Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Program – Employment
🏛 Administration for Community Living (HHS-ACL)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Oct 8, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for doctoral-degree holders and individuals with advanced degrees who want to become rehabilitation researchers. Applicants must commit to research on employment outcomes for people with disabilities. Preference is given to researchers with disabilities themselves. The program is national and open to eligible research institutions and training centers.
Applicants must design projects that provide advanced research training and mentorship. The training must be multidisciplinary and focused on disability and rehabilitation research. NIDILRR will fund one award for a 36-month project with three 12-month budget periods.
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Key dates
- Sep 25, 2026 Applications open
- Dec 7, 2026 Application deadline in 59 days
- Jun 1, 2027 Award announced
- Jun 1, 2027 Project start
Program description
The purpose of NIDILRR’s ARRT program is to provide advanced research training and experience to individuals with doctorates, or similar advanced degrees. ARRT projects train rehabilitation researchers, including researchers with disabilities. ARRT projects under this opportunity must provide advanced research training to eligible individuals to enhance their capacity to conduct high-quality multidisciplinary disability and rehabilitation research focused on employment outcomes among people with disabilities. NIDILRR plans to make one grant under this announcement. This grant will have a 36-month project period with three 12-month budget periods.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative with research plan and training design
- Budget and Budget Justification
- CV or biography of principal investigator
- Letters of support from collaborators or mentors
- Evaluation plan for measuring training outcomes
Program contact
- 👤 Courtney Ward-Sutton
- 📧 Courtney.Ward-Sutton@acl.hhs.gov
- 📞 (202) 240-3164
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.433 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$6,230,000
-
$6,230,000
-
$6,230,000
-
$6,230,000
-
$6,229,999
-
$5,560,825
-
$5,560,824
-
Transcen Inc MD$5,560,823
-
$5,557,344
-
$5,407,677
Top States by Funding
- IL 15 awards $65.8M
- PA 9 awards $38.4M
- NY 7 awards $33.6M
- MA 6 awards $24.8M
- CA 4 awards $21.7M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.433). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $112,987,188 | |
| 2025 | $112,711,817 | |
| 2026 est. | $110,762,762 |
FAQ
Who can apply for the ARRT Employment program?
Individuals with doctorates or advanced degrees who want to become rehabilitation researchers. Researchers with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Is there a cost-sharing requirement?
No. This is a fully funded grant with no cost-sharing requirement.
What research must be included?
The training must focus on disability and rehabilitation research with emphasis on employment outcomes for people with disabilities.
How competitive is this grant?
Very competitive. Only one award will be made, and applicants must demonstrate strong research capacity and training plans.
How long is the funding period?
Three years (36 months), divided into three 12-month budget periods. Renewals depend on progress and NIDILRR priorities.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize your research track record in disability employment and rehabilitation outcomes.
- Detail how you will mentor and train the fellows or scholars, including mentoring structure.
- Include explicit connections between your research and employment benefits for people with disabilities.
- Highlight involvement of people with disabilities in your research team and advisory roles.
- Demonstrate multidisciplinary collaboration with experts in rehabilitation, employment, and disability fields.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Unclear connection between research and employment outcomes for people with disabilities. Weak mentorship plan or insufficient detail about how fellows will be trained. Failure to engage people with disabilities as partners in the research.
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