The Social Security Administration (SSA) is seeking ideas to improve the efficiency and reduce the complexity of the disability determination process. SSA is announcing the solicitation of applications to compete for a grant aimed at improving the Disability Determination Process. This new program will make small stipends available to graduate students for innovative research relevant to the disability program. SSA management will identify suggested priority areas of interest. SSA intends to fund stipends to graduate students to support their thesis work with the expectation that the resulting product will be a thesis or written project relevant to our disability program. The successful grantee will serve as Program Manager to coordinate the effort. SSA intends to award funding for this grant on a five-year basis, renewable annually. Annual funding for this grant is $300,000, which will include funding for the program manager and graduate student stipends of $10,000 each.