United Cerebral Palsy awards 2026 research grants for cerebral palsy care

United Cerebral Palsy is funding three 2026 research projects aimed at earlier diagnosis, better treatment and more inclusive care for people with cerebral palsy. Each award receives $20,000 as UCP expands a program that has now backed 16 projects since 2022.

Why it matters: - Cerebral palsy is the most common lifelong motor disability in childhood, affecting about 1 in 345 children in the United States. - UCP’s grant program is backing research that could improve diagnosis, treatment and care for children and families. - The work is aimed at gaps that still exist in early intervention, neonatal treatment and disability-inclusive healthcare training.

What happened: - United Cerebral Palsy announced the 2026 recipients of its “Change is Possible for CP” Research Grant Program on Sept. 30, 2026. - The UCP Research Council selected three projects after a comprehensive review of applications. - Each awardee will receive $20,000. - The announcement comes ahead of World Cerebral Palsy Day on Oct. 6.

The details: - The first project, “Changing Perspectives: Preparing Healthcare Professionals to Provide Inclusive Care for Individuals with Disabilities,” is led by Elizabeth Stewart, Ph.D., ATP, at United Ability in Birmingham, Alabama. - That study will test whether experiential, disability-focused training better prepares future healthcare professionals to provide accessible, person-centered care for people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. - The project includes direct interaction with people with disabilities and caregivers, plus hands-on exposure to assistive technology. - The second project, “The Brain-Body Axis as a Novel Therapeutic Target in Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy,” is led by Rafael Galindo, MD, PhD, at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. - The study will examine whether stimulating the brain-body axis through the vagus nerve can reduce inflammation and brain injury in newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, or HIE. - HIE is a brain injury caused by insufficient oxygen and blood flow around birth and is a leading cause of cerebral palsy. - Researchers will use a neonatal mouse model to explore whether the approach could inform new therapies for infants at risk for cerebral palsy. - The third project, “Closing the Gap Between Early Cerebral Palsy Risk Identification and Therapeutic Intervention: Linking Early Diagnosis to Timely Treatment,” is led by Jessica Trenkle, PT, DPT, PCS, at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. - That study will link hospital records with early intervention data to find where delays happen after infants are identified as high risk for cerebral palsy. - The researchers will use the findings to develop scalable and equitable strategies to help children receive therapy as early as possible. - Since the program launched in 2022, UCP has funded 16 research projects and committed $284,000 to cerebral palsy and related neurodevelopmental disabilities research. - Five of those grants have gone to UCP Affiliates. - UCP said its affiliate network helps advance research that improves services and care in communities. - More than 1 million Americans and their families live with cerebral palsy. - The condition does not currently have a coordinated federal research program in the United States. - Valerie Pieraccini, co-chair of UCP’s Research Council and vice president of education and innovation at the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, said important questions about cerebral palsy remain underfunded and underexplored. - Pieraccini said the grant program helps support innovative research that may otherwise struggle to move forward and can help translate new knowledge into better diagnosis, treatment, care and quality of life. - Mark Gormley, Jr., MD, co-chair of UCP’s Research Council and a specialist in pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation at Gillette Children’s, said the 2026 projects address challenges across the path from biology to intervention to provider training. - The UCP Research Council includes medical professionals, clinician-researchers, parents of individuals with disabilities, people with disabilities, UCP Affiliate leaders and community advocates. - More information is available at UCP.org or by email at Research@UCP.org. - UCP was founded in 1949 and says its affiliate network across North America serves thousands of children and adults each year. - UCP’s services include information, referrals, advocacy, research, educational instruction, early intervention, therapies, job coaching, integrated employment, home- and community-based services, recreational opportunities and housing assistance. - UCP says its vision is that all people with disabilities should be treated as equal members of an inclusive society. - UCP shared social links for LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Between the lines: - The grant slate spans education, basic science and health-systems research, which suggests UCP is trying to move the field at multiple points at once. - The focus on early intervention and inclusive care reflects a practical push to improve outcomes where delays and training gaps can have immediate effects on families. - The absence of a coordinated federal research program helps explain why private and nonprofit funding remains important in cerebral palsy research.

What’s next: - The three funded projects will move ahead with their research plans over the coming grant cycle. - UCP will likely use the program to keep building its research portfolio and supporting work that can be translated into care. - The organization is directing interested readers to its website and research email for more information.