FY2026 (PAVA) hava protection & advocacy: voting access

The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living awarded $188,180 to Oficina De Proteccion Y Defensa De Personas Con Impedimentos De PR on October 1, 2025, under the Voting Access for Individuals with Disabilities—Grants for Protection and Advocacy Systems program (CFDA 93.618), a formula grant.

The recipient provides education, training, and assistance to individuals with disabilities to promote their participation in the electoral process in Puerto Rico. Deliverables include legal advocacy and complaint representation under HAVA's state-based administrative grievance procedures; training and education of election officials, poll workers, and election volunteers regarding the rights of voters with disabilities and best practices for serving them; assistance to governmental entities regarding polling place physical accessibility; and technical assistance on accessible voting equipment and systems. The organization also participates in HAVA implementation advocacy and education efforts in Puerto Rico.

The award covers a five-year period of performance from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2030. Place of performance is Puerto Rico. The organization operates as Puerto Rico's designated Protection and Advocacy system for individuals with disabilities and receives consistent federal funding across multiple programs addressing mental illness, developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injury, and assistive technology in addition to voting access.