Southwest Center for Independence - Southwest Colorado

What Southwest Center for Independence - Southwest Colorado does

Southwest Center for Independence (SWCI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Center for Independent Living founded in 1990 and headquartered in Durango, Colorado. It is one of nine certified CILs in the state, operating under the Independent Living philosophy that organizations serving people with disabilities should be run by people with disabilities. SWCI serves a five-county rural region of Southwest Colorado (La Plata, Montezuma, Dolores, San Juan, and Archuleta) through two physical offices (Durango and Cortez), a phone/appointment channel, and a fleet-based transportation program called Southwest Rides. The organization delivers its services free of charge to consumers.

SWCI's service portfolio comprises five interconnected programs: the Independent Living Program (peer support, individual and systems advocacy, independent living skills training, housing assistance), Southwest Rides (ADA-accessible door-to-door transportation and Medicaid Non-Emergency Medical Transportation in La Plata County), the Transitions Program (Olmstead/community transitions for individuals leaving institutional settings, plus Youth Transition Services for ages 14-24), Veteran-Directed Care (self-directed long-term services and supports for veterans), and Benefits Navigation (assistance applying for SNAP, Medicaid, LEAP, and Social Security Disability benefits). There is no proprietary technology platform; services are delivered by a multidisciplinary staff of Independent Living Specialists, peer support facilitators, housing voucher administrators, drivers, and benefits navigators.

SWCI's revenue model is grant- and government-funded, with primary funding from Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Colorado Office of Independent Living, Colorado Department of Local Affairs (Division of Housing and Next50), Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (Medicaid), and Colorado Department of Education/CDOT, supplemented by individual donations and Medicaid NEMT ride billing. Go-to-market is community-led: referrals originate from local schools, Aging and Disability Resource Centers, Single Entry Points, and peer networks rather than paid marketing. The organization is governed by a volunteer board (Chair Robyn Kellogg, Vice-Chair Susan Donahoo, Treasurer Taylor Lennox-Irwin) and led by Executive Director Kelsey Bell.

Name

Southwest Center for Independence - Southwest Colorado

Legal name

Southwest Center for Independence

Website

https://swindependence.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southwest Center for Independence (SWCI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Center for Independent Living, founded in 1990 in Durango, Colorado, that provides free independent living, transportation, transitions, veteran-directed care, and benefits navigation services to people with disabilities and aging adults across five rural Southwest Colorado counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability and Aging Support Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Independent Living with Supportive Services (Light ADL/IADL Support) (HLADAAAE), Special Education Vocational & Transition Programs (18–22) (EDAKAAAG), Accessible Transportation & Paratransit Services (EDALAKAH), Housing Transition & Supported Living Navigation (EDAKANAK)

Keywords

• Independent living services
• Disability support services
• Accessible transportation services
• Veteran-directed care
• Community transition services

Headquarters

HQ city

Durango

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: Primary revenue from government sources including Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Colorado Office of Independent Living, Colorado Department of Local Affairs (Division of Housing, Next50), Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, and Colorado Department of Education/CDOT for transportation programs. Certified as a Center for Independent Living through state funding.
2. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute to the organization. Multiple named individual donors listed on Partners page including Jean Aaro, Mariel Balbuena, Rollie Butler, Anne di Zenzo, and others.
3. Medicaid Non-Emergency Medical Transportation: Southwest Rides operates as an approved Medicaid Non-emergency Medical Transportation provider, billing Medicaid for eligible transportation services to medical appointments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Southwest Center for Independence (SWCI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Center for Independent Living providing free support, training, and direct services to people with disabilities and aging adults across a five-county region in Southwest Colorado. Its core offerings span five interconnected programs: Independent Living (peer support, advocacy, skills training, housing assistance), Southwest Rides (ADA-accessible door-to-door transportation, including Medicaid Non-emergency Medical Transportation), Transitions (community transitions from institutions plus youth transition services ages 14-24), Veteran-Directed Care, and Benefits Navigation (SNAP, Medicaid, LEAP, Social Security application assistance).

