The U.S. Department of Education, through the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), is inviting applications for the Fiscal Year 2025 grant competition under the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program. The specific focus of this funding opportunity is to support the establishment and operation of a National Center to Improve Faculty Capacity to Use Educational Technology in Special Education Personnel and Leadership Preparation Programs. This grant aims to address long-standing challenges faced by institutions of higher education (IHEs) in equipping faculty with the necessary competencies to integrate educational and assistive technologies into special education curricula.
The program’s purpose is aligned with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), aiming to promote effective use of educational technology—including assistive technology and emerging innovations like artificial intelligence—to enhance teaching and learning experiences for children with disabilities. Faculty at IHEs vary in technological proficiency, and many face institutional barriers such as lack of time, insufficient training, and limited professional development opportunities. This grant seeks to address these systemic challenges by improving faculty understanding and application of evidence-based technology tools in both in-person and distance learning environments.
Applicants are required to propose a comprehensive project design with clearly defined goals, measurable outcomes, and a logic model that outlines activities, expected outputs, and impacts. The center must provide tiered technical assistance (TA) that includes universal, targeted, and intensive formats. TA services should focus on helping faculty create and sustain professional learning networks, adopt effective frameworks for technology integration, and ensure faculty preparedness in emerging educational technologies. High-quality product development, stakeholder engagement, and dissemination of tools and resources through accessible platforms are required.
The Department will award a cooperative agreement with an estimated $700,000 available for a single award over a project period of up to 60 months. The competition does not require cost sharing or matching funds. Eligible applicants include state educational agencies, LEAs (including public charter schools), IHEs, other public agencies, nonprofits, tribal organizations, and for-profit entities. Applications must include a plan for independent evaluation by a third-party evaluator and demonstrate use of non-project resources where applicable.
Applications are due by July 25, 2025. The grant opportunity opened on June 25, 2025, with a deadline for intergovernmental review set for August 25, 2025. A pre-recorded technical assistance webinar will be posted by June 30, 2025, to guide applicants through the application process. Key contact for this grant is Tina Diamond, who can be reached at christina.diamond@ed.gov or (202) 245-6723. The grant will be awarded and managed in accordance with applicable federal civil rights laws and will be monitored annually for progress and proper expenditure of funds. The Department may use the FY 2025 application pool to make additional awards in FY 2026, contingent upon availability of funds and application quality.
Refer to technical assistance webinars by June 30 and ensure compliance with digital accessibility standards.
