2025 Changemakers Grant Recipient

We’re thrilled to share an exciting milestone from CPARF’s Changemakers Program — our inaugural community-voted research study has been selected!

The Project: Automating Early Detection of Cerebral Palsy

The incredibly talented team from the University of Virginia is developing an automated video-based movement analysis tool that uses machine learning to spot early signs of CP in infants before hospital discharge. The tool is cost-effective and accurate.

Early data shows a 92% accuracy in identifying high-risk movement months earlier than current traditional diagnosis methods. The next phase will test the tool in real-world hospital settings and provide clear visual results to guide next steps for care and support. Early diagnosis and intervention leads to more effective treatment options and improved quality of life. Tools like this ensure that all babies have the best possible start to life.

The long-term outcome is to establish universal screening for CP risk a reality for every baby — no matter where they are born.

This groundbreaking research is exactly what the Changemakers program was built to do: support novel forward-thinking ideas that advance science, assistive technology, and inclusion for people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities.

Why It Matters

By funding innovative research, we’re not only accelerating discovery, but we’re also paving the way toward a world that provides more opportunities and designed with the needs of everyone in mind. The first Changemakers grant represents a bold new step forward in CPARF’s mission to transform lives through research and technology.

Thanks to you, we’re driving progress that’s creating a world that people with disabilities deserve.

Want a Voice in 2026?

Join CPARF’s community of Changemakers to be a part of the 2026 Changemakers Grant vote. Learn more.