The National Paralysis Resource Center, operated by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Announces Last Quality of Life Grants Program Awardees as Part of Current Federal Funding Cycle

Created by the Reeve Foundation in 1999, the Quality of Life Grants Program for nonprofits has awarded $52 million for projects across the U.S. that support the paralysis community.

SHORT HILLS, N.J., June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation announced today the latest Quality of Life Grants Program cycle of its current cooperative agreement with the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) to operate the National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC). The Reeve Foundation is the only federally funded entity dedicated to directly supporting the paralysis community and the recognized leader in the field. Its Quality of Life Grants Program awards nonprofit, community organizations for local initiatives designed to improve the lives of people living with and impacted by paralysis.

A total of 47 grants totaling more than $1.7 million have been awarded for such initiatives as:

• Working Dogs for Vets (Lawrenceburg, TN - $24,999) for its "Double Rescue" model, rescuing high-potential shelter dogs and transforming them into medical-grade and service animals for wounded veterans living with paralysis-related disabilities, helping veterans return to civilian life with independence and reduce suicide rates
• Thomas E. Smith Foundation (Marblehead, MA – $23,475) delivers "The Access Series", a 6-session virtual workshop program providing practical, actionable education on the financial and systemic challenges of living with paralysis.
• United States Adaptive Golf Alliance (Westmont, IL - $100,000), to expand its SNAG (Starting New At Golf) program, supporting the implementation of 30 adaptive golf clinics over 24 months nationwide, each serving 25-30 participants

Over the course of the current five-year ACL cooperative agreement, the Quality of Life Grants Program has provided more than $17 million for nearly 1,500 programs that have resulted in measurable improvements for individuals, families and caregivers and whole communities.

Created by the late Dana Reeve in 1999, the program has awarded since its inception a total of more than $52 million for 4,100 projects across the U.S.

These grants are selected by a highly competitive process. The NPRC received more than $3.6 million in requests for funding for this cycle, a slight increase over the prior year likely influenced by a decrease in other federal funding opportunities.

Over two decades, the Quality of Life Grants Program has supported innovative programs designed to increase independence and the ability of people with paralysis to lead active, engaged lives. In partnership with ACL, the NPRC has provided medical schools with accessible equipment such as Hoyer lifts and transfer boards so they can teach future doctors how to better care for people with paralysis. The partnership has funded the installation of ramps and platform lifts in venues that host town halls and public meetings. It has helped sustain suicide prevention programs for veterans and support groups for caregivers. And it has fostered a robust range of adaptive sports and recreation opportunities in cities and small towns alike, from therapeutic horseback riding to sled hockey teams to adaptive soccer leagues.

Recent grant program examples include:

• Midstate Independent Living Choices (MILC) received a $11,360 grant to create the Adaptive Gaming Project serving central and northern Wisconsin. Adaptive gaming can transform how people living with paralysis engage with technology, entertainment and the community. By removing physical barriers through customized controllers and an accessible design, gaming becomes more than play; it becomes a gateway to connection, growth and well-being.
• Kids Dance Outreach received a $16,250 grant to support Fueling Life on Wheels (FLOW), a tuition-free adaptive dance program for children with paralysis, to equip instructors with the training, tools and administrative support.
• In Hawaiʻi, AccesSurf Hawaiʻi (ASH) is dedicated to making the water a source of peace rather than a limitation, offering adaptive swim, surf and outrigger canoe clinics and camps. ASH received a $24,000 grant to expand the frequency of their swim clinic from quarterly to monthly.
• ALS United Rocky Mountain, which serves over 600 families annually in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, received a $30,000 grant to create a Caregiver Support Program to address the financial burden of in-home care and caregiver burnout. The Reeve Foundation grant contributed to 30 families' in-home care services.
• With a $25,000 grant, the American College of Financial Services launched an online financial literacy program designed for people with a spinal cord injury and their caregivers. The free program includes interactive modules to help individuals navigate the often-complicated financial needs related to living with a disability, including medical, rehabilitation and increased living expenses compounded by income loss. It is divided into five modules that are roughly 30 minutes long and include interactive worksheets for expense tracking, budgeting and more.

About the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research and improving the quality of life for individuals and families impacted by paralysis. Additionally, through a cooperative agreement with the Administration for Community Living, the Reeve Foundation's National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC) promotes the health, well-being, and independence of people living with paralysis, providing comprehensive information, resources, and referral services assisting over 128,000 individuals and families since its launch in 2002. The Reeve Foundation is committed to elevating our community's voices and needs to achieve greater representation and independence.

We meet all 20 of the Better Business Bureau's standards for charity accountability and hold the BBB's Charity Seal. For more information, please visit ChristopherReeve.org or call 800-225-0292.

SOURCE Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation