REAL Transition Partners

REAL Transition Partners is jointly managed by SPAN Parent Advocacy Network (NJ), Federation for Children with Special Needs (MA), and New York State Transition Partners (INCLUDEnyc, Parent Network of WNY, Starbridge). Providing information, training and technical assistance, and support to youth and young adults with disabilities and their families.

REAL Transition Partners is a collaboration between 26 Parent Centers: Advocates for Children; AFCAMP; Advocates for Justice & Education; Apoyo a Padres de Niños con Impedimentos; Association for Special Children & Families; Community Inclusion & Disability Alliance; Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center; Delaware Parent Information Center; Disability Rights Center of the Virgin Islands; Federation for Children with Special Needs; Hispanos Unidos para Niños Excepcionales; INCLUDEnyc; INCLUYEnyc Community parent resource center; Long Island Advocacy Center; Mission Empower; Maine Parent Federation; New Hampshire Parent Information Center; PEAL Center; PNWNY (Parent Network of Western New York); Parents’ Place of Maryland; RIPIN (Rhode Island Parent Information Network); Sinergia; SPAN Parent Advocacy Network; Starbridge; United We Stand and; Vermont Family Network;

These Centers serve parents, youth/young adults with disabilities, and professionals. Additionally, Centers work with each state’s Vocational Rehabilitation, Centers for Independent Living, and other adult system partners represented on the project’s 22 member Governing Board.

REAL provides a variety of innovative and responsive services, support, and information that enables youth and young adults with disabilities and their families to:

• access information about the Rehabilitation Act (RA)
• navigate multiple programs and service systems
• actively participate in the development of useful, relevant, and meaningful plans for independence
• collaborate with transition professionals as leaders to help youth impacted by disability achieve their goals

These services:

• are designed with and involve diverse youth/young adults with disabilities and their families
• highlight the region’s strengths and collaborative spirit, and evolve as needs and contexts change
• occur through a regional Community of Practice that enhances participating Parent Center capacity, reach, and partnerships around transition and adult service systems

REAL Transition Partners is a five-year collaborative project funded by the Rehabilitative Services Administration in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the Virgin Islands to help young adults with disabilities and their families navigate the transition to productive, independent, and meaningful adult lives.

As part of this project, REAL Transition Partners plan on funding local initiatives up to $2,500 per initiative throughout these states and territories for projects taking place between February 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024. REAL Transition Partners reserves the right to award partial grants to fund more projects but will not exceed $10,000 in total grant funding for all chosen projects.  Each project MUST be completed by September 30, 2024, and a report must be submitted to REAL Transition Partners detailing the outcomes of the project by October 31, 2024.

Purpose: To help young adults with disabilities and their families, especially in underserved communities, with transition related projects that promote financial stability, meaningful employment, and postsecondary education.

What type of project can be funded?

REAL Transition Partners plan to contract with organizations throughout the States in Regions A1 and A2. Only 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations (not individuals, schools or school districts, or for-profit entities) may apply.

1. The project must include young people and parents in the project planning process.
2. 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.
3. The project must be completed by September 30, 2024, and a report submitted by October 31, 2024.
4. Grantees may be asked to present the outcome of their project to the broader transition community at an upcoming regional conference.

Questions should be submitted to nsc@parentnetworkwny.org no later than Friday, December 1, 2023 at 5 pm.

All responses will be posted online here and via Real Transition Partners e-newsletter on Tuesday, December 12, 2023. To view the responses to the questions, visit: https://spanadvocacy.org/programs/real or this page.

All project submissions should be submitted in a .pdf document and emailed to nsc@parentnetworkwny.org no later than Friday, January 5, 2024 by 5:00 pm.

Grantees will be notified of awards by the week of January 15, 2024.

All interested organizations must submit proof of a 501c(3) nonprofit status. Proposal should not exceed three pages.