Disability Funders Network Disability Funders Network

The Social Justice Movement of the 21st Century...

Building a Bridge Between Disability and Community Philanthropy

Did you know...

Disability Inclusive Grantmaking is the mission of DFN: inclusion of disability in grantmaking programs and inclusion of people with disabilities in grantmaking organizations.

girl on wheelchair

Disability Funders Network E-News: Vol. 5, No. 3

In This Issue

Guest Editor: Jackie Brand, Trustee, Community Technology Foundation of California; Board of Directors, DFN

Note: The symbol indicates the article, event or award is disability-specific.

DFN Member News

Publications and Resources

 

Grants, Awards, Scholarships, Fellowships and Internships

DFN Member News

Note to DFN grantmakers: If you send us your grant announcements and other news, we will be happy to post them in DFN E-News.

Exploring the Connections Between Victimization and Disability

It is well documented that the rate of violent crime against people with disabilities is four to 10 times higher than in the general population. However, almost all of the research and resources are directed toward people who had a disability before becoming the victim of a crime. Information, research and resources are scarce for people who became disabled as a result of a crime. Information on disabilities resulting from violence against women and people of color is especially scarce. FISA Foundation recently approved a grant to the Center for Victims of Violence and Crime to begin a three-year initiative in southwestern Pennsylvania to address this disturbing gap.

Anecdotal experience suggests there is a fairly large population of people who have become disabled as a result of crime whose needs are not being met by either victim services or disability services. Historically, victim service organizations have focused on the emotional, legal, financial and immediate medical needs of victims without recognizing the additional support that is required to adjust to living with paralysis, memory difficulties, loss of vision or hearing, or other disabilities. And disability service providers have focused on assisting their clients in rehabilitation and regaining independence, while not acknowledging the circumstances that caused the disability. This initiative will be among the first in the nation to address this gap.

For more information about this initiative contact FISA Foundation Program Officer Kristy Trautmann at Kristy@fisafoundation.org or 412-456-5550.

[From Kristy Trautmann at the FISA Foundation]

Intern in AAPD Program Sponsored by the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation Makes the News

Stacy Cervenka often leads tourists from Kansas through the crowded halls of the U.S. Capitol, pointing out presidential busts, historic paintings and details in the huge dome that arches over their heads. Leading tours is typical duty for Senate aides like Cervenka, who works for Kansas Republican Sam Brownback, but she brings something extraordinary to the role. She is blind. Cervenka was one of the participants in the 2004 Congressional Internship Program sponsored by the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF) and administered by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). Stacy first interned in Brownback’s office in the summer of 2004. To train herself to give tours, Cervenka researched the architecture on the Capitol’s Web site using JAWS software, and she followed other interns on their tours, asking lots of questions until she felt confident enough to lead her own tours. She’s an expert now. When she’s in the Capitol Rotunda, Cervenka, who uses a cane, determines where she is and which painting her group is looking at — based on the grooves in the stone floor. In Statuary Hall, she invites tourists to join her in discovering tactile details of the sculptured busts. For more information about MEAF, go to www.meaf.org; for more information about the summer internship program, go to www.aapd-dc.org.

[From an article by Sadia Latifi in the McClatchy Newspapers; from a MEAFlink e-news bulletin, 08/10/2006]

Publications and Resources

2006 Let’s Play, A Guide to Toys for Children with Special Needs

The Toy Industry Foundation (TIF), in partnership with the Alliance for Technology Access (ATA) and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), has researched and tested hundreds of toys, and the end result is the creation of a comprehensive guide of the best toys for children with all types of special needs. Toys in the guide were tested by over 100 “toy experts,” children with a variety of special needs at a number of testing centers all over the country. For more information, go to ATA’s Web site at www.ATAccess.org.

Easter Seals Launches IncludingAllKids.org

As a part of the Beyond Participation Project, funded by the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, Easter Seals launched the IncludingAllKids.org Web site. The site was created to assist youth organizations in actively engaging young people of all abilities. IncludingAllKids.org will provide visitors with information, resources and practical guidance on inclusion. Several examples of excellent practice in inclusion were taken from Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the National 4-H Council, National Wildlife Federation and Wilderness Inquiry. To access the site, go to www.includingallkids.org.

State of Philanthropy 2006

State of Philanthropy 2006: Creating Dialogue for Tomorrow’s Movements is the third in a series of biennial collections that features sector leaders and experts from an array of social change organizations. The report confronts a variety of contentious issues such as effective foundation management and regulation, and the implications of federal budget policies on state-level and city-level grants. It also includes a primer on state regulations of foundations, as well as perspectives from several nonprofit organizations on strategic corporate philanthropy, electioneering activities of interest groups, environmental justice post-Katrina, and an emerging new women’s movement. To order a copy, go to www.ncrp.org/publications/index.asp.

