ACDD Innovative Ideas

Agency:	Alabama Department of Mental Health
State:	Alabama
Type of Government:	State & Local
Posted Date:	Jan 26, 2026
Due Date:	Feb 26, 2026
Original Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
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Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities

RSA Union Building

100 North Union Street, Suite 682

Montgomery, AL 36130-1410

www.acdd.org

January 26, 2026

Innovative Ideas Request for Proposal (RFP)

RFP #ACDD FY2026-01

The Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities (ACDD) is established by and funded

under Federal Law and state Executive Order. The Council was established by the

Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (Public Law 106-402) and

Executive Order of the Governor of Alabama in 1971. By federal law, State Councils on

Developmental Disabilities are established in the states and territories to engage in systems

change, advocacy, and capacity building. The Council receives funding to provide assistance in

the development and coordination of services and other assistance and opportunities needed by

people with developmental disabilities and their families.

The Council is responsible for developing a State Plan and approving grant projects and other

activities to carry out objectives in the State Plan. The Council’s grant and contractual

investments are designed to advance its mission and support the philosophy of full inclusion by

working with organizations and communities to achieve our goals. The mission of the Council is

to promote and support independence, advocacy, productivity, and inclusion for Alabamians

with developmental disabilities.

The ACDD announces the availability of funds to support one of the following goals and

objectives from its 2022-2026 Five-Year State Plan or the self-advocacy area of interest:

ACDD Priority Area 1: Education and Early Intervention

Goal 1: Alabamians with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and their

support networks will have more access to and knowledge of rights and resources pertaining to

education and early intervention so that individuals with intellectual and developmental

disabilities receive education that supports their rights, needs, and interests.

Objective 1.1: By 2026, in collaboration with key partners, the ACDD will support the

improvement or development of one or more resource or training options for teachers (e.g.,

special education teachers, general education teachers) and other education professionals or

school personnel to address the needs and choices of students with intellectual and

developmental disabilities and the concerns of their families.

At a minimum, at least one of the following activities should be utilized in your project:

1. Develop collaborative working relationships between education professionals, other

partners (e.g., community systems), and people with intellectual and developmental

disabilities and their families to create more knowledgeable and/or unified educational

support systems

2. Provide and disseminate resources to teachers and/or other school personnel

Your project should result in one or more of the following expected outcomes:

1. Education professionals are more knowledgeable about the needs of students with

intellectual and developmental disabilities and the concerns of their families

2. Education professionals provide more information to families

3. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families access or utilize

services and supports

4. Collaborative working relationships between education professionals, other partners, and

families

5. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are more integrated and included

in educational activities

Priority Area 2: Employment

Goal 2: Alabamians with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, their support

networks, and others statewide will have increased employment supports so that individuals with

intellectual and developmental disabilities can obtain competitive, integrated employment.

Objective 2.2: By 2026, through education and collaboration, the ACDD will facilitate one or

more systemic changes to reduce barriers to competitive, integrated employment for individuals

with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

At a minimum, at least one of the following activities should be utilized in your project:

1. Develop collaborative working relationships among disability stakeholders, employers,

and others to create and/or support an expanded workforce

2. Utilize best practices or develop promising practices that result in people with intellectual

and developmental disabilities obtaining competitive, integrated employment

3. Increase the knowledge of employers about hiring people with intellectual and

developmental disabilities in competitive, integrated employment

Your project should result in one or more of the following expected outcomes:

1. Employers will be more knowledgeable about developmental disability

2. Collaborative working relationships among disability stakeholders, employers, and/or

policymakers

3. More people with intellectual and developmental disabilities will engage in competitive,

integrated employment opportunities

Priority Area 3: Formal and Informal Community Supports

Goal 3: In communities across Alabama, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities

and their families will be provided more information leading to greater access to, and/or use of,

formal and informal community supports.

Objective 3.1: By 2026, via outreach, training, education, and collaboration with local and state

partners, the ACDD will enhance the availability of information about formal and informal

community supports for 500 Alabamians with intellectual and developmental disabilities and

their families who are residents of rural, impoverished Black Belt counties.

