Best Grants for Special Education

The Carls Foundation Grant focuses on enhancing children's welfare in Michigan and preserving natural areas. It supports non-profit organizations that are innovative and effective in their missions. Grant types include capital grants and seed money for multi-year projects. Eligible applicants must have 501(c)(3) status. The foundation prioritizes health care programs, recreational opportunities for disadvantaged children, and environmental education, while excluding funding for individuals, endowments, or special events.

Maryland Special Education Family Engagement Grant SFY 2027

Purpose

This grant opportunity is designed to equip families, educators, and Local Family Support Specialists (LFSS) with shared training, aligned tools, and coordinated support structures that promote positive student outcomes. The initiative emphasizes a joint approach – parent and educators learning together – to build trust, reduce disputes, and ensure that young learners with disabilities are supported through cohesive, research-based strategies.

This grant opportunity focuses on the following key areas:

• developing and delivering research-based training that strengthens communication and collaborative problem-solving between families and IEP team, reducing the need for formal dispute resolution;
• implementing a consistent, evidence-based behavioral support model that is aligned across home and school to reduce instances of exclusionary discipline for students with disabilities in Pre-K through Grade 2;
• building sustainable local capacity by coordinating with LEAs, supporting LFSS roles, and ensuring long-term integration of effective practices into school systems;
• creating accessible resources, training materials, and tools that can be used statewide by families, teachers, administrators, and service providers to improve outcomes for students with disabilities; and
• supporting activities that promote leadership development, implementation fidelity, and statewide dissemination of effective practices.

Grant funds support coordinated training, evidence-based behavioral support, and conflict-prevention practices that help families, educators, and Local Family Support Specialists use shared tools and aligned support structures.

The Philip L. Graham Fund Grant focuses on enhancing the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area through substantial annual grants to 501(c)(3) public charities. It supports diverse initiatives in health, education, arts, and community development, prioritizing innovative, one-time projects. Eligible organizations must serve local residents and align with the Fund's giving priorities. Notably, the Fund awarded $4.1 million in 2017 to 138 organizations, with a strong emphasis on health and education, reflecting its commitment to community enrichment.

The Reser Family Foundation's Midsize Grant Program supports organizations in Oregon with annual budgets over $1.2 million. Grants range from $12,500 to $50,000 and prioritize innovative projects in Education, Health, Arts, and Environment. Eligible applicants must be established 501(c)(3) organizations for over three years and demonstrate community impact. Applications require a letter of support and collaboration with funding partners. The foundation does not fund organizations involved in active litigation or one-time events.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) 

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) administers federal and state grant awards to its subgrantees to carry out a program. Such entities include primarily school systems (referred to as local educational agencies [LEAs] in statutes), including independent school districts and charter schools; education service centers (ESCs); and, to a lesser degree, institutions of higher education (IHEs), nonprofit organizations (NPOs), and other statutorily allowable organizations. 

Special Education Capacity: Educator Reimbursement Certification Program (ERCP) 

This grant focuses on students receiving special education services in small and rural school systems as defined by the grantee and approved by the agency.

Activities to support small and rural school systems may include:

• Programs and services to support recruitment and retention of special education evaluation certifications (e.g. school psychologists, diagnosticians, and speech and language pathologists) in small and rural schools.
• Other technical assistance and collaboration on agency priorities

The Fichtenbaum Charitable Trust, established in 2017, supports Texas charitable organizations in areas such as medical research for serious conditions, education for children with disabilities, and promoting fine arts. Grants typically range from $10,000 to $100,000, with an average of $35,000. The Trust prioritizes unique and necessary proposals that meet local community needs and do not duplicate existing services, particularly focusing on projects in Dallas County and surrounding areas.

This initiative is designed to provide programs, resources, and an overall strategy for fostering authentic collaboration among schools, families, and communities in Texas around topics in special education. By establishing strong internal processes with strategic and timely cross-communications, we will increase knowledge and understanding of special education services while improving buy-in and support from all stakeholders.

