Innovative guided rehabilitation employer engagement training (IGREET) 2.0

The University of Massachusetts Boston received a $711,104 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) under the Innovative Rehabilitation Training program (CFDA 84.263), effective October 1, 2025, with completion targeted for September 30, 2026. This award supports the Innovative Guided Rehabilitation Employer Engagement Training (IGREET) 2.0 initiative, which develops and demonstrates new training methodologies for vocational rehabilitation professionals and paraprofessionals. The project is designed to enhance the effectiveness of rehabilitation service delivery to individuals with disabilities by creating innovative training curricula that reflect 21st-century labor market dynamics and evolving workforce needs.

Under this award, IGREET 2.0 will advance training approaches that strengthen the capacity of state rehabilitation agencies and nonprofit service organizations to serve individuals with disabilities. The project addresses the program's statutory objectives to develop new and improved methods of training rehabilitation personnel, with particular emphasis on employer engagement strategies that bridge vocational rehabilitation services and labor market opportunities. As part of the broader Innovative Rehabilitation Training portfolio, which distributed $30.5 million across 25 awards in recent funding rounds, this grant reflects the Department of Education's commitment to advancing workforce development and vocational rehabilitation service innovation.