Danske Døves Landsforbund

What Danske Døves Landsforbund does

Danske Døves Landsforbund (DDL) is a Danish non-profit human-rights organization founded in 1891 (with Døvebladet magazine first published that year and the organization formally established in 1935) that advocates for deaf people's right to Danish sign language throughout their lives. Headquartered in Taastrup (Blekinge Boulevard 2, 2630) with a secondary secretariat in Aarhus, DDL operates with 17 staff, 100+ volunteers, and a federation of 18 member associations across Denmark plus affiliates in the Faroe Islands and Greenland, under the leadership of landsforperson Anne Vikkelsø and an elected hovedbestyrelsen. Its core service portfolio includes the Døvebladet digital member magazine, the Lev Godt sign-language community program for seniors over 55, IT-hjælp til døve (IT guidance for deaf citizens on government portals, MitID, and digital mail), counseling on rights and loneliness, and the volunteer visiting-service network; it also operates the Akuthjælp til døve smartphone app, co-developed with Rigspolitiet, which enables deaf individuals to contact police, fire, or ambulance via sign language rather than voice or SMS to 112. Underlying technology is a mix of conventional mobile/web platforms (Akuthjælp til døve on iOS and Android; digital Døvebladet since June 2025 with embedded sign-language video) and dedicated research infrastructure through Afdeling for Dansk Tegnsprog at Dansk Sprognævn, which runs a helpdesk answering 250–300 questions per year and a 2024 bandetegn survey of 66 respondents. DDL funds its operations through 475 DKK annual membership dues (275 DDK retained, balance passed to local member associations), small-ticket donations via MobilePay (18445) and SMS (DØV50/100/150/200 to 1245), recurring gift-letter commitments with 10-year minimums and tax deductibility up to 15% of income, and project grants from public bodies including Sundhedsstyrelsen, Digitaliseringsstyrelsen, and Døvefonden; it is not an equity-funded entity, has no parent company, and operates under a quadrennial landsmøde governance model.

Name

Danske Døves Landsforbund

Legal name

Danske Døves Landsforbund

Website

https://ddl.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1891

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Danske Døves Landsforbund is a Danish non-profit human-rights organization advocating for deaf citizens' right to Danish sign language, serving members through 18 local associations, a digital magazine, the Lev Godt seniors program, IT guidance, counseling, and the Rigspolitiet-co-developed Akuthjælp til døve emergency app.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Advocacy Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Minority, Indigenous & Disability Rights (BPADAGAH)

Keywords

• Sign language advocacy
• Deaf community services
• Human rights organization
• Disability advocacy services
• Community health programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Taastrup (Høje Taastrup)

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fee of 475 kroner per year. 275 kroner goes to DDL, and 200 kroner goes to the local member association. Some member associations have set a higher price: Fyns Døveforening (+100 kr), Aarhus Døveforening (+100 kr), and Døveforeningen af 1866 (+200 kr). Children under 18 can become free members.
2. One-time Donations (SMS and MobilePay): One-time donations via SMS (DØV50/100/150/200 to 1245) or MobilePay (18445). Recurring quarterly SMS fundraising campaigns for specific purposes.
3. Recurring Donations via Betalingsservice (PBS): Monthly recurring support via SMS (TEGNSPROG 50/100/150 kr/month) or netbank/Betalingsservice (PBS) to Ringkjøbing Landbobank account 7670-0002160708.
4. Gift Letters (Gavebrev): A 10-year minimum commitment gift letter program allowing donors to contribute a fixed annual amount or percentage of annual income, with full tax deductibility up to 15% of income (versus the standard 20,000 kr annual limit for regular donations in 2026).
5. Project Funding from Foundations and Government Bodies: Døvefonden supported performance interpretation at Roskilde Festival. Sundhedsstyrelsen (Danish Health Authority) funded the Lev Godt project for preventing functional decline and social isolation among elderly deaf people. Digitaliseringsstyrelsen funded the IT project.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Danske Døves Landsforbund is a Danish non-profit umbrella organization that advocates for deaf people's right to Danish sign language throughout their lives. It coordinates a federation of member associations, publishes the Døvebladet member magazine, runs community programs such as Lev Godt, delivers counseling and IT support, and provides the Akuthjælp til døve emergency app developed in partnership with Danish Police.

