Deadline: 14-Mar-23
The Administrator of the Administration for Community Living invites applications for new awards for fiscal year 2023 for the Minority Serving Institutions Field Initiated (MSI FI) Projects Program, to carry out either research or development activities.
Purpose
- The purpose of the Field Initiated (FI) Projects program is to develop knowledge, 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. Another purpose of the FI Projects program is to improve the effectiveness of services authorized.
- The purpose of this competition is to improve the capacity of minority entities to conduct high-quality disability and rehabilitation research. NIDILRR will accomplish this by limiting eligibility for this competition to minority entities and Indian tribes. NIDILRR makes two types of awards under the FI Projects program: research grants and development grants.
- In carrying out a development activity under a FI 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.
- NIDILRR plans to make two MSI FI awards. NIDILRR’s MSI FI awards may be research projects or development projects, depending on the ranking of applications provided by the peer review panel.
- An applicant must demonstrate, in its original application, that people with disabilities from diverse racial and ethnic communities will be included in proposed samples in sufficient numbers to generate knowledge and products that are relevant to the racial and ethnic diversity of the population of people with disabilities being studied. The applicant must describe and justify, in its original application, the planned racial and ethnic distribution of people with disabilities who will participate in the proposed research or development activities.
- Applicants must ensure that all materials, websites and information technology tools and products that they plan to develop or maintain are accessible, and that electronic materials are produced in full compliance. Applications must demonstrate an ability to meet these requirements.
- FI Projects development applicants must define the stage or stages of development that they propose to conduct. Any rigorous development activities can be appropriate, depending on the development aims being addressed by the applicant. NIDILRR does not have an absolute preference for any one development stage over others. If the FI Projects grant is to conduct development that can be categorized under more than one stage, those stages must be clearly specified.
- Proof of concept means the stage of development where key technical challenges are resolved. Stage activities may include recruiting study participants, verifying product requirements, implementing and testing key concepts, components, or systems, and resolving technological challenges. A technology transfer plan is typically developed and transfer partner(s) identified, and plan implementation may have started. Stage results establish that a product concept is feasible.
- Proof of product means the stage of development where a fully-integrated and working prototype, meeting critical technical requirements, is created. Stage activities may include recruiting study participants, implementing and iteratively refining the prototype, testing the prototype in natural or less-controlled contexts, and verifying that all technical requirements are met. A technology transfer plan is typically ongoing in collaboration with the transfer partner(s). Stage results establish that a product embodiment is realizable.
- Proof of adoption means the stage of development where a product is substantially adopted by its target population and used for its intended purpose. Stage activities typically include completing product refinements and continued implementation of the technology transfer plan in collaboration with transfer partners. Other activities include measuring users’ awareness of the product, opinion of the product, decisions to adopt, use, and retain products; and identifying barriers and facilitators impacting product adoption. Stage results establish that a product is beneficial.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Funding: $200,000
- Expected Number of Awards: 1
- Award Ceiling: $200,000
- Per Budget Period Award Floor: $195,000
- Length of Project Period: 36-month project period with three 12-month budget periods
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible Applicants:
- Others
- Private institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Additional Information on Eligibility:
- Parties eligible to apply for FIP – MSI grants are limited to minority entities and Indian Tribes. A minority entity is defined as a Historically Black College or University (HCBU), a Hispanic-serving institution of higher education, an American Indian tribal college or university, or another IHE whose minority student enrollment is at least 50 percent.
- NIDILRR is especially interested in applications from individual minority entities that have historically been underrepresented in the Federal research arena.
- Foreign entities are not eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.