DISABILITY VOICES UNITED
Disability Voices United is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017 that conducts disability advocacy, training, education, and community organizing directed by and for individuals with disabilities and their families, supported by 13 staff.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What DISABILITY VOICES UNITED does
Disability Voices United (DVU) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2017 and headquartered in California. The organization is explicitly directed by and for individuals with disabilities and their families, with programmatic focus on advocacy, training, education, and community organizing. Rather than a technology or product company, DVU operates as a mission-driven advocacy nonprofit with a lean operational footprint of 13 staff members. Its governance model intentionally centers lived experience of disability, which shapes its programmatic priorities, advocacy positions, and stakeholder relationships across the California disability rights ecosystem.
DVU's core offerings are programmatic rather than commercial: it delivers training and educational resources, conducts advocacy and policy engagement, runs community organizing campaigns, and hosts conferences that convene its constituency. There is no proprietary software platform, technology product, or AI-driven service described in the available information. The organization's intellectual capital is its community of constituents, its reputation within disability advocacy networks, and the institutional knowledge of its staff and member-leaders. Program outputs are delivered through in-person convenings, training curricula, and advocacy campaigns rather than through scalable digital infrastructure.
DVU's revenue model is typical of a community-based 501(c)(3): it draws on donations from individuals, grants from institutional philanthropy, fees and sponsorships from its conference programming, and related contributions. As a nonprofit, DVU does not sell commercial products or services; financial sustainability depends on philanthropic support, grant renewals, and event-driven income. The organization is positioned within the broader California and U.S. disability rights advocacy landscape, where it competes for attention, members, and grant funding alongside other disability-led and disability-serving nonprofits.
DISABILITY VOICES UNITED firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DISABILITY VOICES UNITED
- Legal name
- Disability Voices United
- Website
- https://disabilityvoicesunited.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Disability Voices United is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017 that conducts disability advocacy, training, education, and community organizing directed by and for individuals with disabilities and their families, supported by 13 staff.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DISABILITY VOICES UNITED industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Disability Advocacy Services
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH), Disability Rights & Accessibility Advocacy (BPAGAFAF), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)
Keywords
Where DISABILITY VOICES UNITED is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
DISABILITY VOICES UNITED business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals supporting disability rights advocacy. The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN# 82-1243094) and solicits donations through its website.
- Conference Registration Fees: Revenue from annual and regional conferences including the Equity Conference, Empowerment Conference, and SDP in the IE conference. Registration fees range from $60-200 depending on attendee type and timing.
- Publications Sales: Sales of educational publications including 'Think Outside the Box' and 'Piense de forma creativa' guides to California's Self-Determination Program, available through Amazon and conference sales.
- Conference Sponsorships: Corporate and organizational sponsorships for conferences with multiple tiers (Confirmation Level $2,500 to Freedom Level $25,000) offering various visibility benefits.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Regional Center Clients, Families, and Direct Care Staff |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Professionals (Regional Center Staff, IFs, FMS, Advocates, Service Providers) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 2024 Equity Conference |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Self-Advocate Speakers Bureau Fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
DISABILITY VOICES UNITED product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Disability Voices United delivers a portfolio of disability advocacy, leadership development, and Self-Determination Program education programs directed by and for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in California. Core offerings include the Ambassador Program, Emerging Leaders Program, Howard McBroom Fellowship, Self-Advocate Speakers Bureau and Speakers Training, Supported Decision-Making Training and Information Center, online community platforms (The Interchange, Communication Access Interchange, SDP Resource Center), educational publications (Think Outside the Box, Piense de forma creativa, Profiles in Self-Determination), and recurring conferences and Zoom-based community meetings. Revenue is generated through donations, conference registration fees, publication sales, and sponsorships.
Product overview
Disability Voices United is a nonprofit advocacy organization directed by and for individuals with disabilities and their families in California. The organization offers a portfolio of programs and resources rather than a traditional software product. Key offerings include educational publications on California's Self-Determination Program (Think Outside the Box, Profiles in Self-Determination), leadership development programs (Howard McBroom Fellowship, Emerging Leaders Program, Ambassador Program), training programs (Self-Advocate Speakers Training), online community platforms (The Interchange, Communication Access Interchange), and advocacy resources. The organization also facilitates regular events including SDP Connect bimonthly meetings and annual conferences. As a nonprofit, DVU does not offer a software-as-a-service product or technical API integrations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Self-Determination Program (SDP) Resource Center: A resource hub for information about California's Self-Determination Program
- Communication Access Interchange
- Communication Disability Access Network
Products and services
- Think Outside the Box: Information and Resources About California's Self-Determination Program A comprehensive English-language guide to California's Self-Determination Program (SDP), updated as of January 2023, covering all aspects from person-centered planning to budgets and spending plans. Sold via Amazon and at conferences for individuals with developmental disabilities, their families, and professionals.
