Interventional Cooperative Agreement Program

This program to allow SSA to collaborate with States, private foundations, and other non-federal groups and organizations who have the interest and ability to identify, operate, and partially fund interventional research. The research and interventions under this program will target the increased employment and self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities (whether beneficiaries, applicants, or potential applicants of the Disability Insurance (DI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs); coordinating planning between private and public welfare agencies to improve the administration and effectiveness the DI, SSI, and related programs; assisting claimants in vulnerable populations apply for or appeal decisions on claims for DI and SSI benefits; and conducting outreach to children with disabilities who are potentially eligible to receive SSI. The projects/awards have a period of 5 years, with the first year dedicated to putting any necessary data agreements into place, recruiting additional partners, securing additional funding, and implementing other planning activities. SSA funding will be limited for the first year until these milestones are met. If the project is able to meet these milestones in the first year, funding will be released for the grantee to continue implement and evaluate the project for up to four years. This is an ongoing project where competitions are held each year. Each year will have a list of priority topics for proposed interventions potential applicants must focus their response/proposed intervention on.