Reach Forward Assistive Technology Center

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Executive Summary

Reach Forward Assistive Technology Center is a nonprofit in Georgia that helps people with disabilities find, try, get and learn to use the assistive technology that lets them communicate, learn, work, move around their homes and live as independently as they choose. We run a hands-on demonstration lab where people can try devices before anyone buys one, a short-term device loan library, a program that cleans, repairs and reuses donated equipment, help finding the insurance, school, vocational rehabilitation and other funding that can pay for a device, and training for the person, their family and the people who support them. Devices are loaned or transferred through a written agreement, never as cash. There is no charge to participants.

Assistive technology changes lives, and the wrong device or no device at all changes them too. A screen reader, a speech-generating app, an adapted keyboard, a magnifier, a switch, a visual doorbell or a voice-controlled home can be the difference between holding a job and losing it, between joining the classroom conversation and sitting silent, between staying in one's own home and moving to a facility. But people often learn about these tools only after a crisis, are sold a device that does not fit, wait months for coverage that is denied, or are handed equipment with no training. Many devices end up in a closet. The problem is not that people do not want help: it is cost, information and the absence of someone who knows the options and is patient enough to match them to a real life.

With this grant we will serve about 220 people in Year 1, opening in about Month 3, make about 260 device loans and transfers and train about 300 people, including family members, caregivers, teachers and employers. Our goal is that at least 85 percent of people who try a device in our lab say they understood their options and were treated with respect, that at least 75 percent of people who take a device home are still using it at 90 days and that every device we loan or transfer has been cleaned, inspected, tested and checked against the manufacturer's safety notices. We do not promise that a device will work for every person, that insurance or a school will pay for a device or that a person's needs will not change.

Our Year 1 budget: about $539,500, growing to about $789,000 by Year 5. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 7 paid staff in Year 1 and 11 by Year 5. Government contracts and assistive technology program funds, together with corporate and foundation partners, add steady support, so grants fall from about 77% of our income in Year 1 to about 56% in Year 5.

We are asking the Disability Access and Independence Fund for $90,000 for one Assistive Technology Specialist, assistive technology devices and software for the loan library and demonstration lab, purchased from vendors, and clinical evaluations paid directly to licensed therapists. Government contracts, other grants and corporate and foundation partners cover the rest, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

I am Denise Whitfield, the Executive Director, a RESNA-certified Assistive Technology Professional and former rehabilitation technology specialist who ran a hospital-based assistive technology loan program for six years before founding this organization. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

Reach Forward Assistive Technology Center is a nonprofit organization in Georgia. We are a 501(c)(3) public charity (or a program of one, through a fiscal sponsor), governed by a volunteer board of directors in which people with disabilities and family members hold at least half of the seats. We will provide our IRS determination letter, board list and most recent financial statements with this proposal.

Our mission. To make sure every person with a disability in our community can find, try, get and use the assistive technology that supports the life they want.

What we believe. Nothing about us without us. People with disabilities are the experts on their own lives, and the best assistive technology programs are designed, staffed and guided by the people who use the tools. Technology is a means, not a goal: the question is never which device is newest, but what the person wants to do and what will help them do it. A device that fits is worth far more than a device that is expensive. We serve people of every age, language, background and type of disability, and we adapt our approach to each person.

How we started. Reach Forward Assistive Technology Center began when our founder, then a rehabilitation technology specialist at a hospital, watched patients leave with a prescription for a device and no way to try it first, no one to set it up and no money for the part that insurance would not cover. She saw a speech-generating tablet sit unused because the family was never shown how to program it, a power-assist device returned because it did not fit the person's home and a student wait most of a school year for a keyboard. She started a small loan closet in a hospital storage room, trained volunteers to clean and test donated equipment and loaned about eighty devices in two years. Demand outgrew the closet. A local foundation and the state's Assistive Technology Act program asked whether she could build it into a standalone center. This proposal asks for support to do that.

