Priority Impact Quality of Life Grants
2025 Priority Impact Grant Descriptions
19 Grants Totaling $691,707
Access Ability Wisconsin, Inc.
Mineral Point, WI 53565-9901
Unique Entity ID: XYDWXRYACG25
$39,775 – Tier 3 – Rural Unserved and Underserved
“Outdoors Access 4 All!” in Rural Wisconsin – Peer Mentoring Action (PMA)
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 65
This grant will support three events for people living with spinal cord injuries in rural Wisconsin. These major events will consist of the following: Family Nature and Art Exploration with a PMA Focus – Yellowstone Lake State Park, Adaptive Kayak Event, Black Hawk Lake, and A Veteran’s with Family Gathering with a PMA Focus- Blue Hills Sportsmen Club. The activities will take place in the rural counties of Barron, Lafayette and Iowa, and attract participants from surrounding counties as well. This project will promote independence, restore confidence, and build lasting connections between participants, leaders, families, and their communities
Action Mobility Foundation
Marshall, MN 56258-0620
Unique Entity ID: ERULA7DUTE75
$39,921 -Tier 3 – Rural Unserved and Underserved
TOW & GO for RURAL MINNESOTA
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 100
This grant will support the launch of their Tow & Go program to address the lack of outdoor accessibility in rural communities. In partnership with rural healthcare providers and our regional educational cooperative, they will place all-terrain track chairs, hiking chairs, and adaptive strollers in branded trailers and static community locations. These hubs will allow people with paralysis, veterans, older adults, and families to access outdoor recreation, therapy, and educational opportunities. This project will ensure that those historically left out of outdoor spaces can fully participate in rural community life.
Bridging Voice
Brooklyn, NY 11214-2599
Unique Entity ID: ZMDWQNP1KLR9
$40,000 – Tier 3 – Rural Unserved and Underserved
Rural ALS Care: Expanding Communication Support & Building Partner Capacity
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 328
Funding from this grant will address severe barriers to communication support, including limited local services and access to assistive technology for people living with ALS in rural communities. Funding will help strengthen their partners’ capacity to identify and support rural clients, onboard new partners serving rural areas, and provide direct communication support to at least 90 new rural people living with ALS. Through these efforts they will address the urgent communication and access needs of rural people living with ALS while also building long-term capacity and strengthening the overall rural healthcare ecosystem.
California Rehabilitation Foundation
Los Angeles, CA 90067-1907
Unique Entity ID: GQ1ZE7XAVPG4
$50,000 – Tier 4 – Nursing Home Transition
Enabling Independence Program
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 8
This grant will support their enabling Independence Program (EIP) to help address the barriers and gaps in the rehabilitation community. The EIP supports individuals of all ages facing financial hardship and who have a qualifying acute or chronic rehabilitation diagnosis by providing items and equipment that will facilitate a smooth discharge home and prevent individuals from being institutionalized. Examples include simple or complex ramps to enter the home, electronic Hoyer lifts to decrease caregiver burden and increase independence with self-care and mobility, and custom bathing solutions. All funds will be paid directly to the vendors or manufacturers of the equipment requested. Through this grant they will enable people living with SCI to acquire essential equipment not covered by health insurance, facilitating a successful transition to home.
Center For Accessible Technology
Berkeley, CA 94703-2578
Unique Entity ID: NLYQJS1QMQ21
$30,000 – Tier 2 – Assistive Technology
Assistive technology for low-income people living with paralysis in acute rehabilitation
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 35
Funding from this Priority Impact grant will provide increased access to assistive technology for people living with paralysis. Following a successful pilot program, Center for Accessible Technology (C4AT) will partner with Sutter Health, a local not-for-profit hospital This grant would provide access to patients who may otherwise not have an opportunity to be exposed to AT by allowing C4AT to provide free, onsite programming for people living with paralysis at Sutter’s Acute Rehab and Outpatient programs in Oakland, CA. Programming will include AT assessments and individual support, an AT lending library, links to low or no-cost devices, and technical training. This project will focus on ensuring that people living with paralysis are connected to the tools they want and need to facilitate health, independence, work and participation in their communities.
