Field Initiated Projects Program: Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI) - Development

The Field Initiated Projects (FIP) – Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI) Development Program is administered by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), a center within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Community Living (ACL). This opportunity is aligned with NIDILRR's mission to generate new knowledge and promote its effective use to improve the abilities of individuals with disabilities to perform everyday activities and to expand society’s capacity to provide full inclusion. The FIP-MSI Development initiative particularly aims to build the research and development capacity of minority-serving institutions, ensuring underrepresented entities can contribute significantly to disability and rehabilitation research. This specific funding opportunity focuses on *development* projects, which means it supports the application of existing research knowledge to the creation of new or improved products, systems, or methods that benefit individuals with disabilities. Eligible development activities include the creation of materials, devices, techniques, tools, intervention protocols, or systems. Projects must be designed to lead to tangible outputs that can enhance community living, health and function, or employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities, particularly those with the greatest support needs. Applicants must designate the primary domain addressed in their project proposal and demonstrate awareness of state-of-the-art practices and stakeholder involvement throughout the development process. Only minority entities and Indian tribes are eligible to apply. A minority entity is defined as a historically black college or university (HBCU), a Hispanic-serving institution, an American Indian tribal college or university, or any other institution of higher education (IHE) with a minority student enrollment of at least 50 percent. NIDILRR encourages applications from institutions historically underrepresented in the federal research space. Projects may last up to three years, with a maximum annual budget of $250,000 and a minimum of $245,000 per budget period. While cost sharing or matching is not required, applicants who voluntarily commit non-federal resources will be held accountable for delivering them. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by April 13, 2026. A letter of intent is strongly encouraged and should be submitted by March 17, 2026, to assist with review planning. An informational conference call will take place on February 24, 2026, and applicants must contact Megan Alvarado to participate. Application packages must include a project narrative (up to 40 pages), work plan, data management plan, budget justification, biosketches, and letters of commitment from key partners. All application materials must demonstrate compliance with Section 508 accessibility standards and relevant administrative policies. Applications are evaluated on four primary criteria: importance of the problem (20 points), design of development activities (60 points), quality of project staff (15 points), and adequacy and accessibility of resources (5 points). Special attention is paid to whether applicants clearly define the stage(s) of development proposed (proof of concept, proof of product, or proof of adoption). NIDILRR has issued eight invitational priorities for FY2026, including chronic conditions, family caregiving, accessible airline travel, and workplace experiences, among others. However, addressing these priorities does not provide a competitive preference. Final award decisions will be made by the ACL Administrator, considering peer review scores, cost reasonableness, and anticipated impact. Notices of Award will be sent prior to the expected start date of September 1, 2026. Reporting requirements, accessibility provisions, and public access policies will be outlined in the award documentation. All recipients must maintain an active registration in SAM.gov and comply with federal civil rights and administrative requirements throughout the project period.

Applicants should clearly define the development stage proposed (proof of concept, product, or adoption) and demonstrate alignment with NIDILRR's Long-Range Plan. Ensure accessibility of all IT products per Section 508.