Disability Rights & Resources

What Disability Rights & Resources does

Disability Rights & Resources (DRR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Center for Independent Living headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, providing independent living services to individuals with disabilities across 20 central Alabama counties. The organization delivers five federally-mandated core services — Information and Referral, Independent Living Skills Training, Advocacy, Peer Support, and Transition services (nursing home and youth) — supplemented by Home Modification, Ala-WIN benefits counseling, Empower Me! self-advocacy training, the MAP IT-certification program with Jefferson State Community College, Southeast ADA Center technical assistance, computer labs, fee-based ADA Consultation, Staff Training, and the Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative with USAging. A new initiative, The Next Step Disability Resource Center, is under development as a model home and training space designed by and for individuals with disabilities.

DRR is governed by a consumer-controlled board on which at least 51% of members and staff are persons with disabilities, in compliance with federal Center for Independent Living requirements. The operating model is predominantly grant-funded, drawing on federal sources (Administration for Community Living), state agencies (Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services, Alabama Department of Senior Services, Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities), municipal funding (City of Birmingham), and United Way of Central Alabama, supplemented by fee-for-service revenue from ADA consultation, staff training, and accessible facility rentals (Board Room, Community Room, Lobby Area) plus individual donations via the website and PayPal.

The headcount of at least 18 named personnel spans executive leadership (CEO John Roper, COO Christie Stanley), program directors (HR, Community Development, WIPA, Home Modification, Healthy Homes), and frontline specialists (Information and Referral, Peer Support, Outreach, Benefits Counseling, Donor Engagement, Special Projects). Services are delivered in person at the 2012-built accessible Birmingham headquarters, by phone, and via field outreach across the 20-county service area spanning Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Etowah, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Jefferson, Lamar, Perry, Pickens, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Tuscaloosa, and Walker counties.

Name

Disability Rights & Resources

Legal name

Disability Rights & Resources

Website

https://drradvocates.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Disability Rights & Resources is a 501(c)(3) Center for Independent Living in Birmingham, Alabama that delivers peer-driven independent living, advocacy, transition, home modification, and disability benefits services to individuals with disabilities across 20 central Alabama counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Living Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Housing Transition & Supported Living Navigation (EDAKANAK), College Readiness & Disability Services Transition Support (EDAKANAB), Disability Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAC)

Keywords

• Independent living services
• Disability advocacy
• Peer support services
• Home modification assistance
• ADA consultation

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: Disability Rights & Resources receives funding from multiple government sources including the Administration on Community Living, Alabama Department of Rehabilitation, Alabama Department of Senior Services, and Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities. These grants support core independent living services and specific programs.
2. United Way Support: As a United Way Agency, the organization receives ongoing funding support from United Way of Central Alabama.
3. Fee-for-Service (ADA Consultation): ADA consultation services ranging from comprehensive on-site surveys with written recommendations to telephone support are available on a fee-for-service basis.
4. Staff Training Services: Training provided to businesses and organizations on disability issues and accommodation is offered on a fee-for-service basis.
5. Facility Rental: The organization rents out its accessible facility spaces including the Board Room, Community Room, and Lobby Area for events, meetings, and trainings.
6. Donations: Tax-deductible donations are accepted from individuals and organizations to support the organization's mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Disability Rights & Resources is a Center for Independent Living that delivers five federally-mandated core services — Information & Referral, Independent Living Skills Training, Advocacy, Peer Support, and Transition services (nursing home and youth) — to individuals with disabilities across 20 central Alabama counties. Beyond core services it provides Home Modification, Ala-WIN Benefits Counseling, Empower Me! self-advocacy training, MAP IT certification, Southeast ADA Center technical assistance, Staff Training, ADA Consultation, Computer Labs, and the Aging & Disability Vaccination Collaborative.