Center for Independent Living of Broward
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33319-5805
Unique Entity ID: CYVCLLM4H5J9
$50,000 – Tier 4 – Nursing Home Transition
Nursing Home Transition Program for People with Paralysis in Broward County Florida
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 15
This Priority Impact grant will allow them to expand their Nursing Home Prevention Program by removing physical barriers and installing Assistive Technology (AT) in the homes of individuals with paralysis. This program will provide home accessibility renovations (roll-in showers, widened doors, ramps, grab bars, reinforced flooring, lever handles, and barrier-free kitchens), smart-home technologies (automated doors, thermostats, lighting, safety alarms) to maximize independence, and consumer education on housing rights, accessibility options, and personal resource management. These services will benefit people living with SCI by allowing them to continue living independently and prevent them from having to move into a skilled nursing facility.
Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation, Inc.
Mountainside, NJ 07092-2590
Unique Entity ID: H9EGPZC7LPF3
$38,000 – Tier 3 – Rural Unserved and Underserved
Expanding True Grit Spinal Cord Injury: Access and Support for Young Adults with SCI and Families
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 40
Funding for this project will expand the Children’s Specialized Hospital (CSH) True Grit SCI program to address critical gaps in transition-to-adulthood support for youth living with SCI. Currently they operate a weeklong residential camp specifically targeting transition to adulthood for young adults with SCI which is offered at no out-of-pocket cost to participants and families. To achieve this, they will implement a multi-modal, year-round model that includes at least three single-day community events, expanded access to the annual week-long residential camp (12-15 young adults with SCI per year), and at least 12 monthly virtual check-in sessions, along with dedicated caregiver/family community-building opportunities.
CurePSP
New York, NY 10013-1045
Unique Entity ID: VB5LJYKSS4W1
$30,000 – Tier 2 – Respite / Caregiving
CurePSP’s Quality of Life Respite Program
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 120
Funding will support their Quality of Life Respite Program, which provides free, in-home professional care to families caring for a loved one with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD), or Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). These are rare, fast-progressing neurodegenerative diseases that cause paralysis-like symptoms, including severe mobility, balance, and speech impairments. To address the complex care involved with these conditions, this program will serve up to 120 families annually, providing each with up to 100 hours of fully funded respite care. Funding will directly cover 882 hours of respite at ~$34/hour, providing critical relief to overburdened caregivers and allowing individuals with paralysis-related symptoms to remain safely at home.
Donka, Inc.
Wheaton, IL, 60187- 3908
Unique Entity ID: MV5LPMHR1ZZ3
$30,000 – Tier 2 – Assistive Technology
Technology for Independence & Inclusion
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 40
This Priority Impact grant will support Donka Inc.’s Assistive Technology (AT) Computer Training and Education & Outreach Programs, which empower individuals with disabilities to achieve independence, pursue employment or education, and reduce barriers to community inclusion. Grant funds will provide AT computer training for 14 individuals with disabilities as well as education & outreach programs featuring monthly educational videos, virtual workshops, and live training for agencies such as the Spinal Cord Association and Northwestern Rehabilitation Hospital. This project will advance independent living for people living with paralysis by equipping them with assistive technology skills that reduce reliance on others for everyday tasks.
Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology, Inc.
Tallahassee, FL 32303-4244
Unique Entity ID: U9UML4HYXTC3
$29,107 – Tier 2 – Assistive Technology
Smart Homes – Demonstrating the Path to Independence
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 140
This grant will introduce individuals living with paralysis to existing technologies, demonstrate how they function, and support them in determining what might work best in daily life. First, they will expand their two current smart home demonstration centers and open two new locations. These sites will display a variety of voice-activated, switch-activated, and home-automation tools (e.g., lighting, blinds, appliances, monitoring devices). Second, for those unable to travel, they will offer virtual tours of its demo centers and mail 11 Smart Home Starter Kits to participants’ homes. Each kit will include items like a screen smart assistant, smart plugs, lamp, fan, and step-by-step guides and video tutorials. Through this project, people with paralysis in Florida will gain insight into the technology landscape, build confidence in how tools function, and make informed decisions about what might be useful in their lives, enhancing their engagement, autonomy, and overall well-being.
Kennedy Krieger Institute
Baltimore, MD 21205-1832
Unique Entity ID: J1RCZHDJKBN5
$25,650 – Tier 2 – Assistive Technology
Building Empowerment through Assistive Technology Access
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 125
Funding for this project will provide the AT Clinic at Kennedy Krieger Institute with cutting edge assistive technology equipment: a Neuronode Trilogy, Obi Robotic Self Feeder, and a Cosmos Connect to use during community education demonstrations and during appointment-based equipment trials with patients with SCI. This will help people of all ages and from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds with SCI know what is available for their specific needs to maximize their independence in a variety of areas including Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) such as feeding, direct communication, computer and mobile device access, and long-distance communication.
