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Access, Equity and Community Engagement Services

Access, Equity and Community Engagement Services

Enhancing Supports and Services for Students With Disabilities for Postsecondary Success (SWDPS)

Purpose

What is it?泭

Enhancing Supports and Services for Students with Disabilities for Postsecondary Success (SWDPS) is a grant program administered by the 91做厙 (SED) in collaboration with New Yorks Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), both public and private. In the 2025-26 NYS budget, the appropriation for SWDPS was $4,000,000.泭
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The purpose of this grant is to help degree-granting colleges and universities in NYS to enhance the supports and services they provide to their enrolled students with disabilities. This grant program does not provide direct aid to students, but rather, it provides funding to eligible colleges and universities so they can expand their existing supports for students with disabilities.

The grant was established in 2021 thanks to a proposal developed in collaboration with the Board of Regents Advisory Council on Postsecondary Education for Students with Disabilities and New Yorks higher education sectors the State University of New York (SUNY), the City University of New York (CUNY), the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU), and the Association of Proprietary Colleges (APC).泭

Eligibility and Application Process

Eligibility and Application Process

How and when should institutions apply for SWDPS grant funding?

SWDPS is an open/non-competitive grant. The fiscal period for this grant is September 1 August 31.泭

Each spring, after the NYS budget is enacted, 91做厙 will invite institutions to submit a mandatory Notice of Intent to Apply, followed by the official Application for Funding and Proposed Budget (FS-10). See example dates below.

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How much can colleges expect to receive in SWDPS grant funding each year?

Since the inception of the SWDPS grant program, the average per-pupil allotment to participating colleges has ranged from $27 -- $47. The award formula is straightforward, because the SWDPS grant program is non-competitive. All eligible institutions who meet the NOI and application deadline will be included in the award list each year.

The formula that 91做厙 follows for award calculations is: the total SWDPS grant appropriation in the enacted NYS budget (e.g., $4,000,000) is divided by the number of enrolled students with disabilities at participating colleges across the state (e.g., 101,500). The per-pupil allotment is then multiplied by the number of enrolled SWDs reported to SED by each participating institution to arrive at their grant award amount.

The list of泭tentative grant awards泭to the institutions that submitted a泭mandatory泭Notice of Intent to Apply will be posted on this web site. Institutions must use their tentative award amount from that list when completing their Application for Funding and Proposed Budget documents.泭

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When will the annual SWDPS Application for Funding be released?羔

In May or June each year, the updated SWDPS Application for Funding will be emailed to points of contact at SUNY, CUNY, and private/independent, degree-granting institutions that submitted the mandatory NOI and that reported enrolled students with disabilities to 91做厙 for the prior-prior academic year.泭See below for example dates and deadlines.

Information about this data collection process can be found here:

Higher Education Data Collection Forms and Instructions泭泭

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Dates and Deadlines for the 2025-26 SWDPS grant application cycle:泭

  • A kick-off email was sent to eligible institutions on May 15, 2025.

If your institution is eligible to disburse TAP funding, and if it reported having enrolled students with disabilities to 91做厙 in the 2023-24 academic year, your institution was invited to submit the mandatory NOI.泭

  • Summary of Important Dates for SWDPS 2025-26 Applications:
    • 5/30/2025 deadline for mandatory泭Notice of Intent to Apply泭
    • 6/13/2025 - SED posted tentative award amounts.
    • 7/11/2025 -泭deadline for Application for Funding and Proposed Budget draft (unsigned FS-10)
    • 7/28/2025 - SED calculated final award amounts, based on the number of timely Applications received.

      If your institution did not submit a mandatory NOI, and/or did not submit Application materials on time, it will not be included in the 2025-26 SWDPS award list.

