Independent Resources

What Independent Resources does

Independent Resources, Inc. (IRI) is a privately funded nonprofit Center for Independent Living headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, operating since 1994 across three county offices (New Castle, Kent, Sussex). The organization delivers the five federally mandated core services for Centers for Independent Living under Title VII Part C of the Rehabilitation Act: Information & Referral, Independent Living Skills Training, Individual & Systems Advocacy, Peer Counseling & Peer Support, and Adult & Youth Transition & Diversion. IRI's distinctive differentiator is that individuals with disabilities make up more than half of its workforce, leadership, and board of directors, lending authentic lived-experience credibility to peer support and advocacy work.

IRI's service portfolio includes eight signature programs layered on top of the core services, notably the Disability Ball, a Transition Life Skills Program for youth and young adults ages 14-28, the Launchspace Small Business Program for entrepreneurs with disabilities, a Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing with Sorenson video phone stations, and computer and cooking classes for blind and visually impaired individuals. Marketing and beneficiary outreach are conducted via a website (iri-delaware.org), Facebook/X/Instagram presence, seasonal newsletters (Winter 2026 and Spring 2026 editions), print brochures in English and Spanish, community events, and a WBOC Delmarva Life television feature.

The organization has no proprietary technology platform; it operates as a service delivery nonprofit. Revenue is grant-funded and not consumer-priced, sourced primarily from the federal Administration for Community Living, Delaware Health and Social Services, Delaware Vocational Rehabilitation, USDA, Sussex County Council, and Delaware Grant in Aid, supplemented by 2024 State Employees' Charitable Campaign donations. The go-to-market is community-led: services are delivered directly through three county offices to individuals with disabilities across Delaware, with referrals sourced from healthcare providers, nursing homes, discharge planners, and community organizations.

Name

Independent Resources

Legal name

Independent Resources, Inc.

Website

https://iri-delaware.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Independent Resources, Inc. is a Delaware-based nonprofit Center for Independent Living, founded in 1994, providing five federally mandated disability services and signature programs across three county offices to persons with disabilities throughout Delaware.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Independent Living Skills Training (ADLs/IADLs) (EDAKANAG), Computer Access & Alternative Input (Switch, Eye Gaze, Head/Mouse, Keyboards) (EDAKAIAD)

Keywords

• Independent living services
• Disability services
• Peer support programs
• Skills training
• Transition assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Federal and State Grants: IRI is a federally funded organization operating as a Center for Independent Living under Title VII part C of the Rehabilitation Act. Primary funding sources include the Administration for Community Living, Delaware Health and Social Services, Delaware Vocational Rehabilitation, Delaware Grant in Aid, US Department of Agriculture, and Sussex County Council.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Independent Resources, Inc. (IRI) is a nonprofit Center for Independent Living that delivers federally mandated disability services across Delaware. It provides five core services (Advocacy, Peer Support, Independent Living Skills Training, Transition Assistance, and Information & Referral) plus signature programs targeting specific disability communities including the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Blind and Visually Impaired, and youth transitioning to adulthood. Services are offered free of charge to consumers through three county offices.

