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Tag: accessibility

Ability Central Releases 2023 Impact Report

California Nonprofit Showcases Free Disability and Accessibility Resources, Critical Support for Nonprofits, and $1 Million in Grants

Oakland, California – March 22, 2024 – California nonprofit Ability Central announced their annual Impact Report for 2023, sharing statistics and successes from another year of grantmaking, digital access, and nonprofit support. Ability Central offers funding and support for people with communication disabilities, their families and caregivers, and the organizations that serve them.

In 2023, the nonprofit’s 12 grantees reached 33,851 people with disabilities in California and around the world. More than $1,000,000 in funding from Ability Central enabled these organizations to create …

Ability Central Awards Grants to 12 Organizations Working with Disability Communities

$1 million awarded for healthcare training, leadership and career development, and digital access initiatives.

Oakland, California – January 9, 2024 – Ability Central has awarded more than $1 million to 12 nonprofit organizations in California working to expand communication access for Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent communities. Recipient organizations offer a diverse array of support and services to these communities. The funding priorities for this grant cycle focus on healthcare training, leadership and career development for people with disabilities within nonprofit organizations, and digital accessibility initiatives.

Eleven of the grants awarded were given to empower organizations to develop or expand their …

Ability Central Announces Second Year of Rapid Response Grants

Up to $5,000 available to enhance accessibility for individuals with communication disabilities

Oakland, California – June 30, 2023 – Ability Central, a foundation working to expand inclusion and accessibility for individuals with communication disabilities, today announced the availability of Rapid Response Access Improvement Grants. These grants, offered on a rolling basis from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, aim to support California-based organizations and projects focused on serving people with communication disabilities.

The mini grants, first offered in 2022, range from $1,000 to $5,000, and provide short-term funding with an expedited turnaround of approximately one month from application receipt. Access Improvement …

Ability Central Announces Board Election Results

Celia C.J. Solis to succeed Jesus M. Gonzalez as board chair in FY2024

Oakland, California – June 2, 2023 – Ability Central today announced board elections for FY2024. At their May meeting, the board elected Celia C.J. Solis as chair, Dr. Sofia M. Vergara as vice-chair, and re-elected Sarah Slaughter as treasurer. The Ability Central board of directors, comprised of 12 members, is responsible for governing the strategy, goals, and vision of the organization.

Celia joined the Ability Central board in February of 2020 and most recently served as vice-chair. Celia is a senior executive with more than 15 years of experience …

Ability Central Announces 2024 Funding Cycle

$1M+ in funding available to nonprofits serving people with disabilities in California

Oakland, California – May 25, 2023 – Ability Central, now in its 12th year of grantmaking, announced their 2024 funding year, focused on empowering California nonprofits to implement programs that expand access to communication and information for people who are Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent.

Ability Central revealed three funding priorities for its 2024 annual grants: digital innovation and accessibility projects, disability access training for healthcare professionals, and leadership development programs for people with disabilities. Grant awards range from $10,000 to $100,000 and grant inquiries are accepted until …

Ability Central Launches New Portal Version with Updates to Function and Accessibility

The upgraded site joins top websites conforming to high web accessibility standards

Oakland, California – February 14, 2023 – Ability Central has launched an updated version of its Portal website, bringing a streamlined user experience and greater accessibility for people with disabilities to the site. Originally introduced in June of 2022, the Ability Central Portal now conforms to WCAG 2.1 Level AA web standards, joining only 2% of the top one million websites that reach these accessibility criteria.

“This new update brings the same informative content on the Portal into a more equitable space,” says Matt Cherry, director of philanthropy …