At a minimum, at least one of the following activities should be utilized in your project:

1. Build partnerships, including collaborating with local communities or entities within

local communities (e.g., faith-based organizations), to provide outreach, education,

and/or dissemination of information

2. Provide supports/resources to local communities, particularly those with small

populations, to increase awareness of new and/or existing disability related supports

3. Develop proposed solutions or recommendations about how to decrease access barriers

and information gaps and set priorities to increase access and use of formal and informal

community supports

Your project should result in one or more of the following expected outcomes:

1. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families living in

rural, impoverished Black Belt counties have more awareness of and access to disability

supports

2. Increase in supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and

their families living in rural, impoverished Black Belt counties

3. Enhanced, collaborative network of support for people with intellectual and

developmental disabilities and their families living in rural, impoverished Black Belt

counties

Priority Area 4: Health

Goal 4: Alabamians with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and others

will receive education and training resulting in improved access to healthcare services and

supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families that

addresses their needs and choices and enhances their quality of life.

Objective 4.2: By 2026, the ACDD will work with partners to increase the knowledge of 300

individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families about healthcare

services, supports, and rights through training and the provision of resources.

At a minimum, at least one of the following activities should be utilized in your project:

1. Create and provide opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental

disabilities and families to receive needed training and resources pertaining to healthcare

2. Create and provide opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental

disabilities and families to receive needed education, training, and/or resources

specifically pertaining to disaster/emergency preparedness

Your project should result in one or more of the following expected outcomes:

1. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families have more

awareness of healthcare services, supports, and rights

2. More access to and use of healthcare for individuals with intellectual and developmental

disabilities and their families

3. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families have more

awareness of disaster/emergency preparedness supports

4. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have better health and

wellness outcomes and quality of life

Area of Interest: Self-Advocacy

Proposed self-advocacy projects should be led by self-advocates with I/DD and designed to

increase self-advocacy skills, leadership skills, and/or participation on cross-disability coalitions

to develop new leaders in the self-advocacy movement.

At a minimum, at least one of the following activities should be utilized in your project:

1. Strengthen an existing statewide self-advocacy organization, or establish a new statewide

self-advocacy organization, led by individuals with I/DD, by improving members’ skills,

etc.

2. Provision of leadership training opportunities and/or implementation of a peer mentoring

initiative for self-advocates with I/DD from other self-advocates with I/DD

3. Support self-advocates with I/DD to develop skills and capacity to serve on cross

disability boards, committees, advisory groups, workgroups, commissions, and/or

coalitions

Your project should result in one or more of the following expected outcomes:

1. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities will have more access to

opportunities and resources to develop self-advocacy and leadership skills

2. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities will have the knowledge,

skills, and abilities to be agents of change in their lives and communities

3. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities will be more empowered to

participate in self-advocacy and leadership activities

4. More people with intellectual and developmental disabilities will be in leadership roles

5. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities will facilitate change in their

communities

We are interested in receiving innovative proposals that indicate a well-planned project that is

quickly and easily understood, that has direction, and that has broad based support and high

priority in the community. The applicant should demonstrate expertise in the project area and

creative collaboration and leveraging of other resources. Applicants may submit multiple

proposals; however, only one goal and one objective, or the self-advocacy area of interest,

should be addressed per proposal. The ultimate outcome of Innovative Projects is to support

promising ideas, expand best practices, improve services and supports, and facilitate capacity

building that will contribute to sustainable system changes. Please note that grant funds are not

intended to replace or supplant existing funding or duplicate services. Proposals should propose

an entirely new project with innovative strategies aimed at implementing the stated goal and

objective or the self-advocacy area of interest. Projects should be focused on improving the lives

of people with developmental disabilities and their families.

Number of Grants Awarded: The number of grants awarded depends on the number of

proposals submitted, the quality of the proposed projects, and the availability of funds. Up to

$25,000.00 is available for a 6-month grant period. Entities should propose a reasonable,

justifiable budget for implementing requested activities. Funding is available for a 6-month

grant period tentatively scheduled to start April 1, 2026. The grant period ends September 30,

2026. The grant cannot be renewed.

Expectations for All Proposed Projects:

• Use of technology to reach as many citizens of Alabama as possible

• Collect data to show evidence of the project’s success

Issuance of this RFP does not obligate the ACDD to award grants. All proposals become the

property of the ACDD and will not be returned. Late or incomplete proposals will not be

accepted. Questions relative to this RFP must be received, by email, no later than Monday,

February 2, 2026, at 12:01 PM CT. Questions should be emailed to

melissa.sylvester@mh.alabama.gov.

Proposal Due Date: Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 12:01 PM CT

This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.

ACDD Innovative Ideas

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