National Center for Learning Disabilities

What National Center for Learning Disabilities does

The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1977 and headquartered at 1930 18th St NW in Washington, DC. Its mission is to improve outcomes for the roughly one in five children and adults in the United States with learning and attention issues by combining original research, federal and state policy advocacy, and direct programming for affected students and families. The organization serves four primary constituencies: parents and caregivers of K-12 students with learning disabilities, K-12 general and special education teachers, young adults aged 18-30 with learning disabilities, and federal/state policymakers. NCLD's functional activities are delivered through a multi-channel platform: a digital resource library on ncld.org with content segmented for parents, educators, young adults, and allies; a Quorum.us-powered Online Action Center for contacting elected officials; the Young Adult Leadership Council (YALC, ages 18-24) and Family Leadership Council (FLC) leadership and advocacy programs; the annual LD Day of Action on Capitol Hill; the 48-year-old NYC Annual Benefit Dinner and the newer LD Summit; the Anne Ford Scholarship ($10,000 over four years) and Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship ($5,000 over two years); and research outputs including the State of Learning Disabilities national surveys (conducted with WestEd) and State Snapshots that present NAEP, graduation rate, and proficiency data for all 50 states plus DC.

The underlying technology stack is conventional rather than proprietary: a WordPress-based website, a Quorum.us digital advocacy and constituent relationship management platform, online scholarship application workflows, and standard social media channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube). No AI/ML, native mobile application, or API is disclosed. NCLD's revenue model is exclusively donation-based: individual charitable contributions, corporate sponsorships of events (Annual Benefit, LD Summit, LD Day of Action), foundation and corporate funding partnerships, planned/legacy giving, and the management of donor-funded scholarships. The organization generates no product or service revenue and provides all resources to beneficiaries free of charge. The organization is led by CEO Dr. Jacqueline Rodriguez (appointed July 2023) and governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Brian Hindo, and operates with a small permanent staff of 11-50 supported by a Professional Advisory Board and community councils. Recent strategic emphasis has shifted toward the postsecondary transition gap — only 17% of students with specific learning disabilities receive accommodations in higher education versus 94% in K-12 — through co-convening of the Coalition on Accessibility in Higher Education and the 'Accessible By Design' playbook.

Name

National Center for Learning Disabilities

Legal name

National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc.

Website

https://ncld.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1977 that combines research, federal and state policy advocacy, scholarships, and community programs to improve outcomes for the 1-in-5 U.S. children and adults with learning disabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Advocacy and Education Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Professional Development for Educators (Dyslexia/LD Training) (EDAKAJAK), Specialized Learning Support (Dyslexia/LD Coaching, Assistive Strategies) (EDAJALAJ)

Keywords

• Disability advocacy services
• Learning disabilities support
• Educational policy advocacy
• Nonprofit scholarship programs
• Youth leadership development

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals supporting NCLD's mission to advance research, advocacy, and programs for individuals with learning disabilities
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Event sponsorships for Annual Benefit Dinner, LD Summit, and LD Day of Action providing recognition and mission alignment for corporate partners
3. Funding Partnerships: Large-scale partnerships with foundations and organizations supporting high-impact work that improves outcomes for young adults with learning disabilities
4. Planned Giving: Legacy gifts through estate plans ensuring future generations of students with learning disabilities have access to advocacy and resources
5. Scholarship Program Management: NCLD manages Anne Ford Scholarship ($10,000 over 4 years) and Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship ($5,000 over 2 years) for students with documented learning disabilities

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

NCLD delivers advocacy, research, scholarship, and leadership development programs for individuals with learning disabilities, parents/caregivers, and educators. Its portfolio includes two annual scholarship programs for high school seniors with documented learning disabilities, recognition awards for K-12 educators, structured leadership councils for young adults and families, federal and state policy advocacy campaigns, and a free online resource library with state-level data, legal education materials, and research publications.

Product overview

The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) is a nonprofit organization that offers a portfolio of advocacy, scholarship, and leadership programs rather than a unified technology product. Its core offerings include two scholarship programs (Anne Ford Scholarship and Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship), the Everyday Champion Award for educators, the Young Adult Leadership Council (YALC) for ages 18-24, the Family Leadership Council for parent advocates, and LD Day of Action advocacy events. Supporting resources include legal education on disability rights laws, state-level data snapshots on learning disabilities, NAEP data analysis, and the knowLD digital awareness campaign. These programs work together to advance NCLD's mission of empowering students, families, and educators while advocating for equitable policies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Anne Ford Scholarship A $10,000 scholarship ($2,500/year over four years) granted to graduating high school seniors who will enroll in a full-time bachelor's degree program. Students must have a documented learning disability (LD).
• Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship A $5,000 scholarship awarded over two years ($2,500 each year) to graduating high school seniors who will enroll in a two-year community college, vocational/technical training program, or specialized program for students with disabilities.
• Everyday Champion Award Awards recognizing K-12 educators who excel in building strong relationships with students and families, helping students with learning disabilities thrive. Awards $5,000 each to two individual educators (K-5 and 6-12 categories) and one educator team.
• Young Adult Leadership Council (YALC) A program for young adults ages 18-24 who are ready to transform their communities, elevate youth voices, fight for equity for students with learning disabilities, and drive solutions that shape real policy change.
• Family Leadership Council (FLC) A national network of parents and caregivers committed to lasting change for students with learning disabilities, helping to shape policies, influence research, and build a more equitable education system.
• LD Day of Action An annual advocacy event where YALC and Family Leadership Council members mobilize on Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress, rallying behind an equitable education for every student.
• State Snapshots of Learning Disabilities Federal data presented by state, providing comprehensive breakdowns of NAEP scores in reading and math, graduation rates, proficiency data, and demographic information for students with specific learning disabilities.
• Legal Education Resources on Disability Rights Laws Resources covering key disability rights laws including IDEA, ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Every Student Succeeds Act, Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.4 million school-age students identified with SLDs benefit from NCLD's research and advocacy
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and secondary.

