science_technology_and_other_research_and_development · HHS-ACL

Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Centers

Administration for Community Living · HHS-2026-ACL-NIDILRR-SIMS-0217

Closed

Award Range

$560K – $640K

Total Program Funding

$8.4M

Expected Awards

Deadline

July 29, 2026

GRANTQUICK SUMMARYPlain-English Overview

ACL is funding 14 Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Model Systems Centers ($560K-$640K each, $8.4M total). These are the premier rehabilitation research and care centers for people with new spinal cord injuries — each center provides comprehensive SCI care, conducts research, and contributes data to the national longitudinal database. Being designated an SCI Model System is a prestigious designation in rehabilitation medicine.

Who Should Apply

Level 1 trauma centers or academic rehabilitation hospitals that provide comprehensive SCI care from acute through rehabilitation, have active SCI research programs, and enroll patients into long-term follow-up studies.

Who Should NOT Apply

Outpatient rehab facilities, research-only institutions without clinical SCI care, hospitals without trauma center designation, or facilities that don't treat acute SCI.

Key Requirements (Plain English)

•Must provide comprehensive SCI care from acute through rehabilitation
•Must conduct spinal cord injury research
•Must contribute patient data to the national SCI database
•Must enroll new SCI patients into long-term follow-up
•14 awards of $560K-$640K each
•No cost-sharing required

💡 GrantQuick Tip

14 centers means there are about 14 existing SCI Model Systems sites that will recompete. New sites CAN break in, but you need: (1) a Level 1 trauma center treating 50+ new SCIs/year, (2) an established SCI rehabilitation program, (3) active researchers publishing in SCI journals, and (4) infrastructure for 25-year patient follow-up. If you're not already treating significant SCI volume with a dedicated research team, you can't become a Model System in one grant cycle.

Competitiveness: High — 14 awards but a known community of ~20 centers that compete. Incumbent sites have major advantages in patient enrollment and longitudinal data.

What This Grant Funds

The SCIMS program is designed to provide research-based knowledge to support a multidisciplinary system of rehabilitation care for people with spinal cord injury (SCI). For purposes of this program, SCI is defined as a clinically discernible degree of neurologic impairment of the spinal cord. SCIMS Centers must conduct site-specific and collaborative research. SCIMS Centers must also collect and contribute data to the SCIMS longitudinal database. SCIMS Centers will be funded at varying amounts up to the maximum award based on the numbers of database participants eligible for follow-up in the SCIMS longitudinal database. Existing centers with significantly larger numbers of database participants will receive higher funding within the specified range, as determined by NIDILRR after the applicants are selected for funding. The grant will have a 60-month project period, with five 12-month budget periods.

Attachments

PDF

hhs-2026-acl-nidilrr-sims-0217_v1.pdf

Who Can Apply

States; public or private agencies, including for-profit agencies; public or private organizations, including for-profit organizations; IHEs; and Indian tribes and tribal organizations.To be eligible for a SCI Model Systems grant, an applicant institution must provide a continuum of care for people with SCI, including emergency medical services, acute care services, acute medical rehabilitation services, and post-acute services. Foreign entities are not eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement. Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity announcement.

Eligible Applicant Types

Public Colleges & UniversitiesFor-Profit Organizations501(c)(3) NonprofitsSmall BusinessesPrivate Colleges & UniversitiesNonprofits without 501(c)(3)Other Tribal OrganizationsOther (see NOFO for details)Federally Recognized Tribal GovernmentsCity/Township GovernmentsSpecial District GovernmentsCounty GovernmentsState Governments

Funding Details

Minimum Award: $560K
Maximum Award: $640K
Total Program Funding: $8.4M
Expected Number of Awards: 14
Cost Sharing Required?: No
Funding Instrument: grant

Key Dates

Posted: June 22, 2026

Application Deadline: July 29, 2026 (0 days remaining)

Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.

Agency Contact

Brian Bard Brian.Bard@acl.hhs.gov

Brian.Bard@acl.hhs.gov

Ready to apply?

View the full NOFO and submit your application on Grants.gov

View on Grants.gov