity. The grant is intended to drive research, development, and related activities that generate new technological solutions, new knowledge, and new concepts that directly improve quality of life for this population. The emphasis is on helping people remain in their homes and communities safely and independently for as long as they choose, rather than being forced into more restrictive settings due to preventable barriers, lack of supportive tools, or gaps in service delivery.

The RERC model goes beyond basic research by requiring work that moves technology toward real use. The program description highlights multiple expected functions of an RERC: developing and refining technologies, demonstrating and evaluating them in relevant environments, and supporting broader system changes that make it easier for these solutions to be delivered through rehabilitation and community-based service systems. Another major objective is to stimulate production and distribution in the private sector, meaning the work is expected to be designed with real-world adoption in mind, including pathways that encourage commercialization, manufacturing, and wider availability of the resulting technologies and equipment. Training is also a core component, with RERCs expected to provide opportunities that build capacity in rehabilitation engineering and related fields, helping grow the workforce and spread specialized expertise.

Administratively, this opportunity was listed under Funding Opportunity Number HHS 2018 ACL NIDILRR REGE 0264 and falls within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category (CFDA 93.433). It used the grant funding instrument type, with an anticipated single award (Expected Awards: 1), indicating a competitive process intended to fund one center to lead this national-level portfolio of work. The award ceiling was $925,000, reflecting the scale typically needed to operate a center that can coordinate multiple research and development projects, evaluation activities, dissemination efforts, and training components under one unified agenda. The posting was created on January 25, 2018, with an original closing date of March 26, 2018, and applications were required to be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.

Eligibility was broad and designed to attract a range of capable organizations that can operate a research center and partner across sectors. Eligible applicants included state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; 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 (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding higher education institutions in those categories as specified); and for-profit organizations other than small businesses, along with additional entities as allowed under the opportunity's eligibility clarification language. This wide eligibility reflects how rehabilitation engineering work often benefits from collaborations among universities, medical and rehabilitation providers, community organizations, industry partners, and public agencies.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as funding for a national rehabilitation engineering center dedicated to technologies that help people with long-term disabilities successfully age in place. The program is structured to produce not only research findings, but also tangible, tested technologies; evidence about what works in real settings; stronger pathways for service delivery and adoption; and training that helps sustain progress in the field.

• 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 Technologies to Support Aging-in-Place for People with Long-Term Disabilities" 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 25, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 26, 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 $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, 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).

Apply for HHS 2018 ACL NIDILRR REGE 0264

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: