Personal and Community Grants

The NH Council on Developmental Disabilities offers a variety of grants to individuals and their families or groups to support disability related activities, initiatives, and personal goals. Priority is given to individuals who have not previously applied for a grant from the Council. The Council is unable to cover DSP/support and travel costs.

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The NH Council on Developmental Disabilities (NHCDD) announces the Peter Fleming Best Buddies Leadership Grant

Peter Fleming dedicated his life to advocating for people with developmental disabilities. He served as Vice Chair of the NH Council on Developmental Disabilities, as a Special Olympics athlete, coach, and Board member, was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Self Advocacy Leadership Team (SALT) and was a founder of the New Hampshire Chapter of Best Buddies.

In his honor, the NHCDD has developed a new grant that will award two individuals per year with up to $500 towards the cost of attending the annual Best Buddies National Leadership Conference. This grant will support building leadership and advocacy skills necessary to make inclusive and integrated communities a reality. This grant will ensure that the work done by Peter and other advocates will continue.

Peter attended the National Leadership Conference for twelve years. For eight of those years, he served on their Advisory Board. He spoke often on how much the conference meant to him and how important it was to share what he learned with his fellow SALT, NHCDD members, and state legislators.

Peter passed away in early 2020. He is deeply missed by all of those who were privileged to work alongside him. It is the hope of the NHCDD that his legacy will continue through the next generation of advocates.

For more information on this grant on others, please check out the NHCDD web site at www.NHCDD.NH.gov or contact Vanessa Blais at Vanessa.A.Blais@ddc.nh.gov / 603-271-7040.

The following grants are offered, subject to available funds. Download the application, complete it electronically in any PDF reader, such as Acrobat Reader, save it and submit it via email. You can also simply print the form, complete it by hand, and send it via the mail.

Personal Education and Leadership Grants

Up to $1,000 to support development of leadership and self-advocacy skills/strategies including:

  • Attend conferences/trainings to develop and strengthen self-advocacy skills
  • Attending information webinars
  • For course registration fees, tools, access

Employment and Entrepreneurship Grants

Up to $1,000 for two separate purposes:

  1. Support individual inclusion in employment including:
    • Drivers’ education
    • Interview clothing/uniforms
    • Trade tools
    • Assistance with resume/cover letters
    • Job application assistance
    • Temporary transportation
  2. Promotes business leadership including:
    • Certification
    • Career/college exploration consultation

Community Project Grants

Up to $2,500 to support community and school projects for inclusion/integration in the community:

  • A project providing technical assistance to people with disabilities interested in developing and managing inclusive cooperative housing alternatives
  • Train the trainer opportunities to teach self-advocacy skills
  • A team which provides technical assistance to camps and recreation facilities wishing to improve accessibility
  • Purchase materials for inclusion in cocurricular activities
  • Inclusive playgrounds and equipment
  • Inclusive trails
  • Communication boards

Innovation Grants

Up to $8,000 to support innovative projects or educational programs that address a need including:

  • Encouraging positive emotional and social well-being by providing financial support to programming that reduces stress and promotes inclusion
  • Collaborative work addressing emergency preparedness plans for the DD/ID community
  • Creation of cooperative respite programs

Accessibility Grants

Up to $500 to support accessibility for community projects, educational programs and activities that help achieve goals and objectives in the Council's Five Year Plan.  Funds may be for:

  • American Sign Language and/or CART services
  • Website and materials auditing for accessibility improvement
  • Training in how to make your print and digital presence more accessible
  • Closed captioning
  • Voice over audio

Technology Grants

Up to $250 to support communication and/or learning:

  • Technological and assistive aids and applications including remote participation in telehealth and/or community engagement activities