What we offer:
- Device demonstration. People can try assistive technology in our lab before anyone buys it, with an Assistive Technology Specialist who explains the options in plain language, never pushes a brand and is paid no commission. Devices include screen readers and magnifiers, speech-to-text and text-to-speech tools, adapted keyboards, mice and switches, communication apps and devices, mounting systems, smart-home and voice controls, hearing and alerting devices and daily living aids.
- Short-term device loans. A person can take a device home, to school or to work for a trial period under a written loan agreement, so they learn whether it truly fits before spending money or applying for coverage. We also loan a replacement while a person's own device is being repaired.
- Device reuse. We collect donated durable equipment and assistive devices, clean and inspect each one, repair it where it is safe to do so, check it against the manufacturer's safety notices and transfer it through a written transfer agreement to a person who needs it.
- Funding navigation. A Funding Navigator helps people find and apply for the programs that may pay for a device, including health coverage, state vocational rehabilitation, school and special education services, veterans benefits, low-interest assistive technology financing and charitable funds. We never give cash to a person.
- Clinical evaluations. Some devices, such as speech-generating devices, require an evaluation by a licensed speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist before coverage will pay. We pay licensed therapists directly to complete evaluations for people who cannot afford one.
- Training and peer support. We teach the person, their family, caregivers, teachers and employers to set up and use the device, in our lab, at home, at school and at work, and we connect people with peers who use similar tools.
- Accessibility. Our lab, website, forms and classes are accessible. We provide sign language interpreters, captioning, braille, large print and plain language materials, and we do not require a person to disclose a disability or diagnosis to try a device.
- Referrals. Every person is screened for every other service they may benefit from, including housing, benefits, employment, health care and legal advocacy.

Who we serve. Any person in our service area who has a disability and needs help finding, trying, getting or using assistive technology, including children and their families, working-age adults, veterans and older adults who want to stay in their own homes. Some funding programs have their own eligibility rules, which we confirm for each program. We do not charge participants for any device, evaluation, training or service.

What we do not do. We are not a health care provider, a medical equipment supplier or an insurance company. We do not diagnose a disability or prescribe a device, and we do not give medical, legal or insurance advice. We do not fit wheelchairs or seating systems or provide complex rehabilitation technology: we refer those needs to licensed clinicians and suppliers. We do not sell devices or take a commission from any manufacturer or vendor. We do not give cash to a person. We do not promise that any funding program will pay for a device or that a device will work for every person.

How we are run. A seven-member volunteer board of directors oversees the organization and approves the budget each year. The board includes a person who uses assistive technology every day, a parent of a child with a disability, a rehabilitation counselor, an occupational therapist, an attorney and a certified public accountant. The Executive Director manages the organization, the Program Director runs the program and an outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Where things stand today. We have letters of support from a hospital rehabilitation department, a center for independent living, a school district special education office, a veterans service organization and three corporate and individual equipment donors. We have a letter of intent for an accessible demonstration lab and loan library space in a community building. Before we begin, we will confirm Georgia's rules for the reuse and resale of equipment, have an attorney review our loan and transfer agreements, and confirm any requirements of our funders.

Problem & Opportunity

About one in four adults in the United States lives with a disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the share rises with age. Many people with disabilities could do more, learn more, work more and live more independently with the right assistive technology. Many cannot get it. In our service area, people with disabilities are more likely than others to live in poverty, to be unemployed and to be isolated, and the cost of a device, an evaluation or a repair can be out of reach on a fixed income.

The consequences run through every part of life. A student who cannot read the class materials because no one set up the reader. A worker who loses a job because the screen reading software would not work with the company's system. An older adult who falls at night because no one showed her how to use a voice-controlled light. A child who has words but no way to say them. A man who cannot call for help because he cannot hold a phone. A woman who gave up on her tablet because the first setting she tried did not work and no one was there to help. These are not edge cases. They are everyday experiences of people who are told that technology exists but are given no way to try it, pay for it or learn it.

The root causes are well understood and persistent. Devices are expensive, and insurance often covers only some devices, only after an evaluation and only through a process that can take months and end in denial. Many people do not know what exists. Sales representatives show one brand. Clinics may have limited time and may not stock the newest tools. Schools must consider assistive technology for students with an individualized education program, but families are often not told what can be tried. Equipment that is no longer needed sits in garages and storage rooms while others wait. When a device breaks, there is often no loaner and no one to fix it. Research on assistive technology often finds that a meaningful share of devices are abandoned when they do not fit the person's needs, are too hard to set up or are not supported with training and follow-up, which is why careful matching and follow-up matter.

Community barriers compound the problem. Many people with disabilities have been told what they cannot do and are tired of being talked about instead of listened to. Many are cautious about programs that treat them as clients to be fixed. Many families are overwhelmed by paperwork and deadlines, and many do not know that state assistive technology programs, centers for independent living and vocational rehabilitation agencies exist. Rural residents may have to travel long distances to see a device at all. Building trust takes a staff that includes people with disabilities, a lab where people are never rushed and follow-up that continues after the first visit.