National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) Guidelines for Creating Accessible Digital Media

The National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) has published a new resource, Accessible Digital Media: Design Guidelines for Electronic Publications, Multimedia and the Web. These guidelines, available free of charge, provide step-by-step solutions for making a variety of electronic media accessible to users with sensory disabilities. To go to the NCTI accessibility page and access the NCAM Web site, go to www.nationaltechcenter.org/WebAccess.asp#websites, scroll down to National Center for Accessible Media.

Television Webcast of NCD‘s Town Hall Meeting Commemorating the 16th Anniversary of the ADA

A Webcast of the National Council on Disability’s (NCD) Town Hall Meeting event commemorating the 16th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act is available from TVWorldwide.com, a Web-based global television network. Its internet TV Channel at www.AT508.com will provide an archived webcast of the meeting, “A National Dialogue on the State of Disability,” held Wednesday, July 26, 2006, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The free Webcast will be available as an archived video for one year on www.tvworldwide.com and www.AT508.com.

Benefits-to-Work Calculator

Disability Benefits 101 (DB101) at the World Institute on Disability (WID) launched its first online benefits planning calculator, available at www.db101.org. When users input information about work plans, the Benefits-to-Work calculator shows how benefits could change when taking a job. This new tool is the first of six calculators planned for launch by the end of 2007. Note: this project is a pilot that is California-specific, so any products should be viewed as models.

Nationwide Online Panels for People with Disabilities

Butler News Media recently launched two nationwide online panels for people with disabilities. These two panels allow people with disabilities to participate in market research, mystery shopping, opinion polls, surveys, usability testing, focus groups and other types of specialized studies. For the official panel Web site, go to www.abilitypanel.com.

 

Walgreens Launches Accessible Employment Web Site

Walgreens recently launched an outreach initiative to hire people with disabilities at its new distribution center in Anderson, S.C. Walgreens engaged The Paciello Group (TPG) of Nashua, N.H., to make the site accessible for people with various disabilities and to meet the international Web Content Accessibility Guidelines of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Scheduled to open in June 2007, Walgreens’s goal is to have at least one third of its 600-person workforce (including management positions) consist of employees with a variety of disabilities. See www.walgreensoutreach.com.

Google Labs Launches Accessible Web Search

Google has launched Google Accessible Search, a stripped-down version of the Google search results page. To try this service, go to http://labs.google.com/accessible.

Monster® and Hire Disability Solutions Introduce Co-Branded Careers Site for Job Seekers with Disabilities

Monster® and Hire Disability Solutions, LLC, recently unveiled a co-branded career resource section on HireDS.com’s site. This joint initiative is intended to make Monster job search tools, career content and resume posting capabilities more accessible to individuals with disabilities. To view Hire DS’s Web site, go to www.hiredisabilitysolutions.com.

Federal Schedule A & B Hiring Regulations Changed

The final regulation governing Excepted Service — Appointment of Persons with Disabilities and Career and Career-Conditional Employment — has been issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The intent of these regulations is to improve the federal government’s ability to hire persons with specific disabilities including mental retardation, severe physical disabilities and psychiatric disabilities. See http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/
edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/06-6464.htm

Disability Matters

This Internet talk radio show, hosted by businesswoman and disability employment leader Joyce Bender, can be heard live every Tuesday at 2 p.m. Eastern time at www.voiceamerica.com. The broadcast is also closed-captioned and has a toll-free caller/listener number, 1-866-472-5788. Transcripts and rebroadcasts can be found at www.benderconsult.com; click on the “radio show” button on the left of the screen.

JAN Announces a New Employment Guide for Individuals with Disabilities

JAN consultants have developed an employment guide for job seekers as well as job candidates. This new on-line tool, Finding a Job that is Right for You: A Practical Approach to Looking for a Job as a Person with Disability, can be found at www.jan.wvu.edu/job/. The guide provides four steps with easy-to-use information, tools and resources on subjects encountered when job seeking — for example, disclosing a disability, requesting an accommodation — and career exploration designed to help people with disabilities find the right job for them.

New EEOC Publication Addresses Employment Rights of People with Hearing Loss

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently issued a fact sheet on the application of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to job applicants and employees who are deaf or have hearing impairments. For a copy of the fact sheet, go to www.eeoc.gov/facts/deafness.html.

