The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) has announced a funding opportunity for the Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind Training and Technical Assistance Program. This program aims to provide training and technical assistance to designated state agencies (DSAs) that provide vocational rehabilitation services to individuals who are blind. The program will also support other service providers that receive funding under the Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind (OIB) Program. The primary goal is to enhance the operational performance of OIB-funded programs and services, ensuring that older individuals who are blind achieve greater independence and self-sufficiency.

The Department will award a cooperative agreement to establish an OIB Training and Technical Assistance Center. This center will be responsible for providing various levels of training and support, including intensive, targeted, and universal training. The selected entity will be required to develop and disseminate materials on community outreach, promising practices, program performance, and financial and management best practices. Additionally, the center must maintain online platforms for training distribution and archiving, conduct outreach to DSAs, establish a professional community for collaboration, and hold an annual conference to disseminate findings and best practices.

The funding available for this opportunity is $599,706 for a single budget period of 12 months. The project period can extend for up to 60 months. No cost-sharing or matching funds are required. Eligible applicants include state agencies, public or nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher education that have demonstrated capacity to provide training and technical assistance in the field of independent living services for older individuals who are blind.

Applications will be available starting March 17, 2025, and must be submitted by the deadline for intergovernmental review on May 14, 2025. Applications must be submitted through the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs. Evaluation of applications will consider the significance, project design, quality of services, evaluation plan, resources, personnel qualifications, and management plan.

Interested applicants are encouraged to submit a notice of intent to apply, though it is not required. The awarded grantee will be required to submit annual performance reports demonstrating program effectiveness based on key performance indicators. The program contact for further inquiries is Mary Williams, who can be reached at (202) 245-6263 or mary.williams@ed.gov.