We want to be clear about what we know and do not know. Technology alone does not guarantee independence, and the best device is the one a person actually uses. Training, comfort, repairs, family support and the person's own goals all matter. We will measure what we can, such as devices loaned, evaluations completed, training participants, devices still in use at 90 days and people's own reports of whether the device helped them do what they wanted, and share results honestly. We will use the most recent American Community Survey, Centers for Disease Control and state data in our final application and will not overstate the need.

Products & Services

Reach Forward Assistive Technology Center will run an assistive technology center with a Program Director, Assistive Technology Specialists, a Device Repair and Reuse Technician, a Peer Trainer and Funding Navigator and an Executive Director, and will provide device demonstration, short-term loans, reused equipment, funding help, clinical evaluations and training at no cost to participants.

How it works, step by step:
1. Intake. A person reaches us by phone, text, walk-in, referral from a clinic, school, rehabilitation agency or community group or through our accessible website. We ask what the person wants to do, not what is wrong with them: write an email, read a menu, call a friend, use the stove, get to work, talk in class.
2. Goals and needs conversation. An Assistive Technology Specialist meets with the person, and with family or caregivers if the person wishes, to understand goals, environments, current tools and any past experiences with devices. We do not require a diagnosis or a disability document to start a conversation.
3. Demonstration and trial. The person tries devices in our lab, or at home, school or work through our mobile demonstration kit. The Specialist explains the options in plain language, including what each costs and what it will and will not do, and never recommends a product because of a relationship with a vendor.
4. Evaluation when needed. If a device requires a clinical evaluation, such as a speech-generating device, we refer the person to a licensed speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist and, where the person cannot afford it, pay the clinician directly. We do not make clinical decisions ourselves.
5. Loan or transfer. The person takes a device home on a short-term loan under a written loan agreement, or receives a reused device through a written transfer agreement. Every device is cleaned, inspected, tested and checked against the manufacturer's safety notices before it leaves the lab.
6. Set-up and training. A Specialist or Peer Trainer sets up the device where the person will use it and teaches the person and the people around them. Training is at the person's pace and as many sessions as it takes within our capacity.
7. Funding help. If the person decides to keep a device, the Funding Navigator helps identify and apply to the programs that may pay for it and helps appeal a denial. We tell the person honestly what each program covers and how long it may take.
8. Follow-up. A check-in at 30 and 90 days to see whether the device is working, whether it is still the right device and what else the person needs. A replacement or adjustment when something is not working.
9. Referrals. When we see a need beyond technology, we make warm connections to housing, benefits, employment, health care and legal advocacy.

What the grant will pay for. Part of one Assistive Technology Specialist's salary, assistive technology devices and software for the loan library and demonstration lab, purchased from vendors, and clinical evaluations paid directly to licensed therapists. The rest of the budget comes from government contracts and assistive technology program funds, other grants and corporate and foundation partners.

Device safety. Every device is cleaned and sanitized to a written standard, inspected, tested and checked against the manufacturer's safety notices and recall lists before it leaves our lab, and we document each step. We do not reuse or redistribute items where the manufacturer or safety regulators advise against it, such as helmets, and we do not repair a device in a way the manufacturer does not allow. We tell every person what a device does and does not do, and we provide a written agreement.

Why this approach is strong. A person gets to try a device before anyone pays for it, gets a trial at home or work where it really has to function, gets help paying for it and learns to use it with the people who will support them, all in one place and at no cost. We do not promise that this solves every problem, but we know that matching a device to a person's goals, then training and following up, is far more likely to produce lasting benefit than handing someone a box.

Market Analysis

Who benefits: people with disabilities in our Georgia service area who need to find, try, get or learn to use assistive technology, and the families, schools, employers, clinics and agencies that support them.

Our primary group is people with disabilities who cannot easily afford or find the right device, including children and teenagers with speech, learning, vision, hearing or mobility needs, working-age adults who need technology to get or keep a job, veterans with disabilities and older adults who want to remain in their own homes. We will make special efforts to reach people who are often missed: rural residents, people who are deaf or hard of hearing or blind or have low vision, people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, people who speak languages other than English and people who have been turned down for coverage.

We will not serve someone who needs complex rehabilitation technology such as a custom power wheelchair or seating system, and we will tell them clearly why and refer them to a licensed clinician and a rehabilitation technology supplier. We refer people with legal, insurance or complex benefits questions to legal aid, benefits counselors and the center for independent living.

