Eligibility and Application Process
How and when should institutions apply for SWDPS grant funding?
SWDPS is an open/non-competitive grant. The fiscal period for this grant is September 1 – August 31.
Each year, after the NYS budget is enacted, NYSED will invite institutions to apply for the grant. For the 2025-26 SWDPS grant cycle, a kick-off email was sent to eligible institutions on May 15, 2025. The mandatory Notice of Intent to Apply (NOI) must be completed by May 30, 2025.
Higher Education Data Collection Forms and Instructions
How much can colleges expect to receive in SWDPS grant funding each year?
Each year, after the NYS budget is enacted, the list oftentative grant awardsto the institutions that submitted a mandatory Notice of Intent to Apply will be posted here.
Institutions must use their tentative award amount from that list when completing their application documents.
When will the annual SWDPS Application for Funding be released?
In May or June each year, the updated SWDPS Application for Funding will be emailed to points of contact at SUNY, CUNY, and private/independent, degree-granting institutions that reported enrolled students with disabilities to NYSED for the prior-prior academic year.
The Application for Funding outlines the process for applying to participate in the SWDPS grant program and the mechanism NYSED will use to calculate and distribute grant awards.
Regarding the 2025-26 SWDPS grant cycle:
- A kick-off email was sent to eligible institutions on May 15, 2025.
- If your institution is eligible to disburse TAP funding, and if it reported having enrolled students with disabilities to NYSED in the 2023-24 academic year, YOUR INSTITUTION WILL BE INVITED TO APPLY.
- Summary of Important Dates for SWDPS 2025-26 Applications:
- 5/30/2025 – mandatory Notice of Intent to Apply is due, via online questionnaire.
- 6/13/2025 - SED shares tentative award amounts.
- 7/11/2025 -Application for Funding and draft (unsigned) FS-10 Budget due by email to SWDPS@nysed.gov. A draft M/WBE Packet is also due at this time, but ONLY from private institutions receiving an award of $25,000 or more.
Questions?
Email the SWDPS Program Officer, Sara Duprey, at swdps@nysed.gov
How can SWDPS grant funding be used?
SWDPS funds must be used for one or more of these four purposes:
- To supplement existing supports and accommodations of Students with Disabilities (SWDs) in order to expand such supports and services provided at SUNY, CUNY and other degree-granting Private and Independent IHEs;
- To support college prep programs to assist incoming SWDs in transitioning to college and prepare them to navigate the campus facilities and systems;
- To provide full- and part-time faculty and staff at SUNY, CUNY and other Private and Independent degree granting IHEs with disability training; and/or
- To improve the identification process of SWDs and enhance data collection capabilities at SUNY, CUNY and other Private and Independent degree granting IHEs.
