OSERS-OSEP: Personnel Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Personnel, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.325K
Can you apply?
This grant is for institutions of higher education and private nonprofits that prepare special education and early intervention personnel. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree, certification, master's degree, educational specialist degree, or clinical doctoral degree program in special education, early intervention, and related services.
Private nonprofits can partner with eligible IHEs if they lack their own programs, but must have legal authority to enter federal grants. Nonprofit status requires IRS 501(c)(3) recognition or equivalent state documentation.
The program aims to address state-identified personnel shortages and train professionals using evidence-based, scientifically-researched practices. Personnel will serve children with disabilities in natural environments, early learning programs, child care, and school settings.
This grant is for institutions of higher education and private nonprofits that prepare special education and early intervention personnel. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree, certification, master's degree, educational specialist degree, or clinical doctoral degree program in special education, early intervention, and related services.
Private nonprofits can partner with eligible IHEs if they lack their own programs, but must have legal authority to enter federal grants. Nonprofit status requires IRS 501(c)(3) recognition or equivalent state documentation.
The program aims to address state-identified personnel shortages and train professionals using evidence-based, scientifically-researched practices. Personnel will serve children with disabilities in natural environments, early learning programs, child care, and school settings.
Program description
Program Description: The purposes of the Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program are to (1) help address State-identified shortages and needs for personnel preparation in special education and early intervention, including infants and toddlers, and youth with disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have the necessary skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined through scientifically based research, to be successful in serving those children.
The purpose of the Personnel Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Personnel (84.325K) competition is to prepare and increase the number of personnel who have the necessary qualifications to serve children with disabilities. Under this absolute priority, ED will fund grantees that use evidence-based strategies to prepare scholars in special education, early intervention, and related services at the bachelor’s degree, certification, master’s degree, educational specialist degree, or clinical doctoral degree levels to serve in a variety of settings, including natural environments (the home and community settings in which children with and without disabilities participate), early learning programs, child care, classrooms, and schools.
Assistance Listing Number (ALN): 84.325K.
Applicants are required to follow the 2025 Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025 (90 FR 42234) and available at ED 2025 Common Instructions.
Note: For new potential grantees unfamiliar with grantmaking at ED, please consult our “Getting Started with Discretionary Grant Applications” webpage.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
Details
This grant is for institutions of higher education and private nonprofits that prepare special education and early intervention personnel. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree, certification, master's degree, educational specialist degree, or clinical doctoral degree program in special education, early intervention, and related services.
Private nonprofits can partner with eligible IHEs if they lack their own programs, but must have legal authority to enter federal grants. Nonprofit status requires IRS 501(c)(3) recognition or equivalent state documentation.
The program aims to address state-identified personnel shortages and train professionals using evidence-based, scientifically-researched practices. Personnel will serve children with disabilities in natural environments, early learning programs, child care, and school settings.
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- ED 424 Application Form
- Project Narrative
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Proof of nonprofit status (for nonprofits)
- Evidence of state-identified personnel shortage
- Organizational capacity documentation
Program contact
- 👤 Holly Clark Management and Program Analyst
- 📧 sunyoung.ahn@ed.gov
- 📞 2022456408
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 84.325 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$21,249,996
-
$14,716,200
-
$9,398,923
-
$9,000,000
-
$6,426,659
-
$6,254,548
-
$6,068,863
-
$5,723,675
-
$5,400,000
-
$3,766,943
Top States by Funding
- FL 13 awards $57.8M
- TN 9 awards $22.5M
- CT 3 awards $21.4M
- CA 13 awards $20.2M
- VA 5 awards $18.0M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Institutions of higher education and private nonprofit organizations with degree programs in special education or early intervention. Nonprofits must have legal authority to enter federal grants, either directly or through an IHE partner.
What are the funding amounts?
Award amounts are typically up to $350,000, with a total program pool of $8.75 million. Specific amounts vary by project scope and reviewers' assessments.
What degree levels are supported?
Bachelor's, certification, master's, educational specialist, and clinical doctoral programs. All must focus on special education, early intervention, or related services personnel preparation.
What's the application deadline?
The deadline is fixed at July 2, 2026. Applicants must follow the 2025 ED Common Instructions for Discretionary Grants.
What activities can be funded?
Evidence-based personnel preparation programs serving children with disabilities. Projects must use scientifically-based practices and prepare professionals for diverse settings including homes, schools, and early learning programs.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize how your program addresses specific state-identified personnel shortages in special education or early intervention.
- Use the most current, peer-reviewed research to justify your evidence-based instructional strategies and curriculum.
- Clearly articulate how graduates will serve diverse settings, including natural environments and underserved populations.
- Follow the 2025 ED Common Instructions closely—ED grants require strict compliance with federal regulations and formatting.
- If you're a nonprofit, prepare documentation of nonprofit status early (IRS 501(c)(3) letter or state certification). Have it ready before submission.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail when they don't address state-identified personnel shortages or lack evidence of scientifically-based practices. Weak evaluation plans or unclear linkage between training activities and competencies for serving children with disabilities hurt competitiveness. Nonprofits lose applications by not properly documenting nonprofit status or legal authority to conduct federal grants.
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