Australia is prioritising policy reforms in the ‘personalisation’ and ‘marketisation’ of social care as means to develop a contemporary disability service system. A coherent, appropriately funded national disability research and innovation agenda is required – one that generates new insights that are effectively mobilised to a range of stakeholders. This Scholarship has the potential to significantly and positively impact proposals for the establishment of a national disability research and innovation agency in Australia. It will provide the opportunity to further marshal the arguments and evidence for a National Disability Research Partnership, informing its vision, mission and values, together with strategy, organisational design, and work programme. The Fulbright scholarship provides an incredible opportunity to inform my work on developing policy and research that stimulates and rewards innovation in the context of current reforms to the Australian disability sector. I will be gathering insights from US agencies that demonstrate thought leadership and global best practice in the facilitation of research based innovation in disability services, and forming new strategic international relationships that will facilitate future information exchanges.