Local data. We will use the most recent American Community Survey, Centers for Disease Control and state assistive technology program data in our final application and will not overstate the need. Our experience shows demand: our founder's hospital loan closet loaned about eighty devices in two years with no budget and turned away more people than it served. We plan for about 220 people in Year 1 and about 320 in Year 2, with about 260 device loans and transfers and about 300 people trained in Year 1.

Our secondary groups are families and caregivers, who learn to set up and support a device; schools, whose students can participate more fully; employers, who can keep and hire workers with disabilities; clinics and rehabilitation agencies, which can refer patients and clients for trials and follow-up; and government agencies, whose programs can reach people they cannot yet serve.

We do not guarantee a device or a training slot to every person, and when our supply or capacity is limited we prioritize by need and by how long a person has already waited. We do not accept payment for referrals.

Competitive Landscape

Other ways people with disabilities in our area currently find and get assistive technology, and what makes us different.

- Device vendors and suppliers. Vendors can supply devices and sometimes demonstrate them. They typically show their own brands, have a financial interest in the sale and do not provide long loans or training. We refer people to suppliers when they need a device or service we do not provide, and we take no commission.
- Clinics and rehabilitation departments. Therapists evaluate needs and write recommendations. Many have limited time, limited devices to try and long waits, and they cannot loan equipment for weeks. We partner with clinics and ask them to refer people for trials and follow-up.
- The state Assistive Technology Act program. State programs funded under the federal Assistive Technology Act typically provide device demonstrations, loans and reuse, though capacity is limited and the number of locations is small. We are designed to be a local partner and are open to working with the state program and its funding.
- Centers for independent living and vocational rehabilitation agencies. They help people with disabilities live independently and prepare for work, and they can pay for devices in some cases. We work with them and make referrals both ways.
- Schools. Public schools must consider assistive technology for students with an individualized education program. Schools vary in what they can provide and in whether families know what to ask. We offer a place where families can try devices and prepare for school meetings.
- Charities and loan closets. Other organizations, including faith groups and civic clubs, collect and give away equipment. Many focus on one type of equipment, such as mobility aids, and few offer evaluation, training and follow-up. We partner with them and refer people when they are a better fit.
- Doing nothing or paying out of pocket. This is the common alternative, and it often means no device, the wrong device or a purchase the person cannot afford. We aim to show that trying before buying, with training and follow-up, leads to better results and fewer unused devices.

What makes us different.
- We put the person's goals first and are brand-neutral. We take no commissions and no referral fees.
- Our board and staff include people with disabilities, and peer trainers lead part of our training.
- We offer hands-on trial, short-term loans, reused equipment, funding help and training in one place.
- Every device is cleaned, inspected, tested and transferred with a written agreement.
- We follow up at 30 and 90 days.
- We are honest about results, including when a device is returned because it did not fit.

What we do not claim. We are new as a standalone organization, though our founder has six years of program experience. The state program, hospital rehabilitation departments and larger disability organizations have far more experience and resources. We plan to learn from them and share results openly.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How we will reach the people, partners and supporters we need once the project is funded.

People with disabilities and families. We will reach people through the networks that already serve them: hospital rehabilitation departments, centers for independent living, vocational rehabilitation offices, school special education offices, veterans service organizations, senior centers, community health centers, disability support groups, faith communities and libraries. We will ask every person we serve to tell a friend. Materials will be in plain language, in large print and braille on request, with captioned videos, and in Spanish and any other language our community partners tell us is needed. Our website, forms and text line will be tested with screen readers and by people who use them.

Referrals from professionals. We will give therapists, teachers, rehabilitation counselors and physicians a one-page way to refer a person for a trial, and we will send back a short summary, with the person's permission, so the referring professional knows what was tried.

Equipment donors. We will recruit individuals, families, clinics, schools and businesses through a donation drive, a simple online intake form and a pickup service. We will give donors a summary of the impact of their donation, and we will not represent a donated device as worth more than our honest assessment. We will accept only equipment we can safely clean, test and reuse.

Community sites. We will partner with four to six community sites, including libraries, senior centers and a community college, to host demonstrations and training sessions in exchange for promotion of the site's own programs. We will bring the equipment and the staff; the site provides an accessible space.

Government and rehabilitation partners. We will work with the state's Assistive Technology Act program, the state vocational rehabilitation agency, the state Medicaid agency and local school districts to access funding, referrals and training resources, and we will help people apply for any program they qualify for.

Funders. We will report results to funders twice a year and in a short annual report, in totals and never with a participant's name. We will invite funders to visit a demonstration session, with participant permission.

