Deadlines

• HIIAT Application: 16 September 2019
• Direct Effect and High Impact Priority Application: 22 October 2019.

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation has announced a call for proposals for its Quality of Life Grants Program to empower individuals with disabilities and their families by providing grants to nonprofit organizations that improve quality of life through inclusion, access, independence, opportunities for community engagement, and other life-enhancing endeavors.

Pioneered by the late Dana Reeve, the Quality of Life Grants Program recognizes projects and initiatives that foster community engagement, inclusion and involvement, while promoting health and wellness for individuals living with paralysis and their families.

Grant Information

• Direct Effect Quality of Life (Tier 1) is open-focused and awards grants of up to $25,000 to support the wide range of projects and activities of the traditional Quality of Life grants. Grants fund specific budget items that will clearly impact individuals living with paralysis and their families.
• High Impact Priority Quality of Life Grant Tiers offer three increasing levels of grant funding. Each tier is targeted to focus on a High Priority issue for the community of individuals living with paralysis and their families, as follows:
  • Tier 2 — Grants of $30,000 for the following Priority Areas:
    • Transportation
    • Respite/Caregiving
    • Disaster Preparedness
  • Tier 3 — Grants of $40,000
    • Nursing Home Transition
  • Tier 4 –– Grants of $50,000
    • Employment
• Expanded Effect Quality of Life (Tier 5) In 2019, they began piloting a new grant program for previously awarded Quality of Life grantees whose programs and/or projects have achieved demonstrable, successful impact. The Expanded Effect Quality of Life grants program will award approximately six (6) grants of up to $100,000 each and will support significant expansion of strategies and programs that are evidence-based, show innovate promising practices, and/or best practices in the field they serve to improve quality of life for people with paralysis, their families, and caregivers.
• High Impact Innovative Assistive Technology (HIIAT) grants program is restricted to state and territory AT programs funded through the State Assistive Technology Act, including implementing agencies subcontracted for Assistive Technology (Section 4) Activities. The HIIAT grants program will award up to 5 grants of $75,000 each.

Organizations that receive grants provide a diversity of services and approaches, including:

• Improving access in public and residential spaces
• Providing education, independent living skills, and job training
• Sponsoring organized sporting and recreational opportunities
• Enhancing community engagement, independence and inclusion

The Foundation gives special consideration to organizations that serve returning wounded military and their families, and to those that provide targeted services to diverse cultural communities and/or undeserved population groups.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applications are welcome from nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status, municipal and state governments, school districts, recognized tribal entities, and other institutions such as community or veterans hospitals.
• Grants are awarded to organizations that address the needs of people living with paralysis caused by spinal cord and other injuries, diseases or birth conditions, including (but not limited to) stroke, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
• The Foundation aids local grassroots nonprofit organizations that have an immediate and practical impact on individual lives, as well as established nonprofit agencies, municipalities, schools, parks and recreation departments, tribal entities, and large national nonprofit organizations within the United States of America.
• The Foundation cannot award grants to individuals, but their team of information specialists can help identify resources and organizations that can provide financial assistance.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted online via the given website.

For more information, please visit https://www.christopherreeve.org/get-support/grants-for-non-profits