Product overview

Independent Resources, Inc. is a nonprofit Center for Independent Living providing disability services through a portfolio of five federally-mandated core services (Advocacy, Peer Support, Independent Living Skills Training, Transition Assistance, and Information & Referral) plus signature programs. The organization operates signature programs including The Disability Ball, a Transition Life Skills Program, the Launchspace Small Business Program, Peer Support Groups, a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program, and Computer and Cooking classes for visually impaired individuals. Services are organized into resource categories for Visual Impairments, Hearing Impairments, Intellectual/Emotional Disabilities, and Physical Disabilities. The organization is not a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advocacy Individual and systems advocacy services that assist persons with disabilities in understanding their rights, developing self-advocacy skills, and navigating interactions with employers and service providers.
• Peer Support Peer mentoring services where individuals with disabilities share experiences, feelings, and awareness issues in workshops led by experienced peer mentors who serve as positive role models.
• Independent Living Skills Training Training in skills needed for independent living including budgeting, homemaking, shopping, education, self-advocacy, personal assistant management, communication, recreation, transportation, and self-care.
• Transition Assistance Services helping people with disabilities move out of nursing homes and institutions into independent lifestyles, preventing institutionalization, and assisting youth transitioning from high school to adult life.
• Information & Referral Assistance in locating services and products such as affordable accessible housing, transportation options, adaptive equipment, and support services for people with disabilities.
• What's Happening (Community Events) Events and community activities hosted monthly, providing social engagement and community participation opportunities for people with disabilities.
• The Disability Ball Delaware's premier gala event for persons with disabilities, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds for an evening of dinner, conversation and dancing.
• Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program providing private Sorenson video phone stations and advocacy services for deaf and hard of hearing individuals, including workplace accommodation assistance and community resources.
• Transition Life Skills Program Workshops for adults and youth with disabilities designed to educate, build self-confidence, and empower individuals transitioning from nursing homes, schools, shelters, or other programs to independent living.
• Launchspace Small Business Program Small business development program that helps entrepreneurs with disabilities develop business ideas and present them at Dolphin Tank events to decision makers and potential investors.
• Adult and Young Adult Peer Support Group Peer support group sessions combining social and recreational activities with life-skills training for low- and moderate-income persons with disabilities, enhancing quality of life and independent lifestyles.
• Cooking for Persons with Visual Impairments Cooking skills training program for blind and visually impaired individuals to learn independent living skills in food preparation.
• Computer Class for Persons with Visual Impairments Computer training program teaching blind and visually impaired individuals to use computers, Windows, MS Word, Windows 10, and Apple iPhone technologies for independence in daily living and work.

Named customers5 records

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 core and minor.

• Delaware Independent Living CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide council that plans and coordinates independent living services in Delaware.
• Freedom Center for Independent LivingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOther Center for Independent Living in Delaware for referral and collaboration purposes.
• National Council on Independent LivingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational membership organization for Centers for Independent Living providing advocacy and resources.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• American Foundation for the Blind: National nonprofit addressing blindness and visual impairment through advocacy, research, and direct services. Comparable to IRI's Programs for the Blind and Visually Impaired (computer and cooking classes), though operating at national scale with a research and policy emphasis.
• Hearing Loss Association of America: National nonprofit providing advocacy, education, and support for people with hearing loss. Comparable as a peer serving IRI's Deaf and Hard of Hearing client segment, though with a narrower disability focus and national rather than Delaware-local delivery.

Direct peers

• Access Living: A Chicago-based Center for Independent Living providing the five core IL services plus youth transition, home modifications, and disability advocacy. Comparable as a mid-sized CIL with a strong consumer-led governance model and similar service portfolio.
• National Council on Independent Living (NCIL): The national membership organization for Centers for Independent Living, including IRI. NCIL provides advocacy, training, and resources to the CIL network, making it a peer in the same independent living movement with overlapping service philosophy and consumer-control mission.
• ILRU (Independent Living Research Utilization): A national disability research and training center that supports the CIL network with technical assistance, evaluations, and program development. Comparable to IRI in its focus on independent living infrastructure and capacity building for the disability community.
• Freedom Center for Independent Living: The other federally-designated Center for Independent Living in Delaware, providing the same five core services (advocacy, peer support, IL skills, transition, info & referral). It is IRI's closest functional peer and a formal referral partner, competing for the same client base and grant allocations within the state.
• Disability Rights Delaware: Delaware's federally-funded Protection and Advocacy (P&A) system for individuals with disabilities. Peer in the Delaware disability ecosystem, with overlapping client base and advocacy mission, though focused on legal protection rather than direct IL services.

Broad incumbents

• The Arc: A national disability advocacy and services organization with a strong focus on intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable as a peer in disability advocacy and community-based support, though it serves a narrower I/DD population than IRI's cross-disability model.
• Easterseals: A large national nonprofit providing disability and rehabilitation services across all 50 states. Comparable as a broader incumbent in disability services, though with a wider portfolio (medical rehabilitation, autism services, veterans programs) rather than IRI's consumer-controlled independent living focus.

Regional players

• Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania: A Pennsylvania-based CIL delivering the same five core services to a multi-county region. Comparable in service model, size, and consumer-led philosophy, but operates in a different geography than IRI.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iridelaware
• Facebookfacebook.com/www.independentresourcesincde.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iri-delaware

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Independent Resources