Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS): Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP): National Center for Accessible Education Videos; Assistance Listing Number: 84.327N

The U.S. Department of Education, through its Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, is offering a competitive grant opportunity under the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program to establish a National Center for Accessible Education Videos. This initiative is authorized under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and is intended to improve outcomes for children and youth with disabilities by increasing access to high-quality, accessible educational media. The program reflects a long-standing federal commitment to ensuring equitable access to instructional materials through technology, including captioning, audio description, and other accessibility features that support learners with hearing and vision impairments. The purpose of this specific competition is to fund a cooperative agreement that will create and operate a centralized National Center responsible for the acquisition, production, and distribution of accessible educational video content. The Center must support early childhood through K-12 educational settings and ensure that materials such as television programs, videos, and emerging media formats are accessible through captioning, audio description, and American Sign Language interpretation. A key function of the Center will be maintaining a free, online loan service platform that allows eligible users to access these materials on demand, thereby increasing both availability and utilization of accessible educational resources. Funding for this program is structured as a single award with a maximum of $2,600,000 for a 12-month budget period, with a project period of up to 60 months. The cooperative agreement mechanism indicates ongoing federal involvement, including oversight and collaboration. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, and indirect costs are permitted using an unrestricted rate. Administrative costs must remain reasonable and necessary under federal cost principles. The awarded entity may also issue subgrants to institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, or other public agencies to carry out project activities, provided these are consistent with federal regulations. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and inclusive, encompassing state educational agencies, local educational agencies including public charter schools, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations, and other public entities. Applicants must demonstrate nonprofit status where applicable and comply with federal nondiscrimination laws. The program explicitly encourages collaboration and capacity building among educators, families, and service providers who support children with disabilities. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov and includes multiple components such as a project narrative, budget narrative, abstract, and supporting documentation. Applicants must also register with SAM.gov and obtain a Unique Entity Identifier prior to submission. The application deadline is June 26, 2026, and applicants are encouraged to begin the registration and submission process early to avoid technical issues. The review process involves peer evaluation based on criteria including project significance, quality of design, evaluation methods, adequacy of resources, and management plan. Applications must clearly address how the proposed Center will meet required outcomes, such as increasing the availability and use of accessible media, enhancing educator and family capacity, and leveraging artificial intelligence responsibly to improve production and dissemination processes. The project must also include a robust evaluation plan and demonstrate strategies for national dissemination. Additional requirements include engaging doctoral or postdoctoral participants, maintaining a public-facing project website, and ensuring continuity of services at the conclusion of the grant period. The timeline for the opportunity includes an application opening date of April 27, 2026, and a closing deadline of June 26, 2026. Intergovernmental review deadlines extend to August 25, 2026. While the notice does not explicitly state recurrence, this program is part of an ongoing federal initiative that may be recompeted periodically. Applicants can direct questions to the program officer, Eric Caruso, via email or phone, and accessible formats of the application materials are available upon request.

Align proposal tightly to absolute priority demonstrate measurable outcomes include strong evaluation plan and show capacity to deliver national scale services