ACL’s National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) is pleased to announce $749,917 in FY2026 funding through its Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) program. The ARRT program aims to provide advanced research training and experience to individuals with doctorates or similar advanced degrees.
These three awards train researchers who are ready to tackle some of the biggest questions in disability and rehabilitation. Better research leads to better evidence, and better evidence helps improve services, guide everyday practice, and shape future studies.
Each project pairs hands-on mentoring with practical research skills. Trainees also work directly with the people their research is meant to help. These investments support NIDILRR’s mission to improve outcomes for people with disabilities through research and development and advance ACL’s strategic priorities. Each project runs for three years and receives up to $250,000 per year.
- Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) on the Future of Employment for People With Disabilities — Syracuse University. Syracuse will train fellows to understand how jobs are changing and what that means for workers with disabilities. Fellows will learn about employment policy, research design, employer practices, and new technology. They will also learn how to turn research findings into information people can use.
- Implementation Science To Increase Community Participation Among Transition-Age Youth With Serious Mental Health Conditions — University of Texas at Austin. The program will train scholars in implementation science, which is the study of how to put proven approaches into everyday practice. Scholars will work on community-based mental health projects and partner with people who have lived experience. The goal is to help young people with serious mental health conditions take part more fully in their communities as they move into adulthood.
- Mount Sinai ARRT in Brain Injury and Rehabilitation Research — Icahn School of Medicine. The project will bring together clinical and statistical expertise to strengthen brain injury research. Trainees will learn to combine different research methods, involve the community in their work, and share their findings clearly.
To stay current on NIDILRR grant opportunities, please visit grants.gov and search: NIDILRR or 93.433.
NIDILRR, part of ACL, generates new knowledge and promotes its effective use so that people with disabilities can perform activities of their choice in the community. NIDILRR also works to expand society’s capacity to provide full opportunities and accommodations for people with disabilities.