Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Indiana (DSANI)

What Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Indiana (DSANI) does

Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Indiana (DSANI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1998 and headquartered at 3320 North Clinton Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana. The organization represents individuals with Down syndrome and their families across the eleven counties surrounding Fort Wayne, and its stated mission is to enhance the lives of people with Down syndrome, advocate on their behalf, provide information and support to families and professionals, and promote acceptance and inclusion. Service recipients are primarily families of individuals with Down syndrome in northeast Indiana, with secondary engagement of healthcare providers, educators, and service professionals who work with the same population.

DSANI's service portfolio is organized around several program areas rather than a technology platform. Core programs include Advocacy (healthcare, education, employment, and community integration), peer support groups MOMS (mothers) and D.A.D.S. (fathers), Member Services, New & Expectant Parents support, Outreach Services, and specialized offerings including DSC2U personalized care plans (a third-party tool from Massachusetts General Hospital's Down Syndrome Program) and iCan Bike therapeutic cycling. The organization's flagship event is the annual Buddy Walk, which in 2025 raised over $134,000 and attracted more than 1,500 attendees. There is no proprietary technology stack; the organization relies on a Squarespace website, a closed Facebook group for MOMS peer support, and email newsletters as its primary digital infrastructure.

DSANI is funded through a donations-and-membership model. Revenue streams include annual membership contributions, individual donations solicited via the website and events, corporate sponsorships, the annual Buddy Walk (corporate sponsorships, team donations, silent auction, raffle, and merchandise), the D.A.D.S. Annual Golf Outing, and occasional foundation grants (e.g., a $10,000 grant from the AWS Foundation in 2019). The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors (including President Christopher Baltes, M.D., Vice President Marcy Albright, Treasurer Andrea Hill, and chairs for MOMS, D.A.D.S., Marketing, Outreach, Advocacy, and Secretary roles) under the executive leadership of Shelley Yoder, who has served as Executive Director since January 2015. National-level affiliations include the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), National Association for Down Syndrome (NADS), Global Down Syndrome Foundation, and National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC).

Name

Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Indiana (DSANI)

Legal name

Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Indiana

Website

https://dsani.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

DSANI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving individuals with Down syndrome and their families across 11 counties surrounding Fort Wayne, Indiana through advocacy, peer support groups (MOMS, D.A.D.S.), member services, and community events like the annual Buddy Walk.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Advocacy and Family Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF)

Keywords

• Disability advocacy services
• Community support programs
• Family support services
• Nonprofit disability services
• Peer support networks

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Wayne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: DSANI raises funds primarily through annual Buddy Walk events, corporate sponsorships, team donations, silent auctions, raffles, and merchandise proceeds. Direct donations are solicited through the organization's website and at events.
2. Membership Fees: Annual membership contributions provide operational support and access to member services, MOMS group, D.A.D.S. group, and other DSANI programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DSANI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers community-based support programs, advocacy, peer groups, and educational resources to individuals with Down syndrome and their families in the eleven counties surrounding Fort Wayne, Indiana. Its portfolio includes advocacy services, the MOMS mothers' support group, the D.A.D.S. fathers' support group, member services, new and expectant parent outreach, the DSC2U personalized care plan, the iCan Bike therapeutic cycling program, and signature fundraising events such as the annual Buddy Walk.

Product overview

DSANI operates as a single unified non-profit service organization rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The organization provides a comprehensive portfolio of support services organized around several core program areas: advocacy initiatives, peer support groups (MOMS for mothers and D.A.D.S. for fathers), member services, outreach programs, and specialized services including DSC2U (personalized care plans) and iCan Bike (therapeutic cycling). The flagship annual event is the Buddy Walk, which serves as the primary fundraising vehicle raising over $134,000 annually. All services are designed to enhance the lives of people living with Down syndrome, advocate on their behalf, provide information and support to families and professionals, and promote acceptance and inclusion in the eleven counties surrounding Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MOMS: A support group for mothers of children with Down syndrome, offering monthly gatherings, a closed Facebook group for peer support, and connection to other DSANI families.
• D.A.D.S.

Products and services

• Advocacy

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,500 attendees at annual Buddy Walk
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered national affiliate, resource partner and local partner.

• National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS)national affiliateStrategic or Co-development PartnerDSANI participates in NDSS advocacy initiatives including the Buddy Walk on Washington and aligns with NDSS legislative agenda, #DSWORKS employment program, #DSVOTES advocacy campaign, and DS Ambassador Program.
• National Association for Down Syndrome (NADS)national affiliateStrategic or Co-development PartnerDSANI works with NADS for advocacy resources and support for the Down syndrome community in Indiana.
• Global Down Syndrome Foundationresource partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerDSANI references Global Down Syndrome Foundation resources for COVID-19 and Down syndrome information and advocacy materials.
• National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC)resource partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerDSANI provides NDSC resources including 'Your Voice, Your Vote' advocacy materials and Parent Webinar Series on distance learning for students with disabilities.
• GiGi's Playhouse Indianapolislocal partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerDSANI board member Ethan Pickett serves on the board of GiGi's Playhouse Indianapolis, indicating a collaborative relationship between the organizations serving the Down syndrome community.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals: Large national disability services nonprofit serving people with disabilities including those with Down syndrome. Overlaps with DSANI's beneficiary population and advocacy mission but operates at a much larger scale and across a broader disability spectrum rather than focusing exclusively on Down syndrome.

Direct peers

• National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC): National Down syndrome organization that DSANI partners with for advocacy resources and the Parent Webinar Series. Serves the same Down syndrome community and family demographic, with comparable program offerings (conferences, advocacy, parent education) at a national scale.
• Global Down Syndrome Foundation: Down syndrome advocacy and research organization that DSANI references for medical and advocacy resources. Focuses on healthcare, research, and inclusion for people with Down syndrome, sharing the same beneficiary population and advocacy mission as DSANI.
• GiGi's Playhouse: Network of Down syndrome achievement centers with multiple U.S. locations including Indianapolis. Offers therapeutic, educational, and career-development programs for individuals with Down syndrome. A DSANI board member (Ethan Pickett) sits on GiGi's Playhouse Indianapolis' board, indicating direct peer overlap in programming and beneficiary population.
• National Association for Down Syndrome (NADS): Chicago-based Down syndrome organization that DSANI partners with for advocacy resources. Operates parent support, education, and advocacy programs for the same Down syndrome community, with comparable mission and program model at a regional scale.
• National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS): The largest national Down syndrome advocacy organization in the U.S. DSANI is a local affiliate of NDSS and participates in its Buddy Walk on Washington, #DSWORKS, and #DSVOTES programs. Highly comparable mission and beneficiary population, though NDSS operates at a national rather than regional scope.
• Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis: Regional Down syndrome association serving the St. Louis area. Operates a comparable mix of family support, education, advocacy, and community programs for the same Down syndrome population, with a similar 501(c)(3) nonprofit fundraising model.
• Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin: Statewide Down syndrome organization in Wisconsin. Provides family support, advocacy, and educational programs analogous to DSANI's offerings, with a similar Buddy Walk-style signature fundraising event and community-based service model.
• Down Syndrome Association of Central Indiana: Indiana-based Down syndrome organization serving the Indianapolis region. Closest geographic peer to DSANI within the same state, with directly comparable mission, family support programs, and Buddy Walk-style fundraising events.
• Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City: Regional Down syndrome organization serving families in the Kansas City metro area. Comparable structure as a community-based nonprofit offering family support, advocacy, and educational programs for individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/DSANIMoms
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/down-syndrome-association-of-northeast-indiana-dsani

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Indiana (DSANI)