NCIL: National Council on Independent Living 2014 Annual Report [Image: The cover image features an artistic rendering of Senator Tom Harkin. The image is comprised of the words of his 2014 farewell speech on the floor of the US Senate] About NCIL The National Council on Independent Living is the longest-running national cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. NCIL represents people with disabilities, Centers for Independent Living, Statewide Independent Living Councils, and other organizations that advocate for the human and civil rights of people with disabilities throughout the United States. NCIL advances independent living and the rights of people with disabilities. NCIL envisions a world in which people with disabilities are valued equally and participate fully. A Message From the Executive Director In 2014, NCIL led the campaign to pass the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act, which will revolutionize America’s Independent Living Program. NCIL members drafted legislation, met with legislators, marched to the Capitol, and did the hard work, on the ground, to bring Independent Living to its full potential. Thanks to you, our dream of an Independent Living Administration is now becoming reality. 2015 will be another critical year for our Movement as we develop the infrastructure to implement consumer control at the national level. For that reason, I ask that you become a NCIL Member. Your direct participation in the national Independent Living Movement is critical for its success. Together, we are an unstoppable force for change. With your help, we will eradicate the dehumanizing practice of subminimum wages for people with disabilities. We will end the institutional bias once and for all, so that every person can claim their lawful right to independence and agency in their communities. In Washington and in every state, Independent Living advocates will work on every front until we achieve a world in which people with disabilities are truly valued equally and participate fully. NCIL continues to provide first class member benefits, including training and technical assistance, insurance benefits, and a world-class Annual Conference. Most importantly, NCIL provides its members with representation on Capitol Hill, ensuring that our voices are heard by those with the power to enact our priorities. I hope you will join us as we build a future of independence for all. Sincerely, Kelly Buckland, Executive Director [Image labeled Phoenix, Arizona:  This underwater photograph features a man with a physical disability swimming powerfully. He is looking straight at the camera and wearing goggles] [Image labeled Southern California:  A drum circle] Advocacy In 2014 NCIL worked to advance the social, economic, and political equality of people with disabilities by: - leading a successful campaign to reauthorize the Rehabilitation Act through passage of the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act, thereby revolutionizing America’s Independent Living Program, - requesting an additional $200 million for Independent Living through the federal appropriations process in order to expand the work of our members, - securing the inclusion of workers with disabilities in President Obama’s Executive Order raising the minimum wage for federal contractors, - strengthening regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, which prohibits federal contractors from discriminating in employment against individuals with disabilities and requires these employers to take affirmative action to recruit, hire, promote, and retain workers with disabilities, - delaying enforcement of new rules from the Department of Labor on the Fair Labor Standards Act companionship exemption, which, without necessary funding in place, will undermine the ability of seniors and people with disabilities to decide who comes into our homes, - presenting testimony by NCIL members and staff at the National Council on Disability’s Congressional Forum: “Rocking the Cradle: Ensuring the Rights of Parents with Disabilities and their Children” - helping to develop a final rule that establishes requirements for settings eligible for reimbursement under Medicaid as Home and Community Based Settings to exclude institutions, and - working with Administration for Community Living and national aging agencies to push for greater inclusion and involvement of disability organizations in No Wrong Door / Aging & Disability Resource Center systems nationwide. [Image: protest sign – Goodbye RSA / Hello ILA!] [Image: two women carry a sign that reads “Disability Rights Are Civil Rights” in the 2014 March to the Capitol] Accomplishments In 2014 NCIL was increasingly effective in expanding the work of our members and advocating their issues nationally. NCIL also:  - began hosting the Youth Transition Fellow, with funding and partnership from HSC Foundation, furthering NCIL's commitment to youth leadership and development in the Independent Living Movement,  - received $125,000 from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation to fund Path to Empowerment for Consumers