RICV

What RICV does

Resources for Independence Central Valley (RICV) is a community-benefit, 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1976 and one of 28 designated Centers for Independent Living (CILs) in California, operating under the federally funded Independent Living network established by the 1978 amendment to the Rehabilitation Act. The organization is consumer-controlled, with at least 51% of its staff and board of directors being persons with disabilities, and it serves any individual with a self-disclosed disability in California's Central Valley across five counties (Fresno, Kings, Madera, Merced, Tulare) through three offices in Fresno, Merced, and Visalia, supplemented by Zoom-based virtual services. All services are provided free of charge with no income eligibility or proof-of-disability requirement.

RICV delivers a portfolio of nine core programs: Information & Referral, Independent Living Services, Transition & Diversion Services, Work Readiness Independent Living (WRIL), Youth Empowerment Services (YES) for ages 14-26, Assistive Technology training and an AT Recycle and Reuse Program, the Voice Options speech-generating device program, the Disability Disaster Access & Resources (DDAR) emergency preparedness program, and the Veterans Independence Program (VIP). The underlying "technology" is primarily assistive rather than digital: refurbished durable medical equipment, speech-generating iPad applications (GoTalk NOW Plus, LAMP Words for Life, Predictable, Proloque4Text, TouchChat HD), and emergency preparedness tools such as backup battery assessments and Medical Baseline Program enrollment. The organization's GTM motion is community-led, relying on peer specialists with lived disability experience, school and adult transition program outreach, and organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Mailchimp newsletter).

RICV's revenue model is a multi-source nonprofit funding stack rather than a commercial pricing model. The organization does not charge for services and has no publicly disclosed pricing. Revenue flows from federal grants under the Rehabilitation Act, California state agency contracts (Department of Rehabilitation, Public Utilities Commission's Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program), Veterans Health Administration funding (VIP via VDC initiative), Central Valley Regional Center referrals (WRIL), PG&E utility funding (DDAR), tax-deductible individual and corporate donations via PayPal, and CFILC partnership funding. The organization holds Candid (GuideStar) Silver Transparency Seal 2025 accreditation and CCPA-compliant privacy practices.

Name

RICV

Legal name

Resources for Independence Central Valley

Website

https://ricv.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RICV is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Center for Independent Living founded in 1976, providing free cross-disability services — including independent living support, assistive technology, youth and veterans programs, and disaster preparedness — to people with disabilities across five California Central Valley counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Services / Independent Living Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG), Disability Employment & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Programs (EDAAAOAI), Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness Education (CPR/First Aid/Disaster Readiness) (EDAAAFAJ)

Keywords

• Independent living services
• Disability support services
• Assistive technology
• Veteran services
• Disability advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Fresno

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: RICV is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals, businesses, and foundations to support its programs and services.
2. Government Grants and Funding: Funded through federal and state government programs including the Federal Rehabilitation Act, California Department of Rehabilitation, and partnerships with agencies like PG&E for disaster preparedness programs.
3. Program-Specific Partnerships: Revenue flows through partnerships such as the Veterans Independence Program (funded by Veterans Health Administration), WRIL program (in partnership with Central Valley Regional Center), and DDAR program (partnership with PG&E and CFILC).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

RICV is a nonprofit Center for Independent Living that provides disability-related services to residents across five counties in California's Central Valley. Its core offerings include independent living skills training, assistive technology, youth programs, veteran services, emergency preparedness, and the Voice Options speech-generating device program.

Product overview

RICV (Resources for Independence Central Valley) is a nonprofit Independent Living Center providing a comprehensive suite of consumer-controlled, community-based, cross-disability services. The organization operates as a hub for disability resources rather than a traditional technology product company, offering direct services through multiple programs including Information & Referral, Independent Living Services, Transition & Diversion Services, Youth Empowerment Services (YES), Assistive Technology & Services, Emergency Preparedness (DDAR), Veterans Independence Program (VIP), and Voice Options. RICV serves five Central Valley counties (Fresno, Kings, Madera, Merced, and Tulare) through three office locations and numerous community partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DDAR (Disability Disaster Access & Resources): A program assisting individuals with disabilities and older adults in disaster readiness and recovery, providing support during Public Safety Power Shutoffs and emergencies.
• YES (Youth Empowerment Services)
• VIP (Veterans Independence Program)
• WRIL (Work Readiness Independent Living)

