Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Education awarded more than $251 million to 27 entities nationwide who are working to ensure individuals with disabilities have access to in-demand, well-paying jobs. Mississippi State University was selected to receive a grant of $9,995,345.

These five-year grants, under the Disability Innovation Fund program, will continue to promote competitive, integrated employment (CIE) so that youth and adults with disabilities are paid real wages for real jobs, while creating pathways to some of today’s most in-demand fields.

“Today, more than 60 million adults live with a disability — each with unique talents and strengths. In our 21^st-century economy, we must provide more opportunities for these individuals to achieve their goals for competitive integrated employment, independence, and economic self-sufficiency,” said US 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 various needs, preferences, and goals of individuals with disabilities remain at the center of our vision for a strong, inclusive workforce.”

The 27 grant recipients were selected from more than 200 applications received to the Rehabilitation Services Administration in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Applications focused on one of six topics related to youth and/or adults with disabilities leading to CIE: broadening access to advanced tech careers; innovative applications of advanced tech; justice; early intervention and workforce reintegration strategies; and field-initiated topics. Grant recipients will develop, implement, evaluate, refine, and disseminate new or substantially improved model strategies or programs to transition youth and adults to CIE. The recipients should also design the model demonstration projects for easy adoption by others.

Recipients come from 16 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, representing 13 institutions of higher education, nine non-profits, four state agencies, and one special institution of higher education.

The recipients are:

• Colorado — Blind Institute of Technology, $8.03 million
• DC — JFK Center for the Performing Arts, $10 million; National Disability Institute, $9,999,997
• Florida — Florida Atlantic University, $9,961,460; University of South Florida, $9,914,983
• Idaho — Regents of the University of Idaho, $7,805,939
• Illinois — Aspire of Illinois, $9,267,122
• Kentucky — American Printing House for the Blind, $10 million
• Louisiana — The Lighthouse for the Blind in New Orleans Inc., $10,068,975
• Maryland — Maryland Department of Disabilities, $9,496,534; Melwood Horticultural Training Center Inc., $8,025,391; Wor-Wic Community College, $5,732,501
• Minnesota — Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (1), $10 million; MDEED (2), $9,131,878
• Mississippi — Mississippi State University, $9,995,345
• Nebraska — Univ. of Nebraska Medical Center, $9,941,252
• New York — Volunteers of America-Greater NY Inc, $9,994,188
• North Dakota — Bismarck State College, $9,886,512; Minot State Univ., $7,482,490
• Northern Marianas — Northern Marianas College, $9,197,150
• Oregon — Univ. of Oregon, $9,999,378
• Texas — The Univ. of Texas at San Antonio, $9,012,187; Volunteers of America Texas Inc., $10 million
• Virginia — ServiceSource Inc., $10,820,573
• Wisconsin — The Board of Regents of the Univ. of Wisconsin System, $9,999,998; Univ. of WI System, Univ. of Wisconsin-Stout, $8,170,233; Wisconsin Dept. of Public Instruction, $10 million.

A total of $251,934,086 will be awarded to these institutions. For more information about each grantee, visit rsa.ed.gov.