Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2017 ACL AOD DDUC 0220
The University Centers of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) Diversity Fellowships grant opportunity is a discretionary federal funding program from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), administered through the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD). It is grounded in the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act), which makes cultural competence a core expectation for any program receiving support under the Act. The central idea is that people with developmental disabilities, including those from historically underserved and underrepresented racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic communities, should be able to fully participate in community life and have genuine access to the same supports, services, and opportunities as others.
A key focus of the opportunity is the DD Act requirement that services and supports be delivered in ways that respect personal preferences and cultural differences, and that programs make specific efforts to improve access and meaningful use of community services for individuals with developmental disabilities from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds and their families. The opportunity also reflects the DD Act emphasis on workforce development: recruitment in fields connected to developmental disabilities (pre-service education and training, community training, direct practice, administration, and policymaking) should intentionally bring more people from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds into these disciplines. The reasoning is practical and equity-driven: a more diverse pipeline helps build culturally responsive skillsets, increases the availability of role models and mentors, and strengthens the capacity of the service system to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse U.S. population.
The grant funds are intended to help UCEDDs recruit and retain trainees from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds by providing a structured fellowship experience. Each funded UCEDD is expected to recruit at least one trainee from a diverse background and support that trainee through a formal training and mentoring program. A major component of the fellowship is a capstone project designed to create or contribute to systemic change, with projects situated in real-world community contexts such as community-based activities, organizations, policy initiatives, and/or programs. In other words, the fellowship is not just professional development for the trainee; it is also meant to produce tangible community and systems-level impact.
This opportunity also aims to build broader network effects across the UCEDD system. Beyond increasing diversity in a single center, the program is designed to grow diversity in trainee enrollment across the UCEDD network, build a cohort of trainees from diverse backgrounds, and create mechanisms for knowledge exchange and transfer. Grantees are expected to participate in a national forum coordinated by the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), supporting cross-center learning, dissemination of effective approaches, and stronger alignment around culturally competent practice.
Cultural competence is defined using the DD Act language (DD Act of 2000, Sec. 102(7)), emphasizing responsiveness to beliefs, interpersonal styles, attitudes, language, and behaviors of the people receiving services, in ways that maximize their participation. That definition matters because it frames the fellowship program as more than diversity recruitment alone; it ties the workforce pipeline directly to service quality and equity outcomes for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, particularly those who have been unserved or underserved.
In terms of basic funding details, the opportunity number is HHS-2017-ACL-AOD-DDUC-0220 under CFDA 93.632. ACL anticipated making up to 11 awards, with an award ceiling of $50,000. Applications were required to be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date listed in the notice (originally July 11, 2017). Eligibility is listed broadly as “Others,” with clarification expected in the full eligibility section of the official announcement, but the program’s structure and purpose indicate it is meant to support UCEDDs in operating a diversity-focused fellowship that combines mentored training, a community-based capstone, and participation in UCEDD-wide knowledge-sharing activities.Apply for HHS 2017 ACL AOD DDUC 0220
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "University Centers of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Diversity Fellowships" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.632.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 05, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 11, 2017 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 11 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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UCEDD Diversity Fellowships Grant (HHS-2017-ACL-AOD-DDUC-0220) FAQs
What is the UCEDD Diversity Fellowships grant opportunity?
The University Centers of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) Diversity Fellowships is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), administered through the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD). It funds UCEDDs to run a structured fellowship experience focused on culturally competent workforce development in developmental disabilities.
What law and policy goals does this program connect to?
The opportunity is grounded in the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act). The DD Act makes cultural competence a core expectation for programs supported under the Act, with an emphasis on equitable access to services and supports for people with developmental disabilities, including individuals from historically underserved and underrepresented racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic communities.
What is the main purpose of the funding?
The funding is intended to help UCEDDs recruit and retain trainees from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds by offering a formal fellowship that includes structured training, mentoring, and a capstone project designed to create or contribute to systems-level change in real-world community contexts.
Who is the federal awarding and administering entity?
The funder is HHS (Administration for Community Living, ACL). The program is administered through ACL's Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD).
What is the role of UCEDDs in this opportunity?
UCEDDs are the entities expected to use the grant funds to recruit at least one trainee from a diverse background and support that trainee through a formal training and mentoring program, including completion of a community-focused capstone project and participation in national knowledge-sharing activities.