Products and services

• Independent Living Services Independent living skills training, advocacy, and support services for individuals with disabilities in Central Valley California.
• Assistive Technology Services Assistive technology devices, equipment, and related support services for individuals with disabilities.
• Youth Programs Youth empowerment and transition support programs designed for young people with disabilities and their families.
• Veteran Services Disability-related support services specifically tailored to veterans with disabilities in Central Valley California.
• Emergency Preparedness Program Disability-focused emergency preparedness services, including the Disability Disaster Access Resource (DDAR) program for the Central Valley community.
• Voice Options Program Voice Options is a speech-generating device program that provides communication tools and support to individuals with speech-related disabilities.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Central Valley Regional Center (CVRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRIL (Work Readiness Independent Living) program partnership. CVRC refers consumers to RICV for work readiness, employment goals, and job training services.
• Center for People With Disabilities (CPWD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeterans Independence Program (VIP) partnership. Operates VIP as part of the national Veteran-Directed Care (VDC) initiative funded by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
• PG&EcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability Disaster and Access Resource (DDAR) Center partnership to help people with disabilities prepare for Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) and disasters. PG&E provides funding for the program.
• California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDDAR program partnership. CFILC works with RICV and other organizations on disability disaster preparedness and recovery initiatives.
• California Public Utilities Commission's Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoice Options program partnership providing free speech-generating devices to eligible Californians who are unable to speak or have difficulty speaking.
• California Department of RehabilitationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoice Options program partnership. State agency supporting vocational rehabilitation and independent living programs.
• Coarsegold Resource Conservation DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReady, Set, Resilient Workshop partnership for emergency preparedness, wildfire safety, and Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) education.
• Yosemite Sequoia RC&D CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReady, Set, Resilient Workshop partnership for emergency preparedness education in partnership with RICV.
• Eastern Madera County Fire Safe CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReady, Set, Resilient Workshop partnership for wildfire safety and emergency preparedness education.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Center for Independent Living Berkeley: The founding California Center for Independent Living, established by Ed Roberts in 1972. RICV explicitly traces its lineage to Berkeley CIL's philosophy and uses it as the historical benchmark for cross-disability, consumer-controlled service delivery in California.
• Silicon Valley Independent Living Center: Another of the 28 California Centers for Independent Living serving a multi-county region (Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Benito, Santa Cruz). Operates with the same consumer-controlled governance, four core services, and youth/AT programs as RICV.
• FREED Center for Independent Living: A California CIL serving Nevada, Yuba, Sutter, Placer, Sierra, and surrounding counties. Comparable multi-county rural footprint to RICV's Central Valley service area, with the same ILS, transition, WRIL-equivalent, and AT programs funded via the same federal/state channels.
• Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco: A California CIL with the same five-core-service mandate (information & referral, ILS, transition, advocacy, peer support) plus youth and AT programs. One of RICV's closest CIL counterparts in service mix, though operating in an urban county context.
• World Institute on Disability: Berkeley-based disability-led nonprofit founded in 1983 with overlapping consumer-controlled philosophy, assistive technology advocacy, and employment initiatives for people with disabilities in California.
• Communication Service for the Deaf: A national deaf-and-hard-of-hearing services nonprofit with comparable assistive technology distribution, ASL-accessible programming, and partnerships with state telecommunications programs similar to RICV's Voice Options program.

Others

• California Foundation for Independent Living Centers: Statewide association that partners directly with RICV on the DDAR program. Acts as the funder/convener for California's 28 CILs and is the upstream body through which federal Title VII funds and state disability initiatives are channeled.

Broad incumbents

• Disability Rights California: California's federally mandated Protection & Advocacy system and independent living legal services provider. Overlaps with RICV's Individual & Systems Advocacy function but operates statewide and is court-ordered funded, complementing rather than directly competing with RICV.
• Easterseals Northern California: Regional affiliate of the Easterseals national disability services network serving Northern California. Comparable AT, employment, and independent living supports but operates from a broader portfolio and different funding mix than RICV's pure CIL model.

Regional players

• United Cerebral Palsy Central California: A Central California disability-services nonprofit with overlapping assistive technology and independent living support programs in similar service counties. Operates a different funding/advocacy model but addresses many of the same consumer segments as RICV.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/resourcesforindependence
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/resources-for-independence-central-valley
• Instagraminstagram.com/resources_for_independence_cv
• Xx.com/ricvfresno

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about RICV