Disability research funding now available

Call for applications from Disability Research on Independent Living and Learning (DRILL) - proposals by 27th July 2016.

Action | 11.05.16

Disabled people, their organisations, academics and partners are being invited to apply for grants for research and pilot projects to find out how disabled people, and those with long term conditions, can participate fully in society, achieving independent living.

Organisations can apply for up to £150,000 from the DRILL (Disability Research on Independent Living and Learning) programme, which launched last autumn and expects to fund around 40 projects in the UK over the next four years. 

Disabled people will be at the forefront of designing projects (with academics and policy and practice experts), for the programme. DRILL is funded by a £5 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund and will be delivered by Disability Rights UK, Disability Action Northern Ireland, Inclusion Scotland and Disability Wales.

The Programme Board said:

“Our aim is to build new evidence on what would enable disabled people to take full part in society – with disabled people in the lead, setting the priorities and co-designing the projects. We’re looking forward to receiving some exciting proposals.”

Proposals will be assessed by a National Advisory Group, with a Central Research Committee made up of disabled people, academics and policy experts making a final decision on which projects receive funding.

Tom Shakespeare, Chair of the Central Research Committee for DRILL, added:

“The starting gun has been fired on a very exciting competitive research process. We are looking for teams that have great ideas, true partnership between researchers and disabled people, and with real chance of improving the lives of disabled people. This is the first tranche of a five year funding programme that will change the United Kingdom for the better.”

The closing date for applications is 27th July 2016.

To find out more and to apply for a grant, visit:

http://www.drilluk.org.uk/