- Piense de forma creativa: Información y recursos sobre el programa de autodeterminación de California Spanish-language edition of DVU's comprehensive guide to California's Self-Determination Program, fully updated as of January 2023, for Spanish-speaking self-advocates and families.
- Profiles in Self-Determination: Inspiration for a Full Life A guide profiling ten children and adults in California's Self-Determination pilot project, telling the story of participants and how self-determination has enhanced their lives, for SDP participants, families, and advocates.
- Howard McBroom Fellowship Program A fellowship program that empowers leaders with disabilities to educate self-advocates, family members, and professionals on the Self-Determination Program and other critical disability rights issues across California.
- Emerging Leaders Program A free four-part training program that gives self-advocates with disabilities and family-advocates the skills needed to take leadership positions in their communities and at the state level and to advocate for systemic change, supported by the Weingart Foundation.
- Self-Advocate Speakers Bureau A bureau of trained diverse self-advocates with disabilities available to transform events and programs and promote inclusivity and empowerment through personal narratives, hired by schools, organizations, and corporations at $0 to $1,000+ per engagement.
- Self-Advocate Speakers Training A free four-session virtual training program on Zoom providing building blocks of effective public speaking and change-making for individuals with disabilities in California.
- Ambassador Program A statewide advocacy program bringing together passionate advocates from across California organized by regional center areas, who represent voices of individuals served by regional centers and their families, attending board meetings and tabling at community events.
- The Interchange (online community platform) An online community platform for the developmental disabilities community to exchange ideas, information, and resources, with separate sections for Self-Determination and Communication Access topics.
- Communication Access Interchange An online community platform focused on the human right to communication access, offering plain-language legal resources from Disability Rights California, news, advocacy opportunities, and forums to connect with others interested in communication access.
- SDP Resource Center An online resource center designed by and for people with disabilities and their families, containing all essential Self-Determination Program information, empowering resources, helpful tools, and insights in one place.
- Supported Decision-Making Training and Information Center (SDM-TIC) A center providing a website hub for all information on Supported Decision-Making (SDM), trainings throughout the state for self-advocates, family members, healthcare professionals, educators, lawyers and judges, and a statewide public education campaign on SDM.
Quantifiable outcome
- Thousands trained on Self-Determination Program through conferences and publications
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use DISABILITY VOICES UNITED
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
DISABILITY VOICES UNITED technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
DISABILITY VOICES UNITED partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Inland Regional CentercoreCo-sponsor of 'SDP in the IE: We're All In' conference for Inland Empire region. Partnership serves current and future SDP participants, families, and professionals in Inland Regional Center catchment area.
- Mychal's Print & EmbroideryminorA nonprofit organization providing employment opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. Partnership involves DVU-branded merchandise sales, with proceeds supporting DVU's mission.
- Disability Rights CaliforniacoreLead partner with DVU in the Communication Disability Access Network. Jointly produces 'Communication: A World of Possibility' training series and Communication Access Connect programming. Collaboration on legal advocacy and systemic change.
- California Department of Developmental ServicescoreState agency overseeing developmental disability services in California. DVU receives funding for Emerging Leaders Program and collaborates on Self-Determination Program implementation and advocacy.
- Self-Direction CenterminorMolly Morris from Self-Direction Center provides SDP Connect presentations on self-direction evolution across states and best practices California can learn from.
- Integrated Community CollaborativeminorCo-founder Fernando Gomez is Co-Founder of ICC. Partnership on advocacy and community organizing for families of people with disabilities.
- UC Davis Health - Center for Reducing Health DisparitiesminorDr. Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola serves on DVU's advisory network and provided keynote at 2024 Equity Conference on health disparities affecting people with I/DD.
