Finger Lakes Independence Center

What Finger Lakes Independence Center does

Finger Lakes Independence Center (FLIC) is a private nonprofit organization headquartered at 215 Fifth Street, Ithaca, New York, that provides a comprehensive portfolio of disability services to individuals across Tompkins County and the broader Finger Lakes region. Founded in 1988 and operating with a staff of 11-50, FLIC is organized around four core service pillars: Independent Living Services (including Benefits Education, Employment Services, In-Home Personal Care Options, Student Transition Services, and NY Connects); Adaptive and Assistive Equipment (including equipment loans, a Try It Room for hands-on demonstration, architectural barrier consultations, and a Ramp Program); Individual, Community & Systems Advocacy (covering peer support, educational outreach, and Consumer Directed Aide Service); and Support & Information Groups (including Brain Injury, Mental Health Mindfulness 101, and Compassionate Friends). Complementary services include voting assistance for voters with disabilities, emergency preparedness resources tailored to people with disabilities and older adults, and the Longevity Explorers program — a monthly virtual technology evaluation group for older adults.

FLIC generates revenue from two primary streams: government funding tied to Medicaid-related programs — notably CDPAP (Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program), EISEP (Expanded Inhome Service for Elderly Program), and NY Connects — and donations from individuals via a PayPal-hosted donate button. The organization is identified as a United Way of Tompkins County funded partner. Distribution is overwhelmingly direct: services are delivered in person at the Ithaca office and through home-based personal-care aide placements, with awareness generated via a monthly e-Newsletter, community presentations scheduled through a designated Presentation Scheduler, peer support groups, and a Facebook page. Pricing is effectively zero or low to end recipients, with the cost funded by government reimbursement and donations; specific contract economics are not publicly disclosed. There is no disclosed AI/ML, proprietary software platform, or API.

Name

Finger Lakes Independence Center

Legal name

Finger Lakes Independence Center

Website

https://fliconline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Finger Lakes Independence Center is a nonprofit organization in Ithaca, New York, providing independent living, adaptive equipment, advocacy, and support services to people with disabilities across Tompkins County and the Finger Lakes region, funded by government programs and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability and Independent Living Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Housing Transition & Supported Living Navigation (EDAKANAK)

Keywords

• Disability support services
• Independent living assistance
• Assistive equipment access
• Disability advocacy programs
• Community-based rehabilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Ithaca

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. Government Funding: FLIC receives government funding to support its programs and services for people with disabilities, including Medicaid-related programs like CDPAP and EISEP.
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations from the public to support its mission of empowering people with disabilities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Finger Lakes Independence Center is a nonprofit organization that provides independent living services, adaptive and assistive equipment, advocacy, and community support programs to people with disabilities in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Its offerings include in-home personal care programs (CDPAP and EISEP), assistive equipment loans and demonstrations, peer support groups, employment assistance, accessibility consultations, voter services, and emergency preparedness training.

