Request Reasonable Accommodation Capital Reserve Account (RACRA) funds

Funding for workplace reasonable accommodations for state employees with disabilities

The Reasonable Accommodation Capital Reserve Account (RACRA) is used to pay for capital expenses related to reasonable accommodations for state employees. To be eligible for RACRA funding, the expenses must be financially burdensome without RACRA funds.

RACRA is a capital allocation established within the Executive Office for Administration and Finance (A&F). The Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) and A&F work together to approve and distribute RACRA funds. RACRA is governed by the provisions of Executive Order 592 and its successors.

Requests for FY26 funds will be accepted from July 1, 2025 until May 1, 2026 or when funds run out (whichever comes first). Requests are reviewed on a first come, first served basis. It is best practice to request funds within 5 business days of approving an employee’s reasonable accommodation request.

There is $150,000 available in RACRA funding for FY26. Full or partial awards may be given.

Applications for FY26 funds will be accepted from July 1, 2025 until May 1, 2026 or when funds run out (whichever comes first).

Request RACRA funds 

Eligibility

Eligible agencies

Executive Branch Agencies, Constitutional Officers, and Independent Agencies of the Executive Branch are eligible to apply for RACRA funds.

Eligible expenses

Expenses are eligible for RACRA funds if they meet all three of these criteria:

1. The expense is needed for an approved reasonable accommodation requested by an employee of an eligible agency,
2. The expense is a capital expense, and
3. The expense would create a financial hardship for the agency without the help of RACRA funds.

Reasonable accommodations

RACRA funding is for approved reasonable accommodations for state employees with disabilities. A reasonable accommodation is an adjustment or alteration to the workplace that allows an employee with a disability to perform their job.

Capital expenses

A capital expense is an expense to buy, maintain, or improve tangible materials or resources that will last more than one fiscal year.

Some examples of capital expenses that have been covered by RACRA funds in the past include:

• An accessible workstation with built-in, job-specific features that could not be purchased through traditional office supply sources,
• Bathroom renovations to enable an employee who uses a wheelchair to access the office bathroom, and
• A screen reader accessible online booking system for visually impaired employees who book services as a core function of their work.

Operating expenses, such as monthly subscriptions and ASL interpretation services, are not eligible to receive RACRA funds.

Financial hardship

For RACRA purposes, a reasonable accommodation is considered a financial hardship if:

• The reasonable accommodation costs $2,500 or more, or
• The agency has already spent more than 0.5% of its annual operating budget on reasonable accommodations for its employees for the fiscal year.

The annual operating budget is the money an agency is appropriated annually in the General Appropriations Act for the ordinary maintenance and administration of activities for the fiscal year.

For purposes of demonstrating financial hardship under option 2, any type of reasonable accommodation expense for employees, including operating expenses, are included in calculating the amount spent to date on reasonable accommodations.

For example, for an agency with a budget of $1 million, reasonable accommodation expenses would be eligible for RACRA funding if:

• An employee’s reasonable accommodation request (whether for one item or several) costs at least $2,500, or
• The agency has already spent more than $5,000 that fiscal year on employee reasonable accommodations, including:
  • Capital expenses to fulfill employee reasonable accommodation requests, like the cost of purchasing and installing standing desks or grab bars in the employee restroom, and
  • Operating expenses to fulfill employee reasonable accommodation requests, such as providing ASL or CART for employee training or paying a monthly screen reader software subscription.

Note that the definition of “financial hardship” used for RACRA eligibility is not the same standard as “undue hardship” pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Agencies are required to pay for approved reasonable accommodations with or without RACRA funds.

Application process and timeline

It is best practice to apply for RACRA funds within 5 business days of approving an employee’s reasonable accommodation request. Communicate promptly and regularly with the employee to keep them updated on the status of their reasonable accommodation request.

The entire process from request submission to receipt of RACRA funds (if approved) takes approximately 15 business days.

The application process and timeline is as follows:

