Tag: nonprofit foundation

Ability Central Launches Disability Resource Kit for Media Professionals

Nonprofit celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day by offering free resources for journalists and media outlets to improve digital content accessibility

A visually impaired Black man with close-cropped black hair controls his computer via the keyboard while talking to a Black woman in a pink shirt sitting beside him

Oakland, California – May 14, 2024 – Ability Central, a US-based foundation expanding communication and information access for people with disabilities, is unveiling a new set of free online resources to mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May 16^th. The Journalist’s Guide to Disability in Media: An Overview of Disability Inclusion, Accessibility, and Representation is designed to help media professionals navigate the latest developments in digital accessibility and disability representation.

“This guide is a helpful reminder that as …

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 …

$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 …

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 …

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 …

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

Oakland, California – May 25, 2023 – Ability Central, now in its 12^th 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 …

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 …

More than a million dollars awarded for tech innovation and accessible training

Oakland, California – December 20, 2022 – Ability Central, the only foundation exclusively funding communications access for people with disabilities, has awarded $1.03 million to 13 nonprofit organizations in California working to expand communications access for Deaf, disabled, and neurodiverse communities. The grants will support programs that focus on emerging technologies for accessibility solutions and communications training for professionals to create inclusive environments for their clients with disabilities.

“When people with disabilities can fully express themselves, it can transform their education, employment, and independence,” says Matt Cherry, director …

Did you know?

In 2020-21, Ability Central’s grantmaking initiative supported organizations that served more than 56,000 people with disabilities, nearly doubling the amount served in our previous grantmaking cycle.

Keep reading to learn more about our programs and initiatives and discover meaningful stories from our grantees and clients about innovative projects benefitting people with disabilities.

Read the 2021 Impact Report.

What we’ve been doing

In 2020 and 2021, as complications from COVID-19 required ongoing adaptation and flexibility, we recognized this wasn’t business as usual. We expanded our philanthropic efforts to continue empowering our community as they supported vulnerable populations during …

Illustration of a diverse group of people with disabilities.

More than a million dollars awarded for communications access

Oakland, California – January 5, 2022 – Ability Central has awarded grants totaling nearly $1.2 million to 17 nonprofit organizations in California working to expand communications access for Deaf and disabled communities. The recipient organizations offer a wide range of support and services for these communities, including development of new assistive technologies, speech therapy for children in low-income areas, disabled leadership development initiatives, and more.

“People with communication disabilities have an urgent unmet need for support communicating and accessing information,” says Matt Cherry, director of philanthropy at Ability Central. “As the …

Tag: nonprofit foundation

Ability Central Launches Disability Resource Kit for Media Professionals

Nonprofit celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day by offering free resources for journalists and media outlets to improve digital content accessibility

Ability Central Releases 2023 Impact Report

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

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.

Ability Central Announces Second Year of Rapid Response Grants

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

Ability Central Announces Board Election Results

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

Ability Central Announces 2024 Funding Cycle

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

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

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

Ability Central Awards Grants to 13 Organizations Working with Deaf and Disabled Communities

More than a million dollars awarded for tech innovation and accessible training

Ability Central 2021 Impact Report

Did you know?

What we’ve been doing

Ability Central Awards Grants to 17 Organizations Working with Deaf and Disabled Communities

More than a million dollars awarded for communications access