DDA to Accept Applications for TN Believes Grants
More than $1 million in funding available will go towards creating or expanding inclusive higher education programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at Tennessee colleges and universities.NASHVILLE—The Department of Disability and Aging (DDA) announced today that it has received funding to award Tennessee Believes grants to higher education institutions in 2025.
DDA officially launched the Tennessee Believes program in 2021, intending to increase opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at colleges and universities across the state. Governor Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly provided $1 million in funding to DDA to continue the program in 2025. While half of those funds will go to continue already awarded multi-year grants, approximately $500,000 is available to new awardees.
Since its inception, the TN Believes grant has provided over $2 million in funding to nine Tennessee colleges and universities. Based on 2024 reports, 164 students benefitted from TN Believes - supported programs. In addition, students completed 652 classes, 129 internships, and 58 students graduated from their respective programs during the 2024 fiscal year.
“The impact this program has had not only on students in TN Believes but for all students at colleges and universities is immeasurable,” said DDA Commissioner Brad Turner. ”From starting new programs at community colleges to expanding opportunities in longstanding programs, this grant has been a gamechanger. I’m excited to see how this new funding will change the lives of individual students and impact college campuses in all corners of Tennessee.”
The application period begins January 6, 2025 and grant applications are due to DDA for review by February 14, 2025. DDA expects to select the grant recipients and release the funding by summer 2025.
More information about the grant, including the grant application, can be found here on the DDA website.
About the Department of Disability & Aging
The Department of Disability and Aging is the state agency responsible for oversight of services and support to 1.5 million older adults and Tennesseans with disabilities. The department is the result of a merger between the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disabilities, effective July 1, 2024. Every day, the department strives to support people to live rewarding and fulfilling lives through Medicaid waiver Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), and a wide range of services and supports for older adults and adults with disabilities. DDA also provides services to infants and toddlers with disabilities or developmental delays through the Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS), and children under the age of 18 with disabilities or complex medical needs through the Katie Beckett Program. The department supports people to live the lives they envision for themselves by ensuring people are free to exercise rights, engage with their broader communities and experience optimal health. DDA is the first state service delivery system in the nation to receive Person-Centered Excellence Accreditation from the Council on Quality and Leadership. It has also been recognized as a national leader in its efforts to increase competitive, community-based employment outcomes for people with disabilities and its commitment to enhancing independence through Enabling Technology.