Advancing Disability Inclusion in Family Philanthropy

While many family philanthropies have an expressed commitment to equity, disability and its intersectional relationship with other identities is rarely considered—even while about one in four adults in the U.S. have a disability. National Forum speakers Christie Cawley, Ryan Easterly, Gail Fuller, and Dr. Zakiya Mabery shared their expertise for advancing disability inclusion in family philanthropy. Here, Cara Binder-Kopchick synthesizes their experiences and recommendations, offering ways that philanthropic leaders can make their grantmaking, governance, and operations more inclusive and effective. 

If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, consider registering for NCFP’s webinar Disability Inclusion in Family Philanthropy on May 15, 2025.

The National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP) identified four core principles that support effective family philanthropy, one of which is equity. NCFP sees the principles as something to be applied internally, in your operations, governance, and relationships, and externally, in the ways in which you partner with grantee organizations and support communities. Even in this pursuit of equity, many family philanthropies neglect to consider the role of disability and the intersections of disability, race, gender, and other core identities. Many colleagues in our field are working tirelessly to change this and move us towards a more just field for those with disabilities.

Gail Fuller, senior director of program and communications at the Disability & Philanthropy Forum, works to increase disability inclusion, rights, and justice in the philanthropic sector. At the recent NCFP National Forum, she facilitated a conversation with philanthropic leaders to explore how families can advance equity by creating environments and practices that are disability inclusive.

To frame the full conversation, Fuller shared two models in which people typically think of disability. The first very common model is the medical model in which the individual with a disability is the “problem” that needs to be solved; the second model is the social model in which the individual with a disability faces barriers within society that make their lives more difficult. Throughout the conversation, the panel encouraged us to remain in the social model, where the problems to solve in our organizations and communities are the barriers people with disabilities face. As longtime disability rights activist Stacey Park Milbern once said, “I have a physical impairment. Disability is what society creates as a barrier because of my impairment. When I am in a place where my access needs are being met, then my impairment isn’t so significant.”

There are many meaningful ways we can all meet these access needs that the late Park Milbern referred to, breaking down barriers with a consistent reframe in our minds and actions to work towards the social model. Throughout this conversation at the forum, the panel shared five core ideas for how to embed disability and inclusion into our organizations.

1. Create a safe and inclusive environment now

Do not wait to shift your operations and the way you work until someone who needs the shift must ask. As Christine Cawley, chief people and culture officer at the Heinz Endowments, mentioned, “If someone needs to ask for an accommodation, it might be too late.” The most inclusive organizations will embed disability rights long before hiring or partnering with someone with an apparent or non-apparent disability, which includes creating a clear and welcoming process for disclosing disabilities. Creating a space that is welcoming, safe, and supportive for people with disabilities will ultimately serve the entire team, boosting your commitment to and understanding of the many identities each team member holds. Ryan Easterly, executive director of WITH Foundation, encouraged all to, “Start now. People with disabilities need you to start now.”

2. Understand the stories and experiences of those with disabilities

To strengthen your empathy and understanding, spend time reading and learning more about real life stories of exclusion and challenges. It is critically important to intentionally learn about and consider disability in relation to race and gender identity, addressing the fact that people with disabilities have multiple identities that can increase or heighten barriers they experience. Continuing to deepen your core understanding of those with lived experience will improve your ability to remove barriers you might not have previously recognized in an ongoing and active way. As Dr. Zakiya Mabery, a culture strategist, speaker, author, and founder of B. Global Diversity & Inclusion Strategic Planning LLC said, “Inclusion isn’t a checklist; it’s a mindset. Organizations must continuously examine how their policies and practices evolve to support all individuals, including those with disabilities.”

3. Think about as many angles to inclusion as possible

As your organization moves further into creating a more inclusive environment, think about each aspect of your organization with a lens of disability inclusion. While the details of this will look different for each organization, some examples the panel shared are:

• Embedding disability inclusive design in grant application and reporting practices, including implementing user testing to ensure usability for those with different types of disabilities
• Including Americans with Disabilities Act training based on the social model to ensure the full team has a shared understanding
• Offering flexible work policies and accommodations, including remote options when possible and office-based shifts to ensure accessibility and comfortability
• Ensuring accessible communications through website design that considers a range of disabilities
• Considering sensory (in addition to mobility) disabilities in your facilities, including lights, sounds, or smells
• Making all events fully accessible to the community and asking for feedback to continuously improve the inclusivity of your events

Furthermore, make sure your full team is assessing and addressing these different angles on how to advance disability equity in your organization. Do not expect people who have disclosed a disability to shoulder this weight alone. People with disabilities are often looked to lead internal and external efforts focused on disability. While respecting their expertise, organizations need to engage the entire organization on the journey to disability inclusion.

4. Set the tone as leaders

Across the full panel, there was deep alignment that leadership needs to be fully engaged and working towards a more welcoming and accessible organization. As Mabery noted, “A lot of middle managers in the room talk about this, but you really need the top people to care to make a difference.” Outside of leading the operations and culture shifts, a core element of inclusive leadership is self-disclosure of any personal disabilities. This vulnerability and transparency increases comfort and safety for the full team, allowing all to bring their full selves to work without shame or fear. Mabery also encouraged leaders to share stories of personal growth in engaging in disability equity, sponsoring employee resource groups focusing on disability inclusion, and committing publicly to accessibility goals.

5. Access the many available resources to help you on your journey

Disability rights and inclusion in the workplace have not been as universally focused on as they should be, but there are resources at the ready for all organizations looking to embed this now. The panel shared three ideas as you start:

• Easterly’s advice is to start by talking to the disability organizations in your community to help you understand what people are experiencing. This could include your local Center for Independent Living and/or your local University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.
• The Disability & Philanthropy Forum, which Fuller works for, focuses very specifically on “mobilizing philanthropy toward disability inclusion, rights, and justice,” offering community and resources on how to dismantle ableism and shift philanthropy to a social model.
• Two online resources highlighted by the panel are the Job Accommodation Network and the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion. These resources offer free guidance on how to create a nurture a more inclusive work environment.

More family philanthropies are growing in their commitment to disability rights, inclusion, and justice, and the exciting thing is that improvements for your own organization can start today by taking a step towards a more welcoming organization and being committed to continuous and long-term improvement and growth. One in four adults has a disability, and all of us are likely to have a long- or short-term disability within our lifetimes. Whether you explicitly know it or not, you are working and interacting with people with disabilities daily, and by acknowledging this and building your organization with this in mind, you will better understand, connect with, and serve your communities.

As Easterly said, “If you tell me you ‘don’t do disability’ what you’re telling me is that you don’t do your job well and you’re not as effective as you could be.” By taking the above steps and committing to a continuous deepening of your understanding of the needs of your colleagues and communities, you can be a part of creating more welcoming, safe, effective, and supportive spaces where the barriers are the problem—not the people.

Additional Resources to Get Started with Disability Inclusion

Thanks to Gail Fuller from the Disability & Philanthropy Forum for these recommendations.

• Fact Sheet: Disability 101
• Disability Inclusion 101: Getting Started and Tips/Tools for the Journey
• Disability and the Lived Experiences of People of Color
• A to Z of Disabilities and Accommodations

Cara Binder-Kopchick is a principal at CBK Philanthropy

The views and opinions expressed in individual blog posts are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the National Center for Family Philanthropy.