The Rehabilitation Long-Term Training (RLTT) Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). This discretionary grant opportunity supports academic training to address personnel shortages in vocational rehabilitation. The program specifically funds training for individuals who wish to become qualified rehabilitation professionals in high-need areas, such as counseling, technology, and support services for individuals with disabilities. RLTT grants are designed to enhance the expertise of the rehabilitation workforce through scholarships for graduate and undergraduate education.
The RLTT Program offers financial support for academic training in specific fields where there are personnel shortages as identified by the Secretary of Education. Grantees are required to use at least 65 percent of awarded project funds to provide scholarships to students enrolled in the supported academic programs. Scholarships can cover tuition, fees, stipends, books, and travel related to training assignments. This requirement ensures that the majority of funding directly supports individuals seeking to enter or advance within the rehabilitation services field.
The 2025 funding cycle offers an estimated $15,000,000 in total funding and supports projects for up to 60 months. Award amounts vary by training topic area, with ceilings ranging from $150,000 to $200,000 annually depending on the specific focus. The RLTT Program includes both absolute and invitational priorities. Absolute Priority 1 focuses on training current state vocational rehabilitation (VR) personnel through a Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD), while Absolute Priority 2 supports academic training in six rehabilitation topic areas, including rehabilitation counseling, technology, services for individuals who are blind or hard of hearing, and more.
Eligible applicants for this grant opportunity include states, public or private nonprofit agencies and organizations, Indian Tribes, and institutions of higher education. The competition places strong emphasis on collaboration with state VR agencies and the integration of emerging technologies in academic training. Evaluation criteria include alignment with VR service goals, curriculum quality, design and management of the project, adequacy of resources, and the quality of the evaluation plan.
Applications open on June 20, 2025, and must be submitted by July 17, 2025. The intergovernmental review deadline is September 15, 2025. Application packages and pre-application materials are available online, and applicants may direct inquiries to Diandrea Bailey at 84.129@ed.gov or by phone at (202) 245-6244. Projects must also meet a cost-sharing requirement of at least 10 percent of the total project cost, and grantees may not issue subgrants but may contract for necessary services and materials.
Applicants are encouraged to propose innovative training models, such as hybrid or competency-based education programs. The RLTT Program is recurring, and performance measures will track key outcomes such as scholar graduation and employment in state VR agencies. This program plays a critical role in strengthening the VR workforce and ensuring that professionals are equipped to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities across the country.
Applicants should prioritize innovative training approaches, including hybrid learning and technology-enhanced instruction.
