REAL Transition Partners

What type of project can be funded: REAL Transition Partners plan to contract with organizations in New Hampshire, New York and Puerto Rico. Only 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations (not individuals, schools or school districts, or for- profit entities) may apply.  Eligibility is limited to community-based organizations. Parent Centers are NOT eligible to apply.

 Parameters:

• The project must include young people and parents in the project planning
• The project may be an event, an honorarium, product, or other project (not salaries) supporting families through the transition process, as determined by the grantee.
• The project must be completed by December 31, 2026, and a report submitted by January 29, 2027.
• Grantees may be asked to present the outcome of their project to the broader transition community at upcoming regional conferences.

Why Limit to Only Three States: To support equitable access to capacity-building resources across the full REAL Transition Partners service area, the Mini-Grant program funds a limited number of states per year. Over the project period, REAL Transition Partners will offer the CBO Mini-Grant opportunity once per year and will prioritize rotating eligibility across states that are in our regions.

Project Timeline:

• January 1, 2026 – Announce/Notify Public of RFP
• February 9, 2026 – Questions Due
• February 16, 2026 – Answers Posted
• April 10, 2026 – Proposals Due
• April 24, 2026 – Awards Announced
• December 31, 2026 – Project Completion
• January 29, 2027- Reporting due on project

Here are some of the creative projects that our grant recipients have used their awards over the last few years:

• Partnering with a school to identify students with developmental disabilities who have a passion and talent for the performing arts but lack adequate access outside of the classroom or drama therapy settings.
• Develop and implement transition planning.
• Help growth of parent advocacy and self-advocacy skills for transitioning youth in a non-English speaking community.
• Speed-friending is a social program developed at the suggestion of parents who expressed that their children lacked actual friendships.
• Assistance to families to increase support group participation such as specialized respite care, transportation assistance, a meal for the family, guest speakers specific to the transition-related topics, and stipends for bi-lingual volunteers.
• Assist both students and their most important caregivers in securing essential NYS identification to support their transitions to independence.
• Create a Post-Graduate Job Training and Community Involvement Program. This initiative, which centers around postgraduate students learning employment skills, will focus on website design, purchasing materials, assembling a product, and selling these products to our local community.