Grant Cycle: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

While we recognize the need for funding in all disability communities, Ability Central provides grants specifically to projects and programs that benefit people whose disability impacts their ability to communicate and/or receive information. This includes but is not limited to:

  • People that are d/Deaf, deafblind, late-deafened, hard of hearing, etc.
  • People who are blind, visually impaired, have low vision, etc.
  • People who have had a stroke or sustained a traumatic brain injury
  • People who are autistic or neurodivergent
  • People with intellectual, cognitive, and/or developmental disabilities
  • People who use alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) devices

Ability Central’s Communication Access Grants fund projects anywhere between $10,000 and $100,000.

We typically give between 12-15 grants a cycle.

Ability Central funds projects that improve communication and information access for people who are Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent. We are looking for scalable and replicable projects that align with one of our funding initiatives, Career and Leadership Development or Training Healthcare Professionals. We prioritize projects that center the lived experience of people with disabilities and compensate these individuals for their time and expertise.

For additional information about the kinds of projects we are looking for, please see the 2025 Grants Application Scoring Criteria.

To see the projects we’ve previously funded, please visit the Grants Awards Database on our website.

Ability Central only funds organizations with a 501(c)3 status that are headquartered in California.

Ability Central does not fund individuals, events, religious organizations, or political and religious work. Nor does it support the purchase of vehicles, land, or oversized equipment. Finally, Ability Central does not fund organizations that discriminate based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity and expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Potential new and returning grantees interested in applying should start by reading all the information available on the Grant Opportunities page before logging in or creating an account on Foundant to take the eligibility quiz.

Upon passing the eligibility quiz, the application will become available, and you will be provided a link to schedule a mandatory “Front Porch Applicant Call” with Ability Central Grants staff. This call is meant to be a chance for the applicant and our staff to ask questions about the proposal. Understanding that grant writing can be a labor-intensive process, we want to ensure that the project is a good fit for our grant priorities before you complete the application.

After completing the applicant call, folks are welcome to complete the 17-question application by 5:00 pm PST on Friday, September 13th, 2024.

When the process opens on July 9th, interested applicants can reach out to Ability Central Grants Staff by emailing grants@abilitycentral.org. Please allow 2-3 business days for our reply.

Potential grantees can also schedule an optional “Front Porch Applicant Call” with members of our Grants Team. These 30-minute calls allow applicants to ask questions about the potential fit and relevance of proposals and get clarification before applying. Interested applicants have until Friday, August 16th, 2024 at 5:00 pm to initiate an applicant call. To schedule a call please use the following link to Outlook Bookings. Organizations that schedule a call before completing the eligibility quiz will still be required to meet with Ability Central Grants staff after passing the quiz but before completing the application.

After the application deadline on September 13th, you can expect it to take 8-10 weeks before you hear from us.

The “Front Porch Applicant Call” is an opportunity for potential applicants to ask questions about our process, funding initiatives, and scoring criteria. It is also a time for Ability Central Grants staff to ask questions, ensuring the fit of the proposal.

Applicants must attend a call upon passing the eligibility quiz before continuing to the application. However, if a potential grantee has questions after reading the materials provided on the Grants Opportunities page, they are welcome to schedule a call using this Outlook Bookings link or send an email to grants@abilitycentral.org.

The process opens on Tuesday, July 9th and applications are due on Friday, September 13th, 2024, by 5:00 pm PDT.

All applications will be reviewed and scored by two Ability Central staff members and a community-based advisory group, before recommending the top-scoring projects to the board for approval at its November board meeting. Final award announcements will be made by the end of November with awardees receiving the first disbursement before the end of the year with projects set to start in January.

Ability Central requires a mid-year reporting call with our grantees.  There is no written component or format that grantees must follow. This is an opportunity for our grantees to be as formal or creative as they want to share their progress, goals achieved, challenges, ask questions, and get feedback from the Ability Central staff. Multiple representatives are welcome to join if they can speak about the project’s nature.

Final reports are submitted via the online grants management system. The final reports include a written narrative and a financial report.