The Special Populations Diagnostic - Content Support Grant, funded by the Texas Education Agency, aims to enhance diagnostic tools for Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to evaluate and improve their special education systems. By developing resources like rubrics and interview templates, the project seeks to empower LEA leaders to identify areas needing support, ultimately leading to better outcomes for students with disabilities.

The 2025-2026 ESC IDEA-B Sensory Impairments program, administered by the Texas Education Agency, aims to enhance support for local educational agencies. It focuses on improving educational outcomes for students with visual impairments, including those who are blind or deafblind. The program provides essential technical assistance and training for educators, as well as funding for certified interpreters, ensuring effective communication and access to resources for teachers at the Texas School for the Deaf.

The 2025-2026 ESC Statewide Services for Students with Visual Impairments (SSVI) program, overseen by the Texas Education Agency, aims to provide essential services and support to school systems for students with visual impairments. This initiative focuses on enhancing the skills of teachers of visually impaired students, ensuring better educational outcomes. With a total funding of $5,539,891, the program is crucial for retaining qualified teachers in the field and improving the educational experiences of affected students.

Program Description

The purpose of this grant program is to provide targeted capacity support to increase the number of School Psychologists across the state of Texas. By investing in the academic infrastructure of School Psychologist programs, this initiative aims to expand program capacity, maintain instructional quality, and accelerate the pipeline of qualified School Psychologists entering the workforce in Texas. This effort directly addresses the statewide shortage of licensed School Psychologists and supports the long-term goal of improving access to essential evaluations and services for students with disabilities.

The Truancy Reduction Service Grant, offered by the District of Columbia Department of Human Services, focuses on providing essential services to combat truancy among youth aged 10-17 in selected schools. This initiative, aimed at enhancing mental health, mentorship, and family support, emphasizes the importance of culturally competent strategies and outreach. Applicants must demonstrate experience with at-risk youth and ensure services are accessible in Spanish, targeting diverse populations, including those facing housing instability and special needs.

Texas Education Agency

The Texas Education Agency is the state agency that oversees primary and secondary public education. It is headed by the commissioner of education. The Texas Education Agency improves outcomes for all public school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) administers federal and state grant awards to its subgrantees to carry out a program. Such entities include primarily school systems (referred to as local educational agencies [LEAs] in statutes), including independent school districts and charter schools; education service centers (ESCs); and, to a lesser degree, institutions of higher education (IHEs), nonprofit organizations (NPOs), and other statutorily allowable organizations.

Innovative Services for Students with Autism, Cycle 3, Year 1

Program Description

This initiative will provide funding for Texas school systems to implement innovative services that improve functional and/or academic outcomes for students with autism. The project will result in effective, scalable models that can be replicated in other areas of the state.

The 2025-2026 Discipline and Behavior Supports Grant, overseen by the Texas Education Agency, aims to enhance educational practices for students with disabilities. This program focuses on developing technical assistance and professional development resources, addressing behavioral interventions and alternatives to exclusionary discipline. It intends to support educators in effectively managing challenging behaviors and improving outcomes for students. By fostering collaboration among stakeholders, the grant seeks to ensure that all voices are heard in the educational process.

Virginia Board for People with Disabilities

The Virginia Board for People with Disabilities (the Board) is the Commonwealth’s Developmental Disabilities (DD) Council. The Board’s mission is to advance opportunities for independence, personal decision-making and full participation in community life for individuals with developmental and other disabilities. The Board’s grant and contractual investments are designed to advance its mission and support the tenets of full inclusion by working with organizations at the local, state, and national levels to achieve our goals. 

Creating Inclusive Communities: Pre-ETS

Through this RFP, the Board seeks to support local, regional, or statewide efforts that further the recommendations in the Board’s FFY 2025 assessment of access to pre-employment transition services through the special education transition process. Projects should be designed to achieve capacity building and/or systems change. Projects should also be culturally and linguistically competent. The Board encourages innovative proposals, based on promising or best practices.

