The Kresge Foundation and the Ford Foundation are working with several other foundations across the country to advance disability inclusion.

Through the Disability & Philanthropy Forum several foundations joined the Presidents’ Council on Disability Inclusion in Philanthropy to work together to advance disability inclusion. 

Convened by the presidents of the Ford and Robert Wood Johnson Foundations, the Presidents’ Council on Disability Inclusion in Philanthropy consists of 17 foundations, including The Kresge Foundation, who have committed to work together to advance inclusion.  

The council shares: “Each foundation is at a different stage of its learning journey toward greater inclusion of people with disabilities both internally and in grantmaking, and all are committed to share our learning. The focus of the council’s collective action is the philanthropic sector, but our aspiration is that as our sector becomes more equitable, we will influence society to dismantle structural ableism and move toward equity.”

The council’s long-term vision is to integrate disability rights and justice within the philanthropic sector through implementing disability-inclusive policies and practices, increasing representation in philanthropy by having more individuals who are disabled work as staff and board members and focusing on disability inclusive grantmaking. 

Phyllis Meadows, senior fellow, health programming, at the Kresge Foundation has been working with the Presidents’ Council. 

Meadows shared that Kresge has engaged all critical areas within the organization to organize and implement a plan to ensure that inclusion is being addressed in all areas of operations.  

“This is an important as a first step, to review whether there is language, processes, policies and tools that will enhance the inclusion of our future and current grantees and partners,” Meadows said. 

Through the Presidents’ Council, foundations have also signed onto a pledge to commit to this work. 

The Disability Inclusion Pledge recognizes that ableism is a barrier to equity and inclusion, and foundations who have signed the pledge will commit to advancing systemic change within their organizations regarding disability inclusion. 

“The pledge simply reinforces our commitment to assuring that we are taking action, and to the best of our ability - we are seeking to strengthen our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts by ongoing assessment and implementation of steps to improve access and opportunities for those with disabilities,” Meadows said. 

The council also supports the Disability Inclusion Fund, a $10 million five-year fund that supports U.S. groups run by and for people who are disabled to lead transformational change. 

“Grantmaking to organizations led by individuals with disabilities and those that support populations and groups with disabilities represent only a small percentage of the investments that foundations have made over the years.

There are opportunities not only to support leadership but to also be more intentional about serving the broad range of disabilities that exist in our society,” Meadows told CMF. 

The objectives of the fund include: 

•    Strengthening the disability community/movement by building the power of representative organizations and elevating the voices of disabled people within public life.

•    Boosting the capacity of disability justice groups to fundraise, communicate a more unified narrative and other priorities as determined by the group’s advisors.

•    Building bridges between disability justice groups to learn from one another, complement and strengthen advocacy and mobilizing approaches.

•    Promoting collaboration and partnership between disability-led organizations and “mainstream” organizations.

•    Supporting disability inclusion in philanthropy with collaborative learning around programmatic and operational inclusion.

Meadows shared that in many ways the grantmaking process is fashioned to those who are able-bodied. 

“Our general lack of awareness and often the slant towards ableism or the able-bodied, sometimes cloud our thinking about the disparities we might unintentionally foster through our decisions about who, what and where we invest. At the same time, the shining star is that if we look closely at our grantmaking processes, that technology is enabling us to expand our reach when there are access barriers, and that new laws that apply to the build environment, require that we take those with physical disabilities into account,” Meadows said. 

Want more?

Learn more about the President’s Council on Disability Inclusion in Philanthropy. 

Learn more about The Disability and Inclusion Pledge.