DFN at a Glance
History
- Evolved from Funding Partnership for People with Disabilities, a grantmakers collaborative created in 1990 to assist implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Formally established in 1994
- Legally incorporated as a 501(c)3 organization in 2005
Mission
- To increase the extent and effectiveness of grantmaking that benefits people with disabilities
- To promote inclusion of people with disabilities in effective philanthropy
Challenge
- In 2002, major foundation giving awarded only $465.7 million - 2.9 percent of total grant dollars - to programs for people with disabilities, versus $4.2 billion to education programs, $2.9 billion to health programs and $1.9 billion to arts and culture programs.
- Most grantmakers regard disability as a health issue, not as a diversity issue that fits any inclusive grantmaking program.
Current Initiatives
Membership
- Networking with grantmakers and disability experts
- Information and publications
- Professional development
- Technical assistance
- Discounts on resources from other organizations
- Learn about more DFN membership benefits
- Join DFN
Testimonials
FISA Foundation has been a member of the Disability Funders Network for over ten years. DFN offers invaluable resources that have helped us raise the capacity of our disability-related grants, provides connections to other funding partners, and fosters a better understanding of the true meaning of inclusion. Thank you, DFN, for serving as a "one-stop shop" for disability consultation!
Governance
- Board of directors: 9 volunteers elected from membership
- Who serves on DFN's board; DFN's staff
