Federal Grant Award Summary

Disability Rights Maine, designated as the state's Protection and Advocacy system, received a $195,895 formula grant from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) under the Program of Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR, CFDA 84.240) for the performance period of October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The award supports the organization's provision of comprehensive legal and advocacy services to protect the civil and legal rights of individuals with disabilities across Maine. Core service delivery includes legal representation, information and referral services, dispute resolution, and mediation to ensure eligible individuals have access to advocacy support without cost barriers.

Under this formula grant, Disability Rights Maine develops annual priority statements in consultation with public stakeholders, maintains established grievance procedures for clients and applicants, and utilizes alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to address rights violations before pursuing formal legal or administrative remedies. The organization is required to maintain detailed financial records and accounts pertaining to all grant expenditures and to ensure that federal funding supplements rather than supplants existing nonfederal resources dedicated to these protection and advocacy functions.