Shared Horizons

What Shared Horizons does

Shared Horizons is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2004 that administers Pooled Special Needs Trusts for individuals with disabilities who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Medicaid. The organization's core function is preserving beneficiaries' eligibility for means-tested public benefits while enabling supplemental disbursements for education, recreation, transportation, personal care, and other quality-of-life expenses not covered by Medicaid. It operates two primary trust products: the Wesley Vinner Memorial Trust, a self-funded/first-party pooled trust for assets belonging to the beneficiary (Medicaid-approved in DC, MD, VA, KY, and GA), and the Third-Party Community Trust, funded by family members, friends, or estate plans. A third arm, the Ron M. Landsman Charitable Fund, provides quarterly grants to individuals and nonprofit organizations serving people with disabilities in DC, MD, and VA.

The underlying operating model is a pooled-trust administration platform that aggregates beneficiary sub-accounts into a master trust to achieve economies of scale, with funds managed by True Link Financial and invested with Charles Schwab. Trust services are delivered through direct office appointments (virtual or in-person), phone, and email, with individualized Quality of Life Plans and Budgets reviewed under Board of Directors oversight. The proprietary technology layer is domain-specialized — focused on compliance with Social Security and Medicaid regulations across multiple jurisdictions, disbursement review, and beneficiary request workflows — rather than a general-purpose fintech platform.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit model. Revenue is generated primarily through annual trust administration fees and enrollment fees on individual sub-accounts, supplemented by donations channeled through a PayPal-linked giving page and the Ron M. Landsman Charitable Fund. The organization runs community-led and event-driven go-to-market motions: education and outreach to families, guardians, attorneys, and state disability agencies, plus periodic fundraising events (the annual Dinner Dance, with the 2025 event cancelled). As of May 2026, Shared Horizons manages over 1,800 beneficiaries and $96 million in cumulative gross deposits across six jurisdictions, with $47 million in cumulative disbursements.

Name

Shared Horizons

Legal name

Shared Horizons Inc.

Website

https://shared-horizons.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shared Horizons is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that administers Pooled Special Needs Trusts for individuals with disabilities on SSI/Medicaid, protecting their public benefit eligibility across six states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Needs Trust Administration

NAICS

Trusts, Estates, and Agency Accounts (52592), Health and Welfare Funds (525120), Trusts, Estates, and Agency Accounts (525920), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Needs & Supplemental Needs Trust Services (FSAAANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG), Guardianship, Conservatorship & Special Needs Trust Services (FSAEAKAG)

Keywords

• Pooled special needs trusts
• Disability trust administration
• Special needs planning
• Medicaid asset protection
• Nonprofit trust services

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. Trust Administration Fees: Annual fees and enrollment fees charged for managing pooled special needs trust accounts. The organization offers a Pilot Program with reduced enrollment fees and low annual fees for eligible Maryland residents.
2. Donations and Charitable Fund: Donations from individuals and organizations supporting the mission. The Ron M. Landsman Charitable Fund provides grants to people with disabilities and organizations serving people with disabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Shared Horizons administers Pooled Special Needs Trusts for individuals with disabilities who receive SSI and Medicaid, pooling assets from multiple beneficiaries into sub-accounts that preserve public benefits while providing supplemental funds for quality-of-life expenses. It offers two core trust products—the Wesley Vinner Memorial Trust (self-funded/first-party) and the Third-Party Community Trust—plus the Ron M. Landsman Charitable Fund grants program.