New Mentoring Guide

The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability/Youth recently released a new mentoring guide, Paving the Way to Work: A Guide to Career-Focused Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities. The guide can be found at www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publications/mentoring.html.

Guide on Emergency Preparedness for Local Governments

The U.S. Department of Justice has an illustrated step-by-step guide to assist local governments to meet their ADA obligations during emergencies. The publication, ADA Guide for Local Governments: Making Community Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs Accessible to People with Disabilities, can be found at www.ada.gov/emergencyprepguide.htm.

Grants, Awards, Scholarships, Fellowships and Internships

Nominations for the 2007 Henry B. Betts Award

The Henry B. Betts Award program, administered by AAPD, was created by the Prince Charitable Trusts and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago in 1989 to honor individuals who have, in the course of their work, helped to lead the societal transformation that is producing dramatically better outcomes and higher expectations for the diverse groups that make up the disability community in the United States and around the world. The Henry B. Betts Award winner will receive an unrestricted $50,000 cash award at AAPD’s annual Leadership Gala in Washington, D.C. For more information, go to www.aapd.com, call 1-800-840-8844 (v/tty) or e-mail aapdbetts@aol. Nomination deadline is Friday, Oct. 7, 2006.

ANCOR Foundation’s 2007 Community Builder Awards

The ANCOR Foundation is accepting nominations for its 2007 Community Builder Awards. Inaugurated in 2004, this national award recognizes exemplary communities that provide the respect, opportunity and support needed by people with disabilities to live as included and valued members. Two awards are given annually: one for service providers and one for communities or community organizations. The selection committees will be looking for nominees who have made a significant contribution in a given year or number of years toward furthering the integration of individuals with disabilities into everyday life. Award recipients will be invited to attend ANCOR’s 2007 Management Practices Conference in San Diego and will share their best practices with the provider community. To nominate a service provider or community/ community organization, go to www.ancor.org/foundation/documents/foundation_cba_07.pdf and download the 2007 Community Builder Award application. Deadline for submission is Oct. 31, 2006.

Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities

The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, is sponsoring a total of 50 competitive scholarship awards in the amount of $8,500 for eligible undergraduate students with disabilities who are interested in working in the executive, judicial or legislative branches of the federal government during the fall 2006 and spring 2007 semesters. For more information, contact Roshni Lal at 202-336-7567 or e-mail roshniL@twc.edu. Applications are available at www.twc.edu/students/how_to_apply.shtml.

Spring 2007 Emerging Leaders International Fellows Program, Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society

The Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society announced its spring 2007 Emerging Leaders International Fellows Program. The program provides leadership training through applied research and professional mentorship for young scholar-practitioners in the nonprofit sector. The research topic for applicants to the spring program, including the program’s Diversity Fellowship, is community foundations. For more information, go to the Center’s Web site at www.philanthropy.org and click on “International Fellows Program.”

2007 Summer Information Technology Internships for College Students with Disabilities

Undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers in information technology are invited to apply for the 2007 summer technology internship program, administered by AAPD and sponsored by Microsoft Corporation. Accepted candidates will work in various agencies in the executive branch of the federal government. Roundtrip air travel, housing and a stipend will be provided to interns. Applications are available at www.aapd.com. Application deadline is Dec. 11, 2006.

2006 Disability Mentoring Day

Hosted by AAPD and sponsored by Darden Restaurants, the Social Security Administration and other corporate sponsors, Disability Mentoring Day is a large-scale effort designed to promote career development for students and other job seekers with disabilities (mentees). AAPD is seeking individuals to serve as volunteer local coordinators from all 50 states. These individuals will be responsible for recruiting mentors and mentees. For more information, go to www.dmd-aapd.org/docs/factsheet.php.

2006 Accessible American Award

The National Organization on Disability is accepting applications for the 2006 Accessible America Award. Open to all U.S. cities and towns, regardless of size, this award recognizes the exemplary practices of those communities whose citizens with disabilities are fully integrated and participatory community members — from education and employment opportunities to ensuring and encouraging their civic, social, recreational and cultural inclusion. Applications must be received by Oct. 31, 2006. Competition guidelines and application forms are available at www.nod.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.ViewPage&PageID=1491. For more information, go to www.grantstation.com/index.asp#eighteen.

Wellstone Fellowship for Social Justice and Villers Fellowship for Health Care Justice

Families USA is accepting applications for the Wellstone Fellowship for Social Justice and the Villers Fellowship for Health Care Justice.

