Michigan Disability Rights Coalition

What Michigan Disability Rights Coalition does

Michigan Disability Rights Coalition (MDRC) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 1982 and headquartered in East Lansing, Michigan, that operates as a cross-disability advocacy and direct-service organization serving individuals with disabilities, families, and allied organizations across every Michigan county. Its core programmatic offering is the Michigan Assistive Technology Program (MATP), which maintains an inventory of over 500 assistive technology items across 17 categories and provides free device demonstrations, short-term loans, and AT specialist consultations, complemented by integration with the ATXchange device library platform. MDRC also operates multiple leadership development programs (Leaders for Inclusion, LEAD, LEAD-IN, HER POWER! HER PRIDE!, MI Youth Leadership Forum) and publishes proprietary curricula including Building Alliances for Disability Leadership, We Lead!, and the Creating Change Together advocacy manual.

The organization's distinctive operational feature is its disability-led governance and delivery model: the majority of staff and board members identify as individuals with disabilities, and community-led advisory groups are established for every funded project. MDRC holds copyrighted "Disability Pride" and "Self-Empowerment" definitions licensed under CC BY 4.0. The business model is a free-services nonprofit structure funded primarily through project-focused grants (notably from the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council) supplemented by individual donations processed via Network For Good, with a nominal $100 Parents Weekend retreat fee partially refundable upon completion. Distribution is via self-serve website, phone/email, in-person regional staff across Michigan, and event-driven engagement through Eventbrite.

Name

Michigan Disability Rights Coalition

Legal name

Michigan Disability Rights Coalition

Website

https://mymdrc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Michigan Disability Rights Coalition is a 501c3 nonprofit founded in 1982 that provides cross-disability advocacy, assistive technology programs, and leadership development for individuals with disabilities, families, and organizations across Michigan, led primarily by people with disabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Advocacy and Assistive Technology Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Disability advocacy services
• Assistive technology programs
• Disability rights coalition
• Leadership development training
• Nonprofit community services

Headquarters

HQ city

East Lansing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Project-Focused Grants: MDRC is a 501c3 nonprofit organization funded primarily through project-focused grants for specific initiatives and programs.
2. Individual Donations: Generous contributions from individual donors supporting the organization's mission. Accepts donations through Network For Good platform.
3. Free Services Model: All core services including AT demonstrations, lending library, leadership programs, and trainings are provided at no cost to community members, individuals, and families.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Michigan Disability Rights Coalition (MDRC) is a 501c3 nonprofit cross-disability advocacy organization that delivers statewide programs supporting people with disabilities across Michigan. Its core offerings include the Michigan Assistive Technology Program (MATP), which provides free device demonstrations and a lending library of 500+ assistive technology items, alongside leadership development programs (LFI, LEAD, LEAD-IN) and annual events such as HER POWER! HER PRIDE! and the MI Youth Leadership Forum. MDRC also publishes copyrighted disability pride definitions and curricular resources (BADL, We Lead!, Creating Change Together) used by community partners.

Product overview

Michigan Disability Rights Coalition (MDRC) is a nonprofit cross-disability advocacy organization, not a technology product company. Its offerings consist of community programs and services rather than a unified software platform. The core programmatic portfolio includes the Michigan Assistive Technology Program (MATP), which encompasses an AT Lending Library and AT Device Demonstrations; several leadership development programs (Leaders for Inclusion/LFI, LEAD, LEAD-IN, HER POWER! HER PRIDE!, and MI Youth Leadership Forum); educational curricula (BADL, We Lead!, Creating Change Together); and public content resources (the MDRC Blog and Resource Library). These programs operate independently under a shared mission of cultivating disability pride and dismantling oppression, with no technical platform or modular product architecture connecting them.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Michigan Assistive Technology Program (MATP): A program for people with disabilities, by people with disabilities, providing assistive technology demonstrations and lending library services.
• LEAD Program
• Leaders For Inclusion (LFI)
• HER POWER! HER PRIDE!
• MI Youth Leadership Forum

Products and services

• Michigan Assistive Technology Program (MATP) A statewide assistive technology program operated by people with disabilities for people with disabilities, providing device demonstrations, short-term loans, and training to help individuals with disabilities identify and access assistive technology solutions.
• Assistive Technology Lending Library

Quantifiable outcome

• Participants securing employment in areas aligned with their interests and skills
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LETA SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024MDRC and LETA Solutions co-host the HER POWER! HER PRIDE! annual event for girls with disabilities ages 11-19. Joint programming focuses on building disability pride and leadership skills in young women with disabilities.
• Michigan Developmental Disabilities CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council funded the Connections for Community Leadership Program (CCL) which led to MDRC developing the disability pride definition and self-empowerment framework through formal committee process.
• Network For GoodcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMDRC is partnered with Network For Good for donation processing. Network For Good allows donors to choose how and when to donate, facilitating charitable contributions to support MDRC's mission and programs.
• EventbritecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMDRC uses Eventbrite platform to manage and promote events including leadership programs, conferences, workshops, and community gatherings. All free and paid events are found through Eventbrite.
• United Cerebral Palsy of MichiganminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan to complete 'Creating Change Together' advocacy manual for people with and without disabilities. Manual provides information on leadership and advocacy topics with tools and activities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Disability Rights California: Statewide independent disability rights advocacy organization providing legal advocacy, AT access support, and community education in California. Directly comparable as a state-level cross-disability coalition with similar service mix.
• Equip for Equality: Illinois-based independent disability rights and advocacy organization offering legal services, AT demonstrations, and self-advocacy training. Comparable state-level peer with overlapping AT and leadership development offerings.
• Disability Rights Wisconsin: Wisconsin's protection and advocacy system serving individuals with disabilities through legal advocacy, AT support, and community-based programs. Operates a similar mix of disability rights and AT services in an adjacent state.
• Disability Rights New York: Independent nonprofit dedicated to disability rights advocacy and legal services across New York State. Comparable cross-disability advocacy mission and statewide organizational model.

Broad incumbents

• National Disability Rights Network (NDRN): National umbrella for the Protection & Advocacy (P&A) and Client Assistance Programs across all U.S. states and territories. Comparable in mission; functions as the broader incumbent network of which state-level disability rights organizations like MDRC are conceptually adjacent.
• The Arc: National organization serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through advocacy, education, and direct supports. MDRC shares I/DD focus and leadership development offerings but The Arc operates at national scale with affiliated chapters.
• Easterseals: Large national nonprofit providing disability services including AT, employment, and leadership programs through a network of affiliates. Comparable AT and disability employment offerings but at much broader national scale.
• United Cerebral Palsy (UCP): National cross-disability organization providing direct services, advocacy, and AT support. UCP of Michigan is an existing MDRC partner (Creating Change Together), demonstrating direct operational overlap in advocacy content.

Regional players

• Center for Disability Rights: Disability rights advocacy and independent living center based in Rochester, NY. Comparable cross-disability advocacy model with focus on disability pride and community-led programming; operates outside MDRC's Michigan territory.

Emerging players

• ATXchange: Online device library platform for assistive technology sharing and collaboration. Already integrated with MDRC's MATP program and represents the technology-enabled evolution of AT lending libraries.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mymdrc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MIDISRIGHTS
• Facebookfacebook.com/mymdrc
• Instagraminstagram.com/my_mdrc
• TikToktiktok.com/@miassistivetechprogram

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Michigan Disability Rights Coalition