Product overview

Southwest Center for Independence (SWCI) is a nonprofit Center for Independent Living offering a portfolio of service programs rather than a software product. The organization provides five interconnected service programs: the Independent Living Program (offering peer support, advocacy, skills training, and housing assistance), Southwest Rides (ADA-accessible transportation and Medicaid Non-emergency Medical Transportation), Transitions Program (community transitions for formerly institutionalized individuals and youth transition services ages 14-24), Veteran-Directed Care (self-directed care for Veterans), and Benefits Navigation (assistance with SNAP, Medicaid, LEAP, and Social Security applications). All services are free of charge to consumers in the five-county service area (La Plata, Montezuma, Dolores, San Juan, and Archuleta counties in southwest Colorado).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Independent Living Program A comprehensive program offering information and referral, peer support groups (Brain Injury Support Group; Surviving to Thriving for chronic illness/disability), peer counseling, individual and systems advocacy, independent living skills training, and housing assistance including referrals, application support, housing search, budgeting, and landlord/tenant advocacy. Free to consumers in the five-county service area.
• Southwest Rides Fully ADA-accessible, door-to-door, driver-assisted transportation service operating in La Plata County for people with disabilities and the aging population. Approved Medicaid Non-emergency Medical Transportation provider billing Medicaid for eligible medical trips.
• Transitions Program
• Veteran-Directed Care Program
• Benefits Navigation

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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 and minor.

• Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (CDLE/DVR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024State agency that funds independent living services and certifies SWCI as a Center for Independent Living. DVR also partners on Youth Transition Services for students with disabilities ages 14-24.
• City of DurangocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner providing support for SWCI's Housing Program. The city supports housing initiatives for people with disabilities in the Durango area.
• La Plata CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government partner supporting rural transportation services. La Plata County funding enables Southwest Rides to serve rural communities in the county.
• Colorado Office of Independent LivingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState office that certifies and funds Centers for Independent Living in Colorado. SWCI is one of nine certified CILs in the state.
• Colorado Department of Local Affairs - Division of HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState department providing funding for Housing Vouchers and community transitions for people with disabilities. Supports SWCI's Olmstead Advancement Program and State Housing Voucher administration.
• Next50 (Colorado Department of Local Affairs)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerColorado Next50 initiative funding transportation services for aging adults in the community.
• Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and FinancingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState department supporting transportation services for medical appointments. SWCI is an approved Medicaid Non-emergency Medical Transportation provider through this partnership.
• Colorado Department of Education/CDOTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState department supporting Southwest Rides' efforts to meet transportation needs of people with disabilities and aging adults in La Plata County.
• Aging and Disability Resource CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal resource centers that partner with SWCI to provide Community Transition Services and connect consumers with aging and disability resources.
• Single Entry PointscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinating agencies that partner with SWCI to provide Community Transition Services and help individuals access long-term care services.
• San Juan Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational cooperative providing Youth Transition Services. SWCI's Board Chair, Robyn Kellogg, serves as Assistive Technology Coordinator at San Juan BOCES.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• The Arc: National nonprofit serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities — broader incumbent with overlapping transition and community-living services across a wider footprint.
• Easter Seals Colorado: Established multi-state disability services nonprofit — broader incumbent offering disability, aging, and vocational services with deeper funding infrastructure but less specialized IL philosophy.

Direct peers

• The Independence Center: Colorado Springs CIL delivering independent living, deaf and hard-of-hearing, and veteran services — another certified Colorado CIL with a comparable multi-program service portfolio and peer-support model.
• Center for Independence: Grand Junction, Colorado CIL providing independent living, advocacy, and disability services on the Western Slope — same CIL designation, overlapping rural-service challenges, complementary geographic coverage.
• Atlantis Community, Inc. Denver-based Center for Independent Living offering independent living, advocacy, youth transition, and benefits navigation services in Colorado — directly comparable CIL model serving a different region of the same state.

Others

• National Council on Independent Living: National membership organization representing CILs and IL Centers — the federal convener that advocates for the funding streams SWCI depends on, making it the relevant ecosystem peer for policy and funding dynamics.
• San Juan Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES): Educational cooperative that partners with SWCI on Youth Transition Services — adjacent ecosystem participant with overlapping assistive-technology and transition goals for students with disabilities.

Regional players

• Disability Law Colorado: Colorado's Protection and Advocacy system serving people with disabilities — adjacent mission of disability rights enforcement and benefits navigation; partners with but does not directly compete with CILs.
• Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition: Colorado statewide cross-disability advocacy organization — operates in the same state with overlapping consumer-control philosophy and disability rights focus, but primarily an advocacy rather than direct-service body.
• Mesa County Aging and Disability Resource Center: Single Entry Point / ADRC that partners with CILs in Colorado to coordinate long-term care — overlapping mission around aging and disability navigation in an adjacent Western Slope geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southwestcenterforindependence

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 Southwest Center for Independence - Southwest Colorado