1,000+ Opportunities
Find the right grant
Search federal, foundation, and corporate grants with AI — or browse by agency, topic, and state.
Tennessee Believes Grant is sponsored by Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging. The Tennessee Believes Grant program supports the expansion of inclusive higher education opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the state of Tennessee.
Get alerted about grants like this
Save a search for “Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging” or related topics and get emailed when new opportunities appear.
Search similar grants →Extracted from the official opportunity page/RFP to help you evaluate fit faster.
DDA Accepting Applications for TN Believes Funding Lifelong Tennessee: A Multisector Plan for Aging Well Consumer Survey DDA Accepting Applications for TN Believes Funding More than $537,000 is available to colleges and universities to create higher education programs for students with intellectual disabilities Thursday, January 08, 2026 | 08:46am NASHVILLE - The Department of Disability and Aging (DDA) announced today that it has received funding to award Tennessee Believes grants to higher education institutions in 2026.
DDA officially launched the Tennessee Believes program in 2021, aiming to expand opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at colleges and universities across the state. Governor Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly provided $1 million in funding to DDA to continue the program in 2026.
While half of those funds will go to continue already awarded multi-year grants, approximately $537,000 is available to new awardees. Since its inception, the TN Believes grant has provided over $4 million in funding to ten Tennessee colleges and universities. Based on 2025 reporting, 195 students benefited from programs supported by TN Believes.
In addition, students completed 1,491 classes, 352 internships, and 61 students graduated from their respective programs during the 2025 fiscal year. “We are seeing more students with intellectual and developmental disabilities have opportunities to grow their skills and experience college life,” said DDA Commissioner Brad Turner.
“Tennessee Believes funding has helped start programs in both urban and rural parts of Tennessee, ensuring that access to inclusive post-secondary education is possible no matter where you live. ” The application period began on January 5, 2026, and grant applications are due to DDA for review by February 13, 2026. DDA expects to select recipients and award the funding by summer 2026.
About the Department of Disability and Aging The Department of Disability and Aging is the state agency responsible for the oversight of services and support to 1. 5 million older adults and Tennesseans with disabilities. The department is the result of a merger between the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disabilities, effective July 1, 2024.
Every day, the department strives to support people to live rewarding and fulfilling lives through Medicaid waiver Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), and a wide range of services and supports for older adults and adults with disabilities.
DDA also provides services to infants and toddlers with disabilities or developmental delays through the Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS), and children under the age of 18 with disabilities or complex medical needs through the Katie Beckett Program.
The department supports people to live the lives they envision for themselves by ensuring people are free to exercise rights, engage with their broader communities and experience optimal health. DDA is the first state service delivery system in the nation to receive Person-Centered Excellence Accreditation from the Council on Quality and Leadership.
It has also been recognized as a national leader in its efforts to increase competitive, community-based employment outcomes for people with disabilities and its commitment to enhancing independence through Enabling Technology.
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Organizations and institutions in Tennessee working to expand inclusive higher education for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows approximately $500,000 available for new awards (part of $1 million annual funding). Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
Tennessee Believes Grant is funded by Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging. Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
This opportunity targets applicants in Tennessee. If your organization operates elsewhere, check the official notice for location requirements.
Applications go through the funder's official portal — the Apply Now link on this page goes there directly.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (ED/IES) is sponsored by U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES). This program provides funding for small businesses to conduct research and development of innovative education technology products. It emphasizes rigorous research and the potential for commercialization to bring products to schools. Projects can leverage AI functionalities, interactive learning, and assistive technologies for students and educators. The program has an annual allocation of $10 million for new ed-tech products.
Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program (Stepping-up Technology Implementation competition) is sponsored by U.S. Department of Education. This program aims to improve results for students with disabilities by promoting the development, demonstration, and use of technology; supporting educational activities of value in the classroom for students with disabilities; providing captioning and video description; and ens…
Tennessee's $206.9M RHTP allocation begins distribution with a 30-day virtual maternal/child mental health consultation grant. The state plans a new opportunity every Friday — the cadence and structure here are the blueprint for how the $50B nationwide program rolls out.
Read articleSeven research teams will run the first clinical trials aimed at extending human healthspan under ARPA-H PROSPR contracts worth up to $144M. The milestone-based contract model breaks every convention of federal biomedical funding.
Read articleARPA-H PROSPR program funds seven research teams up to $144M to develop the first clinical trials targeting biological aging itself, testing rapamycin analogs, semaglutide, and retrotransposon inhibitors.
Read article