The ideal candidate for the Wellstone Fellowship must demonstrate an interest in health care policy and racial/ethnic health disparities. The ideal candidate is an individual who displays the potential to contribute to social justice work after their year of hands-on experience as a fellow. For information, including a downloadable application form, go to www.familiesusa.org/about/wellstone-fellowship.html.

The Villers Fellowship for Health Care Justice was created in 2005 by Philippe Villers, founder and president of Families USA. Villers fellows work in the health policy department and assist with efforts to improve access to health coverage for all Americans, especially low-income and other vulnerable communities. Villers fellows will conduct research on a range of health care policy issues and contribute to publications that are relevant to current health policy debates. For more information, including a downloadable application form, go to www.familiesusa.org/about/the-villers-fellowship.html.

Application deadline for both fellowships is Feb. 2, 2007

Council on Foundations Critical Impact Awards

The council has created a new award program to recognize extraordinary efforts by foundations: grantmaking that has changed lives and communities — perhaps even nations — for the better. Nominations for family foundation programs must be received by October 31 and will be recognized at the Family Foundation Conference (Baltimore, Feb. 25-27, 2007). Nominations for programs funded by independent, public and operating foundations and international and corporate funding programs must be received by Jan.8, 2007, and will be recognized at the COF Annual Conference (Seattle, April 29 – May 1, 2007). Nominations for community foundation programs must be received by May 24, 2007, and will be recognized at the Fall Conference for Community Foundations (San Francisco, Sept. 17-19, 2007). For more information, go to www.cof.org/Council/content.cfm?ItemNumber=6418&navItemNumber=1968.

Jobs

Executive Director, National Council on Disability

The National Council on Disability is seeking an executive director. The position is posted at http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/jobsearch.asp?
re=10&vw=d&pg=1&q=%22National+Council+on+Disability%22&
FedEmp=N&sort= rv&brd=3876&ss=0&FedPub=Y, the official job site of the U.S. Federal Government. For more information, please contact Mark S. Quigley at 202-272-2004.

Deputy Director, Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice

The Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, a 29-year-old public foundation whose purpose is to advance the economic, political and cultural well being of lesbians and their allies working for social, political and economic justice in the United States and internationally, is seeking a deputy director to work in partnership with the executive director in development and oversight of the foundation’s strategic and operational plans and budgets. To apply, send a cover letter, resume and three professional references to Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, 116 East 16th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10003, Attn.: Ellen Carton; fax 212-982-3321 or e-mail elcarton@aol.com — subject: Deputy Director.

Philanthropic Partnership Officer, Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice

The Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, a public foundation whose purpose is to advance the economic, political and cultural well being of lesbians and their allies working for social, political and economic justice in the United States and internationally, is seeking a philanthropic partnership officer to be responsible for raising annual operating funds through major donors, events and special appeals. To apply, send cover letter, resume and a two-page writing sample to Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, 116 East 16th St., 7th Floor, New York, NY 10003, Attn.: Wendy Sealey; fax 212 982-3321 or e-mail wsealey@astraeafoundtion.org — subject: PPO.

Program Director, Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues

Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues (LGBTQ), seeking equality and rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people and communities by mobilizing philanthropic resources that advance racial, economic and gender justice, is seeking a program director. To apply, send a cover letter and resume in Acrobat or Word format to karen@lgbtfunders.org or Karen Zelermyer, executive director, Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues, 116 E. 16th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10003. No zip files. No phone calls. Position will remain open until filled.

Director of Research & Communications, Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues

Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues (LGBTQ) is seeking a director of research and communications to provide oversight of LGBTQ research and evaluation projects, publications and communications programs and campaigns. To apply, send a cover letter and resume in Acrobat or Word format to karen@lgbtfunders.org or Karen Zelermyer, executive director, Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues, 116 E. 16th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10003. No zip files. No phone calls. Position will remain open until filled.

Advocacy Coordinator, Grantmakers Without Borders

Grantmakers Without Borders (Gw/oB), a philanthropic network dedicated to increasing funding for international social justice and environmental sustainability, is seeking a part-time advocacy coordinator in Washington, D.C., to lead the coordination of activities related to the legal and regulatory context and framework for international grantmaking, with particular focus on the U.S. Treasury Department’s Voluntary Best Practices for U.S.-Based Charities, Executive Order 13224, and the USA Patriot Act. To apply, e-mail a cover letter and resume to the hiring committee (in Word) to gwob@gwob.net. No calls and no zipped files.

Intern Opportunities Abroad, Leonard Cheshire International

Leonard Cheshire International is offering young graduates intern opportunities to work abroad in the field of disability and development. The available intern positions are listed below.

