Quality of Life Grants Program

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation’s Quality of Life Grants Program is a long-standing initiative designed to enhance the lives of individuals living with paralysis and their families. Initiated by the late Dana Reeve, the program has awarded over $48 million to more than 4,000 projects since its inception in 1999. It operates under the umbrella of the National Paralysis Resource Center, a program funded entirely by the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with a cooperative agreement valued at $10 million. The program provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and eligible institutions that deliver impactful services and projects for individuals living with paralysis. The grants aim to promote community engagement, accessibility, independence, and overall well-being through various categories, including assistive technology, employment, rural services, and caregiver support. Funding is not available for individuals, for-profit entities, fiscal sponsors, organizations based outside the U.S., or projects that fail to comply with federal guidelines, such as those involving rehabilitative therapy or major construction. The Quality of Life Grants are structured across five tiers. Direct Effect grants (Tier 1) range from $5,000 to $24,999 and are awarded biannually. Priority Impact grants (Tiers 2–4) offer up to $30,000 for assistive technology, $40,000 for rural services, and $50,000 for employment and nursing home transitions; these grants are issued once per year in the second cycle. Expanded Impact (Tier 5) grants provide up to $100,000 and are reserved for prior grantees demonstrating strong outcomes and scalability. These are issued annually in the spring. All funded projects must be completed within 12 to 24 months, depending on the tier level. Eligibility is restricted to organizations with their own 501(c)(3) status or government and tribal entities. Fiscal sponsors are explicitly excluded. The foundation prioritizes initiatives that serve veterans and under-resourced communities, including rural populations, people at risk of incarceration, non-majority racial groups, and others. Each applicant may only apply once per cycle, and grantees are limited to one award in a given category during the current cooperative agreement period (2021–2026), except in cases where they apply for a different tier or category. Applications are accepted through an online portal, and applicants are encouraged to review the Program Overview and Eligibility Criteria thoroughly. The current funding cycle (2nd Cycle 2025) is open for Direct Effect and Priority Impact tiers. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at 11:59 PM. Awards will be announced by December 31, 2025. The program is expected to continue on a recurring annual basis, with the next cycle likely to begin in early 2026. For further inquiries, applicants can reach the foundation at QOL@Reeve.org or call 1-800-225-0292.

Review the Program and Application Guidelines for your specific cycle. Adhere to funding category restrictions and timelines. Note ineligibility for repeat grants in same category through June 30, 2026.