Product overview

Danske Døves Landsforbund (DDL) is a human rights organization advocating for deaf people's right to sign language. The organization offers a portfolio of member services rather than a unified technology product. Key offerings include: Døvebladet (the membership magazine published since 1891, now digital), Lev Godt (a health-focused community program for seniors), IT-hjælp til døve (IT support and guidance in sign language), and Akuthjælp til døve (an emergency assistance mobile app). Additional services include counseling (rådgivning), volunteer coordination, and a cultural calendar of sign language events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Akuthjælp til døve: Emergency assistance app for deaf people to contact police, fire, or ambulance via sign language.
• Lev Godt
• Døvebladet

Products and services

• DDL Membership
• Døvebladet
• Lev Godt
• Akuthjælp til døve
• IT-hjælp til døve
• Rådgivning (Counseling)

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 200 seniors over 65 participated in Lev Godt sign language communities, with 27 volunteers and over 300 seniors attending lectures across Denmark.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World Federation of the Deaf (WFD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDDL participates in WFD's international conferences and congresses, including the 2024 conference in Nairobi, Kenya with around 200 participants from 50 countries. DDL leverages global deaf network for political advocacy in Denmark and shares best practices with international partners.
• Partner Organizations (Jordan, Vietnam, Guatemala, Togo, Ivory Coast, Ghana)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDDL's international program supports six partner organizations: Jordan Federation of the Deaf, Hanoi Association of the Deaf (Vietnam), Asociación de Sordos de Guatemala, Togo's deaf organization, and organizations in Ivory Coast and Ghana. DDL provides funding, training, and capacity building. DDL attended WFD conference with all six partners. After the conference, DDL conducted a three-day partnership workshop to discuss and implement learnings.
• Rigspolitiet (Danish National Police)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDDL collaborated with Rigspolitiet to develop the 'Akuthjælp til døve' app, which enables deaf individuals to summon police, fire services, or ambulance via smartphone without calling or texting 112 through a sign language interpreter. The app is available for both iPhone and Android.
• DøvefondenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDøvefonden supported performance interpretation of concerts at Roskilde Festival 2025, enabling deaf festival-goers to experience concerts through sign language performance interpretation.
• Roskilde FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDDL partnered with Roskilde Festival for the second year in 2025, setting up a milkshake booth where all orders were taken in Danish sign language, and providing performance interpretation for selected concerts. 34-43 volunteers participated. The collaboration generated nationwide and Nordic media coverage.
• Døveinstitutioner (Deaf institutions and care homes)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDDL collaborates with deaf care institutions such as Egebækhus, which has strong sign language competency among staff, as a model for sign language care environments. DDL also works with Døves Kirke in Copenhagen for community activities.
• Dansk Sprognævn (Danish Language Board)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfdeling for Dansk Tegnsprog (Department for Danish Sign Language) is housed within Dansk Sprognævn, which provides sign language research, helpdesk services answering 250-300 questions per year, and publishes content on dansktegnsprog.dk.
• DDUdvalg (Deaf Youth Committee)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDDUdvalg collaborated with DDL at Roskilde Festival 2025, contributing to the successful sign language interpretation and milkshake booth activities.
• Dansk Døve-Idrætsforbund (DDI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDDI (Danish Deaf Sports Federation) operates under the DDL umbrella, with clubs including Ahorn (45 members), Døvania (127 members), Viking (82 members), Lethica (19 members), and IK Start (15 members). DDI had its own volunteer awards including JP Nielsens Lederpris 2024 and Jørgen Jørgensens Frivillighedspris 2024.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID): UK-based charity for deaf and hard-of-hearing people offering a wider portfolio including hearing-loss research, products, and broader disability scope beyond sign language; comparable mission but a larger incumbent.
• National Association of the Deaf (NAD, USA): US civil rights organization for deaf and hard-of-hearing people; shares DDL's advocacy and sign language access focus but operates at significantly greater scale and scope.

Others

• World Federation of the Deaf (WFD): Global umbrella organization of which DDL is a member; comparable mission in sign language rights advocacy and international capacity building but operates globally rather than nationally.
• European Union of the Deaf (EUD): Umbrella federation of European national deaf associations including DDL itself; comparable in mandate but operates as a Brussels-based advocacy body rather than direct service provider.

Direct peers

• Norges Døveforbund (NDF): Norwegian national deaf association providing comparable member services, advocacy, and sign language community programs; directly comparable Nordic peer with overlapping international partnerships.
• Deutscher Gehörlosen-Bund (DGB): Germany's national federation of deaf associations, operating a similar multi-tier member association model focused on sign language rights, accessibility, and member services.
• Sveriges Dövas Riksförbund (SDR): Swedish national association of the deaf, the most direct Nordic counterpart to DDL with a similar federation-of-local-associations structure, sign language advocacy mandate, and member services portfolio.
• Kuurojen Liitto (Finnish Association of the Deaf): Finnish national deaf association with an analogous advocacy, community, and sign language services mandate; closely comparable in scope and Nordic regional context.

Emerging players

• Deafblind Denmark (Danske Døvblindeforening): Danish association for deafblind individuals; an adjacent Danish disability NGO with overlapping accessibility mission, member-driven funding model, and government-grant dependency.
• Dansk Blindesamfund (Danish Association of the Blind): Danish disability NGO with a parallel structure (member associations, government project funding, accessibility advocacy) addressing visual rather than hearing impairment; useful structural comparison.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/danskedoveslandsforbund
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/danske-d%C3%B8ves-landsforbund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Danske Døves Landsforbund