with Spinal Cord Injuries projects at Centers for Independent Living all over the country in 2015, - developed and hosted the inaugural meeting of NCIL’s new Corporate Development Council to ensure NCIL’s growth and sustainability through strong relationships with corporate sponsors, - finalized and began working on an exciting new 3-year strategic plan to guide NCIL’s work through 2016, - with bipartisan participation, hosted the 8th Annual Congressional Policy Briefing on Capitol Hill to educate members of Congress on Independent Living, - maintained a strong and active membership base despite a severe recession and cuts to state budgets, - successfully placed NCIL Policy Internship Program participants in jobs within the disability community, - honored retiring Senator Tom Harkin’s lifetime commitment to the Independent Living and Disability Rights Movements, - ?continued to increase youth membership, doubling the number of youth members from 2013 and sustaining an active youth caucus, - held the 10th annual Policy Briefing webinar for the IL community, and - diversified revenue with new sources of income from grants, honorariums, and sponsorships. [Image: a woman proudly waves ADAPT’s modified American flag, which features the universal symbol of accessibility in white stars] [Image: a mother and daughter hold signs that read “Disability Rights for My Sister” and “Disability Touches Everybody” at the 2014 Rally at the Capitol] Prevail: 2014 Annual Conference on Independent Living NCIL’s 2014 Annual Conference on Independent Living was epic. Stalwart leaders and energetic new voices came together from across the nation to celebrate recent victories and plan for the future of America’s Independent Living Program. Seven hundred conference participants were joined by hundreds of additional fierce and fired-up advocates as we marched to the US Capitol to thank Congress for establishing a new Independent Living Administration and demand that the Senate act now to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). We chose the conference theme of Prevail when the Independent Living Administration was still only a glimmer of hope. Celebration was in the air this year, as the Independent Living Administration was set to become a reality in just a few short months. NCIL members interacted directly with Administration officials who have the power to influence the issues we care about most. Senator Harkin joined us for several events. He told the crowd of advocates that although 2014 is his last year as a Senator, he will never leave us and that he will now fight by our side, “shoulder to shoulder”. At the Awards Luncheon, he tossed his script aside and told the audience stories of his favorite times with NCIL and ADAPT. We want to thank each and every one of the 725 advocates that registered and attended NCIL’s 2014 Annual Conference on Independent Living. This year’s conference was outstanding because of your presence and participation. [Image: a NCIL member holds a sign that reads “At NCIL Independence Rules” and features a drawing of the word “independence in sign language] 2014 Award Recipients NCIL congratulates the following advocates, who were honored in 2014 for their outstanding commitment to Independent Living and civil rights of people with disabilities. National Advocacy Awards: - President’s Award: Senator Lamar Alexander and Lee Perselay - Diana Vietz Award: Sukhwa Glick; Danny Raede and Hayden Mears of aspergerexperts.com - Corey Rowley National Advocacy Award: Bruce Darling - Max Starkloff Lifetime Achievement Award: The Honorable Anthony Coelho - Women’s Caucus Award: Judy Roy; Kim Gibson; and Kathryn Merritt Regional Advocacy Awards: - Eileen Healy, Region I - Brad Williams, Region II - Elver Ariza-Silva, Region III - Portlight Strategies, Region IV - Kelli Brooks & Lake County CIL, Region V - Austin ADAPT, Region VI - Roger Frischenmeyer, Region VII - Lloyd Sparks, Region VIII - Jim Click, Region IX - Art DeLaune, Region X [Image: Senator Tom Harkin, NCIL President Lou Ann Kibbee, Jill Jacobs, Mike Oxford, and Marca Bristo pose for a photo with the portrait created by Jacobs in the Senator’s honor] NCIL Board of Directors - Lou Ann Kibbee, President - Mark Derry, Vice President - Ann McDaniel , Secretary - Roger Howard, Treasurer - Stanley Holbrook, Diversity Chair - Maureen Ryan, Regional Representative Chair - Kelly Buckland, Executive Director Regional Representatives: Sarah Launderville, Cliff Perez, Jan Derry, Pat Puckett, Maureen Ryan, Diana Garrett, Shawn D’Abreu, Tami Hoar, Sheri Burns, and Doug Toelle Members At Large: Darrel Christenson, Brian Peters, Bruce Darling, Mary Margaret Moore, and Zainab Jama NCIL Staff Lindsay Baran, Disability and Aging Specialist Kelly Buckland, Executive Director Allie Cannington, Youth Transitions Fellow Eleanor Canter, Communications Coordinator Tim Fuchs, Operations Director Patricia Gill, Accountant Denise Monroe, Member Services Associate Emily Rabin, Summer Policy Intern Rie Terashima, Administrative Assistant Alexa Wohlfort, Summer Policy Intern A Sampling of Member Accomplishments - REACH