The Department of Education’s National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) program called “Field Initiated (FI) Projects” develops methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technologies to support disabled individuals.
NIDRR provides funds under the FI Projects program that includes research and development grants. The development activity under FI projects requires the grantee to use research knowledge to create materials, devices, systems, or methods to develop prototypes and processes to help the disabled population.
FI projects are needed to develop activities related to cloud computing for people with disabilities. Cloud computing will enable the disabled to access information technology more readily, improve the management of data such as application forms and records for services received, and provide new opportunities to help the disabled to communicate with others.
NIDRR has requested $110,000,000 for FY 2014 and NIDRR would like to use an estimated $4,000,000 for the FI Projects. Contingent upon availability of finds, additional awards would be made in FY 2015 and in subsequent fiscal years. The awards are estimated to range from $195,000 to $200,000. Cost sharing is required and will be negotiated at the time of the grant award.
Eligible applicants can be from states and be either public or private agencies. This includes for-profit agencies, or public or private organizations that include for-profits, IHEs, and Indian tribes, and tribal organizations.
A pre-application meeting will be held January 21, 2014 with applications due February, 28, 2014. Go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html to obtain an application package. To obtain a copy of the application from ED Pubs, call 1-877-433-7827 or go to the web site www.EDPubs.gov or email edpubs@inet.ed.gov. The identification for this competition is (CFDA number 84.133G-1 or 84.133G-2).