What is meant by "cultural competence" for this program?
Cultural competence is defined using DD Act language (DD Act of 2000, Sec. 102(7)). It emphasizes being responsive to the beliefs, interpersonal styles, attitudes, language, and behaviors of individuals receiving services in ways that maximize their participation. In this opportunity, cultural competence is tied directly to service quality and equity for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
Why does the program emphasize diversity and workforce development?
The DD Act emphasis on workforce development is reflected here through intentional recruitment into fields connected to developmental disabilities (including pre-service education and training, community training, direct practice, administration, and policymaking). The stated rationale is that a more diverse pipeline supports culturally responsive skills, increases role models and mentors, and strengthens the service system's capacity to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse U.S. population.
What kinds of trainees is the fellowship intended to support?
The fellowship is intended to support trainees from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, including individuals from historically underserved and underrepresented racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic communities, within the broader context of developmental disabilities workforce preparation.
How many trainees must a funded UCEDD recruit?
Each funded UCEDD is expected to recruit at least one trainee from a diverse background and provide that trainee with a structured fellowship experience.
What is required as part of the fellowship experience?
A major required component is a capstone project designed to create or contribute to systemic change. The fellowship also includes formal training and mentoring, and participation in broader UCEDD network knowledge-sharing activities.
What is the capstone project supposed to accomplish?
The capstone is intended to generate tangible community and systems-level impact, not just individual professional development. It is designed to create or contribute to systemic change and is situated in real-world community contexts.
Where can capstone projects be located or implemented?
The opportunity describes real-world settings such as community-based activities, organizations, policy initiatives, and/or programs as examples of contexts where capstone projects may be situated.
Is the program only about recruiting diverse trainees?
No. While recruiting and retaining trainees from diverse backgrounds is central, the opportunity explicitly ties diversity to culturally competent practice and improved equity outcomes, and it requires a structured training and mentoring experience plus a systems-change capstone project with community impact.
Does the opportunity have expectations for collaboration or knowledge sharing across UCEDDs?
Yes. The program is designed to build network effects across the UCEDD system by increasing diversity in trainee enrollment across the network, developing a cohort of trainees, and creating mechanisms for knowledge exchange and transfer.
What national activity are grantees expected to participate in?
Grantees are expected to participate in a national forum coordinated by the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) to support cross-center learning, dissemination of effective approaches, and alignment around culturally competent practice.
What is AUCD's role in the program as described?
AUCD is described as coordinating a national forum for grantees, intended to facilitate cross-center learning, dissemination of effective approaches, and knowledge exchange across the UCEDD system.
What is the opportunity number and CFDA number?
The opportunity number is HHS-2017-ACL-AOD-DDUC-0220. The CFDA number is 93.632.
How many awards were anticipated and what is the maximum award amount?
ACL anticipated making up to 11 awards. The award ceiling is $50,000.
How were applications required to be submitted?
Applications were required to be submitted electronically.
What was the application deadline and time zone?
Applications were due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date listed in the notice (originally July 11, 2017).
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional clarification expected in the full eligibility section of the official announcement. Based on the structure and purpose described, the program is meant to support UCEDDs in operating a diversity-focused fellowship with mentoring, a community-based capstone, and participation in national knowledge-sharing activities.
What outcomes is the program trying to achieve for communities?
The program is intended to improve access and meaningful use of community services for individuals with developmental disabilities from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds and their families, and to support services and supports delivered in ways that respect personal preferences and cultural differences.
How does this opportunity define the population it aims to benefit?
It focuses on people with developmental disabilities, including individuals from historically underserved and underrepresented racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic communities, with an emphasis on ensuring full participation in community life and genuine access to supports, services, and opportunities.
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| Alzheimer's Disease Initiative - Specialized Supportive Services (ADI-SSS) Project Financed Solely by 2017 Prevention and Public Health Funds (PPHF 2017) Apply for HHS 2017 ACL AOA ALGG 0227 Funding Number: HHS 2017 ACL AOA ALGG 0227 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
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| Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Apply for HHS 2017 ACL AOD HAVA 0231 Funding Number: HHS 2017 ACL AOD HAVA 0231 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $220,410 |
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| Centers for Independent Living Training and Technical Assistance Grant Apply for HHS 2017 ACL AOD ILTA 0228 Funding Number: HHS 2017 ACL AOD ILTA 0228 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,409,490 |
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