To serve as a resource, convener, and educator working collaboratively to ensure that people who are Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent can communicate and access information.
A world where all people have equitable access to communication, empowering them to realize their fundamental right and ability to receive information and express themselves.
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Headquartered in Oakland, California, Ability Central is the philanthropic division of the California Communication Access Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2003. We are the only foundation working exclusively on improving communication and information access for individuals who are Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent and their communities of support.
We’re a small team with decades of experience in grantmaking, tech consulting, and community building within disability and philanthropy spaces. Our staff works in person from our HQ in uptown Oakland and remotely from all over the United States.
Barry Saudan, President
Celia J. Solis, Chair
Sofia M Vergara Ed.D, Vice Chair
Sarah Slaughter, Treasurer
Jean Galiana
Dr. Philip Prinz
Michelle Yook
Andreas Forsland
Griffen Stapp
Linda Drattell
Tim Jin
Cheryl Mitchell
Barry Saudan, Chief Executive Officer
Tammy Polanco, Director of Human Resources and Administration
Ann Truong, Director of Finance and Accounting
Matt Cherry, Director of Philanthropy
Jessie Galloway, Program Officer
Grant Barringer, Communications Manager
David Kehn, Director of Systems and Technology
Geoff Butterfield, Web Program Manager
Stephen Prestwood, Cloud Consulting Practice Manager
Mary Owen, Project Manager
Across our three programs, we award funds to organizations that serve and support people with disabilities, provide digital disability education and information tools, and offer Salesforce implementation and maintenance services to organizations that serve the disability community.
For 13 years, Ability Central has been funding communication access projects supporting Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent communities and their families and caregivers. Supporting primarily organizations in the state of California, we focus our efforts on coordinated innovation projects to maximize the impact and diversity of our work.
Whether we are expanding the services we offer through the Ability Central Portal by leveraging partnerships with our community allies, convening disability leaders locally and nationally to identify future funding priorities, or working to build business tools that create inclusion for disabled nonprofit staff, we are committed to our mission.
There is much work to be done before we can achieve our mission: to create an accessible, inclusive world for all. Until then, we celebrate the accomplishments of our staff and community in 2023.
Since 2010, our Philanthropy program has been awarding funding to community-based nonprofit or educational organizations in California that establish projects and programs designed to benefit the communication needs of Californians of all ages with disabilities.
Our Portal project is a comprehensive digital resource that offers disability information across a variety of functions, including mobile device accessibility data, disability support, informational articles, and events for the disability community.
Our Cloud Consulting program helps nonprofits identify, implement, and learn to use cloud-based CRM solutions (like Salesforce) to achieve their missions more effectively and efficiently.
Ability Central’s 2023 Impact Report showcases the transformative growth we’ve achieved over many years of philanthropic work, and highlights the dedication of our community. After changes made during COVID, our grantmaking program saw a dramatic expansion (from thousands to tens of thousands) in people served in California and around the world, ensuring that more people with disabilities receive the support and resources they deserve.
These numbers tell a compelling story. We continue to incorporate disability rights tenets and seek projects that are advised by the voices and experiences of those most impacted. From accessibility projects to leadership training, we have diversified our approach to address the multifaceted needs of the disability community, increasing our reach and impact.
The growth isn’t just numerical; it’s deeply rooted in community engagement. The collaborative spirit of our grantees has fostered a sense of belonging and empowerment. Our initiatives and gatherings have become catalysts for building supportive communities that extend beyond the duration of specific projects. For our 2023 projects, 100% of our grantees report collaboration with other organizations and the continuation of their projects into the coming years.
Together with our grantees, we are committed to creating lasting change in the disability community.
As her time with Ability Central comes to an end, Program Officer Jessie Galloway reflects on the growth and sustainability she was instrumental in developing:
People with disabilities served by funded projects
Professionals served
Family members served
Awarded to fund project grants
Organizations received funding
Allocated to 9 rapid response mini-grants
Project: Noah Homes Training Institute for Excellence
The Noah Homes Training Institute for Excellence improves the quality of life for those with intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD) by ensuring that care providers and vendors have enhanced communication, a stronger knowledge base of diseases and conditions, increased empathy, and more.
Finding and retaining qualified care providers for the special needs population is at a crisis level. The national intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD) community has an annual care provider turnover rate of 90%. Providing high-quality training programs reduces staff turnover and ensures that each individual receives the highest quality care.
Ability Central’s grant helped fund the Noah Homes Housing Summit, a two-day opportunity for nonprofit organizations to gather and discuss current challenges for adults with I/DD trying to find secure housing in San Diego, CA. This unique opportunity provided over 100 participants with a chance to discuss these challenges and to create new solutions for adults with I/DD moving forward. Participants also created a Disability Network which will continue in years to come, seeking solutions for better and more affordable housing options.
