RISE Resource Centre for Independent Living (RCIL)

What RISE Resource Centre for Independent Living (RCIL) does

RISE Resource Centre for Independent Living (RCIL) is a non-profit charitable organization incorporated on October 22, 1998, and headquartered at 1 College Drive, Parry Sound, Ontario. Founded by Kathie Horne, a person with a permanent physical disability, the organization operates under the Independent Living philosophy as an accredited member of Independent Living Canada and is one of 24 Independent Living Resource Centres across Canada (11 in Ontario). It primarily serves adults with disabilities in the rural Districts of Parry Sound and Muskoka, along with their families and support networks.

RISE delivers four core programs (Peer Support, Information & Networking, Skills Development, and Research & Community Development) that are grounded in lived experience and run by and for people with disabilities. The organization also administers the province-wide Ontario Direct Funding Program, enabling adults with physical disabilities to become employers of their own attendants. Supporting offerings include the printed Coffee Break Newsletter (18,000 copies annually to 40+ locations), the quarterly digital Chatter Buzz Newsletter, an annual $25 Membership Program, and a Custom Button Making fee-for-service.

The business model is a hybrid community nonprofit funding stack: federal grants channelled through CAILC and other government sources, individual donations (CanadaHelps, Interac e-Transfer, credit card), $25 annual membership fees, newsletter advertising, and ancillary button-making revenue. All core services are free to members. Go-to-market is community-led via word-of-mouth, local partnerships, community events, and the newsletter footprint, with no proprietary technology platform underpinning service delivery.

Name

RISE Resource Centre for Independent Living (RCIL)

Legal name

RISE: Resource Centre for Independent Living

Website

https://risercil.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

RISE Resource Centre for Independent Living is a non-profit charitable organization founded in 1998 that delivers Independent Living philosophy-based disability support services (Peer Support, Information & Networking, Skills Development, Research & Community Development) to adults with disabilities in Parry Sound and Muskoka, Ontario, and administers the Ontario-wide Direct Funding Program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Disability Rights & Accessibility Advocacy (BPAGAFAF), Disability Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAC)

Keywords

• Disability support services
• Independent living
• Peer support programs
• Direct funding program
• Community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Parry Sound

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees of $25.00 per year (April 1 to March 31). Membership provides access to programs, services, and voting rights.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable organization accepting donations through CanadaHelps.org, Interac e-Transfer, and credit card. Donations support programs and services.
3. Government Funding: Federal funding through Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres (CAILC) and other federal and provincial sources. RISE operates as a nonprofit charitable organization (881236624RR0001).
4. Newsletter Advertising: The Coffee Break Newsletter, part of fundraising efforts, generates revenue through advertising contracts. The printed newsletter is distributed to over 40 locations with 18,000 copies annually.
5. Button Making Sales: Custom button making service for corporate events and personal occasions. Revenue generated from button production.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

RCIL is a non-profit charitable organization that provides disability support services to people with disabilities in the Districts of Parry Sound and Muskoka in Ontario, Canada. It also administers the Ontario-wide Direct Funding Program, which allows people with physical disabilities to directly hire and manage their own attendants. Core service pillars include Peer Support, Information & Networking, Skills Development, and Research & Community Development.

Product overview

RISE Resource Centre for Independent Living operates as a unified service organization offering four interconnected core services under the Independent Living philosophy: Peer Support (including BuzzTalk Thursdays peer support groups), Information & Networking (referrals to community resources), Skills Development (workshops and computer access), and Research & Community Development. The organization also administers the Ontario-wide Direct Funding Program enabling adults with disabilities to self-manage attendant services. Supporting offerings include two newsletters (Coffee Break printed newsletter and Chatter Buzz digital newsletter), Custom Button Making service, and an annual Membership Program. All core services are designed to empower adults with disabilities to achieve independent living goals through self-advocacy, community integration, and peer connection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Peer Support Program Peer-led support service connecting people with disabilities to share experiences and mutual support, offered by RCIL to its members and community participants in Parry Sound and Muskoka.
• Information & Networking Service Information dissemination and networking service that connects people with disabilities to resources, community contacts, and support organizations.
• Skills Development Program Skills development and training program delivered by RCIL to help people with disabilities build independent living capabilities.
• Research & Community Development Research and community development activities conducted by RCIL to advance independent living and disability rights in the Parry Sound and Muskoka region.
• Direct Funding Program Administration Provincial program delivered by RCIL across Ontario that enables people with physical disabilities to directly hire and manage their own attendant services, rather than relying on agency-provided care.
• Annual Membership Annual membership in RCIL at $25 per year, providing supporters and community members with affiliation to the Centre for Independent Living.
• Custom Button Making Service Custom button making service provided by RCIL that produces buttons on order, functioning as a small-scale social enterprise and fundraising product.
• Coffee Break Newsletter (Print) Printed Coffee Break newsletter published by RCIL, distributed to community members with disability-related news, information, and advertising from local sponsors.
• Chatter Buzz Newsletter (Digital) Digital Chatter Buzz newsletter published by RCIL as an online companion to the printed Coffee Break newsletter, sharing disability-related news and information.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18,000 Coffee Break newsletters distributed annually to 40+ locations
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, minor and flagship.

