Introduction
ENGAGED: The Center for Disability Community-Engaged Research, supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development of the National Institutes of Health, invites applications for pilot research grants to advance community-engaged approaches in medical rehabilitation with, for, and by people with disabilities. Proposals representing a broad range of disability communities are encouraged.
This program is designed to support innovative, collaborative projects that meaningfully involve patients, caregivers, and community stakeholders in the research process to improve rehabilitation outcomes and address social determinants of health.
Community-Engaged Research Definition
Community-Engaged Research Definition
Community-engaged research is defined as a collaborative approach that substantively involves community stakeholders in all phases of the research process, from identifying priorities to disseminating findings.
Purpose of pilot funding
The pilot funding mechanism aims to:
- Foster meaningful partnerships between rehabilitation researchers and community stakeholders
- Support early-stage, high-impact projects that can lead to larger NIH grant submissions
- Promote translation of rehabilitation research into real-world settings
- Enhance rehabilitation outcomes, including those related to body structures and function, activities and participation, and/or environmental factors.
Funding Details
Award Amount: Up to $30,000
Project Period: Up to 12 months
Number of Awards: Estimated 5 awards (dependent on available funds and quality of applications)
Funding Source: NIH through ENGAGED: The Center for Disability Community-Engaged Research.
ENGAGED Pilot Grant Templates
Pilot Funding FAQs
Who is eligible for funding?
- Investigators must be affiliated with an eligible academic, clinical, or research institution
- Applicants should be involved in medical rehabilitation research fields (e.g., physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, physiatry, rehabilitation psychology, case management, peer support services)
- Each application must include at least one engaged community partner
- Early-stage investigators and interdisciplinary teams are strongly encouraged
How do you define Community Engaged Research?
Community-engaged research is defined as a collaborative approach that equitably involves disability community stakeholders in all phases of the research process, from identifying priorities to disseminating findings and taking actions.
How many pilot awards will be given?
An estimated 5–8 awards will be given (dependent on available funds and quality of applications)
How can the funding be spent?
Allowable Costs include:
- Personnel (including effort for investigators and staff, including disabled people as co-researchers)
- Compensation for community partners and participants and their full participation, including, but not limited to, reasonable accommodations to participate, such as transportation, real-time captioning, and ASL.
- Supplies and data collection activities
- Community engagement activities
- Dissemination
Facilities & Administrative (F&A) costs are not allowed unless otherwise specified by institutional policy.
What should be included in the Letter of Intent?
The LOI should briefly describe the proposed project and should include:
- Project title
- Principal Investigator(s) and institutional affiliation
- A brief description of the proposed project, including its study goals, relevance to the funding opportunity scientific rationale, disability population, study design, and community engagement strategy
- Names of community collaborators
LOI should not exceed 1 page (12pt font, 1 inch margins, single spaced).
What should I expect after submitting an LOI?
Administrative screening determines invitation to submit a full application. LOIs submitted by the posted deadline will be reviewed and will be notified via email of their invitation to submit a full application.
What is included in the full application?
Invited will applicants submit a full application using the following guidelines:
- Project narrative (half Page)
- Specific aims (I page)
- Research strategy (3-4 pages to reduce review burden)
- Community engagement plan (1/2 Page)
- Dissemination plan (1/2 page)
- Future funding plan (1/2 page)
- Budget, human subjects information (if applicable), biosketches, and letters of support
What is the review process for full applications?
Full applications will be reviewed based on the NIH Simplified Review Framework and additional criteria related to plans for community engagement. Criteria includes:
- Importance of Research
- Rigor and Feasibility
- Expertise and Resources
- Human Subjects
- Budget
- Community Engagement Plan
- Overall Impact
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of the review via email.
What are the reporting expectations for pilot projects?
Six-month and twelve-month reviews of pilot projects will include recruitment, milestones, expenditures, dissemination, community engagement activities, and future grant planning.
Annual ENGAGED Pilot Research Competition Timeline
October: Competition announcement and informational webinar
December: LOI submission deadline
December: LOI screening and invitation decisions
January – February: Full application submission
February – April: Peer review and funding recommendations
May – June: NIH/NCMRR and regulatory approvals
July – August: Projects start contingent on Notice of Award and approvals received
Questions
If you have additional questions about the ENGAGED pilot program or the application process, please email engaged@uic.edu