Missouri Statewide Independent Living Council (MOSILC) Grants and Funding Opportunities for CILs
Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation—www.christopherreeve.org, 1-800-225-0292
Funding is available in 13 categories including accessibility, advocacy, assistive technology, education, employment, independent living, and health promotion. Note: TILC recently received a $7200 grant from CDRF for its Challenge Sports Program to pay for wheelchair modifications for sports; pay gym membership copays; and to pay for Physical Therapy appointments for participants.
Missouri Foundation for Health—www.mffh.org, 800-655-5560
MFH has several options for funding from basic support to targeted grants.
Innovating Worthy Projects Foundation—http://iwpf.org, 305-861-5352
Makes grants to organizations dedicated to serving developing innovative programs or providing direct care or services for children with special needs, acute illnesses or chronic disabilities.
Darr Family Foundation—www.darrff.org, 417-881-7755 (Southwest Missouri only). Provide funding for organizations that provide services for individuals reaching their potential, especially young persons or those from disadvantaged circumstances.
Missouri Housing Trust Fund—www.mhdc.com/housing_trust_fund/index.htm
Funding for several priority areas, including: homeless prevention; construction/rehabilitation; rental assistance; home repair; and operating/matching funds.
MODOT Transportation Grants—www.modot.gov
Home Instead Senior Care Foundation—402-455-0883 www.homeinsteadseniorcarefoundation.org
First Hand Foundation—www.firsthandfoundation.org, 816-201-1569, firsthandfoundation@cerner.com
Financial assistance for children with health care needs, including: treatment expenses; equipment expenses (wheelchairs, AT); displacement expenses (lodging, food, gas, transportation associated with families who must travel for the child’s treatment); vehicle modifications.
The Travis Roy Foundation—www.travisroyfoundation.org
Funding for individuals with Spinal Cord Injuries Grants for specific modifications or equipment related to SCI, for example: maintenance of wheelchairs, vehicle modifications, home modifications (including elevator installation), or other adaptive equipment.
Muscular Dystrophy Family Foundation—317-923-6333, www.mdff.org
Provide financial assistance for the purchase or repair of Orthopedic Equipment or Appliances; purchase and installation of wheelchair lifts or ramps in family-owned vans; and purchase and installation of ramps at family homes and bathroom modifications.
Ethel Louise Armstrong Foundation—www.ela.org
Provide grants and scholarships for individuals with disabilities and organizations in the areas arts, advocacy and education.
Other Resources to Review
Disability Funders Network—www.disabilityfunders.org
The Foundation Center—http://foundationcenter.org
GuideStar—www.guidestar.org
The Grantsmanship Center—www.tgci.org
Ethnic and Racial Minority Outreach
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Outreach directly to employers. TILC has developed a relationship with the HR department at the Tyson Chicken Plant where a large percentage of employees are Hispanic.
- Hiring coordinators/advocates that speak other languages.
- Presentations and community outreach in the areas in which the underserved populations reside. SADI developed a relationship with consumers from those populations to help bridge the cultural barrier.
- Celestine Willis from the Center for Capacity Building on Minorities with Disabilities provided training to Delta Center staff and assisted them in developing a strategy to reach more Hispanic consumers.
- RAIL is working on establishing a liaison with local businesses that are of the same cultural background as some of the individuals who fall under underserved criteria in hopes that those businesses could open doors of communication for individuals with language and cultural barriers.
- ILRC works with universities for translators.
- Provide notices and advertisements in minority newspapers.
- SCIL provides outreach to support groups such as Groupo Latino, Southwest Indian Council, Filipino American Association, Hand in Hand Ministries, Ozarks Afro-American Group, etc.
- Work with public health departments to reach minority families.
Disability Specific Outreach
- Hire staff directly from the underserved populations to work with those specific populations.
- Provide training to staff on cognitive or mental disabilities so that staff can be better prepared to handle specific situations.
- Invite members from specific underserved disability groups to participate in a focus group at your center to better understand their needs and to plan to meet those needs based on their own ideas.
- Host social events like monthly “Deaf Chat” events that brings together individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing for support and information (TILC).
Rural Outreach
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Network with other rural agencies to host a rural resource fair or health fair.
- Coordinate with the local Senate Bill 40 Board.
- Provide in-services in all area Senior Citizen Centers to provide information. Try to schedule them during a lunch to get a lot of participation.
- Work with local Housing Authority offices in small towns where there is no chamber or local family services to set up informational lunch for consumers.
- Contact rural fire departments and other emergency agencies to provide information.
Youth Outreach
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SEMO targets transition students in high school to keep them in school and then transition them to work by offering a driving program. We own a vehicle that has a second break installed for use in the driving program.
- Coordinate youth summer events that bring fun activities together with transition information. Coordinate with local schools and community agencies for referrals.