Questions?
Email the SWDPS Program Officer, Sara Duprey, at swdps@nysed.gov(link sends email)

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How can SWDPS grant funding be used?泭泭

SWDPS funds must be used for one or more of these four purposes:泭泭

  • To supplement existing supports and accommodations of Students with Disabilities (SWDs) in order to expand such supports and services provided at SUNY, CUNY and other degree-granting Private and Independent IHEs;泭
  • To support college prep programs to assist incoming SWDs in transitioning to college and prepare them to navigate the campus facilities and systems;泭
  • To provide full- and part-time faculty and staff at SUNY, CUNY and other Private and Independent degree granting IHEs with disability training; and/or泭
  • To improve the identification process of SWDs and enhance data collection capabilities at SUNY, CUNY and other Private and Independent degree granting IHEs.泭
More Info and FAQs

More Info and FAQs

How have institutions and their students泭benefited泭from this grant?泭泭

Colleges and universities use SWDPS grant泭dollars泭to supplement their existing泭supports泭and services泭in泭lots of泭ways,泭based on泭their students needs and the allowable expenditure泭categories泭for the泭grant.泭Below are泭anecdotes and泭testimonials泭collected from泭colleges that were泭2023-24泭SWDPS泭grant recipients:泭

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Assistive泭TECHNOLOGY,泭tailored spaces, and dedicated泭PEOPLE泭

A student veteran who uses a wheelchair was able to use泭[a new]泭adjustable-height泭table in his classes without asking for assistance. He was extremely grateful and felt seen and recognized for what may be insignificant for others but extremely helpful for him.泭

From a student:泭I was able to work closely with the Access & Success Advocate who helped me navigate the challenges of time management and academic life as a neurodivergent student吋he support system built through this program has made a significant positive impact on my life, and I am incredibly grateful for it."泭泭

We were able to expand our assistive technology lending library by adding two manual wheelchairs, two knee scooters, two C-Pen text-to-speech readers, and ten microphones for classroom audio recording A student with chronic but previously unaccommodated mobility challenges was able to sign out and use one of the manual wheelchairs. A student with dyslexia has signed out one of the C-Pens and is actively using it on exams泭and泭assignments.泭

Students reported appreciating the enhancements made to the testing center to allow for a more distraction-reduced environment. They have been able to complete exams in a fair but useful environment. One student泭in particular has泭really enjoyed being able to have countdown clocks available for use.泭Our office reduced accommodation request wait times泭from one week to 2-3 days due to the professional development provided, resulting in a more student-centered approach.泭

Many students with disabilities utilize physical exercise and recreational activities as a tool to manage their disability and are excited to now have adaptive P.E. equipment options available.泭

In the past we have struggled to use the funds due to high staff turnover. Now being fully staffed, the funds were very strategically used to benefit students, faculty, and staff and no challenges were identified. In fact, the extra help and guidance the staff from 91做厙 gave us made the process even easier.泭

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Tailored泭college泭ORIENTATION泭programming泭

The SWDPS funding allowed us to provide a college prep workshop. The workshop covers the differences between high school and college, academic supports available, how Disability Services works, how to make a tutoring/coaching appointment,泭an泭advising overview, a campus tour, interaction with the Student Life office, and an opportunity to connect with students prior to the start of the semester.泭

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Faculty泭and staff泭TRAINING泭

We were able to fund [a faculty members] participation in the AHEAD virtual conference this summer and she was blown away by the amount of information she learned about working with students with disabilities. She appreciated the opportunity to enrich her knowledge base.泭 泭

One of our greatest successes is in the shift in perspectives of influential staff and faculty regarding accommodations and students with disabilities.泭

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Increasing泭AWARENESS,泭ASSESSMENT, and ACCESS泭for students in need泭泭

The greatest success of the SWDPS funding this year has been the implementation of a universal syllabus statement that ensures all students have clear and current information on accessing accommodations. This development represents a significant improvement in our data collection and identification processes.泭

We were able to provide neuropsychological assessments to seven (7) students who could not afford泭them Not only did these students express that the resources they received assisted their academic endeavors, but one student's GPA increased from 3.33 to 4.08 after receiving the assistance he needed.泭

Another success has been using social media and campus resources to strengthen ties with other offices and bring awareness to disability as diversity as we reframe the narrative on disability services.泭

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How can I learn more?胼羔

The team in the Office of Postsecondary Access, Support, and Success will be happy to泭assist.泭泭Email our SWDPS team atswdps@nysed.gov.泭

Webinars and Training Materials

Webinar Materials

February 2023 Training Webinar, in collaboration with CICU:

Contact Information

91做厙
Office of Postsecondary Access, Support, and Success
Enhancing Supports and Services for Students With Disabilities for Postsecondary Success泭
89 Washington Avenue, EBA 960
Albany, New York 12234
(518) 474-3719
swdps@nysed.gov