Corporate and community donors. We will invite local businesses, banks, civic clubs, faith communities and foundations to sponsor a device, a class or an evaluation. Gifts are tracked separately and acknowledged with thanks.

How we talk about participants. We describe people as capable people who use tools, not as patients, victims or inspiration. We do not use stories or photographs without clear, written, informed permission, and we never share a person's disability information to raise money without that permission.

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1:
- Months 1 to 2: Attorney review of loan and transfer agreements, reuse and cleaning standards, privacy policies and volunteer policies, sign the lease, hire the Program Director, the Repair and Reuse Technician, two Assistive Technology Specialists and the Peer Trainer and Funding Navigator, set up the lab and the secure data system.
- Month 3: Staff training in device demonstration, accessibility, cleaning and safety standards, funding programs and the data system. Launch the equipment donation drive. Open the demonstration lab and loan library.
- Months 4 to 8: First demonstrations, first loans, first reuse transfers, first clinical evaluations and first 30-day follow-ups. Open a second demonstration site at a partner location.
- Months 9 to 12: Assess Year 1 results, prepare the Year 1 report and plan for Year 2. Open a third site and launch school and employer training sessions.

Space. A leased accessible demonstration lab, loan library and repair shop with a training room, a device intake and cleaning area and a secure storage room. Rent and utilities are about $30,000 a year in Year 1. Accessible build-out, including an automatic door opener, lighting, tactile signs and loan library shelving, is a one-time cost of $5,000, with a deposit and first month of rent of $4,500.

Equipment. We buy about $14,000 of equipment once at the start: a repair bench, sanitizing station and test equipment for the reuse shop ($6,000), accessible demonstration workstations, display furniture and adjustable tables ($5,000) and a mobile demonstration kit for home, school and workplace visits ($3,000). After Year 1, we set aside about $3,000 to $4,000 a year to replace and add equipment. An opening stock of loan library devices, switches, mounts, cables and accessories is a one-time cost of $12,000.

Staffing. In Year 1: an Executive Director, an Assistive Technology Program Director, two Assistive Technology Specialists, a Device Repair and Reuse Technician, a Peer Trainer and Funding Navigator and a part-time Program Coordinator. A third Specialist and a second Peer Trainer and Funding Navigator join in Year 3, a second Technician in Year 4 and a fourth Specialist in Year 5.

Device standards and controls. Every donated device is logged, assessed, cleaned and sanitized to our written standard and tested before it goes onto a shelf. The Technician checks each item against the manufacturer's safety notices and recall lists, repairs it only where the manufacturer allows and documents each step. Items that cannot be made safe are recycled to a certified e-waste recycler or disposed of properly, not distributed. We do not reuse or redistribute items where the manufacturer or safety regulators advise against it, such as helmets. We do not fit wheelchairs or seating systems, do not adjust or program medical devices and do not provide oxygen, respiratory or other life-supporting equipment. Each device leaves through a written loan agreement or a written transfer agreement that confirms the device's condition, describes how to use it safely, explains who to call with a problem and states what we are and are not responsible for. No cash is ever given to a person in place of a device.

Device procurement. We source devices from donations, certified refurbishers, manufacturers' education and nonprofit programs and purchases from vendors. We buy a device only when a person's goals require something our library does not have. Device and software purchases for the loan library and lab cost about $60,000 a year in Year 1, for about 140 new devices and accessories, or about $430 each. Reused and donated equipment cover the rest of our loans and transfers. The board reviews a summary of all purchases and transfers each quarter.

Clinical evaluations. Some devices, such as speech-generating devices, require an evaluation by a licensed speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist before coverage will pay. We refer the person to a licensed clinician in their community or at a partner clinic and, where the person cannot afford it, pay the clinician directly. We do not make clinical decisions and never pay a person cash for an evaluation. Clinical evaluations cost about $20,000 a year in Year 1, for about 100 evaluations averaging about $200.

Funding navigation. We help every person who wants to keep a device find and apply for every program that may pay for it. We do not guarantee that any program will pay, we tell the person honestly what a program covers and how long it may take and we help appeal denials. We never charge a fee and never take payment from a person, a vendor or an insurer.

Training and peer support. Training is offered one-on-one, in small groups, at our lab, at community sites, at home, at school and at work, and online. Peer Trainers who use assistive technology themselves lead part of our training. Instructors use plain language, go at the person's pace, welcome questions and never make a person feel judged. Accessible training materials, captioning, sign language interpreters and alternate formats cost about $14,000 a year in Year 1.