• YMCA Employment CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment services partnership connecting RISE members with employment opportunities and job search assistance.
• LINC Employment ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment services partnership providing job placement and employment support services to RISE members.
• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) - Muskoka-Parry SoundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health services partnership providing information and referrals to local support groups and mental health agencies for RISE members.
• West Parry Sound Community Support ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-service partnership providing transportation, meals on wheels, and community support services to RISE members. Rides provided for medical appointments, shopping, senior groups, exercise classes, religious/cultural events, and community events.
• Ontario Health TeammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partnership providing RISE members with access to health information, workshops, and coordinated care services.
• West Parry Sound Health CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partnership providing members with up-to-date health information and promoting mental and physical well-being.
• Canadore CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership providing health information and workshops. Also includes Canadore Ride Share Program connecting students and seniors for campus commuting.
• District of Social Services Administration Board (DSSAB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing resources partnership providing housing lists, assisting with application completion, and submitting housing applications on behalf of RISE members.
• Harvest Share Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood security partnership providing healthy, nutritious food to individuals and families in need in the District of Parry Sound. Open by appointment on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
• Community Meals ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity meal service running scheduled Wednesdays from 5:00-6:00 pm. Provides healthy dinners including fresh salads, homemade soup, hot entrees, and desserts. First-come, first-served; pay what you can.
• Independent Living Canada (IL Canada)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing accreditation, federal funding, and support for Independent Living Resource Centres. RISE is an accredited member. IL Canada represents 24 ILRCs across Canada including 11 in Ontario.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Neil Squire Society: Canadian nonprofit using technology, knowledge, and innovation to empower people with disabilities, with programs in assistive tech, employment, and digital literacy. Comparable as a Canadian disability-services organization with overlapping skills-development and technology-access missions.
• CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind): National nonprofit providing services and advocacy for people with vision loss. Comparable as a larger, well-established Canadian disability-services organization offering community-based programs, advocacy, and direct service delivery to people with disabilities.
• Spinal Cord Injury Canada: National nonprofit serving people with spinal cord injuries and related physical disabilities through peer support, advocacy, and information services. Comparable as a national disability-services organization with overlapping peer support and information-and-referral service lines.
• March of Dimes Canada: Large national nonprofit delivering disability services including attendant services, employment support, and accessibility programs across Canada. Comparable as a broader-scale peer operating in overlapping service categories (attendant services, independent living support) but at much greater national scale.

Direct peers

• Independent Living Canada: National umbrella organization representing the 24 ILRCs across Canada, including RISE. Directly comparable as the network body providing accreditation, federal funding coordination, and standards that govern RISE's service model and brand positioning.
• Centre for Independent Living in Toronto (CILT): One of Ontario's 11 accredited Independent Living Resource Centres. Directly comparable as a peer ILRC delivering peer support, information referral, skills development, and self-directed attendant services under the same Independent Living philosophy and IL Canada accreditation framework.

Others

• Inclusion Canada (formerly Canadian Association for Community Living): National federation advocating for people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Comparable as a Canadian disability-advocacy umbrella organization whose mission, member base, and policy priorities align with RISE's disability-rights and independent-living work.

Regional players

• Direct Funding Ontario: Ontario-wide program administration site for the Direct Funding Program that RISE delivers. Comparable as the platform/brand interface for the same DF program RISE operates, sharing the same Ontario-wide reach and consumer audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/risercil
• Instagraminstagram.com/riseparrysound
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/risercil

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 RISE Resource Centre for Independent Living (RCIL)