• Coalition on Accessibility in Higher Education (CAHE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026NCLD co-convenes the Coalition on Accessibility in Higher Education, which developed the 'Accessible By Design' playbook for higher education institutions. The coalition brings together higher education leaders to improve accessibility across systems including accommodations processes, faculty training, procurement, and building belonging. Jamie Fasteau from CHEPP leads the coalition with NCLD as a key partner.
• The Annie E. Casey FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026While this grant announcement is about Britebound (not NCLD directly), The Annie E. Casey Foundation is listed as a co-investment partner in youth career readiness grants. NCLD and these foundations may collaborate on shared policy priorities for youth with disabilities.
• HopelabminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026Listed as a co-investment partner in Britebound's youth career readiness grant initiative. Hopelab focuses on adolescent health and well-being, potentially aligning with NCLD's interest in mental health supports for youth with learning disabilities.
• The Raikes FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026Listed as a co-investment partner in Britebound's youth career readiness grant initiative. The Raikes Foundation supports youth development programs, potentially overlapping with NCLD's young adult transition work.
• GRAD PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022NCLD is a founding member of the GRAD Partnership, established in 2022 with the shared commitment to working collaboratively with leading education organizations to maximize collective impact on student success. The partnership focuses on high school completion and dropout prevention, with NCLD contributing research expertise.
• WestEdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCLD collaborated with WestEd to conduct a national survey of general and special educators on school-level factors shaping preparedness and confidence in supporting students with learning disabilities. This research is part of the State of Learning Disabilities initiative and generated the 'Strengthening Educator Confidence to Support Every Learner' report.
• Stephen Gaynor SchoolsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCLD and Stephen Gaynor School co-hosted an Advocacy Fair on October 26, 2025, in New York City to celebrate Learning Differences Awareness Month. The event included informational booths, postcard-writing stations for advocacy, and student activities aimed at empowering self-advocacy and civic engagement.
• Center for Higher Education Policy and Practice (CHEPP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCLD partnered with CHEPP to develop the 'Accessible By Design' playbook for higher education. CHEPP, led by Jamie Fasteau, provides expertise in higher education policy while NCLD contributes its advocacy experience and disability community relationships.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Understood.org: Understood.org is a digital-first nonprofit serving parents of children with learning and attention issues, providing free expert resources, podcasts, and tools—overlapping with NCLD's parent/caregiver audience but with a more product-led and tech-enabled delivery model.
• Wrightslaw: Wrightslaw is a parent advocacy and special education law publisher, offering training and resources on IDEA, Section 504, and IEP processes—comparable to NCLD's legal education content but with a much narrower focus on parent legal advocacy and special education law.
• CHADD (Children and Adults with ADHD): CHADD is a national nonprofit serving individuals affected by ADHD and learning differences—a near-neighbor in the learning/attention disability space but focused specifically on ADHD rather than the broader SLD scope NCLD addresses.

Direct peers

• Learning Disabilities Association of America: The Learning Disabilities Association of America is the longest-standing national nonprofit serving individuals with learning disabilities, providing education, advocacy, and support—directly overlapping NCLD's mission around SLDs with parallel parent/youth programs and policy advocacy.
• Council for Exceptional Children: The Council for Exceptional Children is a professional association for special educators and a leading voice on IDEA and disability policy—directly comparable to NCLD's K-12 advocacy and educator resources, but organized around the educator/professional audience rather than parents and young adults.
• International Dyslexia Association: The International Dyslexia Association focuses on dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities, providing resources, professional development, and advocacy—closely parallel to NCLD's LD scope with greater emphasis on dyslexia-specific teacher training.
• Parent Training and Information Centers (Parent Center Hub): The federally funded Parent Training and Information (PTI) centers network provides parent training and information on disability rights to families of children with disabilities—directly comparable to NCLD's Family Leadership Council work, though distributed across 100+ centers rather than centralized nationally.

Broad incumbents

• Autism Society of America: The Autism Society of America is a national nonprofit providing advocacy, education, and support for individuals with autism—adjacent to NCLD as a fellow major disability-rights organization but serving a distinct disability population with a much larger direct-service footprint.
• National Down Syndrome Society: The National Down Syndrome Society is one of the largest disability-focused nonprofits in the U.S., providing advocacy, research funding, and community programs—comparable as a broader disability-rights peer but serving a different (genetic vs. learning) disability community.

Others

• American Institutes for Research (AIR): AIR is one of the largest behavioral and social science research organizations, with extensive special education evaluation and policy work—comparable to NCLD's research function but operating as a paid-services research firm rather than an advocacy nonprofit, and serving as an ecosystem participant via partnerships like WestEd.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ld_advocate
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NCLD1401
• Facebookfacebook.com/NCLD.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-center-for-learning-disabilities
• Instagraminstagram.com/ncldorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Center for Learning Disabilities