Enhancing Supports and Services for Students With Disabilities for Postsecondary Success (SWDPS)

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. Electronic notifications about mandatory Notice of Intent to Apply will be sent out to institutions that have reported having enrolled students with disabilities to NYSED’s Information and Reporting Services (IRS). 

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 of tentative grant awards to 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 institution presidents and 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.  

Please note these important dates related to the 2024-25 funding opportunity: 

• 5/24/2024 – MANDATORY Notice of Intent to Apply email is due to NYSED. (This NOI is required to remain eligible for funding. See Application for details.) 
• 6/5/2024 – NYSED will post Preliminary Award List (above), which includes award amounts to institutions that submitted a Notice of Intent to Apply. 
• 7/3/2024 – Application for Funding is due to NYSED, along with a draft/unsigned FS-10 Proposed Budget for the tentative award amount; the FS-10 can be found on the NYSED Grants Finance Forms Page. If applicable, a completed M/WBE Packet is due at this time as well (only needed for tentative awards of $25,000 or more).
• 9/1/2024 – Project period begins.  
• 8/31/2025 – Project period ends. 
• 9/30/2025 – Annual Project Report and Final Expenditure Report are due to NYSED.

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.