Grant Guidelines
Next Application Deadline is September 15, 2025
Grant Philosophy
Applications must be for projects which conform to the mission of the Learning Disabilities Foundation of America by responding to an unmet need in the field of learning disabilities. Funds are granted for charitable, scientific, literary or educational purposes or for the identification, ongoing evaluation, education of and services for children and adults with learning disabilities. Examples of project areas that fall within this philosophy:
Applications must be for projects which conform to the mission of the Learning Disabilities Foundation of America by responding to an unmet need in the field of learning disabilities. Funds are granted for charitable, scientific, literary or educational purposes or for the identification, ongoing evaluation, education of and services for children and adults with learning disabilities. Examples of project areas that fall within this philosophy:
- Innovative research into the causes, the prevention and/or the alleviation of learning disabilities
- Distinctive public awareness programs to advance public understanding of the needs of persons with learning disabilities
- Innovative programs to advance the achievement of persons with learning disabilities, increase the support skills of their families, support academic and professional advisors, and enhance the understanding of learning disabilities by their colleagues and employer
Grant Application Policy
Grant Acceptance Policy
* Federal Definition/Criteria for Specific Learning Disabilities
Child with a disability - To Learn more, click here.
(10) Specific learning disability--
(i) General. Specific learning disability means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.
(ii) Disorders not included. Specific learning disability does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of intellectual disability, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.
- Grant applications are considered twice each year by the Foundation Board of Managers. Next application deadline is September 15, 2025.
- Projects of national impact and projects that may be replicated are given preference.
- Grants will not be made for routine organizational expenses (ex. Salaries, Overhead), capital campaigns, endowment funds. *Exception of certain funds restricted for use by the LD Association of America.
- Grants will not be made to individuals or for individual scholarships.
- The Board of Managers of the Foundation may request an interview with the primary facilitator and/or site visit, in addition to the written grant application.
- Grants can only be made to an organization within the United States or any of its possessions exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code and contributions to which are tax deductible.
Grant Acceptance Policy
- All grants in which the conditions have not been met by the end of the Grant period shall expire as of that date unless otherwise granted an extension.
- The following statement must be contained in all reports or manuscripts related to an LDFA grant: “Support has been received from the Learning Disabilities Foundation of America however, the opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.”
- Recipients of grants are expected to adhere closely to the stipulated terms of the signed grant agreement and to the program described in the application.
- Grant recipients may not claim exclusive use of the results of the project.
- Funds from a Foundation grant may not be directed to other purposes and any un-expended funds must be returned to the Foundation within 60 days of completion of the project.
- Progress and Final reports must be submitted on the Progress/Final Report Form (form given upon acceptance of grant). The due date per the terms of the Grant Agreement that will be sent upon approval of a proposal.
- Full financial accounting of expenditures must be provided to the foundation in the final grant report.
* Federal Definition/Criteria for Specific Learning Disabilities
Child with a disability - To Learn more, click here.
(10) Specific learning disability--
(i) General. Specific learning disability means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.
(ii) Disorders not included. Specific learning disability does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of intellectual disability, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.