Disability Empowerment Center

What Disability Empowerment Center does

Disability Empowerment Center (DEC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in the 1970s as a King County disability rights organization and rebranded to its current name in 2022 from Alliance of People with disAbilities. The organization provides free independent living services to people with disabilities residing in King County, Washington, including peer counseling, peer support groups, independent living skills training, housing and transportation referrals, resource navigation, post-hospitalization support, and Pre-Employment Transition Services for youth ages 14-22. More than half of its 1-10 person staff have a disability, and the peer-to-peer empowerment model is the organization's defining differentiator. Service delivery occurs through three King County offices (Seattle, Redmond, Auburn), virtual/phone channels, and community-based peer groups, with staff functioning as authorized contractors for Washington State's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and licensed Pre-ETS providers.

DEC's revenue model is a hybrid of grant-funded free individual services and a fee-for-service consulting line. Individual services are funded by federal pass-through grants (including DVR), the King County Veterans/Seniors/Human Services Levy, and charitable donations. The consulting business sells ADA compliance audits, website accessibility testing, on-site accessibility evaluations, emergency preparedness planning, and disability training to businesses, nonprofits, and municipalities — producing approximately 1,176 consulting hours per year. DEC sits at the center of a regional disability ecosystem, co-founding the King County Disability Consortium, participating in the national NCIL network, and partnering with state and county agencies on accessibility policy and programming.

The organization maintains active partnerships with DSHS/DVR, King County, the Seattle Department of Transportation, WASILC, NCIL, and AmeriCorps. Annual scale includes approximately 3,186 community members served, 310+ intensive participants, and 1,176 consulting hours. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; no technology platform, mobile app, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed in the operating model.

Name

Disability Empowerment Center

Legal name

Disability Empowerment Center

Website

https://disabilityempowerment.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Disability Empowerment Center is a King County, Washington-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free peer-led independent living services, advocacy, and accessibility consulting to people with disabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Services / Independent Living Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG), Disability Rights & Accessibility Advocacy (BPAGAFAF), College Readiness & Disability Services Transition Support (EDAKANAB)

Keywords

• Independent living services
• Disability peer support
• ADA compliance consulting
• Pre-employment transition services
• Accessibility consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Services (Free to Eligible Participants): All core services for individuals with disabilities — peer counseling, peer support groups, skills training, housing referrals, transportation assistance, job searching, technology help, resource navigation — are provided at no cost to eligible King County residents. Funded through federal grants, the King County Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy, and charitable donations.
2. Business/Government Consulting Services (Fee-for-Service): The organization offers fee-based consulting to businesses, nonprofits, and municipalities. Services include ADA compliance audits, website accessibility testing, on-site accessibility evaluations, emergency preparedness planning, and disability training. These are paid engagements.
3. Donations and Grants: Disability Empowerment Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (Tax ID: 91-1011821) that relies on donations and government grants for operational funding. The organization also partners with AmeriCorps for staffing support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Disability Empowerment Center provides free peer-led independent living services to people with disabilities residing in King County, including peer support, independent living skills training, housing and transportation referrals, Pre-Employment Transition Services for youth, and resource navigation. The organization also sells fee-based ADA compliance, website accessibility, on-site accessibility evaluations, and inclusive emergency preparedness consulting to businesses, nonprofits, and municipalities.

Product overview

Disability Empowerment Center operates as a single integrated service organization providing free individualized programs and fee-for-service consulting. The core portfolio consists of peer-led support programs including CHOICES, Peer Groups (Eastside, Westside, Virtual, EPIC, North End 50+), Independent Living Skills Training, Transitioning Out of an Institution, Community Bridge, Healthy Community Living Workshops, and Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services. These are complemented by Pre-Employment Transition Services for youth and an Understanding Ableism educational webinar series. Revenue-generating consulting services cover ADA Compliance, Website Accessibility Audits, and On-site Accessibility Evaluations for businesses and municipalities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CHOICES

