More money than ever before is being allocated to establish new models to help young people with disabilities transition to competitive integrated employment.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration said this week that it is awarding $251 million to 27 entities across the country under what’s known as the Disability Innovation Fund program.

The investment is the largest the agency has made in competitive grants for vocational rehabilitation, officials said. The funds will go toward developing, implementing, evaluating, refining and disseminating new or overhauled models.

Grants were awarded for projects under several priority areas including using advanced technology to support youth or adults with disabilities to access competitive integrated employment, helping justice-involved youth with disabilities become employed and reintegrating disconnected individuals with disabilities into the workforce.

All of the programs should be designed so that they can be easily adopted by others, officials said.

“Today, more than 60 million adults live with a disability — each with unique talents and strengths. In our 21st century economy, we must provide more opportunities for these individuals to achieve their goals for competitive integrated employment, independence and economic self-sufficiency,” said Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “Through the Disability Innovation Fund and today’s announcement, we’ll make progress to overcome historic barriers to employment, while ensuring the varied needs, preferences and goals of individuals with disabilities remain at the center of our vision for a strong, inclusive workforce.”

More than 200 applications were submitted for the program, according to the Rehabilitation Services Administration. Ultimately, five-year grants ranging from $5.7 million to over $10 million will go toward institutions of higher education, nonprofits and state agencies in 16 states, Washington, D.C. and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands.

“These model demonstration projects represent the most advanced efforts in the country to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to contribute to the workforce, now and into the future — no matter the disability, no matter the aspiration,” said Glenna Wright-Gallo, assistant secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. “We are excited to see the outcomes of these programs and the many meaningful employment opportunities they will provide to individuals with disabilities.”

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