Nation’s Only Research Center for Parents with Disabilities Faces Possible Closure
July 16, 2026
The nation’s only federally funded research center dedicated to parents with disabilities, The National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities may be forced to close later this summer after the federal government withdrew the funding opportunity that has historically supported its work before organizations had the chance to apply.
If the funding opportunity is not restored within the next several weeks, the National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities will lose its federal funding when its current grant ends on August 31, 2026. The closure would end more than a decade of research, technical assistance, policy development, and community engagement focused on improving the lives of parents with disabilities and their families.
An estimated 4.4 million parents with disabilities live in the United States, yet they remain one of the country’s most under-researched and under-resourced populations. Many continue to experience barriers in healthcare, child welfare, family law, education, and community services, often facing discrimination based on disability rather than their parenting abilities.
Advocates warn that losing the Center would create a significant gap in research, education, and support for families with disabilities. The ability to become and remain a parent is a fundamental part of community inclusion, yet people with disabilities have historically faced barriers to building and raising families.
The National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities is calling on the federal government to restore and reissue the funding opportunity so organizations can compete to continue this essential work.
The future of this work depends on raising awareness and encouraging federal action before funding expires on August 31, 2026.
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