Expansion of Transportation Grant

The Expansion of Transportation grant opportunity is offered by the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council (ODDC), a state-level body dedicated to improving independence, inclusion, and quality of life for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. The Council operates under federal authority and aligns its funding priorities with the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act. Its mission emphasizes systemic change, capacity building, and the removal of barriers that prevent full participation in community life. This particular funding opportunity reflects the Council’s broader commitment to addressing critical service gaps identified through statewide research and stakeholder engagement. The primary purpose of this grant is to increase and improve transportation options for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), particularly addressing longstanding challenges such as limited service availability, inflexible scheduling, and lack of accessibility across diverse disability needs. Research conducted by the Council has identified transportation as one of the most significant barriers to independent living, employment, and community participation. The grant seeks to fund projects that develop innovative, scalable, and sustainable transportation solutions, especially those that can be replicated across regions or address rural service gaps. Projects are expected to contribute to systemic improvements rather than isolated services. Funding for this opportunity will support two separate projects, each receiving up to $50,000 per year over a five-year period. Applicants are explicitly instructed not to request more than $50,000 annually. The funding is intended to support activities such as outreach, training, research, technical assistance, interagency collaboration, and demonstration of new transportation approaches. Projects must emphasize capacity building and systemic change, rather than direct service provision alone. Continued funding across the five-year period is contingent upon the availability of funds and satisfactory project performance. A matching requirement applies to this grant, with applicants generally required to contribute 25 percent of total project costs. However, if the project exclusively serves federally designated poverty counties, the match requirement may be reduced to 10 percent. Matching contributions may include both cash and in-kind resources, provided they meet federal cost principles and are properly documented. All expenditures, including both federal and matching funds, must comply with Uniform Administrative Requirements under 2 CFR Part 200 and must be justified in a detailed budget narrative submitted with the application. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad, as there are no restrictions on the type of entity that may apply. This includes nonprofits, for-profit organizations, government entities, educational institutions, and individuals applying through an affiliated organization. However, applicants must meet several administrative requirements, including registration in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), obtaining a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), and securing a State of Ohio Supplier ID. These requirements must be completed prior to award issuance and maintained throughout the life of the grant. The application process requires submission through the DD Suite platform and includes several mandatory components. Applicants must provide a detailed budget justification, three letters of recommendation, a resume of the project director, organizational governance information where applicable, and multiple compliance forms such as assurances and federal transparency certifications. Applications must also include a structured work plan with defined objectives, activities, and performance measures aligned with the Council’s state plan. Failure to include any required documentation will result in disqualification from consideration. The application timeline for this funding opportunity begins with the posting date of May 1, 2026, and concludes with a submission deadline of July 10, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. The project period is scheduled to run from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027 for the first year, with continuation applications required annually for multi-year funding. Questions regarding the application must be directed to Council staff before a specified cutoff date, after which general inquiry lines are provided. Applications will be evaluated through a competitive review process based on criteria including project design, organizational capacity, outreach strategy, and alignment with Council priorities.

Ensure all required attachments are included as missing documents result in disqualification; clearly justify all budget items with detailed calculations; align project activities with state plan performance measures; demonstrate scalability and systemic impact