30th September 2026
Did you know you might qualify for funding toward a Hero FLEX? The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) grant program is now open, and applications close November 13 at 5pm PT.
CAF grants help people with permanent physical disabilities pay for equipment, training and participation costs. The grant is open to far more people, and far more activities, than most people expect. Here’s who it’s for.
The CAF grant isn’t only for organized sport or competition. Its goal is to support people with physical disabilities to move and stay active, so it can fund fitness and wellness activities too.
That could be yoga, paddle boarding, horse riding, dance, gym workouts, archery or handstands. For kids, it could be riding a bike or a scooter, or joining in on the monkey bars at school.
If you’re training to reach your peak, a CAF grant can help with your equipment, training or competition costs.
James Rudge is a professional climber training for the Paralympics. He uses a Hero FLEX socket and activity attachments designed for intense sessions like gym workouts.
James Rudge, professional climber training for the Paralympics.
“I feel like I’ve got more ways to push myself.”
One custom Hero FLEX socket supports a Hero PRO and activity-specific attachments, so you can use the same fit across different parts of your training.
It doesn’t matter how long ago your amputation was. It might have been last year or twenty years ago. If there’s a sport or activity you loved before your amputation and you’d like to get back to it, apply.
Hero FLEX is ventilated, with an airflow design that helps heat escape and fresh air move through the socket during longer sessions.
You don’t have to be an adult to apply for a CAF grant. Grants are open to athletes of all ages, and young athletes can apply for an equipment grant every three years, rather than every five years for adults.
If your child shows an interest in a sport or hobby, a grant could help them get the right equipment to drive their ambition. It doesn’t have to be a team or a club. Riding a scooter with friends counts.
Your local Open Bionics CPO can talk with you about your child’s age, anatomy and activity, and which Hero option fits.
You don’t need any sporting experience to apply. CAF grants are open to every skill level, including complete beginners, whether you were born with a limb difference or acquired one later.
If you’ve wanted to try something like kayaking, Hero FLEX is a waterproof socket system. With a compatible activity attachment, you can use it on the water.
Applications are made through the CAF grant portal. If you’re applying for the first time, you’ll need to upload medical verification of your disability before you can start an application, so it’s worth doing early. If your profile was complete before September 1, 2026, you don’t need a new form.
Everyone needs one year of financial documentation. Equipment grants need two letters of recommendation, plus a vendor quote if the equipment isn’t from one of CAF’s preferred vendors. Sport Expense grants need one letter and official cost estimates. CAF’s application checklist has the full list.
You can apply for one grant type per cycle, and applications close November 13 at 5pm PT.
The CAF grant can support any activity that gets you moving, from competition to yoga to the monkey bars. It’s open to all ages and skill levels, and you don’t have to work out whether a Hero FLEX fits your plans on your own.
Your local Open Bionics CPO can book your Hero FLEX consultation and go through the CAF eligibility criteria with you. Register to request more information.
Request Information →The Challenged Athletes Foundation is an independent nonprofit. CAF sets eligibility, award amounts and deadlines, and makes all grant decisions. Applying does not guarantee an award.
