The 2020 grant application will open on Tuesday, September 3^rd, 2019 at 9 AM PST. It will close on Friday, November 1^st, 2019 at 5 PM PST. No applications will be accepted after the deadline. The link to the updated 2020 CAF Grant Application will be available on our website. No paper applications are available/accepted. If you do not have access to a computer, or if you need assistance filling out the application, we highly recommend asking a friend, family member, or someone you trust to assist you. The CAF Grants Team will not fill out an application for an applicant.

We historically see 60% – 70% of grant applications submitted in the last week, leaving little time to address issues that may arise while filling the application out. Please plan on applying early to alleviate last minute issues (and stress!). Late applications will not be accepted.

CAF offers grant opportunities in four different grant categories. You may apply for a grant in ONLY ONE of the following categories:

• Travel/Competition Expenses
• Coaching/Training Expenses
• Equipment Expenses

Athletic Prosthetics

Grants will be distributed in Spring of 2020 (we will notify applicants when exact date is determined). ALL applicants will be notified of their grant status via EMAIL. We will send all grant communications to the email address used in the grantee’s application, so please make sure that email is up-to-date and easily accessed so no email information is missed.

You can apply for a Travel/Competition or Coaching/Training grant every year! However, an applicant can only apply for an Equipment grant once every 3 years if over 18 years old or once every 2 years if under 18. You must submit a new application every year you apply so that we can have record of updated information.

To be eligible for a CAF grant, an individual must have a PERMANENT PHYSICAL DISABILITY. CAF uses the International Paralympic Committee’s eligibility criteria as a guideline. Applicants must provide medical documentation of their permanent physical disability from their primary care physician or other medical professional. Individuals with strictly cognitive or intellectual disabilities are not eligible to apply.

Examples of qualifying disabilities include: Achondroplasia or dwarfism, Amputations (acquired or congenital), Arthrogryposis, Ataxia, Athetosis, Cerebral Palsy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth, Leg length difference, Hypertonia, Hypotonia, Impaired Muscle Power, Impaired Passive ROM, Limb Deficiency, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Paraplegia, Polio, Quadriplegia, Spina Bifida, Visual Impairment, Severe TBI (adversely affects mobility).

CAF offers grant opportunities for INDIVIDUAL APPLICANTS only. Programs, teams, coaches, volunteers, and supporters of athletes with a disability are not eligible to apply for a CAF grant.

CAF is proud to have supported athletes from over 50 countries worldwide. In an effort to provide more grants to international challenged athletes, we have created a CAF International Grant Application for applicants living outside of North America. This separate application link will be accessed within the main CAF Grant Application once international applicants answer specific eligibility questions. Available grant options, policies, and procedures will be listed within the CAF International Application

The CAF Grant is quite detailed and asks for many pieces of important information. In addition to filling out basic information about yourself, your sports/fitness history and goals, and your grant request, the application also requires:

• Medical Information: Applicants will be asked to upload to their PROFILE a letter from their medical provider (a doctor, physical therapist, prosthetist, occupational therapist, nurse practitioner, etc.) that verifies the applicant is their patient and that the applicant has a permanent physical disability. By uploading this to your profile instead of your application as in previous years, it will be a one-time upload and you won’t have to worry about including it in future grant applications.

• Financial Information: Financial need is one of the greatest factors the CAF Grants Team takes into consideration when awarding grants. Those with the greatest financial needs will be awarded first. Applicants will be required to upload documentation to show proof of finances. Acceptable documentation includes a 2018 tax return/W2 form, 2 pay stubs, or SSI/SSDI statements if the applicant is not employed. All incomes that support the grant applicant must be reported and included in the application.

• Personal Letter of Reference: Applicants must upload a letter of reference from an individual who knows the grant applicant well (coach/teammate, friend, family member, etc.) and can state why the applicant should receive a CAF grant. The letter should give the Grants Team an idea of who the applicant is and why they would benefit from a CAF grant. A well-written and detailed letter will benefit the grant applicant.

• Photos: Two (2) high resolution photos of the grantee are required – preferably of the grantee playing their sport.

While we wish we could approve every grant request, every year, some applicants are declined. The CAF Grant application process is highly competitive, and we want to stretch our grant funds as far as possible to impact as many athletes as we can. Here are some common reasons why grant applications are declined:

• Finances: Finances are a determining factor when awarding grants. 40% of 2018 grantees reported their annual incomes as under $20,000. Applicants with the greatest financial need are our priority.
• Incomplete applications/applications lacking detail: Applications with missing information and/or document, or applications that are not detailed/thorough may not be considered for approval.
• Application lacks a clear need for grant: Applications that do not convey a strong need for a grant may not be approved.

Our best advice is to make sure your application is thorough and detailed in all sections, and that no information is missing. Also, give yourself time to fill it out- don’t rush through it! This means making sure to start your application EARLY so that the CAF Grants Team can assist you should any issues or questions come up.

• Start your application EARLY! Every year, hundreds of grantees start their applications the last week (and sometimes the last day!) of the application cycle. This inevitably leads to hundreds of frantic phone calls and emails to our Grants Team when applicants come across an issue with, or have a question about, their application. We do our very best to answer all questions, but our team is small. If you wait until right before the deadline to submit your application, you may not get immediate assistance. Applicants who have not hit the “submit” button by 5 PM PST on Friday, November 1^st will be invited to reapply the following year. Do yourself a favor and submit your grant application early!

• Do your research! Talk to a coach, teammates, a medical professional, or do some independent research about what grant will be most beneficial to you and your sports/fitness needs. Do not apply for equipment without researching it to make sure it is the best fit for you. If applying for coaching/training or travel/competition funds, do some research on price points so you have a ballpark idea of how much you will need to request.

• Demonstrate a NEED for CAF assistance. Please keep in mind that we hope to help as many people as possible with meaningful grants. Equipment requests should be made when you NEED a new piece of equipment to improve your training and competition or when you cannot compete without one. Please help us provide equipment and funding to other athletes by making your requests meaningful.

• Your application does not have to be completed in one sitting. You will be able to save your application and come back at any time to submit it before the November 1^st

• If you have a question, the best way to get a hold of the Grants Team is via email. Please send a detailed email to cafgrants@challengedathletes.org, and we will get back to you with an answer to your questions as soon as we can.