MO Better Foundation
St Peters, MO 63376-3873
Unique Entity ID: N/A
$24,999 – Tier 2 – Assistive Technology
Smart Home Demo Kits: Independence Through Assistive Technology
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 30
This grant will expand MO Better’s Smart Home Demo Kits initiative, an assistive technology program that empowers people living with paralysis to live more independently in their homes. MO Better will assemble portable Smart Home Demo Kits with voice-activated hubs, adaptive switches, automatic door openers, and smart plugs. These kits will be deployed in collaboration with the University of Missouri’s Occupational Therapy program, Washington University School of Engineering, Missouri Assistive Technology, Ability KC, and ATVanced Care. Where devices prove essential for daily independence, MO Better will assist with purchase and installation. This program will promote independent living for individuals with paralysis by giving them control over essential home functions through accessible smart home technology.
PROVAIL
Seattle, WA 98133-8036
Unique Entity ID: FHRFJXKLZH87
$28,500 – Tier 2 – Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology for Independence: Expanding Access for People with Paralysis
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 60
Through this project, PROVAIL will expand their AT Lab and Lending Library with a new inventory of adaptive peripherals and environmental control systems tailored for people with paralysis and fast-progressing neurodegenerative conditions. This grant will allow them to purchase environmental control devices, computer and tablet mounting systems, adaptive keyboards and mice, eye-gaze and switch-access tools, and adaptive gaming equipment for the AT Lab and Lending Library. This project will expand access to independence-enhancing technology for individuals with paralysis, increase opportunities for social and community participation.
Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary (subsidiary of Florida School of Holistic Living)
East Barre, VT 05649-0420
Unique Entity ID: KL9GPVFM2LK1
$40,000 – Tier 3 – Rural Unserved and Underserved
Green Mountain Caregiver Wellness: Nature-Based Support for Rural Vermont Families
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 50
This grant will support a comprehensive support program located in rural Central Vermont to help reduce travel barriers for isolated caregivers. The program will include twelve monthly in-person caregiver circles combining herbal education, nature connection, and peer support in a culturally responsive environment as well as four extended skill-building workshops teaching practical herbal self-care that caregivers can use at home. They will also provide quarterly herbal education toolkits with hands-on materials for learning to prepare stress-relief, sleep support, and wellness remedies, monthly virtual drop-in sessions, and an online resource library for those unable to travel. This program will directly enable independent living for individuals with paralysis by preventing caregiver burnout.
The ALS Association – Midwest Territory (former Missouri/Greater St. Louis Chapter
Arlington, VA 22209-2335
Unique Entity ID: KMHZW7EM1997
$40,000 – Tier 3 – Rural Unserved and Underserved
Virtual Home Modification and Safety Assessment Program
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 60
This grant will support their Virtual Home Assessments for Rural Communities program, serving individuals living with ALS-related paralysis and their families across 11 Midwest states. This program is designed to help identify home accessibility, mobility, and safety challenges and recommend potential options and resources to provide independence and dignity for people living with ALS and paralysis. Funding will support personnel who conduct and oversee virtual home assessments and recommendations and technology to connect rural residents. By addressing accessibility barriers, these virtual assessments help people living with paralysis stay engaged in physical, cultural, and spiritual life.
The ALS Association – Great West Territory
Arlington, VA 22209-2335
Unique Entity ID: KMHZW7EM1997
$30,000 – Tier 2 – Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology Program and Augmentative and Alternative Communication Program
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 1,080
This grant will support personnel and travel for their Assistive Technology Program and Augmentative and Alternative Communication Program. These programs include assessments to determine the appropriate items and environmental adjustments, equipment loans, coordinating loans with partner agencies, and training people on how to use the equipment. Services will be available both in person and virtually. This project will increase independence, safety, and the ability to communicate for individuals living with paralysis.
