Recreational Programs, CFDA 84.128J | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The Recreational Programs grant opportunity (CFDA 84.128J) is a discretionary grant competition run by the U.S. Department of Education under the Rehabilitation Services - Service Projects authority. Its central aim is to expand access to recreational activities and related experiences for individuals with disabilities, with the practical goal of improving outcomes that connect directly to everyday life and work. The program frames recreation not as an extra, but as a tool that can support employment readiness and employment outcomes, build mobility and functional skills, strengthen socialization, and promote independence and community integration. A key expectation is sustainability: projects funded through this program are intended to continue operating at the local level after federal funding ends, so applicants need to think beyond a short pilot and show how services will be maintained over time.

Program design and service delivery are tied to federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) requirements. Under 34 CFR 369.42(a), funded Recreational Programs must provide services in the same manner as services provided under a state VR plan (referenced at 34 CFR 361). Because state VR services are required to help individuals with disabilities achieve an employment outcome, recreational services supported by this grant must also be directed toward that same employment-oriented purpose. That includes serving adults with disabilities as well as youth with disabilities who are transitioning from school to work, meaning applicants should be prepared to describe how their recreation-based services will support broader vocational goals for both groups, not only general leisure programming.

Eligibility is broad and includes states, public agencies, and nonprofit private organizations. The opportunity listing also reflects a wide range of applicant types commonly captured on Grants.gov, such as state and local governments (including city/township and county governments), special district governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments, other tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education). In practice, applicants should rely on the official Federal Register notice for the definitive eligibility rules and any additional conditions or clarifications that apply.

The 2009 competition anticipated making about 7 awards and included a cost sharing or matching requirement, so applicants were expected to contribute non-federal resources consistent with the rules in the official notice. Key dates for the posted competition were: applications available February 23, 2009, with a deadline for transmittal of applications on April 24, 2009 (and an archive date of May 24, 2009). While those dates are specific to the archived posting, they illustrate the typical structure of the competition timeline and reinforce the importance of checking the Federal Register notice for the controlling deadlines and requirements for any current or future cycle.

Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov, using the downloadable application package and uploading the completed submission through the Grants.gov system. Applications could not be submitted by email. Applicants were instructed to locate the package by searching the CFDA number without the letter suffix, meaning search "84.128" rather than "84.128J." For technical issues with Grants.gov, the Helpdesk number listed was 1-800-518-4726. For access issues or program questions tied to the full announcement, the listing provided contacts including Julius Cotton (system administration/support) at (202) 245-6140 and julius.cotton@ed.gov, and Program Manager Ed Hofler at (202) 245-7377 at the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-2800.

Overall, this grant opportunity supports locally based recreational services for people with disabilities, but it does so within a vocational rehabilitation framework: recreation is funded to the extent it helps participants build skills, connections, and experiences that strengthen employability and successful transition to work, while also improving mobility, independence, social participation, and integration into community life. The official Federal Register application notice remains the authoritative source for the complete requirements, including application content, submission procedures, performance measures, priorities, and any pre-application steps.

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