Assistive Technology Alternative Financing Program

Background
The purpose of the Assistive Technology (AT) Alternative Financing Program (AFP) is to support programs that provide for the purchase of AT devices, such as a low-interest loan fund, an interest buy-down program, a revolving loan fund, a loan guarantee, an insurance program, or additional activities that result in the acquisition of AT devices. The program aims to expand and emphasize consumer choice and control and build programs that will provide financing for the full array of AT devices and services and ensure that all people with disabilities have access to the program.

Grant Details
Under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), applicants must establish or expand one or more of the following types of AFPs: A low-interest loan fund, an interest buy-down program, a revolving loan fund, a loan guarantee or insurance program, a program operated for the purchase, lease, or other acquisition of assistive technology devices or assistive technology services, or another mechanism that provides financing. Applicants must submit administrative policies and procedures, fiscal and reporting assurances, and information on previous grant recipients. The FOA also outlines application responsiveness criteria and screening criteria.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include domestic public or private non-profit entities including state and local governments, Indian tribal governments and organizations, faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, hospitals, and institutions of higher education. Cost sharing or matching is not required. Applications must meet specific responsiveness criteria and screening criteria to be reviewed.

Period of Performance
The length of the project period is 12 months with an expected number of awards being 3. Once a grant award is in place, requests to modify or amend it may be made by ACL or the awardee at any time as long as it stays within the original confines of the proposed project description.

Grant Value
$1,984,929 is the estimated total funding with an award ceiling of $700,000 per budget period and an award floor of $100,000 per budget period.