Blue Ridge Independent Living Center

What Blue Ridge Independent Living Center does

Blue Ridge Independent Living Center (BRILC) is a private, nonprofit Center for Independent Living established in July 1989 and headquartered at 1502 B Williamson Rd NE, Roanoke, Virginia. The organization delivers the five federally mandated core services for Centers for Independent Living — advocacy, independent living skills training, peer mentoring, information and referral, and transition services — to individuals with disabilities residing in Virginia's Fifth Planning District (Alleghany, Botetourt, Craig, and Roanoke counties; Covington, Roanoke, and Salem cities). Services are provided free of charge to consumers through approximately 12 staff members, including Independent Living Coordinators, a Transition Coordinator, a Community Services Manager, and peer mentors, all operating under a consumer-controlled Board of Directors with a majority of members having disabilities.

BRILC supplements the five core services with an extended portfolio including medical equipment lending, Social Security representation and Ticket to Work employment services, home modifications (delivered as an agent for Virginia Housing's accessibility grants of up to $6,000), affordable housing assistance, and participation in Project ACCESS — a statewide Pre-Employment Transition Services initiative with VACIL and DARS. The organization has no proprietary technology platform; operations rely on standard nonprofit case management and referral tracking systems, with service delivery conducted primarily in-person at the Roanoke office supplemented by phone and VA Relay accessibility channels.

The revenue model is grant-dependent with three streams: state and federal government funding (supporting the mandated core services), donations from regional businesses and individuals (monetary via PayPal and in-kind equipment), and occasional private or locality grants for specific programs such as home modifications. There is no fee-for-service revenue. Marketing and outreach are community-based, leveraging Facebook, YouTube, monthly newsletters, and referral pipelines from schools, healthcare providers, social services, and partner organizations across the regional disability community.

Name

Blue Ridge Independent Living Center

Legal name

Blue Ridge Independent Living Center

Website

https://brilc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Blue Ridge Independent Living Center is a Roanoke, Virginia-based nonprofit Center for Independent Living, founded in 1989, that provides free advocacy, peer mentoring, skills training, transition, and information services to individuals with disabilities across Virginia's Fifth Planning District.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Independent Living Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Health Care and Social Assistance (62)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAKANAG

Independent Living Skills Training (ADLs/IADLs)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Transition Services (Post-Secondary, Employment & Independent Living)

Keywords

• Independent living services
• Disability advocacy
• Peer mentoring support
• Transition services
• Skills training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Roanoke

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, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: Support received from state and federal government sources to fund core services including the five mandated core services of centers for independent living, transition services, and other disability assistance programs.
2. Donations: Donations from regional businesses and individuals. Accepts both monetary donations via PayPal and in-kind donations of equipment and supplies.
3. Private Grants: Occasional access to funds received from localities or private grants for specific programs such as home modifications.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Blue Ridge Independent Living Center delivers the five federally mandated Centers for Independent Living (CIL) core services: advocacy, independent living skills training, peer mentoring, transition services (youth and nursing home), and information and referral. It supplements these with equipment lending, Social Security representation, employment and Ticket to Work services, home modifications, and housing assistance for individuals with disabilities in Virginia's Fifth Planning District.

Product overview

Blue Ridge Independent Living Center is a private, non-profit organization established in 1989 that provides a comprehensive suite of services for individuals with disabilities. The core service portfolio consists of five core Independent Living services: Advocacy, Independent Living Skills Training, Peer Mentoring, Transition Services, and Information & Referral. These core services are supplemented by additional programs including Equipment Available (medical equipment lending), Social Security Representation, Employment Services and Ticket to Work Program, Home Modifications, and Housing Assistance. The center also participates in Project ACCESS, a statewide initiative expanding Pre-Employment Transition Services for youth with disabilities. The organization serves the Fifth Planning District of Virginia (Alleghany, Botetourt, Craig, and Roanoke counties; Covington, Roanoke, and Salem cities).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advocacy
• Independent Living Skills Training
• Peer Mentoring
• Transition Services
• Information & Referral
• Equipment Available
• Social Security Representation
• Employment Services and Ticket to Work Program
• Home Modifications
• Housing Assistance

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

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.

• Virginia Association of Centers for Independent Living (VACIL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVACIL is a collaborative partner in Project ACCESS, a statewide initiative expanding awareness and access to Pre-Employment Transition Services across Virginia. BRILC staff serve as the Program Coordinator for this initiative, demonstrating a key operational partnership for youth transition services.
• Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDARS is the state agency partner for Project ACCESS, working with VACIL and Virginia's Centers for Independent Living to expand Pre-Employment Transition Services. DARS provides the framework for Instruction in Self-Advocacy curriculum.
• Virginia HousingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBRILC serves as an agent for Virginia Housing's Rental Unit Accessibility Modification and Granting Freedom grants. These programs provide up to $6,000 to renters and/or homeowners for home modifications such as ramps, railings, tub cuts, grab bars, and accessible toilets.

Scale indicators2 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• The Arc: A national disability advocacy and services organization serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; overlaps with BRILC on advocacy, transition, and community living supports, but focuses more on I/DD specifically and operates at much larger national scale.
• Easterseals: A national disability services nonprofit offering employment, transition, and accessibility services at much greater scale; provides overlapping capabilities but is not a consumer-controlled CIL and operates a broader portfolio including therapy and camps.

Direct peers

• Independence Now: A federally-designated Center for Independent Living serving Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland, providing IL services, advocacy, transition services, and benefits counseling to people with disabilities in a defined geographic catchment.
• Access Living: A Chicago-based CIL that delivers the full federally-mandated IL service array and is widely recognized as a leader in disability rights advocacy and independent living philosophy, comparable to BRILC's consumer-controlled model.
• Independence First: A Milwaukee-based Center for Independent Living providing advocacy, peer support, IL skills training, youth transition, and benefits representation to people with disabilities across a multi-county Wisconsin region.
• The Independence Center: A Colorado Springs-based Center for Independent Living offering the full menu of core IL services, independent living skills training, and transition programs to people with disabilities across a regional catchment.
• disABILITY LINK: A Center for Independent Living serving the Atlanta, Georgia region that delivers the same five federally mandated core IL services (advocacy, peer mentoring, IL skills training, transition, and information & referral) to people with disabilities.
• Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania: A CIL serving central Pennsylvania with the same four core services plus youth transition, employment supports, and benefits counseling — directly comparable in mission, funding model, and consumer-controlled governance.

Regional players

• Rappahannock Independent Living Center: Another Virginia CIL serving Planning District 16; provides the same five core services under VACIL coordination, representing a direct regional peer competing for the same Virginia state funding.
• CIL of Central Virginia: A fellow Virginia-based Center for Independent Living serving a different planning district; operates under the same VACIL umbrella and competes for the same federal/state CIL funding pool as BRILC.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCI8ZSStcHnYGD8-pKlGEAVA
• Facebookfacebook.com/brilcinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blue-ridge-independent-living

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 Blue Ridge Independent Living Center