Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials CFDA 84.327T | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the name of this grant opportunity?

This opportunity is under the Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities program (CFDA 84.327T), offered by the U.S. Department of Education.

2) What is the main purpose of this grant?

The grant is intended to improve educational outcomes for children with disabilities by strengthening the use of technology and accessible instructional resources in everyday classroom settings.

3) What specific project is being funded in this competition?

This competition funds a National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials, meaning the award is intended to support a single national-level project focused on helping schools and educators provide learning materials in usable, accessible formats for students with disabilities.

4) How many awards did the Department anticipate making?

The Department anticipated making one award.

5) What is the estimated total funding amount for this competition?

The estimated total funding amount was $1,000,000.

6) What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount?

The maximum (ceiling) award was $1,000,000.

7) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, and applicants were not required to commit non-federal funds as a condition of receiving the grant.

8) When was the opportunity posted and when were applications made available?

The opportunity was posted on June 3, 2009, and applications were made available the same day.

9) What was the application deadline?

The deadline to submit applications was July 6, 2009.

10) Is this a competitive grant?

Yes. It is a discretionary grant, which means the award is competitive and subject to the requirements and selection criteria described in the official Federal Register notice.

11) What are the broad goals of the program behind this competition?

The program is rooted in three broad goals: (1) promoting the development, demonstration, and use of educational technology for children with disabilities; (2) supporting educational media services that have clear classroom value for these students; and (3) strengthening access features such as captioning and video description for instructional materials used in classrooms.

12) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility includes a wide range of entities, including: State educational agencies (SEAs); local educational agencies (LEAs), including public charter schools treated as LEAs under state law; institutions of higher education (public or private); other public agencies; private nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) organizations and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations; entities in outlying areas and freely associated states; and federally recognized Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations.

13) Are public charter schools eligible?

Yes. Public charter schools that are treated as LEAs under state law are included among eligible applicants.

14) Can for-profit organizations apply?

Yes. For-profit organizations are listed as eligible applicants.

15) Can nonprofit organizations without 501(c)(3) status apply?

Yes. The eligibility description includes certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status.

16) Are Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations eligible?

Yes. Federally recognized Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations are included among eligible applicants.

17) Are applicants in outlying areas or freely associated states eligible?

Yes. Entities in outlying areas and freely associated states are included among eligible applicants.

18) How were applications required to be submitted?

Applications were required to be submitted electronically through the Department of Education's e-Application system, accessible via the e-Grants website (http://e-grants.ed.gov).

19) Could an applicant submit by emailing an electronic copy of the application?

No. The notice emphasizes that applicants could not submit an application by emailing an electronic copy. Instead, information had to be entered and saved directly in the online system.

20) Where are the official requirements and selection criteria found?

The summary notes that it is only a synopsis and that applicants must rely on the official Federal Register notice for authoritative requirements, including application content and formatting, any pre-application steps, performance measures, priorities, and official contacts and procedures.

21) What kinds of classroom accessibility features does the opportunity mention?

The opportunity specifically references strengthening access features such as captioning and video description for instructional materials used in classrooms.

22) What is the intended scale or scope of the project?

The project is described as national in scope (a National Center), and the eligibility structure suggests the Department expected the applicant to have the capacity to operate at scale, coordinate across multiple stakeholder groups, and translate technical accessibility work into practical supports that schools can implement.

23) Who was listed as a contact for technical or access issues related to the full announcement?

The notice listed Julius Cotton (ED Grants.gov FIND Systems Administrator) as a contact for technical or access issues related to the full announcement.

24) Who was listed as a contact for program-related questions?

The notice listed Michael Slade at the U.S. Department of Education as the contact for program-related questions.

25) What is the overall intent of this specific competition?

Overall, this is best described as a one-time national award (for that fiscal year) intended to advance accessible instructional materials and related media supports (including captioning and video description), with the larger aim of making classroom instruction and educational content more usable and effective for students with disabilities.