Due to limited options, people often end up in a nursing home without adequately trained staff. By collaborating with other agencies to provide training and by making the Noah Homes Program design available, many more individuals with I/DD will have access to an appropriate level of care and be supported by highly trained professionals.
Project: Disability Cultural Competency Development Project
Founded in 2005, the community-based project Painted Brain offers a variety of programs supporting the mental health of people in Los Angeles, Riverside, Santa Barbara, and Tri-City counties. Their peer-led and peer-driven service model incorporates program leadership, development, and feedback from people who self-identify as living with direct or indirect experiences of mental illness.
Through funding from Ability Central, Painted Brain’s Disability Cultural Competency Development Project trains mental health providers on culturally appropriate best practices when working with the disability community. By increasing the capacity of mental health service providers, Painted Brain increases the number of people with disabilities served in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, and Alameda counties.
The Train the Trainer program connects trainees with instructors who are disabled, as well as different assistive technologies and environments. The hybrid in-person and virtual program features thorough explanations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act in an inclusive environment. Development and facilitation of the program includes participation and input from hearing impaired, visually impaired, mobility impaired, neurodiverse, undisclosed, and intersectional peers in California’s disabled community.
Project: Braille Transcription and Production Training Project
Braille remains a critical resource today, despite all the advances in assistive technology. It is a vital means of communication, literacy, and education for people with vision loss. Braille is the primary way that children who are blind learn how to spell, construct sentences, and comprehend language. Braille makes it possible for people who are blind to live independently as they can label clothes, appliances, food packages, and more.
The two biggest challenges to bringing braille to classrooms, workplaces, and the public are a lack of braille production centers and a shortage of certified braille transcribers. The Braille Transcription and Production (BTP) Training Project addresses both issues through the acquisition of a large-scale braille production center in Sacramento and a 2-year certification program for new braille transcribers.
Society for the Blind produces lesson plans for their braille classes, newsletters for the CA State Braille and Talking Book Library, playbills for Broadway Sacramento, disaster preparedness manuals in English and Spanish for the California Office of Emergency Services, braille resources for Disability Rights California (DRC), informational flyers for Sacramento Municipal Utility District, and other materials and resources in braille.
In 2023, Ability Central partnered with California-based nonprofit Science is Elementary, an organization dedicated to improving science education in K12 schools. With funding from a 2023 rapid response Access Improvement grant, Science is Elementary created a pilot program for more than 80 students with disabilities working toward their science graduation requirements at Ygnacio Valley High School.
YVHS, located in Contra Costa County, California, boasts an 86.8% graduation rate for their 1,100+ students, including a 72.7% graduation rate for students enrolled in special education programs. Science is Elementary sought to improve graduation rates for students with disabilities through hands-on science experiments, “Science is for Me” education kits, and classroom experiences tailored to meet students’ learning styles and abilities.
Ability Central’s Access Improvement grants offer short-term funding ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 with a turnaround of one month or less from application submission. With Science is Elementary’s grant from Ability Central, the pilot program was a massive success.
Based on the successes at Ygnacio Valley High School, Ability Central created a case study with statistics from the Science is Elementary pilot program.
Learn more about Ability Central’s grantmaking.
In 2022, Ability Central unveiled a new online offering: the Ability Central Portal, a collection of resources where people with disabilities, their loved ones, and anyone interested in learning more about communication disabilities can find critical information.
Now, in the first full calendar year of its release, the Ability Central Portal saw tremendous engagement. Throughout 2023, the Ability Central team provided information and support for communication disabilities to just under 90,000 people.
The Ability Central Portal is a collection of unique databases and custom-built resources designed to meet the needs of people with disabilities and anyone interested in learning more about a communication disability:
Visitors from 155 countries sought critical information by turning to the Portal, which was designed not only to serve the needs of people with disabilities, but a wide range of demographics including caregivers, families, medical professionals, journalists, and people in nonprofit support fields. Collectively, the resources in the Portal bridged the gap between information about communication disabilities and the people who need this information the most.
In our role as an educator, convener, and resource for people with disabilities, Ability Central continues to expand the Portal to help all individuals realize their right to receive information and express themselves. 2023 proved to be an exciting time of growth for the Portal, and 2024 is poised to be the same.
Visitors to the Portal
Countries represented in visitors
Impressions of the Ability Central brand across the web
Devices with comprehensive accessibility information
Organizations nationwide offering services to people with disabilities
Online and in-person events by and for the disability community
Articles and resources across 30+ disability categories
Visit the Ability Central Portal today!