Product overview

Shared Horizons offers a suite of trust administration and financial services centered on two pooled special needs trust products: the Wesley Vinner Memorial Trust (a self-funded/first-party pooled trust for money belonging to the person with a disability) and the Third-Party Community Trust (for funds contributed by family, friends, or estate plans). These are complemented by the Ron M. Landsman Charitable Fund, which provides quarterly financial grants to eligible individuals and organizations, and a library of educational resource videos. The trusts are designed to help individuals with disabilities preserve assets, protect public benefits (SSI, Medicaid), and access supplemental goods and services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Wesley Vinner Memorial Trust: A self-funded/first party pooled special needs trust administered by Shared Horizons, Medicaid approved in DC, MD, VA, KY, and GA.
• The Third-Party Community Trust
• The Ron M. Landsman Charitable Fund

Products and services

• Wesley Vinner Memorial Trust (Self-Funded / First-Party Pooled Special Needs Trust) A pooled special needs trust where the money belongs to the person with the disability, funded from inheritance, settlement, lottery proceeds, or earnings. Designed to preserve SSI and Medicaid eligibility while providing supplemental funds for quality-of-life expenses. Includes a Pilot Program for employed individuals or Maryland residents receiving DDA services.
• Third-Party Community Trust A pooled special needs trust established and funded by someone other than the person with the disability, such as family members or friends, typically as part of an estate plan or will. Designed to provide gifts and bequests without jeopardizing the beneficiary's public benefits.
• Ron M. Landsman Charitable Fund A benevolent arm of Shared Horizons that provides financial assistance to people with disabilities who qualify for public benefits, funding goods and services not covered by Medicaid. Applications accepted quarterly; open to individuals, families, and nonprofit organizations serving people with disabilities in DC, MD, and VA.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,800 beneficiaries managed across 6 states
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Arc of the United StatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResource videos on Special Needs Trusts and ABLE Accounts are the sole property of The Arc of the United States, indicating educational content collaboration.
• ABLE National Resource CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a government resource for people with disabilities, providing information on ABLE accounts as an alternative savings option.
• Department on Disability Services (DDS) - Multiple StatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrusts reviewed and approved by Department on Disability Services in DC, MD, VA, KY, GA, and TN. Medicaid-approved trust provider for beneficiaries in these jurisdictions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Wealth.com: Wealth.com is an estate planning technology platform used by attorneys, including those advising on special needs trusts. It is an emerging player in the workflow tooling that supports the same estate planning attorneys Shared Horizons relies on as a referral channel.

Others

• ABLE National Resource Center: ABLE National Resource Center promotes ABLE accounts, a complementary savings vehicle for individuals with disabilities. It is positioned as an alternative (not a substitute) for pooled trusts and is publicly listed as a Shared Horizons partner resource.
• True Link Financial: True Link Financial is a fiduciary financial services firm specializing in accounts for people with disabilities and older adults. It is a Shared Horizons partner (manages pooled trust funds) and an adjacent provider that could itself expand into pooled trust administration.
• Special Needs Alliance: Special Needs Alliance is a national membership organization of attorneys specializing in disability and special needs planning. It is an ecosystem participant whose members frequently serve as the referral channel that funnels clients into pooled trusts like Shared Horizons'.

Broad incumbents

• The Arc of the United States: The Arc is a national disability advocacy nonprofit that produces educational content on Special Needs Trusts and ABLE Accounts (Shared Horizons licenses Arc's resource videos). It is a broader incumbent in the disability services ecosystem with a much wider mission and constituency.

Direct peers

• National Pooled Trust (operated by National 501(c)(3) entities): National Pooled Trust is a widely used pooled special needs trust offered in many states, mirroring Shared Horizons' first-party and third-party pooled trust structure. It is a direct competitor for attorney referrals and personal injury settlement placements.
• LifeBridge Financial (LifeBridge Pooled Trust): LifeBridge operates a multi-state pooled special needs trust used by attorneys and families across numerous states. It competes directly with Shared Horizons for first-party and third-party trust placements, offering a more national distribution footprint.
• PLAN of Massachusetts and New Hampshire (PLAN MA/NH): PLAN MA/NH is a pooled special needs trust administrator serving Massachusetts and New Hampshire with a comparable structure (nonprofit, pooled sub-accounts, SSI/Medicaid-compliant). It is the most direct analog to Shared Horizons geographically and operationally, competing for the same beneficiary and attorney audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SharedHorizons
• Facebookfacebook.com/sharedhorizons
• Instagraminstagram.com/sharedhorizons
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shared-horizons-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Shared Horizons