Resource Centers on Independent Living in Fort Worth, Dallas, Denton & Plano transitioned 25 nursing homes residents into community living saving the State of Texas and federal government approximately $1,180,000. - The Independent Living Resource Center made Santa Barbara the most hearing accessible city in California through the public awareness campaign Loop Santa Barbara. - The Center for Accessible Living in Louisville celebrated the completion of the 100th ramp built with volunteers from Ford and UAW Local 862, who have been building ramps for Kentucky residents since 2012. - The Center for Independent Living Options in Cincinnati, Ohio accepted their 800th consumer in the HOME Choice program in 2014. HOME Choice assists people with disabilities residing in a nursing facility to make a transition back to community based living. - The Vermont Statewide Independent Living Council published a comprehensive k-12 online curriculum that promotes inclusion in Vermont schools for people with disabilities. This curriculum meets national and state standards and is available to Vermont teachers and students free of charge. - Arizona Bridge to Independent Living in Phoenix collaborated with Arizona Center for Disability Law to host the 4th Annual African American Symposium on Disabilities, which included an estimated 200 participants and 35 vendors. - The Independence Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado led a coalition that resulted in an increase of $471,000 to the City’s transit services budget. In response, the Coalition hosted a community rally to show their support for the additional funding. - Access Living Chicago launched the Home and Community Ombudsman Program. The Ombudsmen are advocates who assist individuals with disabilities to address matters related to benefits and rights, and the program has already helped Illinoisians get their benefits reinstated, retrieve security deposits from landlords, and secure in-home services to prevent nursing home placement. - Access II Independent Living Center in Gallatin, MO provided Consumer Directed Services for 134 individuals with disabilities, keeping them at home and in their communities. This resulted in a savings of $6,365,400 for the state of Missouri. - Living Independence Network Corporation in Boise, Idaho helped 190 individuals access no cost assistive technology and medical equipment, helping them remain independent in their communities. [Image labeled Chicago, Illinois: A group of advocates with various disabilities proudly poses for a group photo at Access Living Chicago] [Image labeled Trenton, New Jersey: A group of women with various disabilities belly dance together onstage, in costume!] Independent Living Training and Events IL-NET is a national training and technical assistance project for Centers for Independent Living (CIL-NET) and Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILC-NET) operated by NCIL in partnership with ILRU and APRIL that focuses on: - Deinstitutionalization / Community Services and Supports - Outreach to Unserved and Underserved Populations - Consumer Control - Peer Mentoring of CILs and SILCs - Systems Advocacy - Data Collection and Reporting In 2014, NCIL presented 4 national onsite trainings and 10 webinars, reaching more than 800 people. The IL-NET program also provided technical assistance to hundreds in the Independent Living community.   National Onsite Trainings: - SILC 101-- - Quality Beyond Compliance: Taking Charge of Your CIL’s True Potential- - Establishing & Managing Fees-for-Service in Centers for Independent Living- - Building an Effective Peer Support Program: A Proven Volunteer Model-   National Teleconferences and Webinars: - Resource Development within the Scope of SILC Duties -- - SILC Member Recruitment and Orientation -- - Starting SPIL Planning Early and SPIL Timelines -- - Leading Statewide Strategic Planning -- - Best Practices in Information & Referral at CILs - - Recognizing & Responding to Caregiver Abuse - - An Introduction to Housing Discrimination Laws - - Child-Custody Rights of Parents with Disabilities - - Cost Allocation Plans and Time and Effort Reporting for CILs - - Telling Your Story through Outcome Measures - - Expanding CIL Capacity: One CIL’s Experience with Volunteer Service Corps † - Centers for Independent Living as Financial Management Service Providers Parts I and II † - The CIL and ADRC Connection: The Oregon Story † - An Overview of IRS Benefits for People with Disabilities: Tax Credits, Free Tax Preparation, and More †† - Information on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act! †† - Protecting Beneficiary Access to Care: Binding Bids and Audit Reform †† - NCIL and USICD Present: An Urgent Call on the CRPD †† - NCIL Teleconference on Reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act †† - Updates from the US Department of Transportation †† - Accessibility and ADA: Facility Standards Update †† - CIL-NET -- SILC-NET † New Community Opportunities Center †† NCIL / Other Partners [Image: Yoshiko Dart poses with two NCIL members next to the portrait of Senator Harkin by Jill