1. Confirm that your request is eligible for RACRA funding: To be eligible, you must answer “yes” to all four of these questions:
   1. Is the accommodation for an employee at an eligible agency?
   2. Has the reasonable accommodation been approved? (Note that agencies are required to pay for approved reasonable accommodations, with or without RACRA funds)
   3. Is the expense an eligible capital expense?
   4. Are you applying for funds for this fiscal year? RACRA requests must be submitted to and approved by MOD within the same fiscal year that the costs will be received, completed, and procured. RACRA requests are due by May 1 to allow time for approvals and Interdepartmental Service Agreement (ISA) processing.
2. Gather information: If you answered “yes” to all four of the above questions, begin gathering information for your application. You will need:
   1. Contact information for your agency head, ADA/504 Coordinator, and CFO/Budget Director,
   2. Your agency’s fiscal year operating budget,
   3. The amount you are requesting,
   4. The amount your agency has spent so far on employee reasonable accommodations for the fiscal year,
   5. The total cost of the accommodation (including RACRA funds, if received),
   6. The date by which you expect to use up all RACRA funds received (this date must be within the fiscal year you are making your request),
   7. A description of costs associated with the accommodation,
   8. The reason for providing the requested accommodation (see examples below),
   9. The number of employees that will be accommodated (note that you should complete one request form per employee), and
   10. (Optional) Supporting documentation, such as quotes or invoices.
3. Request RACRA funds online. Applications for FY26 funds will be accepted from July 1, 2025 until May 1, 2026 or when funds run out (whichever comes first). Note:
   1. Submit one request form per accommodated employee.
   2. You can request funds for a future purchase or to reimburse a past purchase. However, the purchase must be made within the same fiscal year in which you are submitting your request.
   3. Once you submit your request, MOD will notify your agency head and ADA Coordinator to confirm their approval of the request.
4. MOD review: Within 5 business days of receiving your application, MOD will review the application to ensure it meets the eligibility criteria and make a recommendation to A&F for approval or disapproval of the application. MOD may ask you for more information to help with this review.
5. A&F review: The Secretary of A&F or their designee will review MOD’s recommendations and approve, partially approve, or disapprove your request within 10 business days of receipt. If there are insufficient funds in the RACRA to cover 100% of the cost of the accommodation, A&F may approve partial payment for the accommodation. Your agency will be responsible for paying the remaining amount.
6. Get your response: A&F will return the signed and approved RACRA application to the MOD ADA Coordinator, who will forward the approved application to your agency’s ADA Coordinator for your records.
7. Draft the Interdepartmental Service Agreement (ISA):  When your agency’s ADA Coordinator receives notification from MOD that the application has been approved, your agency’s CFO will send A&F’s CFO a draft ISA for the funds that they’re looking to receive, with the approved RACRA application form attached.
8. ISA review and approval: A&F’s CFO will review the ISA and, if approved, the A&F and agency CFO will sign it. A&F will forward the completed ISA to the Office of the Comptroller for processing.
9. Receive and disburse funds: The funds must be used within the same fiscal year that your request is submitted and approved. You must sign the contract and complete the work by June 30, 2026. All amounts must be paid by August 31, 2026. Any disbursed funds that are not used by August 31, 2026 will be lost.

Sample request

Your request should include:

• a description of the tangible materials or resources that will be bought,
• an affirmation that the materials or resources will last more than one fiscal year, and
• the impact of the funded accommodation.

Example:

Agency X is requesting $3,500 in RACRA funding to purchase four extra large computer monitors for an employee with a visual impairment. Agency X’s current, standard monitors are not accessible to the employee. Due to their visual impairment, they require larger monitors that can enlarge text without losing focus. This is an approved reasonable accommodation.

Agency X plans on purchasing four Extra Large 48” computer monitor screens from Monitors, Inc. for the employee to use at their office workstation. The monitors cost $875 each. The employee requires four monitors to perform the essential functions of their job, which includes reviewing multiple documents and spreadsheets side-by-side.

Agency X expects to purchase the monitors immediately upon approval of RACRA funds. This is a one-time capital expense for use beyond the current fiscal year.

Please find attached a screen shot of the extra large monitors as advertised on the Monitors, Inc. website, including a description and cost.

Request RACRA funds

Request RACRA funds online. Applications for FY26 funds will be accepted from July 1, 2025 until May 1, 2026 or when funds run out (whichever comes first).

Submit one request form per accommodated employee. This might include multiple accommodations for the same employee (for example, Braille keyboard and screen reader software.) If you are requesting RACRA funds for more than one employee, please email [e-mail] for assistance.

All goods and services using FY26 RACRA funds must be received, completed, and procured no later than June 30, 2026. It is best practice to request RACRA funds within 5 business days of approving a reasonable accommodation request.

Denials and requests made after the May 1 deadline

If your RACRA request is denied or you receive a reasonable accommodation request after the May 1 deadline:

• Respond to the employee as soon as possible,
• Consider if there are less costly options to meet the employee’s needs in the interim period (May and June) until FY27 RACRA funds open up on July 1, 2026,
• Communicate regularly with the employee about the status of their request,
• Apply for RACRA funding as soon as the application re-opens on July 1, 2026, and
• Contact MOD for guidance, if needed.

Contact

For questions about RACRA, please email [e-mail] or contact MOD at [phone].

Last updated:	August 11, 2025