Quantifiable outcome

• Provided over 12,000 referrals to critical resources in the past 12 years
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) Division of Vocational RehabilitationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDEC is an authorized contractor with the state's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation program. Services include Comprehensive Independent Living Evaluations, Independent Living Skills Training, Work-Related Systems Access, and Pre-ETS Self-Advocacy Training. Also developed Pre-ETS curriculum in partnership with DSHS/DVR for youth ages 14-22. Pre-ETS summer sessions are fee-for-service under this partnership, with no cost to eligible students.
• King County Disability Consortium (KCDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDEC is a leader and co-founder of the King County Disability Consortium, a coalition of individuals and organizations working to confront inequity and drive systemic change for the local disability community. DEC provides staffing support for KCDC. The consortium hosts monthly meetings and the Understanding Ableism webinar series.
• Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDEC partnered with SDOT to contribute disability community input on Seattle's ADA Transition Plan update, helping shape which accessibility projects are prioritized for improvements in the public right-of-way.
• King CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDEC partnered with King County to establish Disability Pride Day annually on July 26. Also advised King County through focus groups on barriers to transportation for people with disabilities. Partnered with King County to host accessible COVID vaccine clinics designed for people with disabilities and seniors. Assisted in drafting King County's Office of Equity and Social Justice's Disability Action Plan.
• WASILC (Washington State Independent Living Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDEC is a member of WASILC, part of the Washington State Independent Living Network serving 19 counties. WASILC provides guidance and a statewide framework for independent living services.
• Sound Theatre CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDEC partnered with Sound Theatre Company to participate in a 'talk back' following the production of 'The Humans,' a Tony Award-winning play exploring themes relevant to the disability community. DEC staff engaged with audiences about disability experiences at the event.
• National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDEC is part of the national network of Centers for Independent Living (over 400 organizations). NCIL sets standards and advocates for the independent living movement nationally.
• Real ChangeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerA community fundraiser event (Good Neighbours Festival) donated proceeds to both Real Change and Disability Empowerment Center. Dustin Saksek organized the music festival to raise funds for nonprofits helping people struggling with housing, employment, or disability.
• Community Partners / Referrals NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDEC works closely with King County organizations and state agencies serving people with disabilities. Partner organizations include social workers, agency directors, program managers, doctors, medical professionals, and emergency service providers. Services for referring organizations include Pre-ETS, DVR services, housing referrals, transportation, and peer support.
• Center for Independence (CFI-WA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCFI-WA serves Pierce, South King, San Juan Island, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, and Whatcom counties. DEC refers King County residents to CFI for services outside King County coverage, and vice versa.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals: National nonprofit providing disability services, employment programs, and accessibility consulting across the U.S. Operates a much broader service portfolio than DEC at national scale, making it a comparable but significantly larger incumbent in the same disability services space.
• The Arc of the United States: National organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Operates a national chapter network providing services overlapping with DEC's CHOICES, Pre-ETS, and independent living offerings, but at significantly greater scale and geographic breadth.

Regional players

• Lighthouse for the Blind (Seattle): Seattle-based nonprofit providing employment, training, and services for people who are blind or low vision. Active DEC partner organization in King County with overlapping disability services and shared board-level leadership (board member John F. Gibbs has 20+ years at Lighthouse).
• The Kelsey: Seattle-based nonprofit developing affordable, accessible housing for people with disabilities. Addresses a closely adjacent need—accessible housing for the disability community in the same King County geography, with overlapping target population and referral pathways.

Others

• National Council on Independent Living (NCIL): National membership organization representing 400+ Centers for Independent Living including DEC. Sets standards, advocates federally, and provides the network umbrella under which DEC operates—less a direct competitor than an enabling/coordination peer.

Direct peers

• Access Living: Chicago-based Center for Independent Living providing peer-led independent living services, advocacy, and disability rights programming. Operates the same CIL model as DEC with analogous programs, services, and funding structure, making it a strong same-model peer.
• Center for Independence (CFI-WA): Washington State Center for Independent Living serving Pierce, South King, San Juan Island, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, and Whatcom counties. Operates the same CIL model of peer-led independent living services and is an active referral partner with DEC for cross-county coverage.
• WASILC (Washington State Independent Living Council): Statewide council governing Washington's independent living network of CILs serving 19 counties. DEC is a member; WASILC provides the framework and coordination that DEC operates within, making them peer-level actors in the same state network.
• Disability Rights Washington: Washington State's federally funded protection and advocacy system for people with disabilities. Provides legal advocacy and individual/family services in the same disability ecosystem as DEC, with overlapping clientele and complementary rather than duplicative service delivery.
• Arc of King County: King County chapter of The Arc, providing advocacy and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Named partner agency of DEC for client referrals, serving overlapping populations in the same geography with complementary disability services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzRbA3Z6g3xB5G3E8Q5Z6g
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/disability-empowerment-ctr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Disability Empowerment Center