Jacobs] Strategic Plan Priorities 2014 Political Power   - Build a strong Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus - Pursue legal action against violators of disability rights laws - Build an effective action alert and response system - Hire Director of Public Policy - Develop IL champions in Congress   Strengthening the IL Network   - Provide Training and Technical Assistance for CILs and SILCs - Lead the development of sustainability of CILs and SILCs - Develop a mechanism for providing legal assistance to CILs and SILCs - Increase diversity and representation in NCIL and IL - Increase IL Funding   Communications & Membership   - Create powerful NCIL marketing & branding campaign - Increase media coverage to achieve legislative goals - Increase membership   Resource Development   - Research endowments from corporations and foundations - Access new funding through NCIL’s Governing Board & Corporate Development Council - Obtain new revenue from new grants   [Image: Three NCIL members pose for a photo with a sign that reads “Disability Justice is an LGBTQA Issue] [Image: a woman sits on the grass with a sign that reads “Unlock Our Potential” and features a drawing of hands signing the word “independence” with handcuffs on] Statement of Financial Position- Revenues: - Grants & Programs: $506,266 (49%) - Annual Conference: $255,207 (25%) - Donations: $11,675 (1%) - Membership Dues: $263,618 (25%) - Other Income : $4,729 (0%) - Total 2014 Income: $1,041,495 Expenses: - Administration & Finance: $106,583 (11%) - Training & Assistance: $362,340 (37%) - Advocacy & Programs: $302,693 (31%0 - Annual Conference: $218,493 (22%) - Total 2014 Expenses: $990,109 Assets: - Current Assets: $487,668 - Prepaid Expenses: $24,951 - Prepaid Legal Expenses: $24,765 - Fixed Assets: $8,196 - Deposits: $14,556 - Total Assets: $560,137 Liabilities and Fund Balance: - Current Liabilities: $388,591 - Unrestricted Reserve: $120,160 - Total Net Income: $51,386 - Total Liabilities & Net Assets: $560,137  -All figures represented in this statement of financial position are unaudited. Final numbers may vary slightly. Please contact NCIL for an updated report.  [Image labeled Rochester, New York: a group of young advocates pose for a group photo. Their happiness is visible.] [Image labeled Colorado Springs, Colorado: advocates rally for improved transit.] Donors NCIL would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the following people and organizations, who contributed financially in support of our mission in 2014: - Heather Ansley - Cara Bachenheimer - Jim Baker - L. Dara Baldwin, MPA - Julie Ballinger - Jed Barton - Nancy Becker Kennedy - Helena Berger - Charlotte Bowen - Janet Brugger - Kelly Buckland - Sheri Burns - Darma Canter - Kristina Carrier - John Chappell, Jr. - Phil Chase - Darrel Christenson M.S. - Diane Coleman - Evie Curtis - Bruce Darling - Yoshiko Dart - Jan Derry - Mark Derry - James Dickson - Thomas H. Earle, E.D. - Sara Fernandez - Bob & Jane Fuchs - Diana Garrett - Nora Gateley - Leah Gray - Keith Gurgui - Vicki Haws - Judy Herr - Tami Hoar - Stanley Holbrook - Roger Howard - Anne-Marie Hughey - Sabine Ingerson - Zainab Jama - Rhonda Jeter - Shannon Jones - Bob Kafka - Marsha Katz - Dan & Gail Kessler - Lou Ann Kibbee - Kenneth Klauck - Kathleen Kleinmann - Patt Kosier - Julie Lee - William Lindley II - Joe Longcor - Crystal Lyons - Christine McClelland - Maureen McCloskey - Allan McCroskey - Ann McDaniel - Paula McElwee - Tracy Miller - Mary Margaret Moore - Yoshiko Murasawa - Dot Nary - Karen O'Connor - Michael Peluso - Clifton Perez - Brian Peters - Patricia Puckett - Christine Rangers - Meredith Raymond - Gordon Richins - Maureen Ryan - Katherine Sherwood - Kimberly Steinberg - Charlotte Stewart - Brenda Stinebuck - April Taylor - Doug Toelle - Tina Treasure - Ellen Weaver - Tigist Wodajo - Alexa Wohlfort - Patricia Yeager - Tony Young [Image: Zainab Jama marches to the Capitol] Corporate Sponsors NCIL recognizes the following corporate sponsors for their support and partnership in 2014:   - AARP - ABC Medical - Accessible Bath Technologies - Access Living - American Association for Homecare - AmeriGroup - Amgen - Amtrak - Arizona Bridge to Independent Living - AT&T - Bender Consulting - Centene - Comcast - Google - HSC Foundation - IndependenceFirst - Independent Living Center of the North Shore & Cape Ann - Living Independence Network Corporation (LINC) - Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation - Mobility Ventures / MV-1 - National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth - Pride Mobility - Regional Center for Independent Living - United Healthcare - Verizon [Image: each sponsor’s logo]  Back Cover: The back of this year’s Annual Report features three images of Senator Harkin. 1) Senator Harkin smiles warmly as he addresses the NCIL membership. 2) Senator Harkin says “love” in American Sign Language 3) Senator Harkin poses for a photo with NCIL member Carol Tyson] The National Council on Independent Living extends our most heartfelt appreciation to retiring Senator Tom Harkin – our champion, brother, and friend.