Application Process

Grant Application and Program Guidelines

Please review the Grant Application and Program Guidelines prior to beginning your application for the 1st Cycle Direct Effect and Expanded Impact Spring 2025. Grant proposals are due March 14, 2025.

1st Grant Cycle 2025 Program Timeline

Direct Effect (Tier 1) and Expanded Impact (Tier 5)

• 1st Grant Cycle re-opens: February 21st, 2025
• Deadline for emailed questions: Ongoing (Email to [email protected])
• Technical Assistance Webinar: February 27th, 2025 (click here to register)
• Proposals Due: March 14th, 2025
• External Review: March 26th – April 9th, 2025
• Internal Review: April 14th – May 1st, 2025
• Grants awarded by May 30, 2025
• Grant period:
  • Direct Effect: June 1, 2025 – May 31, 2026
  • Expanded Impact: June 1, 2025 – May 31, 2027

Quality of Life Grant Application Process

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation Quality of Life grants program offers a tiered grants strategy awarding Direct Effect (Tier 1) grants from $5,000 up to $24,999 to support a wide array of programs and activities. In addition, we have created Priority Impact grants (Tiers 2, 3 & 4) with higher maximum award amounts that focus on targeted high priority issues for people living with paralysis and their families. This enables the Reeve Foundation to continue to support valuable projects and services in communities throughout the United States of America, as well as to highlight, fund and publicize high priority issues and successful solutions. Expanded Impact grants (Tier 5) are expansions of previously awarded QOL programs that have achieved demonstrable successful impact.

For Full Program Details please visit our QOL Program Overview Page.

Requests from organizations not based in the USA are not eligible, and projects outside of the USA, even if the applicant organization is based in the USA, cannot be funded. Please see all of the Eligibility Criteria (through the link below).

All applications must be submitted online through the online grants portal.

Grant Review Process

Learn more about the Quality of Life Grant Review Process.

Helpful Information

1. Grant Application and Program Guidelines (Updated)
   • • Direct Effect
     • Expanded Impact
2. Guidelines for discussing people with disabilities
3. A Quick Guide to Establishing Evaluation Indicators
4. Eligibility Criteria and Funding Restrictions
5. Statement of Objectivity
6. Budget Template
7. FAQs (Updated 9-26-22)

Click here to access the online application portal.

Video Tutorial Series

Please watch these short videos if you have any questions regarding:

Budget

Funding Restrictions

Eligibility

Application – Technical Assistance Webinar

This technical assistance webinar was presented on March 7, 2025

Webinar: Outcome-based Evaluation

Webinar Overview:

• Shift your nonprofit organization’s and/or project’s focus from activities to OUTCOMES
• Learn the difference between inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes
• Develop frameworks for tracking the outcomes and impact of your work
• Successfully articulate that impact to funders and other stakeholders
• Use OUTCOME-BASED EVALUATION to tell a more in-depth, rich, and impactful story highlighting the success of your work.

This webinar was presented on November 30, 2023.