ACCESS FOR ALL: EXPANDING CDFI IMPACT IN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY

The resources for this topic can be found below. To view all of our available Resource Banks, click here.​
Monday, August 17, 2020

The "Access for All" training and technical assistance series was offered through the Capacity Building Initiative to increase the impact and reach of CDFIs in support of the economic development goals of people with disabilities.

The series included in-person workshops, webinars, and technical assistance Community of Practice trainings. View the resources below.

I. TRAINING WORKSHOP MODULES

The training introduced key concepts about serving individuals with disabilities, explored the history of the role of CDFIs in serving persons with disabilities, and provided an in-depth overview of capacity-building tools and resources that CDFIs can utilize to offer products and services that will better serve persons with disabilities in their communities. The training contained 9 modules: 1) The Role of CDFIs in the Disability Market, 2) Disability History and Policy, 3) Core Issues, 4) CDFI Involvement – Products and Services Overview, 5) Asset Building, 6) Assistive Technology, 7) Housing, 8) Business Lending, and 9) Market and Strategy Development.

 

1. THE ROLE OF CDFIS IN THE DISABILITY MARKET

This module reviewed the organizational boundaries – mandated by federal and state policy – that have governed organizations providing services to people with disabilities. It compared these boundaries to those of CDFIs and other community development organizations that have not been active in the disability community. A selection of related resources are listed below. Additional resources can be found within the In-person Workshop Training Manual.

  • Resources:
    • CDFIs & Impact Investing: An Industry Review: This industry review explains the impact investing role of CDFIs. It includes data and case studies that detail the sector's impact on creating opportunities and supporting growth in both urban and rural communities and more investments by large and conventional investors.
    • CDFI Industry Analysis Summary Report: This report provides a detailed analysis of community development financial institutions on issues of capitalization, liquidity and portfolio, and risk management by CDFIs from 2005 to 2010.
    • FIELD at the Aspen Institute's study on quality jobs: This website shares findings of a study that outlines how workers can achieve economic stability through a variety of factors including decent wages and benefits, stable schedules, well-structured work responsibilities, safety, a sense of fairness and respect, and good communication with managers.
    • Reducing Income Inequality: How CDFIs Promote Job Quality: In this study, the Opportunity Finance Network gives an overview of five CDFIs financing and development services to help business owners create quality jobs. Their tools include debt and equity products, interest rate reductions as incentives, technical assistance and in-depth advisory services to help small business owners improve job quality, mentoring, and accelerators.
    • Impact Measurement for CDFI Small Business Lenders: In this technical assistance memo, the Opportunity Finance Network discusses why measuring impact is important, the types of impact data currently being collected by CDFI small business lenders, the barriers to collecting data, and how the data can be used to advance an institution's mission.
    • Moving Beyond Job Creation, Defining and Measuring the Creation of Quality Jobs: This discussion paper seeks to answer two important questions at the center of CDFIs' efforts to create quality jobs: 1) what is a quality job, and 2) how can CDFIs measure job quality? This paper is the first in a series of research projects intended to support CDFIs, the broader impact investing industry, policymakers, and business owners.
    • Opportunities and Challenges in Online Marketplace Lending: This white paper was prepared by the Department of the Treasury and gives an overview of the evolving market landscape, reviews stakeholder opinions, and provides policy recommendations. This paper also acknowledges the benefits and risks associated with online marketplace lending, and highlights best practices applicable both to established and emerging market participants.
    • Disability Compendium: This webpage provides a variety of web-based tools that pool disability statistics published by various federal agencies together in one place. The Compendium helps users find and use disability statistics.
    • Social Security Administration Red Book:  This resource provides information about the employment-related provisions of the Social Security Disability Insurance and the Supplemental Security Income Programs for educators, advocates, rehabilitation professionals, and counselors who serve people with disabilities.
    • Inside Aeris Ratings for CDFIs and Other Loan Funds:  This comprehensive report details how Aeris performs separate and complementary ratings on Impact Management and Financial Strength and Performance. These ratings are based on an in-depth analysis of data and information, which is documented in this report.

