DHHS/ACL announces “DRRP Program: Center on Knowledge Translation for Employment Research”

Deadline: 26 May 2020

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Administrator of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) is seeking applications for its “Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program: Center on Knowledge Translation for Employment Research”.

The Administrator of the Administration for Community Living establishes a priority for a Disability and Rehabilitation Research Project (DRRP) to serve as the Center on Knowledge Translation for Employment Research (KTER Center).

The purpose of the KTER Center is to promote the use of employment research findings and research-based products to improve services, approaches, practices, and policies that support improved employment outcomes of people with disabilities.

The purpose of National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP), which are funded through the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program, is to plan and conduct research, demonstration projects, training, and related activities, including international activities, to develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technology that maximize the full inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living, family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities, especially individuals with the most severe disabilities, and to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Rehabilitation Act).

Outcomes

KTER Center must be designed to contribute to the following outcomes:

Increased awareness and use of disability employment research findings funded by NIDILRR and other entities by appropriate stakeholders. Stakeholders may include but are not limited to people with disabilities, employers, employment service providers, vocational rehabilitation professionals, and policy makers. The KTER Center must contribute to this outcome by:
- Developing informational products based on best available research findings from both NIDILRR-funded employment research and employment research funded by other entities, as well as best practices and professional expertise. The KTER Center must develop these informational products in collaboration with employment-focused NIDILRR grantees who conducted the research. Topics of informational products must be determined based on stakeholders’ interests and information needs;
- Identifying effective strategies for targeted dissemination to promote the use of disability employment research findings and information products in (a)(1);
- Developing and maintaining a website to house as well as to provide public access to disability employment research findings and information products in (a)(1);
- Developing partnerships and collaborating with key stakeholders in the field of disability employment research and practice. These stakeholders may include but are not limited to other NIDILRR-funded knowledge translation projects, and other relevant entities conducting similar or complementary work; and
- Conducting research on knowledge translation methods or approaches that would help to improve awareness and use of disability employment research findings and research-based products by relevant stakeholders.
Increased understanding of the quality and relevance of NIDILRR-funded employment research findings and their contribution to the knowledge base in the field of disability employment research and practice. The KTER Center must contribute to this outcome by conducting reviews and syntheses using appropriate standards and methods.
Increased capacity of employment-focused NIDILRR grantees to engage in knowledge translation activities. The KTER must contribute to this outcome by providing relevant training and technical assistance to employment-focused NIDILRR grantees.

Funding Information

Estimated Total Program Funding: $500,000
Award Ceiling: $500,000
Award Floor: $495,000

Eligibility Criteria

Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Private institutions of higher education
Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
County governments
Independent school districts
State governments
Others
Special district governments
For profit organizations other than small businesses
City or township governments