Grants for Adaptive Sports Programs for Disabled Veterans and Disabled Members of the Armed Forces (Adaptive Sports Grants)

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), through its National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events (NVSPSE) office, has announced the availability of funding for the Fiscal Year 2025 VA Adaptive Sports Grant Program. This program provides grants to eligible organizations for planning, developing, managing, and implementing adaptive sports programs for disabled Veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces. The total amount of funding available for this grant program is $16,000,000, subject to the availability of federal funds. Individual grant awards are capped at $750,000 for a 12-month grant period, and administrative costs may not exceed 5% of the total grant amount. Funding for equine therapy targeting mental health must be applied for under a separate opportunity (VA-EQUINE-25) and will not be considered under this announcement. The purpose of this program is to support opportunities for Veterans and members of the Armed Forces with disabilities to participate in adaptive sports activities. These include activities such as introductory sport clinics, camps, regularly scheduled practices, lessons, and tournaments, as well as training and technical assistance for coaches and administrators. The primary objectives are to enhance the independence, well-being, and quality of life of disabled Veterans and service members by providing greater access to adaptive sports and therapeutic arts programs. Funding priorities include addressing underserved activities or geographic regions, providing in-person or web-based training that maximizes effectiveness and minimizes travel, involving VA subject matter experts in curriculum development, and increasing athlete and provider certification and classification opportunities. Eligible applicants must be non-federal entities with significant experience managing a large-scale adaptive sports program for persons with disabilities similar to those experienced by Veterans or service members. The definition of significant experience requires that all key personnel named in the application have at least two years of experience directly implementing adaptive sports activities for the relevant population. Large-scale programs are defined as those of National Paralympic Committees (NPCs), National Governing Bodies (NGBs), or programs serving at least 50 persons with disabilities or participants residing in at least five different congressional districts. Applicants must comply with federal regulations, be registered in SAM.gov, and have no outstanding federal debt or debarment issues. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 2, 2025. Required application materials include the Adaptive Sport Grant Application (VA Form 10096), a detailed narrative, a completed SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, a VA-FSC Vendor File Request Form (VA Form 10091), budget details, and, where applicable, letters of partnership or support. All required documents must be included in the application package; incomplete applications or those received after the deadline will not be considered. Questions regarding the opportunity must be submitted at least 10 business days before the deadline to grants4vets@va.gov. Applicants are encouraged to review the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and utilize the resources and FAQs provided on the VA’s dedicated grant program website. The application review process consists of three phases: administrative, merit, and programmatic review. During the administrative review, the VA will check for completeness and compliance with all requirements. Eligible applications will proceed to the merit review, where scoring is based on program outcomes, reasonableness of cost, compliance, management capacity, partnerships, financial capability, and relevance to program goals. The programmatic review will consider the merit review score and other factors such as the applicant’s existing agreements with the VA and the relevance of the application to geographic and programmatic funding priorities. Risk assessment and monitoring will be ongoing requirements for award recipients, including quarterly and annual reporting, site visits, and adherence to all federal grant regulations. Notification of awards is expected by September 30, 2025, with the grant period running from September 30, 2025, to September 30, 2026. Awarded funds will be distributed on a reimbursement basis through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Payment Management System. All grantees must participate in a joint outreach campaign with the VA and maintain data privacy and financial management standards in line with federal requirements. For further information or assistance, applicants can contact the Veterans Health Administration, Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events, at 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420, or email grants4vets@va.gov. Additional application resources are available at https://department.va.gov/veteran-sports/grant-program/:contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.

Submit questions to grants4vets@va.gov at least 10 business days before the deadline; submit all documents as PDFs; use the application checklist provided in the NOFO; applications must be complete and submitted via Grants.gov