 

2. DISABILITY HISTORY AND POLICY

This module provided an overview of important historical events in the disability rights movement. The overview shed light on some of the causes and consequences that help to explain the socio-economic status of people with disabilities. A selection of related resources are listed below. Additional resources can be found within the In-person Workshop Training Manual.

  • Resources:
    • Crip Camp. Lebrecht, J., Newnham, N. and Bolder, S. (Producers), & Lebrecht, J. and Newnham, N. (Directors). Netflix, 2020. Motion picture.  This documentary tells the story of how a revolution blossomed at a summer camp for teenagers with disabilities, transforming their lives and igniting a landmark movement.
    • Lives Worth Living: This film traces the development of consciousness of pioneers who realized that in order to change the world they needed to work together. Through demonstrations and legislative battles, the disability rights community secured equal civil rights for all people with disabilities. 
    • Lost in Laconia:  This documentary examines the social values and cultural ideals of the twentieth century, relative to individuals and families who were labeled "feebleminded", deficient, or disabled in New Hampshire.
    • Intelligent Lives:  This film stars three pioneering young American adults with intellectual disabilities who challenge perceptions of intelligence as they navigate high school, college, and the workforce. It contextualizes the lives of these central characters through the emotional personal story, as the film unpacks the track record of intelligence testing in the U.S.
    •  Smith, J.D. and Wehmeyer, M.L. (2012). Good blood bad blood:  Science, nature and the myth of the Kallikaks. American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. This book is a landmark publication in the history of the treatment of people with disabilities in this country. It tells the story of the impact of the American eugenics movement and the pseudoscience that excluded people with disabilities.

 

3. CORE ISSUES

This module helped CDFI staff understand acceptable terminology when addressing people with disabilities, unique challenges that people with disabilities face, and common barriers to financial tools that must be eliminated in order for people with disabilities to live, work and socialize on a daily basis. A selection of related resources are listed below. Additional resources can be found within the In-person Workshop Training Manual.

    • The ABLE National Resource Center: The A Better Life Experience (ABLE) National Resource Center provides information and best practices related to tax-advantaged ABLE savings accounts and federal and state-related ABLE programs and activities.
    • Social Security Administration Representative Payee: The Social Security's Representative Payment Program provides benefit payment management for beneficiaries who are incapable of managing their Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. SSA appoints a suitable representative payee who manages the payments on behalf of the beneficiaries.
    • Cents and Sensibility - A Guide to Money Management (pdf): This book developed by the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation provides tips to help people be more financially educated and best manage their personal finances. It includes information on guardianship and power of attorney.
    • Guardianship in Pennsylvania (pdf): This document, developed by Disability Rights Pennsylvania, gives an overview of guardianship in Pennsylvania including alternatives to guardianship, guardianship proceedings, and determining whether to appoint a guardian.
    • Supported Decision-making: This webpage created by the Center for Public Representation, provides information about supported decision making, including understanding how it can transform lives.

 

4. CDFI INVOLVEMENT – PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

This module provided an overview of how CDFIs can provide a range of financial products and services for people with disabilities focusing on: Asset Building; Assistive Technology; Business Lending; and Housing. Below is a selection of related resources. Additional resources can be found within the In-person Workshop Training Manual.

 

5. ASSET BUILDING

This module oriented CDFIs to a variety of mechanisms designed to increase opportunities for saving and financial security for people with disabilities. A selection of related resources are listed below. Additional resources can be found within the In-person Workshop Training Manual.

