Amendment - Grants for Adaptive Sports Programs for Disabled Veterans and Disabled Members of the Armed Forces

The VA Adaptive Sports Grant Program is administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs through the National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events office. This program is designed to enhance the quality of life, independence, and overall well-being of veterans and members of the Armed Forces with disabilities by supporting adaptive sports initiatives. The funding opportunity reflects federal priorities to expand access to rehabilitative and recreational programming that promotes physical and mental health outcomes for disabled veterans. The primary purpose of the program is to provide funding to qualified non-federal entities that have demonstrated experience in managing large-scale adaptive sports programs. These organizations are expected to plan, develop, manage, and implement adaptive sports activities such as cycling, fishing, and other recreational or competitive opportunities. The program prioritizes initiatives that expand geographic access to adaptive sports, provide diverse activities aligned with participant interests, and include training components for providers to improve program delivery. The total funding available under this opportunity is $16,000,000, with the expectation of funding approximately 100 awards. Individual organizations may receive up to $750,000 for a one-year performance period, contingent on funding availability and grantee performance. Funding must be used strictly for programmatic purposes, with no more than 5 percent allocated to administrative expenses. Certain costs are explicitly prohibited, including research activities, medical services reimbursement, construction, and expenses incurred prior to the grant period. Equipment purchases to improve accessibility are allowed within defined guidelines. Eligibility is limited to non-federal entities that can demonstrate at least two continuous years of experience delivering adaptive sports programs to individuals with disabilities similar to those served by the VA. Applicants must show that key personnel have relevant expertise and that the organization has managed programs of sufficient scale, defined as serving at least 50 participants or operating across multiple congressional districts. Partnerships are permitted but must be documented and demonstrate combined capacity to deliver all proposed activities. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov and includes multiple required components depending on whether the applicant is new or seeking renewal funding. Required documents include VA Form 10096, the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, and additional materials such as narratives, budget details, and partnership documentation for new applicants. Applicants must also complete a vendor registration form through the VA Customer Engagement Portal and maintain active registrations with SAM.gov, including a Unique Entity Identifier and EIN. Applications are evaluated through a structured three-phase review process consisting of administrative, merit, and programmatic reviews. Initial applications are scored based on program design, management capability, collaboration, financial planning, and cost reasonableness. Renewal applications inherit prior scores. Final funding decisions consider alignment with program priorities, distribution of services across disability types, and past performance. Awards are expected to be announced by September 30, with project performance beginning around that date. The application deadline is June 19, 2026 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time, and late submissions are not accepted. Applicants are encouraged to submit early to avoid technical issues. Questions may be directed to the program office via email at Grants4Vets@va.gov. The program is expected to recur annually, contingent on congressional appropriations, making it a consistent funding opportunity for organizations serving disabled veterans through adaptive sports programming.

Align proposal closely with stated funding priorities; provide clear deliverables and detailed budget justification; demonstrate strong past performance and partnerships; ensure administrative costs remain under 5 percent