WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Veterans Affairs is distributing $16 million in grants to 91 community-based organizations nationwide to expand recreational and competitive sports opportunities for veterans and service members with disabilities, extending federal support for programs designed to improve mobility, independence, and physical rehabilitation.
The awards will finance adaptive sports programs that accommodate participants with physical disabilities, providing access to activities ranging from wheelchair sports and cycling to skiing, archery, fishing and hunting.
The funding is intended to help participating organizations provide recreational opportunities that support physical activity, rehabilitation and social connections among veterans and service members.
“These grants will help thousands of Veterans across the country create meaningful connections through recreation and competition,” VA Secretary Doug Collins said.
The latest awards bring cumulative funding under the VA’s Adaptive Sports Grant Program to more than $150 million since its establishment.
The program supports organizations that provide modified equipment, activities, and sporting opportunities for participants whose disabilities may otherwise limit their access to conventional recreation.
Adaptive sports can serve both recreational and competitive purposes, allowing participants to pursue physical activity while developing skills and maintaining independence.
The new funding is part of a broader expansion of VA services and infrastructure spending.
The department reported enrolling more than 290,000 new veterans in VA healthcare during 2026 and opening 43 healthcare facilities since January 20, 2025.
VA also reported completing 82.1 million direct-care appointments in fiscal year 2025, an increase of 4.1% from the previous fiscal year.
Community-care appointments reached nearly 60 million during the same period, rising 12% from fiscal year 2024.
The department said it has offered more than 3.2 million appointments outside normal operating hours since January 2025, expanding scheduling options for veterans receiving medical care.
Separately, VA has committed nearly $5 billion in fiscal year 2026 to modernize, repair, and improve healthcare facilities, which the department described as its largest investment in nonrecurring maintenance.
The adaptive sports grants represent a separate funding initiative focused on recreational access and rehabilitation opportunities rather than clinical services or facility construction.
The 91 recipient organizations will use the awards to support programs for veterans and service members with disabilities across the country.
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