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

The VA Adaptive Sports Grant Program is administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs through the National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events (NVSPSE) Office. This federally funded initiative aims to provide adaptive sports opportunities to disabled Veterans and members of the Armed Forces. The program is authorized under 38 U.S.C. § 521A and implemented through 38 C.F.R. § 77. For fiscal year 2025, the VA anticipates allocating up to $16,000,000 in grants to eligible organizations. These funds will be used to plan, develop, manage, and implement adaptive sports activities that promote health, independence, and quality of life among participants. The program prioritizes support for underserved adaptive sports activities, particularly in regions where such opportunities are limited. It also encourages initiatives that offer in-person or web-based training for providers, include VA subject matter experts in curriculum development, and expand the availability of athlete classification and classifier certification opportunities. However, the program explicitly excludes equine therapy projects aimed at mental health services, which must instead be submitted under a separate funding opportunity. Eligible applicants must be non-federal entities with a minimum of two years of continuous experience managing large-scale adaptive sports programs for individuals with disabilities similar to those affecting Veterans. These organizations must demonstrate both significant experience and geographic or participant scale, such as reaching at least 50 individuals with disabilities or operating across at least five congressional districts. Applications must be complete, submitted through Grants.gov, and include key documents such as VA Forms 10096 and 10091, a narrative, budget details, and potentially letters of support or partnership. Applicants are evaluated through a three-phase process: administrative, merit, and programmatic review. Key merit criteria include program objectives, adaptive sports activities, partnerships, financial management, and compliance with the VA's goals. Renewal applicants are further assessed based on past performance metrics like adherence to reporting requirements and effectiveness of previous outreach activities. Only applications meeting strict criteria will move forward in the review process. All grant awards will be for a 12-month period from September 30, 2025, to September 30, 2026. The application submission deadline is July 2, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Amendments to applications post-deadline are allowed under specific restrictions. Final award announcements are expected by September 30, 2025, with notifications sent in October. The program is not offered on a rolling basis and does not recur annually on a fixed cycle. For questions, applicants may email Grants4Vets@va.gov by June 18, 2025, which is ten business days before the application deadline. Full details, required forms, and additional resources are available on the VA’s adaptive sports grant webpage and Grants.gov.

Submit all components through Grants.gov Ensure all forms are complete and follow formatting guidelines Distribute administrative costs appropriately Provide detailed budget justifications and cost-per-participant data