Projects That Will be Considered for Funding

Applications must address the below target area. View the Board’s State Plan for more information about target areas. The Board is asking applicants to develop a grant project that meets the specified State Plan activity, using your expertise and creativity that will achieve the Board’s desired outcomes.

Target Area: Employment – Barrier Reduction

• State Plan Activity: To support the implementation of community-based initiatives that further the recommendations in the Board’s FFY 2025 assessment of access to pre-employment transition services through the special education transition process.

• State Plan Objective: By October 2026, the Board will support culturally and linguistically competent initiatives that reduce barriers to Virginians with developmental disabilities obtaining competitive, integrated employment.

• State Plan Goal: By October 2026, more Virginians with developmental disabilities, reflecting the state’s geographic and cultural diversity, will have (1) increased ability to participate and learn in an inclusive school environment; and (2) increased ability to prepare for, and obtain, competitive, integrated employment and other career goals and opportunities.

The selected grantee is required to contribute a minimum match (cash or in-kind) of 25 percent of total project costs (grant funds + match). Federal funds cannot be used as match. Please see the Grants Manual for information on match requirements. In light of the Board’s limited funds availability, applicants are strongly encouraged to use indirect costs towards the minimum match requirement. 

Texas Education Agency (TEA)

The Texas Education Agency is the state agency that oversees primary and secondary public education. It is headed by the commissioner of education. The Texas Education Agency improves outcomes for all public school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

Special Education Family Engagement and Outreach

This initiative is designed to provide programs, resources, and an overall strategy for fostering authentic collaboration among schools, families, and communities in Texas around topics in special education. By establishing strong internal processes with strategic and timely cross-communications, we will increase knowledge and understanding of special education services while improving buy-in and support from all stakeholders. 

Texas Education Agency

The Texas Education Agency is the state agency that oversees primary and secondary public education. It is headed by the commissioner of education. The Texas Education Agency improves outcomes for all public school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

The Division of Governance Interventions supports TEA’s mission and vision by providing exceptional leadership, guidance, and support to school system leadership teams and governing boards. The division collaborates with external field support agents appointed by the TEA Commissioner of Education to build sustainable systems aligned to core TEA initiatives, so that the school system thrives after the release of agency intervention. 

ESC Behavior Position Pilot

Program Description

This program is being created to provide technical assistance to school systems, campuses, and teachers that have special education students experiencing behavioral difficulties that result in dangerous or unsafe learning environments for that student or others. The goal of this program is to ensure that infrastructure is in place to support the students before, during, and after they experience behavioral difficulties as well as provide support for the school system, teachers, and students who may be impacted by the behavior. The program is being established in response to TEC §29.010 (a-1) that states “…the agency may require a school district to obtain specialized technical assistance for a documented noncompliance issue or if data indicates that technical assistance is needed, such as an incident involving injury to staff or students by a student receiving special education services or data indicating an excessive number of restraints are used on students receiving special education services.”

Texas Education Agency

The Texas Education Agency is the state agency that oversees primary and secondary public education. It is headed by the commissioner of education. The Texas Education Agency improves outcomes for all public school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

The Division of Governance Interventions supports TEA’s mission and vision by providing exceptional leadership, guidance, and support to school system leadership teams and governing boards. The division collaborates with external field support agents appointed by the TEA Commissioner of Education to build sustainable systems aligned to core TEA initiatives, so that the school system thrives after the release of agency intervention. 

Legal Framework

Program Description

The purpose of the 2026–2027 Legal Framework grant is to support statewide access to high quality technical assistance and training related to the legal framework of special education through the provision and maintenance of an updated, web based platform. The platform is designed to assist stakeholders—including school systems, advocates, and parents—in understanding and applying state and federal special education laws and regulations.

The program promotes consistent interpretation and implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and related state requirements by providing comprehensive, accessible resources that explain the rights of students with disabilities and the obligations of school systems to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). 

Program goals include increasing educator and administrator knowledge of applicable legal requirements, strengthening local implementation practices, and providing timely, accurate, and reliable guidance to support effective special education decision making statewide.