Product overview

Disability Rights & Resources is a Center for Independent Living providing a comprehensive suite of core independent living services and additional programs to individuals with disabilities across 20 central Alabama counties. The organization offers five federally-mandated core services: Information and Referral, Independent Living Skills Training, Advocacy, Peer Support, and Transition services (including Nursing Home Transition and Youth Transition Services). Beyond core services, the portfolio includes Home Modification, Ala-WIN Benefits Counseling, Empower Me! self-advocacy training for students, MAP IT certification partnership, Southeast ADA Center, Computer Labs, ADA Consultation, Staff Training, and the Aging & Disability Vaccination Collaborative. The organization is developing The Next Step Disability Resource Center, a model home and training space. The organization does not offer housing or HUD vouchers but provides resources for accessible housing and independent living support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Information and Referral Telephone-based information and referrals for people with disabilities, family members, businesses, professionals and the general public, providing information about disability-related resources, rights, organizations, programs and services.
• Independent Living Skills Training Training helping consumers learn skills for independence including budgeting, cooking, running a home, communication, transportation, relationships, and self-advocacy.
• Advocacy Services Self-advocacy, group advocacy, and systems advocacy services helping individuals with disabilities have their voices heard and effect change for disability rights.
• Peer Support Peer support services offered by people with disabilities to other people with disabilities in individual and group settings, providing information, personal experience sharing, and problem-solving assistance.
• Nursing Home Transition Services helping nursing home residents in the 20-county service area who desire to return to the community, regardless of age or disability.
• Youth Transition Services Transition services for young people with disabilities ages 14-24 pursuing independent living goals, including help understanding disability, discovering priorities, and setting goals.
• Home Modification Program assisting low-income homeowners with disabilities to make homes more accessible through modifications such as ramp construction, doorway widening, grab bar installation, and bathroom modifications.
• Ala-WIN Benefits Counseling Benefits counseling program explaining how working affects federal and state benefits including SSDI, SSI, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, and Veterans benefits for Social Security disability beneficiaries considering employment.
• Empower Me! Self-advocacy skills training program for students with disabilities ages 16-22, teaching transition skills, independent living skills, career exploration, and abuse/neglect prevention using OnRamp T'NT, OnRamp Ignite, and Advocacy in Action curricula.
• MAP – Mobilizing Alabama Pathways Partnership with Jefferson State Community College providing IT industry knowledge, MAP certification, employment opportunities, college credit, and 15 Digital Literacy certificates.
• Americans with Disabilities Act Consultation ADA consultation services ranging from comprehensive on-site surveys with written recommendations to telephone consultations, available on a fee-for-service basis.
• Staff Training Training services for businesses and organizations to better understand disability issues and accommodate employees, customers, or clients with disabilities, available on a fee-for-service basis.
• Southeast ADA Center ADA technical assistance, information and referral, dissemination, training and development of local networks throughout Alabama, promoting voluntary compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Aging & Disability Vaccination Collaborative Partnership with USAging to conduct vaccination promotion activities connecting older adults and people with disabilities to COVID-19 and flu vaccines, including community vaccine clinics and transportation. Aims to deliver vaccines to 110,000+ individuals and 130,000+ supportive services.
• Computer Labs and Internet Access Computer lab services helping consumers develop skills including independent living skills, Internet usage, resume writing and advocacy, with access to specialized input/output devices.
• Facility Rental Rental of accessible facility spaces including the Board Room, Community Room, and Lobby Area for meetings, events, trainings, and community gatherings. Board Room Full Day $150, Half Day $100; Community Room Full Day $300, Half Day $200, Evenings & Weekend $300; Lobby Evenings & Weekends $500.
• The Next Step Disability Resource Center First-of-its-kind model home and training space designed by and for individuals with disabilities, providing essential resources and support for the disability community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative aims to deliver vaccines to 110,000+ older adults and people with disabilities while providing 130,000+ supportive services
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• USAgingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 September 2023Disability Rights & Resources partnered with USAging as part of the Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative. Funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living, the partnership aims to connect older adults and people with disabilities to COVID-19 and flu vaccines through community vaccine clinics, transportation to vaccination sites, and outreach and education. The goal is to deliver vaccines to 110,000+ individuals and provide 130,000+ supportive services.
• Jefferson State Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023Partnership for MAP (Mobilizing Alabama Pathways) program designed to give students basic knowledge of the Information Technology industry. Participants can earn IT certification, digital literacy certificates, and college credit at Jefferson State. The program supports gainful employment in the IT sector for individuals with disabilities.
• Blackmon Rogers Architects LLCflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitectural firm serving on the Next Step Disability Resource Center Committee for the development of a model home and training space designed by and for individuals with disabilities.
• Alabama Institute for Deaf and BlindminorOthersCollaboration on International Day of Sign Languages activities; LaShawn Washington, Case Manager for the Deaf, provides services to the Deaf community in Birmingham through the organization's regional center.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries of Central Alabama: Large regional nonprofit offering employment, training, and disability services including vocational programs in central Alabama. Comparable as a broader-incumbent nonprofit with overlapping employment and benefits-counseling programs for individuals with disabilities.
• National Council on Independent Living: National membership organization representing Centers for Independent Living and individuals with disabilities across the U.S. Comparable as the umbrella body governing the CIL network in which DRR operates and from which federal policy and funding flows.
• Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services: State agency providing vocational rehabilitation, independent living, and disability services across Alabama. Comparable as a larger public-sector entity funding and coordinating many of the same service categories DRR delivers.

Direct peers

• Lakeshore Foundation: Birmingham-based nonprofit providing independent living, recreation, and fitness services to individuals with disabilities in Alabama. Operates as a close geographic peer serving overlapping disability populations with comparable IL philosophy and programs.
• The Arc of Alabama: Statewide advocacy and direct-service organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable as an Alabama-focused disability nonprofit offering advocacy, family support, and transition services aligned with DRR's mission.
• United Cerebral Palsy of Alabama: Disability services nonprofit serving individuals with cerebral palsy and other disabilities across Alabama and the Mid-South. Comparable as a multi-service disability organization with home modification, independent living, and advocacy programs.
• Easterseals Central Alabama: Regional nonprofit providing disability services including independent living support, employment assistance, and home modifications across central Alabama. Directly comparable as a community-based disability services provider operating in overlapping service areas with similar funding model.
• AbilityPlus (Huntsville): Center for Independent Living serving northern Alabama counties with the same federal CIL mandate and five core IL services. Operates as a peer CIL in the same state under identical federal regulatory framework.
• Disability Rights Alabama: Alabama's federally-funded Protection and Advocacy (P&A) system providing legal advocacy and rights protection for individuals with disabilities. Comparable as a statewide peer organization addressing disability rights, advocacy, and access to services.

Others

• Southeast ADA Center:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/disabilityrightsandresources
• Instagraminstagram.com/disability_rights_resources
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/disability-rights-and-resources

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Disability Rights & Resources