The 2019 grant application will open on Tuesday, September 4^th, 2018. It will close on Friday, November 2^nd, 2018 at 5 PM. Please note that the grant closes nearly one month earlier than in previous years. No applications will be accepted after the deadline.

The link to the (brand new!) 2019 CAF Grant Application will be available on our website starting on 9/4/18 at 9 AM PST. The application is completely online. 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 (once every 3 years if over 18 years old/ once every two years if under 18)

Athletic Prosthetics

Grants will be distributed in Spring of 2019 (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.

Grant Distribution

Coaching/Training or Travel/Competition Grants: If approved for a Travel/Competition or a Coaching/Training grant, the grantee will be given monetary funds via PayPal (preferred). Grant funds can be sent via wire transfer or check, if necessary. Grant amounts vary, but typically average between $1,000 and $1,500.

Equipment Grants: If approved for an equipment grant from a CAF partner vendor, CAF will provide the grantee with information and next steps for contacting our vendor to place the equipment order. The vendor will bill CAF directly for the baseline equipment piece. Any additions, enhancements, or customizations that the grantee would like to add on to the equipment will become the grantee’s responsibility to pay. Shipping fees to acquire equipment are the responsibility of the grantee.

Prosthetic Grants: If approved for a prosthetic grant, CAF will work with Össur and the grantee’s prosthetist to acquire the prosthetic(s). Each applicant that requests a prosthetic grant must provide contact information for his/her prosthetist.  CAF will contact the prosthetist to determine if the request is appropriate and verify that the prosthetist is willing to fabricate the rest of the componentry required to make an athletic leg at a reduced cost or at no cost to the grantee.  CAF provides the prosthetic ONLY.  Any additional expenses are the responsibility of the grantee.

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 two years if under 18.

You must submit a new application every year you apply so that we can have record of updated information.

2018 Grant receipts MUST be submitted before you will be considered for a future grant. The 2018 Receipts deadline is 1/31/19.

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 in the application form. 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 40 countries in 2018. International athletes can certainly apply, but please note there are significant limitations to what we are able to grant.

We rarely grant equipment to international grantees due to the cost of shipping. However, we can send monetary grant funds via PayPal or wire transfer to international grantees for travel/competition or coaching/training expenses, and in some cases, equipment expenses.

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:

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.

Medical Information: Applicants are asked to upload 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. You may use the same medical letter used in previous grant applications, but you must re-upload it to your 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 2^nd 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 2nd deadline.

• 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.