§ 3006 — Projects Of National Significance

(a) In this section, the term “project of national significance”— (1) means a project that— (A) increases access to, and acquisition of, assistive technology; and (B) creates opportunities for individuals with disabilities to directly and fully contribute to, and participate in, all facets of education, employment, community living, and recreational activities; and (2) may— (A) develop and expand partnerships between State Medicaid agencies and recipients of grants under section 3003 of this title to reutilize durable medical equipment; (B) increase collaboration between the recipients of grants under section 3003 of this title and States receiving grants under the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration under section 6071 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 1396a note); (C) increase collaboration between recipients of grants under section 3003 of this title and area agencies on aging, as such term is defined in section 3002 of title 42, which may include collaboration on emergency preparedness, safety equipment, or assistive technology toolkits; (D) provide aid to assist youth with disabilities to transition from school to adult life, especially in— (i) finding employment and postsecondary education opportunities; and (ii) upgrading and changing any assistive technology devices that may be needed as a youth matures; (E) increase access to and acquisition of assistive technology addressing the needs of aging individuals and aging caregivers in the community; (F) increase effective and efficient use of assistive technology as part of early intervention for infants and toddlers with disabilities from birth to age 3; (G) increase awareness of and access to the Disability Funds-Financial Assistance funding provided by the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund that supports acquisition of assistive technology; and (H) increase awareness of and access to assistive technology, such as through models described in subclauses (I) through (IV) of section 3003(e)(2)(A)(iii) of this title and other Federally funded disability programs. (b) If funds are available pursuant to section 3008(c) of this title to carry out this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary may award, on a competitive basis, grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements to public or private nonprofit entities to enable the entities to carry out projects of national significance. (c) A public or private nonprofit entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing a description of the project of national significance the entity proposes to carry out under this section. (d) For each grant award period, the Secretary may give preference for 1 or more categories of projects of national significance described in subparagraphs (A) through (H) of subsection (a)(2). (e) The Secretary may only award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements under this section if the amount made available under section 3008 of this title to carry out sections 3003, 3004, and 3005 of this title is equal to or greater than $49,000,000.