The success of the Portal inspired us to pursue creating more in-depth, focused information about accessibility and disabilities. LearnAbility is the result of another effort to make the world a place where everyone can communicate and access information and care.
What is LearnAbility?
LearnAbility offers online education that empowers you to create accessible, inclusive environments for your foundation, practice, or organization. Developed for professionals in a variety of industries, it’s an invaluable addition to your professional development toolbox.
What can I expect from LearnAbility?
Over the next year, we’ll be developing disability and accessibility trainings and courses, connecting nonprofit organizations developing this material with healthcare professionals.
In the meantime, we’re adding resources and articles for nonprofit and philanthropy professionals, helping them to create accessible and inclusive environments for people with disabilities in their programs and processes.
Learn more about LearnAbility.
In 2023, Cloud Consulting continued to expand our capacity to deliver and support top-tier fundraising, program management, and service delivery solutions for our nonprofit clients. We more than doubled the number of clients we support, expanded our fee-based services to include Salesforce implementations, and expanded our customer support plan offerings for our clients that require additional services, higher levels of support, and increased flexibility.
In the past year, we’ve experienced exciting growth outside of California by contracting with three new organizations serving constituents in the Northeast, including nonprofits located in New York City, Philadelphia, and Hartford. Each of these organizations provides invaluable programs and services for disability communities in their respective regions.
Cloud Consulting continues to add to our project pipeline through word-of-mouth recommendations, which clearly demonstrates the quality of our work and the demand for our services. As the costs for market-rate Salesforce consulting services remain outside the reach of most community-based organizations, we at Ability Central feel fortunate that we can offer our clients affordable solutions. For small nonprofits, we are often able to subsidize the work that we perform through a combination of grants, below-market-rate fees, and, in special cases, pro bono work. We are committed to helping our clients realize their vision however we can.
Contacts tracked
Donations tracked
Value of grant opportunities tracked
Support cases resolved
Hours spent delivering custom solutions
Market value of Salesforce solutions delivered
Service delivery hours
Project: Salesforce Org Health Check & Customer Success Support
INCLUDEnyc is a New York-based nonprofit serving children and youth with disabilities and their families. Through workshops, community support, and one-on-one direct assistance on their helpline, INCLUDEnyc empowers families of children and youth with disabilities with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to make informed decisions, effectively access and navigate systems and services, and advocate for themselves and other young people with disabilities and their families.
INCLUDEnyc supports educators, youth workers, and other professionals to partner with families for successful, person-centered services, and to support and promote a family voice in the policy process. The team at INCLUDEnyc envisions a world where there is love, equity, and access for all young people with disabilities.
Ability Central performed a health check of INCLUDEnyc’s Salesforce org, which has been maintained for well over a decade by numerous administrators and consultants.
We performed tests, gathered metrics, and analyzed reports to help INCLUDEnyc assess the overall health and stability of their Salesforce org. We also helped develop a list of prioritized actions to bring the org into compliance with current standards, update settings and basic configuration, restore data integrity, and make the best use of available features.
Additionally, we aligned our recommended actions with existing user requests for enhancements to make sure INCLUDEnyc could see meaningful improvements right away.
Ability Central continues to support INCLUDEnyc through our Silver Tier level Customer Success Support plan, which entitles INCLUDEnyc to over 100 hours of annual support. This includes maintenance, administration, and enhancements to their Salesforce org.
The flexibility and features of the support plan allow us to respond to immediate needs as well as partner with INCLUDEnyc to make incremental and sustainable improvements to their Salesforce solution.
Learn more about Ability Central’s Cloud Consulting program.
In 2023, we continued to create awareness and visibility of communication access issues, highlighting the exclusion of people with disabilities and the opportunities that the shift to inclusion brings. Over the course of the year, we presented at international conferences, offered trainings to HR professionals, and more.
Check out some highlights from a year of creating awareness!
RightsCon | Stop Scrolling: Start Making Social Media Accessible for All!
MozFest | Inclusion Drives Innovation – The Value of “By and For” Product Design
Exponent Annual Conference | Lunch Plenary Session
PEAK Grantmaking NorCal | Disability Inclusion for Grantmakers: How to Make Your Processes More Accessible
Empower HR | The Big IDEA: Boost Retention by Adding Accessibility to DEI Initiatives
We’re on a mission to expand information and communications access for people who are Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent. What does that mean? We want all people, regardless of disability, to have equitable access to all that life has to offer. Employment, income, support, entertainment, digital communication, and much more. Ability Central is working to empower disabled communities, but we can’t do this alone.
There are a few ways you can help us advance our mission. Your support allows us to create more programs, offer more funding, and provide more resources that create a more inclusive and equitable future for all.
Copyright © 2024 Ability Central. All rights reserved.
