More than half of the athletes representing Team USA at the 2026 Winter Paralympics received support from the Challenged Athletes Foundation at some point in their careers. More than half. That's not a footnote in a press release — it's a map of how athletes with physical disabilities get from aspiration to competition when the financial barriers are real.

The Challenged Athletes Foundation, known as CAF, has provided grants to athletes with physical disabilities for more than 30 years. Since 1994, it has raised over $191 million and fulfilled more than 52,000 grants across all 50 states and more than 70 countries. For families with a child who has a physical disability and wants to pursue sport, CAF's grant programs are one of the more direct paths to funding that exists.

Here is what the grants cover, who is eligible, and exactly what an application requires.

What CAF Grants Cover

The annual grant program has two tracks.

Equipment Grants provide funding toward adaptive sports equipment: racing wheelchairs, hand cycles, sit-skis, prosthetic components used in sport, and similar items. Sport Expense Grants cover the costs that equipment alone doesn't reach: coaching fees, training programs, competition entry fees, travel to events, small equipment, and maintenance.

CAF also runs several programs year-round, separate from the main grant cycle:

• CAF + Össur Grant Program: Specialized lower-limb sports prosthetics
• CAF Operation Rebound: Support for U.S. military veterans, first responders, and active-duty personnel with permanent physical disabilities
• CAF Idaho Grant Program: For athletes based in Idaho
• YMCA and EōS Fitness Membership Grants: Free gym memberships for eligible athletes in participating regions

Who Is Eligible

CAF grants are for individuals with permanent physical disabilities that affect mobility, motor control, or balance. Medical documentation is required to apply. The programs do not cover chronic pain conditions, hearing disabilities, cognitive disabilities, or developmental disabilities. Teams and non-disabled individuals are not eligible.

For families applying on behalf of a child: Equipment Grants are rarely awarded to children under nine, though an application can still be submitted if the request meets the criteria. Athletes under 18 can apply for Equipment Grants every three years. Adults 18 and older can apply every five years.

The selection process is competitive, and financial need factors into the evaluation. Applicants with higher household incomes are not guaranteed funding.

What the Application Requires

The documentation list can look long on first read, but most of it is paperwork families already have or can gather in a few days. First-time applicants need to submit:

• Medical Verification of Disability, a letter from a medical professional explaining how the disability affects daily activities
• 2024 tax returns
• SSI/SSDI Benefit Verification Letter from the past two years
• A photo of the applicant, preferably showing participation in sport
• Two letters of recommendation
• Equipment quotes, if not purchasing through CAF-preferred vendors

Letters of recommendation should come from a coach, healthcare professional, adaptive sports organization staff member, or another person who knows the applicant's athletic involvement. Letters must be typed, signed, and include the author's contact information. Organizational letterhead is preferred when available.

For Equipment Grant applications, the two letters should address whether the applicant currently owns or borrows similar equipment, how new equipment would affect their ability to compete or participate, and what would happen to any existing equipment if replaced.

When to Apply

The annual grant program opens each fall, with awards announced in March. Families who missed this year's window have time now to prepare: gather medical documentation, identify the equipment or training expenses you'll request, and get letters of recommendation lined up before the next cycle opens.

Operation Rebound, the Össur prosthetics partnership, the Idaho program, and YMCA/EōS memberships all accept applications on a rolling basis. Decisions on those are typically made within 60 days of submission.

Where to Start

CAF's grant portal is at challengedathletes.org/grants. The portal lists currently open programs, eligibility details, and application requirements. For families unsure whether a child qualifies, the FAQ addresses common disability types and situations directly.

The steps are more manageable than the list makes them look. Most families who go through the process describe the hardest part as simply starting: finding the program, understanding what they need, and submitting the first application. The athletes heading to Milan next week know that story. For many of them, a CAF grant was how the path to competition opened up. That same door is still there for families just beginning.