Disability Lead

What Disability Lead does

Disability Lead is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Chicago that connects and develops leaders with disabilities to promote civic engagement and inclusive leadership representation. Founded in 2015 and operating regional chapters in Chicagoland and Southwestern Pennsylvania, the organization serves a primary segment of emerging and established leaders with disabilities seeking leadership development, disability identity exploration, and civic engagement pathways. Per its own positioning, it is the only leadership program in the nation specifically for leaders with disabilities that makes connections to civic engagement and leadership opportunities.

The organization's core offerings are programmatic rather than technological. Its flagship product is the Institute, a year-long fellowship centered on disability identity that builds leadership skills and civic engagement. Complementary offerings include Network Membership (300+ members as of the most recent disclosure), an annual Summit, a structured Resource Library covering Accessibility, Civic Engagement, Disability Culture, Disability Rights, Employment, and Support, and recruitment toolkits such as the 2027 Institute Recruitment Toolkit. The technology layer is minimal: a website-based application and member portal hosted at disabilitylead.org, a digital resource library, and social media properties on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. No APIs, AI/ML capabilities, or proprietary software products are evidenced.

Disability Lead runs a community-led go-to-market model: prospective Institute fellows apply via essay-based admissions with a nominator requirement, supported by partner referrals, organic social media, and an annual application calendar. The organization funds operations through tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporate partners; there is no priced product or membership fee. The organization was formerly known as ADA 25 Chicago and rebranded to Disability Lead to reflect a programmatic and geographic scope that now extends beyond a single anniversary initiative.

Name

Disability Lead

Legal name

Disability Lead

Website

https://disabilitylead.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Disability Lead is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops leaders with disabilities through a year-long Institute fellowship, a 300+ member network, an annual Summit, and a digital resource library across Chicagoland and Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Disability Leadership Development

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

Keywords

• Disability leadership development
• Nonprofit fellowship program
• Civic engagement programs
• Community network building
• Disability advocacy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Disability Lead relies on charitable donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate partners. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Disability Lead is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit network that develops and connects leaders with disabilities through a year-long Institute fellowship program, an ongoing membership network, an annual Summit, and a comprehensive Resource Library. The organization focuses on disability identity affirmation, leadership skill-building, and civic engagement, operating across the Chicagoland and Southwestern Pennsylvania regions with over 300 members.

Product overview

Disability Lead is a nonprofit organization operating as a network rather than a traditional software product company. Its core offerings consist of the Institute Fellowship Program (a year-long leadership fellowship for people with disabilities), Network Membership (connecting disability leaders to opportunities), an annual Summit, and a comprehensive Resource Library containing guides, fact sheets, and toolkits on accessibility, disability rights, employment, and civic engagement. The organization also produces specialized toolkits such as the Institute Recruitment Toolkit to support program outreach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Institute Fellowship Program A year-long fellowship program specifically for leaders with disabilities that centers disability identity, builds leadership skills, strengthens civic engagement, and deepens understanding of self and community. Free for eligible applicants.
• Network Membership A free membership network of over 300 people with disabilities who use their collective power to create an equitable and inclusive society, connecting members to leadership and civic engagement opportunities.
• Annual Summit An annual summit event bringing together the disability community for networking, learning, and leadership development. Past events have featured prominent disability rights activists such as Judy Heumann, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, and Alice Wong.
• Resource Library A comprehensive online library of resources organized by categories including Accessibility, Civic Engagement, Disability Culture, Disability Rights, Employment, and Support, containing guides, fact sheets, reports, and toolkits for the disability community.
• 2027 Institute Recruitment Toolkit A recruitment toolkit providing sample emails, social media posts, and downloadable graphics to help spread the word about the Institute fellowship applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ Disability Lead Members in network

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Disability Voices UnitedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2026Disability Voices United co-created the 'Someone I Love' statewide campaign in California with Disability Lead and other partners to mobilize residents to speak out on the human cost of health care cuts and take civic action through voting.
• AltaMedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2026AltaMed, a leading California health care provider, co-created the 'Someone I Love' campaign to mobilize Californians on health care issues and civic engagement.
• California Primary Care AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2026The California Primary Care Association co-created the statewide health care advocacy campaign alongside Disability Lead and other nonprofit partners.
• The California EndowmentsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 May 2026The California Endowment, a major health foundation, is a campaign partner supporting the 'Someone I Love' health care advocacy initiative.
• California Wellness FoundationsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 May 2026The California Wellness Foundation supports the statewide health care campaign as a nonprofit funding partner.
• Archstone FoundationsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 May 2026The Archstone Foundation is a campaign funding partner for the 'Someone I Love' health care mobilization initiative.
• Disability:IN ChicagolandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability:IN Chicagoland is listed as a resource and partner organization that helps businesses in the greater Chicagoland area drive performance by leveraging disability inclusion in the workplace, supply chain and marketplace. It is the region's only business-to-business, employer-led disability inclusion program.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Disability:IN: A national nonprofit driving disability inclusion in business, supply chains, and workplaces. Disability:IN's Chicagoland chapter is listed as a Disability Lead partner, and both organizations cultivate disability leadership networks, though Disability:IN focuses more on employer engagement than civic engagement.
• RespectAbility: A national nonprofit advancing opportunities for people with disabilities through leadership development, policy advocacy, and storytelling. RespectAbility's leadership programs and media fellowships target a similar audience of emerging disability leaders as Disability Lead's Institute fellowship.

Emerging players

• Disability Rights Fund: A grantmaking collaborative that supports disability rights movements globally. Disability Rights Fund's focus on funding grassroots disability leadership overlaps with Disability Lead's mission to develop and connect disability leaders, though it operates internationally and as a funder.
• Disability Visibility Project: A community partnership with StoryCorps and an online community dedicated to amplifying disability culture and leadership voices. Founded by Alice Wong—a past Disability Lead event guest—it shares Disability Lead's mission of creating platforms for disability leaders.
• National Disability Institute: A nonprofit dedicated to building a better financial future for people with disabilities through economic empowerment, research, and policy. It overlaps with Disability Lead's resource library and civic engagement work but focuses on financial inclusion rather than leadership identity.
• Sins Invalid: A disability justice-based performance project and organization led by disabled queer people of color. Sins Invalid's intersectional disability leadership and culture work parallels Disability Lead's identity-centered leadership development, though delivered through arts and performance.
• Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law: A national legal advocacy organization protecting and advancing the rights of people with mental disabilities. Its leadership development and advocacy components overlap with Disability Lead's civic engagement and leadership mission, though its focus is primarily legal and policy.

Broad incumbents

• The Arc of the United States: The largest national community-based organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. While The Arc focuses on direct services and advocacy for IDD populations, it shares Disability Lead's nonprofit mission of advancing disability rights and inclusion.
• Center for American Progress Disability Justice Initiative: A progressive policy institute that includes disability justice as a core part of its work. While not a direct leadership development program, it convenes disability leaders and produces research on civic engagement—overlapping with Disability Lead's policy and civic engagement focus.
• American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD): The largest national cross-disability civil rights organization in the U.S., advocating for policy change and convening disability leaders. AAPD's federal policy focus and national scale contrast with Disability Lead's hyper-local civic engagement model, but both develop disability leadership pipelines.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3EWMfGwTDi96yy31Xgtc_g
• Facebookfacebook.com/wearedislead
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/disabilitylead
• Instagraminstagram.com/wearedislead
• Xx.com/WeAreDisLead

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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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 Lead