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.

2nd Grant Cycle 2025 Program Timeline

Direct Effect (Tier 1) and Priority Impact (Tiers 2, 3 & 4)

• 2nd Grant Cycle re-opens: August 27th, 2025
• Deadline for emailed questions: Ongoing (Email to [email protected])
• Technical Assistance Webinar: September 9th, 2025 (registration coming soon)
• Reporting Assistance Webinar: Late December/Early January (TBD)
• Proposals Due: October 7th, 2025
• External Review: October 20th – November 6th, 2025
• Internal Review: November 10th – December 5th, 2025
• Grants awarded by December 31st, 2025
• Grant period:
  • Direct Effect: January 1, 2026 – December 31st, 2026
  • Priority Impact: January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2028 (varies, based on tier)

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 (To be released)
   • • Direct Effect
     • Priority 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.