Speech and Language Therapist, Ireland

Qualified speech and language therapist to provide support to the Speak Up! Advocacy Project run by a national disability organization. The project aims to improve the communication needs of service-users in the Dublin area so that people with disabilities may become more involved in a range of current advocacy activities and initiatives.

Regional Network Coordinator, UK

Support the regional director of a national disability organization in establishing a regional network for regional directors of other large UK charities and chief executive officers of smaller regionally based charities. The purpose of the network will be to enable senior managers to develop a common regional voice on issues of mutual interest and concern, create opportunities for sharing good practice and identifying opportunities for partnership working.

Fundraising Officer, India

Assist in the fundraising and marketing activities and support local grass-roots organizations to build their capacity and know-how in organizing local fundraising activities.

Occupational Therapist, India

Work in post-Tsunami rehabilitation in the Andrah Pradesh region of India, and the southern region of Sri Lanka. Activities will include developing action plans, documenting outcomes and assessing individuals’ needs in rural community settings.

Marketing/Advocacy Officer, South Africa

Help to develop the public relations profile of a national South African disability organization based in Cape Town. Activities include working on publications, informing and influencing the general public and media on issues of disability rights and policy, as well as organizing high-level events.

For an application form and more details, e-mail annette.laidler@lc-uk.org. Positions available from October 2006.

Microfinance Project Manager, CAKE Foundation

The Charles & Agnes Kazarian Eternal Foundation (CAKE) — empowering Armenians living in both the Diaspora and Armenia through education, technology, and healthcare — is seeking a microfinance project manager to provide micro-finance and social support services to Armenian women and people with disabilities. For more information and application procedures, contact info@charmo.com. Application deadline is Sept. 30, 2006.

Foundation and Government Development Officer, WETA

WETA is seeking a foundation and government development officer to secure unrestricted support (gifts, grants and on-air underwriting support) from foundations, government agencies and corporate philanthropic giving programs in support of WETA’s general operations and to support WETA’s local broadcast and non-broadcast projects. Candidates should apply online at www.weta.org/about/jobs.php (look for “officer” position).

Calendar

See full calendar at www.disabilityfunders.org/calendar.html.

September 24-27

Grantmakers for Children, Youth and Families 2006 Annual Conference
Healthy Communities: Strengthening Prospects for the Well-Being of Children, Youth and Families

Los Angeles, CA
For more information, go to www.dgimeetings.com/GCYF/index.htm.

October 4-6

Age & Disabilities Odyssey and National Home & Community Based Services Conference

Minnesota Department of Human Services Hyatt Regency, Minneapolis
For more information, go to www.mnaging.org/odyssey/exhibitor.htm.

October 22-26

2nd International Conference on Universal Design

Kyoto, Japan
For more information, go to www.adaptenv.org.

October 29-November 1

National Spinal Cord Injury Association Summit

Hyatt Regency, Bethesda, MD
For more information, go to www.spinalcord.org.

November 1-3

Fall 2006 Communications Network Conference

Hotel Monaco, San Francisco, CA
For more information, go to www.comnetwork.org/Con2006prereg.htm.

 

November 2-3

State of the Science Conference, National Rehabilitation Hospital

Hyatt Regency Bethesda, Bethesda, MD
Contact: Matt Kehn, matthew.e.kehn@medstar.net, or go to www.sci-health.org.

 

November 7-10

9th Annual Accessing Higher Ground Conference
Assistive Technology and Accessible Media in Higher Education

Disability Services, University of Colorado, Boulder
For more information, go to www.colorado.edu/ATconference.

November 8-10

Technology Affinity Group (TAG) 4th Annual Conference
Using Technology to Enhance Communications and Collaboration

Tremont Plaza Hotel, Baltimore, MD
For more information, go to www.tagtech.org/default.asp?id=138.

November 8-11

2006 TASH Conference

Baltimore, MD
For more information, go to www.tash.org.

November 9-10

Council on Quality and Leadership Fall Conference

Renaissance Historic District, Charleston, SC
For more information, go to www.thecouncil.org/conferences/136/community-life-a-place-for-quality.

November 12-15

Grantmakers in the Arts 2006 Conference
Beantown Remix

Omni Parker House, Boston
For more information, go to www.giarts.org.

December 13-14

Emergency Preparedness and Response Conference
For People with Disabilities, the Elderly, Pediatrics and Animals

Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C.
For more information, go to www.homelanddefensejournal.com/hdl/conf_emergencypreparedness.htm.

Return to DFN E-News

Category: DFN E-News