Grants for Disabilities: Breaking Barriers, Creating Opportunities

Grants for Disabilities provide access to resources, support, and opportunities for greater independence and inclusion. In addition, they help to break down barriers that still exist in healthcare, education, and daily life. People with disabilities continue to face challenges, including lower-quality care and poorer health outcomes. According to the NIH, National Library of Medicine, “Health disparities refer to differences in health outcomes… linked to a history of social, economic, or environmental disadvantages, and these differences are regarded as avoidable.” Grants for Disabilities provide essential funding to address these inequities, supporting initiatives that enhance healthcare access, improve assistive technology, and create more inclusive opportunities. These grants allow society to take steps toward true equality, ensuring that individuals with disabilities have the resources they need to thrive.

GrantWatch is helping to draw attention to the availability of disability funding currently available by providing the list of grants for disabilities below. Additionally, there are over 500 grants in its Disability Grants listing category.

Disability Grants and Awards

1. Research Grants for Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities!

Grants to nonprofit and for-profit organizations, agencies, Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), research centers, and tribes for research on autism and other developmental disabilities. Funding supports research benefiting children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities.

2. Grants for Occupational Rehabilitation Activities for Individuals with Disabilities!

There are grants to tribal governments and organizations for occupational rehabilitation activities for individuals with disabilities. Funding supports services that prepare tribal members residing in or near Federal and State reservations with high-quality employment leading to economic self-sufficiency.

3. Community Benefit Programs and Activities for Individuals with Disabilities!

Up to $20,000 to nonprofits for community benefit programs and projects. Disability grants support hospitals and schools, museums, performing arts and cultural programs, and skills training. The funding is also for educational and other programming for people with disabilities, seniors, youth, environmental and wildlife protection activities, and other programs addressing community needs.

4. Grants to Assist Individuals with Disabilities!

Grants to state and local governments, nonprofits, for-profits, IHEs, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations to assist individuals with disabilities. The funding is for projects promoting the implementation of findings gained from the Funding Source’s research and development projects.

5. Funding to Optimize Social Inclusion of Individuals with Disabilities!

There are grants for historically Black, Native American, and Hispanic IHEs, and Indian tribes to optimize the social inclusion and self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities. Funding supports the development of methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technology to benefit disadvantaged residents, including individuals with severe disabilities.

6. Grants for Disability and Rehabilitation Research!

Also, grants to historically Black, Native American, and Hispanic IHEs, and Indian tribes for research addressing needs of individuals with disabilities. Funding will be to improve the capability of minority entities to conduct high-quality disability and rehabilitation research.

7. Funding for Improved Crisis Response Involving a Developmentally Disabled Individual!

Grants to IHEs and local, state, and tribal governments to train officers to improve their interactions so they are better prepared to respond to a crisis involving a developmentally disabled individual. The funding is to create and implement a training program. This program will prepare officers to improve their interactions with individuals who have behavioral health conditions or other disabilities.

8. Grants to Promote Equal Access to K-12 Experiential Learning!

Up to $50,000 to nonprofits, institutions, and schools to promote equal access to experiential learning in K-12 schools. Organizations will take creative approaches to advancing equitable access to student-centered learning. Priority consideration will be for projects that will have inclusive strategies for often overlooked student populations, such as students with disabilities, including those with mobility, sensory or other neurodiverse disabilities.

9. Funding for General Support and Capital Projects!

Grants to USA and Israel nonprofit organizations for a wide range of projects and programs that benefit Jewish communities. Funding is intended for capital projects, general operating support, or programming.

10. Collaborative Project Grants to Assist Offenders with Mental Health Disorders!

Grants to state and local governments for collaborative projects between criminal justice and mental health agencies. The funding improves criminal justice and mental health collaboration to improve responses and outcomes for people with behavioral health disorders who come into contact with the criminal justice system. The program supports people with behavioral health conditions, including intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and/or Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) who interact with the justice system.

11. Funding for Psychology Projects Addressing Social Problems!

There are grants to graduate students and early-career researchers affiliated with qualifying nonprofits, government agencies, and institutions for innovative psychology projects. The funding supports education, intervention, and research projects using psychology to address social problems. Priority consideration includes applying psychology to at-risk, vulnerable populations, e.g., those with serious mental illness, returning military, and people who are incarcerated or economically disadvantaged.

12. Grants for Programs to Improve Law Enforcement Mental Health Awareness!

Also, grants to local, state, and tribal governments for programs to improve the response of law enforcement officers when they come into contact with individuals with mental illness. The purpose of the program is to enhance collaboration between law enforcement and behavioral health services. The goal is to improve public safety and health outcomes for people with behavioral health conditions, intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, PTSD, and TBIs who interact with the criminal justice system.

13. Awards for Efforts to Improve the Lives of Individuals Who are Blind!

Awards to individuals and organizations to recognize their outstanding efforts to improve the lives of blind people. Awardees will be recognized for their positive impact on the lives of blind individuals through programs and services, along with their overall work to break down barriers and change perceptions of blind people.

14. Grants to Improve Lives, Strengthen Communities, and Advance Education!

There are grants to nonprofits and government agencies to improve lives, strengthen communities, and advance education for residents. The funding will be for programs, special projects, equipment, and facility improvements. Proposals will provide community activities that will include Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education in local schools, vocational and life skills training for individuals with disabilities, capital campaign support for social services, and programs to advocate on behalf of abused and neglected children, families in need, and the homeless.

15. Research Grants for Autism Treatment and Intervention Studies!

In addition, grants of up to $50,000 to researchers affiliated with qualified institutions for autism treatment and intervention studies. Priority consideration will be for studies that produce meaningful outcomes for the autism community. The studies will also address practical issues faced by those with autism.

Final Note

Hopefully, this list of disability grants will provide you with a funding opportunity that you can use to enhance the lives of the disabled within your community!

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