Product overview

The Finger Lakes Independence Center (FLIC) offers a comprehensive portfolio of disability services organized around independent living, adaptive equipment, advocacy, and community support. The core offerings include Independent Living Services (Benefits Education, Employment, In-Home Care, Student Transitions, NY Connects), Adaptive and Assistive Equipment (Try It Room, Equipment Loans, Ramp Program, Assistive Technology for Children), Individual and Systems Advocacy (Peer Support, Educational Outreach, Consumer Directed Aide Service), and Support Groups. Additional services include Information and Referral, Emergency Preparedness training, the Longevity Explorers technology evaluation program, annual events (World of Skills Job Fair, Mental Health Conference), and voting assistance services. This is not a technology platform but a non-profit service organization providing direct support to people with disabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Independent Living Services A suite of services enabling people with disabilities to live independently, including Benefits Education and Employment Assistance, Employment Services, In-Home Personal Care Options, Student Transition Services, and NY Connects, targeted at individuals with disabilities in the Finger Lakes region.
• Adaptive and Assistive Equipment Equipment and technology services including an Accessible Scale, Assistive Equipment Loans, the Try It Room (demonstration of daily living items), Architectural Barrier Consultation, Ramp Program, Accessibility Brochures, and Assistive Technology for Children, offered to people with disabilities and their families.
• Individual, Community and Systems Advocacy Advocacy services including Peer Support, Individual and Systems Advocacy, Educational Outreach (disability awareness training), and Consumer Directed Aide Service, intended to empower people with disabilities and address social and architectural barriers.
• Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) and EISEP Income-eligible and private pay programs assisting community members in hiring and directing their own personal and home care aides, including the Expanded In-home Services for the Elderly Program (EISEP), for individuals needing in-home personal care.
• Information and Referral Staff-assisted information and referral services helping individuals locate adaptive/assistive equipment, accessible housing, and workplace or school accommodations, available to people with disabilities and their families.
• Support and Information Groups Recurring peer support groups including the Brain Injury Support Group, Mental Health Mindfulness 101, and Compassionate Friends Support Group, open to community members seeking peer support.
• Emergency Preparedness Emergency readiness training and resources specifically designed for persons with disabilities and older adults, including evacuation planning and emergency supply resources.
• Longevity Explorers A technology evaluation program in which older adults evaluate products and services geared toward older adults and provide summaries of recommendations; meetings occur monthly via Zoom.
• World of Skills Job Fair An annual job fair (27th annual held in 2023) connecting job seekers with disabilities to employers in the Tompkins County area.
• Annual Mental Health Conference Annual conference addressing mental health issues; referenced as the 29th Annual Mental Health Conference, open to community members and professionals.
• Voting Assistance Services Services helping voters with disabilities understand their rights, including access to Ballot Marking Devices (BMD), accessible polling places, and voter registration assistance.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Keuka Lake AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2026Co-hosting a virtual public presentation on April 29 to present water quality monitoring data for Keuka Lake and its surrounding watershed. This is part of FLIC's broader community engagement beyond its core disability services.
• Finger Lakes InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2026Co-hosting water quality presentation with the Keuka Lake Association. The Finger Lakes Institute is an environmental research and education organization affiliated with Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
• Yates County Soil and Water Conservation DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributing to water quality monitoring data collection for Keuka Lake presentation.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Resource Center for Independent Living (RCIL): Utica-based CIL serving the Mohawk Valley with independent living, advocacy, benefits advisement, and youth transition services. Operates the same Center for Independent Living model as FLIC across rural upstate NY.
• Southern Tier Independence Center (STIC): Binghamton-area Center for Independent Living offering advocacy, independent living skills training, peer support, and transition services. Closely comparable model to FLIC in a neighboring NY region.
• Center for Disability Rights (CDR): Rochester-based CIL with a strong consumer-directed care (CDPAP) and nursing home transition focus. Directly comparable to FLIC on the CDPAP/EISEP personal-assistance service line in upstate New York.
• AccessCNY (formerly ARISE): Syracuse-based independent living and disability services center serving Central New York. Directly comparable to FLIC in offering independent living, advocacy, employment, and assistive technology services within NY State.
• Catskill Center for Independence: Oneonta-area CIL serving the Catskills region with independent living, advocacy, and benefits services. Comparable rural NY CIL model to FLIC, serving a similar geographic and demographic profile.
• Westchester Disabled on the Move: Westchester County CIL providing advocacy, independent living skills, and benefits counseling. Directly comparable service mix to FLIC though operating in a more suburban NY market.

Broad incumbents

• The Arc New York: Statewide chapter of The Arc serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through a broad portfolio of residential, day, employment, and clinical services. Larger incumbent overlapping with FLIC's disability services scope.
• Disability Rights New York: NY's federally designated Protection & Advocacy system for people with disabilities. Overlaps with FLIC's systems advocacy work but operates at the statewide legal and policy level.

Others

• National Council on Independent Living (NCIL): National umbrella organization for the CIL movement in the US. Relevant as FLIC's national-level peer infrastructure and policy advocacy counterpart, though not a direct local competitor.
• New York Association on Independent Living (NYAIL): Statewide membership association representing NY's 37+ Centers for Independent Living. Functions as FLIC's industry association and a peer ecosystem coordinator rather than a direct service competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/fingerlakesindependence

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Finger Lakes Independence Center