  • Resources:
    • Your Money Your Goals: This webpage contains resources for people with disabilities and organizations that serve the disability community. The guide informs individuals about the right to control their own money and make their own financial decisions. 
    • Social Security Administration Red Book:  The Red Book serves as a general reference source about the employment-related provisions of the Social Security Disability Insurance and the Supplemental Security Income Programs for educators, advocates, rehabilitation professionals, and counselors who serve people with disabilities.
    • The ABLE National Resource Center: The A Better Life Experience (ABLE) National Resource Center provides information and best practices related to tax-advantaged ABLE savings accounts and federal and state-related ABLE programs and activities.

 

6. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

This module provided an in-depth look at various types of Assistive Technology (AT) and how CDFIs can support people with disabilities in their acquisition of AT through financing and other financial services.  Below is a selection of related resources. Additional resources can be found within the In-person Workshop Training Manual.

 

7. HOUSING

This module provided a description of the housing market for people with disabilities and lending models and loan products available for CDFIs to meet their needs. A selection of related resources are listed below. Additional resources can be found within the In-person Workshop Training Manual.

  • Resources:
    • Disability Housing: What's happening? What's challenging? What's needed?: The Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies' (JCHS) paper (2016) provides an overview of the housing issues facing people with disabilities and their families.  JCHS offers recommendations for community organizations and policy makers.
    • National Council on Disability (NCD): NCD is a bi-partisan presidential-appointed group, which issues two major publications each year. The Progress Reports focuses on the emerging issues for economic self-sufficiency impacting the lives of individuals with disabilities. The State of Housing looks at public laws, policies, and program initiatives affecting the housing opportunities available to Americans with disabilities.
    • National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF): NHTF provides grants to states to build, preserve, and rehabilitate housing for people with the lowest incomes.
    • Priced Out: The Housing Crisis for People with Disabilities: The Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC) issues this report every two years. The report explains (down to local zip code) how low-income people with disabilities are "priced out" of the local rental markets based on trying to sustain themselves on SSI payments.
    • Public Spending for Disability in the United States: 1997-2006: This publication is maintained by David Braddock at the University of Colorado and is cited in most research pieces regarding housing and services for low-income people with disabilities.
    • Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers: The program helps very low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities afford rental housing in the private market. Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by public housing agencies. The individual is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects.
    • Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities Program: The program dedicated to producing affordable, accessible housing in the community for non-elderly, very low-income people with significant disabilities. Section 811 program is authorized to: (1) provide interest-free capital advances and operate subsidies to nonprofit developers of affordable housing for persons with disabilities; and (2) provide project rental assistance to state housing agencies.
    • Worst Case Housing Needs: 2017 Report to Congress: HUD issues this annual report which includes discussions on Fair Housing and Section 811 programs.

 

8. BUSINESS LENDING 

This module explored small business lending, microloans, and business development as tools to promote employment opportunities for people with disabilities. A selection of related resources are listed below. Additional resources can be found within the In-person Workshop Training Manual.

  • Resources:
    • Job Accommodation Network (JAN): JAN provides free consulting services for people with disabilities seeking self-employment about accommodation process, product vendors, referral to other resources, and ADA compliance assistance.
    • Self-Employment for People with Disabilities (2013): The Department of Labor funded START-UP/US, a Self-Employment for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Initiative, to provided intense technical assistance to and collected outcome data from the three state grantees. The report provides information and outcomes for the initiative.
    • Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP): ODEP provides resources on self-employment and entrepreneurship for individuals with disabilities. These include programs and partnerships at the Federal, state, and local levels with access to funding and resources.

 

9. MARKET AND STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT

This module provided resources for CDFIs to identify the various stakeholders in the disability community.  Below is selection of related resources. Additional resources can be found within the In-person Workshop Training Manual.

 

II. TRAINING WEBINARS

 

III. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE

 

The compilation of these documents was funded by the CDFI Fund, under Contract No. 20340619F00005. The curriculum and opinions expressed in these documents are those of the authors, who are solely responsible for the content, and do not reflect the opinions of the CDFI Fund or any other person, entity, or organization.