Council Funding Available for Small Grants and Event Sponsorships

Do you or your group/organization have an idea for a project that would benefit people with developmental disabilities in your community? Do you need funding for an event or training? We welcome your proposal! See the Funding tab on our website for details about how to submit a proposal for a small grant or event/training sponsorship.

This year the Council has provided $44,000 in small grants and $15,500 for education and training events.

Our grants fund a wide variety of activities that further inclusion so that people with developmental disabilities can live, work, and meaningfully participate in community life alongside people with and without disabilities. Event sponsorships enable organizations to fund conferences, workshops, or other trainings that have informational, educational, skill building, or advocacy objectives related to supporting and including people with developmental disabilities. Attendees may be people with developmental disabilities and their family members, advocates, and/or professionals. There are no requirements for the length of the event.

Recent Examples of Projects and Events/Training Funded by the Council

  • Hartford County Community College was awarded a small grant to create a series of 10 training modules to train child care providers and early childhood educators. The modules will be used in the college’s Early Childhood Education program as well as for continuing education for child care providers.
  • The Arc Howard County was awarded a small grant to train people with developmental disabilities to participate in disability awareness activities at approximately 24 elementary schools in the county. Thanks to Council funding, Howard County students will better understand why inclusion is important.
  • The University of Maryland Baltimore was awarded a small grant to develop and disseminate a needs assessment for Asian-American parents raising children with developmental disabilities. The assessment will examine how community participation and service use is accessed.
  • The 2020 World of Possibilities Disability Expo in Prince George’s County is a one-day public event with disability-related vendors displaying products, services, and organizations. The event serves as a one-stop resource for the region’s disabilities community.

The 2019 Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy Training Conference will use Council funding to offer scholarships to offset the registration fees for families to attend the conference. Participants will gain knowledge about special education law, rights and responsibilities, and tests and measurements to measure progress and regression, SMART IEP goals, and introduction to tactics and strategies for effective advocacy.

Find out how to apply for a small grant

Learn how you can apply for event sponsorship.