The World Institute on Disability
Berkeley, CA 94703-2577
Unique Entity ID: DG6JGPBD52E4
$45,755 – Tier 4 – Employment
Pathways to Purpose: Employment & Sustainability for Veterans Living with Paralysis
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 75
This grant will support Pathways to Purpose, an initiative developed by veterans to identify and address the diverse and interdependent employment needs of veterans living with paralysis. This program will serve 75 veterans living with paralysis who are transitioning into or navigating civilian careers and who will receive direct training, coaching, and mentorship. Funding will cover curriculum development, delivery of a webinar and mentor program, marketing and outreach, accessibility services, and evaluation. With this investment, they will not only help veterans living with paralysis find jobs but also empower them to thrive as leaders, mentors, and changemakers in civilian life.
United Cerebral Palsy Association of New York State, Inc.
New York, NY 10006-1722
Unique Entity ID: YHN3LX7BFCN5
$50,000 – Tier 4 – Employment
Good Neighbor Organics Vocational Training
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 25
Funding from this grant will support their Good Neighbor Organics Vocational Training Program, providing vocational training for twenty-five unduplicated people living with Cerebral Palsy in the Bronx. The program will also serve the West Farms neighborhood in the Bronx, a community experiencing high levels of food insecurity. Funding will be used to hire a part-time job coach who will assist with providing on-site job training, with the goal of providing each person with a portable and transferable skill set should they choose to seek other employment.
WHALE, Inc. (We Help and Love Everyone)
Greeley, CO 80634-3166
Unique Entity ID: K3XRY4NZY643
$30,000 – Tier 2 – Respite / Caregiving
Waves of Relief: Inclusive Respite for Families Living with Paralysis
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 10
This grant will support the expansion of WHALE’s weekday respite childcare and five-hour weekend respite sessions to include both children and young adults living with paralysis. Participants will receive age-appropriate, inclusive care that meets developmental and social needs. Through this project, WHALE will expand respite access and improve quality of life for children, young adults, and their caregivers—helping families thrive in a community where opportunities for inclusive care are otherwise scarce.
2024 Priority Impact Grant Descriptions
22 Grants Totaling $824,489
Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago (CIL)
Chicago, IL 60654
Unique Entity ID: G2D1J5XBS4H8
$40,000 – Tier 3 RE
Gun Violence Survivors Project
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 50
This grant supports provide program navigation support and peer support groups to 50 survivors of gun violence living with paralysis in the Chicago area. Through the Program Navigator, they will meet with survivors moving from the hospital to rehab facilities or transitioning out of rehab. This is a full time position that will work one on one with individuals and help connect them to benefits and other useful services. They will also hire an individual directly impacted by gun violence as a part time Peer Support Coordinator staff member.
Access to Independence, Inc. (CIL)
Madison, WI 53714
Unique Entity ID: VYA8JJ8K4MY6
$50,000 – Tier 4 Nursing Home Transition
Institutional Relocation Program
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 22
This grant will support the expansion and strengthening of their Institutional Relocation Program. Currently, Access to Independence employs a Bilingual Transition Specialist (English and Spanish) who focuses on transition-related and other independent living services. Funding for this grant will allow for the Bilingual Transition Specialist to focus on institutional relocation services in the four-county service region. Additionally, funding will also enable them develop a partnership with an area hospital to provide a Hospital2Home program to serve more people living with paralysis.
ALS United Rocky Mountain
Westminster, CO 80201
Unique Entity ID: WWHXNTLHSTE8
$30,000 – Tier 2 Respite/Caregiving
ALS United Caregiver Relief Program
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 30
This grant would provide financial reimbursement to families of individuals living with ALS to assist with caregiving costs, helping them to maintain a better quality of life. Funds would directly reimburse patient home care services and are critical in helping to reduce the burden on caregivers and ensure that people living with ALS can remain in their homes with the necessary care. The program will serve at least 30 individuals and their family members and is designed to also reduce the emotional and physical strain on caregivers. This will ensure better support for ALS patients, helping them to remain at home and stay engaged in their communities.
Atlantis Community Inc./ADAPT (CIL)
Denver, CO 80223-1836
Unique Entity ID: DDE7YF1LQE15
$50,000 – Tier 4 Nursing Home Transition
Nursing Home Transition and Diversion Program
Anticipated number of people living with paralysis served: 20
This grant will support the expansion of their Nursing Home Transition and Diversion services, ensuring that individuals living with paralysis have the necessary resources to transition home and back into their community. Atlantis Community Inc. aims to provide personalized support to help individuals through transitioning home, securing housing, and accessing in-home care as well as other community services
