Grants for Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

So many nonprofits, educational institutions, and others are doing critical work to help their communities. One community that is important to discuss is those that are living with a disability. March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. This month focuses on shedding light on the difficulties people with developmental disabilities face.

With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the United States officially recognized the importance of ensuring people with different capabilities had access to equal education, health, employment, and other aspects related to one’s quality of life. However, funding is very important to ensure these communities gain access to the resources they need to succeed in their lives.

For this reason, GrantWatch is sharing seven of the top disability grants available below in honor of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.

What Are Developmental Disabilities?

Overall, there are five types of developmental disabilities. These include autism spectrum disorder (ASD), cerebral palsy (CP), intellectual disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and learning disabilities. According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in six children, ages 3-17 years, have a developmental disability. These disabilities start from a young age and affect a child’s development, but their impact lasts a lifetime.

The organization Disability Justice notes that more than 6 million individuals in the nation have a developmental disability specifically, but there are more than 57 million people in the U.S. that have some kind of disability. This can include developmental disabilities, but it can also include other physical and mental disabilities such as blindness, hearing loss, speech issues, or other impairments.

Seven Grants to Help People with Disabilities

1. Firstly, there are grants of up to $20,000 to U.S. researchers to encourage diverse participation in autism research. Funding is for researchers to provide incentives for African American or Black individuals and their families to participate in autism research studies.
2. There are also grants of up to $10,000 to nonprofits to improve the lives of people with Down syndrome. Funding is to host educational programs for medical professionals, self-advocates, parents, and teachers.
3. A cooperative agreement is available to a U.S. public entity, private entity, faith-based organization, community organization, or tribe to provide technical assistance for workforce screening programs related to developmental disabilities.
4. Grants of up to $50,000 are available to nonprofits for initiatives to improve health care for individuals with developmental disabilities.
5. In addition, there is funding of up to $1,500 to U.S. nonprofit organizations for recreational programs for individuals with disabilities. Eligible expenses include registration fees, equipment, facilities, and housing. Priority will go to programs that serve low-income or economically disadvantaged individuals.
6. There are grants to U.S., Canada, and International investigators affiliated with qualified institutions for research on autism spectrum disorders. Funding is for original, clinically-relevant research projects that will advance the treatment, diagnosis, and foundational understanding of ASD.
7. Finally, there are grants to a U.S. nonprofit, small business, IHE, agency, or Indian tribal entity to advance research on disabilities and rehabilitation. Funding is to support the operations of a Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (KTDRR Center).

GrantNews Notes

Looking for more grants like this? GrantWatch has an entire grant category for disability-related grants. These grants go toward critical research, community programs, and outreach for those who need it most.

Also, make sure to give your organization the gift of GrantWatch! Signing up for a paid subscription will help you gain access to resources to aid in your grant journey. Specifically, one of the tools that subscribers have access to is our exact keyword search function. This tool allows grant seekers to narrow down a grant search.