Interdivisional Grant Program
The board approved a proposal from the Division Relations Committee (DRC) for $20,000 in funding to support a minimum of two grants (up to $10,000 each) for the 2026 fiscal year. This program is intended to:
- foster collaboration among, and engagement within, divisions to enhance their viability.
- potentially attract and retain members.
- create resources for CEC to share with the entire community to strengthen CEC’s ability to support members.
Each funded project must support at least one of CEC’s Strategic Plan Goals and Objectives:
- Develop and support an effective and diverse workforce of special education professionals.
- Intentionally embed diversity, equity, inclusivity, and accessibility within CEC.
- Increase the impact of CEC’s policy agenda for education professionals and for individuals with disabilities and/or gifts and talents.
- Establish CEC as a globally recognized leader in the field of special education.
A New Process for 2027
This year, we are introducing a new two-stage application process designed to help divisions develop strong, collaborative proposals and ensure alignment with the goals of the Interdivisional Grant Program before divisions invest the time required for a full application.
The process will include:
1. Letter of Intent/Project Concept
Divisions will submit a brief description of their proposed project, answering three questions and submitting the letter to the DRC to review.
2. Concept Conversation
Following review of the concepts, applicants will participate in a brief conversation with CEC staff and representatives of the DRC/Board. The purpose of this conversation is to provide feedback, answer questions, and help divisions strengthen their ideas before developing a full proposal.
3. Full Proposal
Following the concept conversation, invited applicants will develop and submit a full proposal. Full proposals will be reviewed by the DRC using established evaluation criteria, and the DRC will make recommendations to the CEC Board for final approval.
This process is intended to be supportive and collaborative. The concept conversation is an opportunity to receive feedback before investing significant time in a full application; it is not a final funding decision.
Timeline for 2027 IDC Grants
- August 25: Letter of Intent/Project Concept process opens
- September 24: LOI/Project Concept due
- September 28–October 1: Concept conversations
- October 2: Full proposal process opens
- October 30: Full proposals due
- November: DRC review and recommendations
- November: Board review and approval
- Late November/December: Award notifications and project preparation
- January 1, 2027: Projects begin
Eligibility Requirements
Proposed projects must:
- Be sponsored by at least two CEC divisions.
- Demonstrate meaningful collaboration among the participating divisions.
- Include clear support and participation from each sponsoring division.
- Advance at least one CEC Strategic Plan goal or objective.
- Not duplicate an activity currently being undertaken by CEC, although projects may support or enhance existing CEC activities.
- Be completed within the applicable funding period, with grant funds expended by December 31.
- Clearly demonstrate how requested funds will support the proposed project activities and outcomes.
Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate meaningful collaboration that includes small divisions.
What We Are Looking For
Strong proposals will demonstrate:
- A meaningful reason for divisions to work together.
- A clearly identified need or opportunity.
- Specific and achievable outcomes.
- Strong alignment with CEC's Strategic Plan.
- Meaningful contributions from each participating division.
- Potential to benefit members, the profession, and/or the field of special education.
- A realistic plan and budget.
- A project that adds value beyond what an individual division could accomplish independently.
We encourage divisions to begin conversations with potential partner divisions now. The goal of the first stage is to help you shape a strong collaborative idea before developing a full proposal.
We look forward to seeing the creative and collaborative projects our divisions develop this year!
Questions may be directed to the CEC staff supporting the Division Relations Committee.
Accepting Letter of Intent Now!
August 25- September 24 ; Letter of Intent Due
Letter of Intent
The first step in the application process is to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI). The letter should be no more than 500 words. It should include your name and division you represent as well as should briefly address each of the following three areas:
- Project Summary
Briefly describe the project you are proposing and what you intend to accomplish. - Need or Opportunity
Describe the need, challenge, or opportunity that your project will address. Why is this project important or timely? - Anticipated Impact
Describe who will benefit from the project and what you hope will be different, improved, or achieved as a result of the project.
If you have already identified other division (s) you would like to collaborate with as part of your proposal, please indicate that in your LOI
Submission: Please submit your Letter of Intent to [email protected] by EOD September 24, 2026.
- Projects must be sponsored by at least two divisions. Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate collaboration that includes small divisions.
- The proposal must include details of how the sponsoring divisions are supporting this grant.