- Stanford Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Law and Policy Project (SIDDLAPP)minorDVU Board member Alison Morantz directs SIDDLAPP at Stanford Law School. Partnership on policy research and advocacy for people with developmental disabilities.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights2 records
DISABILITY VOICES UNITED competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- National Disability Rights Network: Federation of the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy systems across U.S. states and territories. Comparable as the parent disability rights advocacy network that DRC belongs to; relevant as a policy peer at the federal level that DVU engages indirectly through DRC.
- Easterseals: National nonprofit providing disability services, advocacy, and support across the country. Comparable in mission scope (disability services and advocacy) but operates at much broader scale and through direct service delivery rather than community-led advocacy.
- Special Olympics California: California affiliate of the Special Olympics movement, focused on athletic training and competition for people with intellectual disabilities. Comparable as a large California disability nonprofit with strong brand recognition and statewide programming, but focused on sports rather than policy advocacy.
Regional players
- Autism Society of California: California affiliate of the Autism Society, providing advocacy, resources, and community support for autistic individuals and families. Overlaps with DVU's autism-adjacent self-advocate population but focuses specifically on autism rather than the broader developmental disability community.
- Inland Regional Center: One of California's 21 regional centers serving the Inland Empire, and a formal co-sponsor of DVU's SDP in the IE conference. Comparable in that it directly serves I/DD clients and families in the same catchment DVU organizes within, though as a government service provider rather than advocacy nonprofit.
Direct peers
- Ability Central: California-based nonprofit that funds and partners with DVU on the Communication Disability Access Network. Comparable as a disability-focused funder and program partner operating in overlapping communication access and I/DD advocacy space.
- Disability Rights California: California's designated Protection and Advocacy system with statutory authority to pursue legal and policy advocacy for people with disabilities. DRC is DVU's most direct peer in scope and a formal coalition partner on the Communication Disability Access Network, but is substantially larger and federally funded.
- The Arc of California: Statewide chapter of The Arc, serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through advocacy, family support, and policy work. Operates in the same California I/DD advocacy ecosystem as DVU, often engaging the same regional center and DDS audiences.
- California State Council on Developmental Disabilities: California state agency tasked with advancing policy and advocacy for people with developmental disabilities. Operates in the same policy and self-determination space as DVU and overlaps significantly on SDP implementation advocacy and statewide capacity-building.
Emerging players
- Self-Determination Programs (other state models): Other state-level self-determination and participant-directed services programs (e.g., in New Jersey, Florida, and other states adopting self-direction). Comparable as adjacent program operators that DVU's Self-Direction Center partnership explicitly studies for cross-state learning and potential curriculum export.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
DISABILITY VOICES UNITED social profiles
Digital presenceDISABILITY VOICES UNITED financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DISABILITY VOICES UNITED leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
DISABILITY VOICES UNITED funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DISABILITY VOICES UNITED M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DISABILITY VOICES UNITED
What does DISABILITY VOICES UNITED do?
Disability Voices United delivers a portfolio of disability advocacy, leadership development, and Self-Determination Program education programs directed by and for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in California. Core offerings include the Ambassador Program, Emerging Leaders Program, Howard McBroom Fellowship, Self-Advocate Speakers Bureau and Speakers Training, Supported Decision-Making Training and Information Center, online community platforms (The Interchange, Communication Access Interchange, SDP Resource Center), educational publications (Think Outside the Box, Piense de forma creativa, Profiles in Self-Determination), and recurring conferences and Zoom-based community meetings. Revenue is generated through donations, conference registration fees, publication sales, and sponsorships.
Is DISABILITY VOICES UNITED a public or private company?
DISABILITY VOICES UNITED is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was DISABILITY VOICES UNITED founded?
DISABILITY VOICES UNITED was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is DISABILITY VOICES UNITED based?
DISABILITY VOICES UNITED is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does DISABILITY VOICES UNITED make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are conference Registration Fees, publications Sales and conference Sponsorships.
Who are DISABILITY VOICES UNITED's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are National Disability Rights Network, Easterseals and Special Olympics California. Regional players are Autism Society of California and Inland Regional Center. Direct peers are Ability Central, Disability Rights California, The Arc of California and California State Council on Developmental Disabilities. Self-Determination Programs (other state models) is listed as an emerging player.
Does DISABILITY VOICES UNITED have an API?
No public API is recorded for DISABILITY VOICES UNITED.
What industry is DISABILITY VOICES UNITED in?
DISABILITY VOICES UNITED's product category is Disability Advocacy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAG, Disability Services & Independent Living Support, with a secondary code of BPAGADAH, Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 8300.