Directed Grants and Awards

The Department of Education awards directed grants and targeted funding to specified institutions under CFDA 84.417, with awards structured according to language in annual appropriations or authorization bills rather than through open competition. This program provides annual funding to designated beneficiaries including the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), American Printing House for the Blind (APHB), Gallaudet University, Howard University, and other specified institutions and organizations, with each award's objectives, procedures, audit requirements, records management, and allowable uses determined by the appropriations or authorization authority that establishes it. Grant terms run for one year unless otherwise specified in award documents.

Because directed grants operate under statutory or appropriations language rather than competitive solicitation, no open grant opportunities exist in the traditional sense. Award procedures, eligibility, documentation requirements, and use restrictions vary by grant and are communicated through individual award documents rather than through Notice of Funding Opportunity announcements. Similarly, audit and records requirements are embedded in each award's terms rather than standardized across the program.

The program reaches institutions with specific statutory relationships to the federal government—NTID and Gallaudet University serve deaf and hard-of-hearing populations; APHB serves blind and low-vision populations; Howard University is a historically Black university; and additional named or eligible organizations receive funding as specified in appropriations language each fiscal year. The absence of competitive application processes means that pursuit strategy focuses on identifying whether your organization falls within the current-year appropriations language as a named or eligible beneficiary, and then securing the award documents that detail funding amounts and restrictions for your institution.

No recent grant awards or open opportunities are reported in the source material provided. To determine current funding status and award amounts, consult the Department of Education's award notification processes and the current fiscal-year appropriations bills and authorization language that govern this program.