- The projects may not duplicate an activity currently being undertaken by CEC but may support or enhance current CEC activities.
- Funding for projects will be from January 1st – December 31st each year. The project must be completed within 12 months of receipt of funding and funds must be expended by December 31st. If projects extend beyond 12 months, proposals must indicate which deliverable tasks will be funded by the grant in the initial 12 months of funding.
- Clearly stated goals and a well-defined outcome.
- Innovative project goals and outcomes.
- Alignment with the ongoing goals of the divisions involved.
- True collaboration between the sponsoring divisions.
- Alignment with the CEC’s strategic plan goals and objectives.
- Reasonableness of budget request and budget justification.
- Proposals are due to CEC by October 1st.
- CEC staff review applications for completeness and submit to DRC for review.
- The Division Relations Committee (DRC) will review proposals and provide recommendations to the CEC Board of Directors.
- CEC Board of Directors will review DRC’s recommendations at its November meeting.
- Funds will be made available and sent to the lead division in the first quarter of CEC’s fiscal year.
- Recipients of grants will be required to provide an interim progress report by July 1st and a final report by January 15th of the following year.
- The DRC will provide updates to the CEC Board of Directors on the status of the funded division grant projects as part of its interim and annual reports.
Applications are open July 17, 2025- October 2, 2025 Complete the Application below to apply, if you have any questions please email [email protected]
Grants Awarded for 2024
The Division Relations Committee received and reviewed five proposals that were submitted by a combined total of 12 divisions. The board approved the following grants:
| Proposal | Divisions | Grant Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Global Conversations: Supporting Youth, Families, & Educators in Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Practices | DISES, DCDT, DART, DEC | $8,000 |
| Policy to Practice: A Web Based Repository of Individuals, Strategies and Resources Focused Upon the Prevention of & Response to the Maltreatment of Children with Disabilities | DLL, DR, CCC | $3,000 |
| Leading the Way: AI in Special Education Teacher Education | ISET, TED, TAG | $9,000 |
| TOTALS | 10 Divisions | $20,000 |
2024 Grant Abstracts
DISES, DCDT, DART, and DEC propose to create an innovative cross division video podcast series to foster critical global conversations that support youth, families, and educators in culturally responsive and sustaining practices during and beyond the Birth-to-20 experience. Each podcast will highlight members of the CEC community, provide application activities, and share research-based quick facts and practices. This five-part series will walk our members through (1) self-awareness of intersectionality, (2) learning about others and uncovering our own positionality, (3) critical examination of current practices, (4) learning and unlearning culturally responsive and sustaining practices for living, learning, and working, and (5) reflective praxis. The collaborative series will not only acknowledge the great work being done across CEC divisions, but will amplify the gifts and practices of learners, families, and educators at the local, national, and global level.
The 2018 CEC Policy on the Prevention of and Response to Maltreatment established the need, but not the means to inform and support special education professionals knowledge, strategies and resources to prevent and respond to the maltreatment of their students’. This multi-Division grant effort is designed to address this short coming by canvasing the members of collaborating Division, other educational professionals and parents to identify, document, share and collaborate with individuals who are actively and effectively working to prevent and/or respond to the maltreatment of children with disabilities, i.e., “Bright Spots.” The resulting Bright Spot knowledge, strategies and resources will be shared via Web based technologies, (e.g., Web sites, bulletin boards, chat rooms, eblasts, etc.), conference presentations, course syllabi and professional development settings. The resulting knowledge base will provide an initial data base of “what works” to provide students with disabilities, their educators and parents with the knowledge, strategies and resources needed to enhance the safety and success of students with disabilities.
TED, TAG, and ISET propose to collaborate to recruit expert webinar panelists on AI in Teacher Education, Use of AI to Support Students with Disabilities and AI Literacy for Talent. This collaboration between the TAG, TED and ISET groups aims to represent diverse scholars, family members, teacher educators, and teachers while promoting a conversation on guidelines for the responsible and innovative use of AI tools in teacher education. This work will allow CEC to work across at least 3 Divisions to offer guidance on the rapid development of AI tools in education to increase the impact of CEC’s policy agenda for education professionals and for individuals with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. Through this project, CEC would set the bar for guidance. Being on the forefront of AI implications for the application and literacy of AI with exceptional populations to provide support to teachers, schools, and students.