Accessibility. Our lab, website, forms, text line and classes are accessible, and we hold sessions only in accessible venues. We provide interpreters, captioning, braille, large print and plain language on request and at no cost. We do not require a person to disclose a disability or provide a diagnosis to try a device.

Children and young people. When a participant is a child, a parent or guardian is present, or has given written permission for a trusted adult to attend. Two staff members or a staff member and a parent are always present with a child, and no staff member is ever alone with a child. Every staff member and volunteer passes a criminal background check and is trained to recognize and report suspected abuse or neglect.

Privacy. Participant information, including contact information, goals, device history and funding applications, is kept in a locked cabinet and a secure, password-protected system and shared only with the person's written permission or as required by law. We are not a health care provider and do not keep medical records. We never share a person's information with a device vendor, an employer or an insurer for marketing purposes.

Crisis and safety. If a participant is in immediate danger, staff call 911. Anyone in crisis is connected right away to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Staff follow a written safety plan for home and workplace visits.

Insurance and records. We carry general liability, property, professional liability and non-owned auto liability insurance, and workers' compensation once we hire. Insurance is about $10,000 a year in Year 1. Grant money is tracked separately so we can show each funder how their money was spent, and an outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Management & Organization

The people who will carry out the project.

Denise Whitfield, Executive Director. A RESNA-certified Assistive Technology Professional and former rehabilitation technology specialist who ran a hospital-based assistive technology loan program for six years, loaning more than 250 devices and training more than 600 people. She leads fundraising, partnerships, finance and hiring, reports to the board and is the main contact for funders. (Replace this paragraph with your own director's background.)

Assistive Technology Program Director (full time, hired in Months 1 to 2). Runs the program day to day, manages the lab, the loan library and the community sites, supervises the Specialists and the Technician and makes sure every device and every loan follows our standards.

Assistive Technology Specialists (two in Years 1 and 2, three in Years 3 and 4, four in Year 5). Meet with people, lead demonstrations and trials, set up devices at home, school and work, and teach the person and their supporters. Specialists are trained in device matching, accessibility and the main categories of assistive technology, and several are people who use assistive technology themselves.

Device Repair and Reuse Technician (one in Years 1 to 3, two from Year 4). Intakes, cleans, sanitizes, tests and repairs donated and loaned devices, checks them against manufacturer safety notices, manages inventory and coordinates donations.

Peer Trainer and Funding Navigator (one in Years 1 and 2, two from Year 3). Leads peer training sessions, helps people find and apply for programs that may pay for a device, helps appeal denials and follows up at 30 and 90 days.

Program Coordinator (part-time). Keeps records, manages the data system and prepares reports.

Board of directors. Seven volunteers who meet every quarter: a person who uses assistive technology every day, a parent of a child with a disability, a rehabilitation counselor, an occupational therapist, an attorney and a certified public accountant. People with disabilities and family members hold at least half of the seats. The board approves the budget and policies, reviews device purchases and transfers and results each quarter and does not receive pay.

Community advisory group. Participants, family members and community partners meet quarterly and tell us what is working and what is not. Their advice shapes our device choices, class topics, schedules and outreach.

Clinical advisors. A licensed speech-language pathologist and a licensed occupational therapist review our device lists, loan agreements and referral process twice a year and are available for questions. They are advisors, not our providers, and they do not diagnose or treat our participants.

Outside professionals. An attorney reviews our loan and transfer agreements and privacy policies. An outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Staff screening. Every staff member and volunteer passes a criminal background check. Staff are trained in our privacy policy, cleaning and safety standards, mandatory reporting and disability etiquette before they handle a device or work with a participant.

Staff pay in this plan includes payroll taxes and benefits. Salaries are Executive Director $62,000, Program Director $58,000, Assistive Technology Specialist $50,000, Device Repair and Reuse Technician $42,000, Peer Trainer and Funding Navigator $44,000 and part-time Program Coordinator $26,000. Replace them with the pay you can offer where you live.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals for each year and how we will measure them.

- Year 1: Open in about Month 3, serve about 220 people, make about 260 device loans and transfers, train about 300 people across four community sites and see at least 75 percent of people who take a device home still using it at 90 days. A balanced budget of about $539,500, with a small surplus of about $14,700. 7 paid staff.
- Year 2: Serve about 320 people, make about 380 device loans and transfers and train about 450 people. Apply for government contracts and assistive technology program funds. Begin 90-day follow-up tracking for every person. A balanced budget of about $553,000, with a small surplus of about $14,300. 7 paid staff.
- Year 3: Add a third Specialist and a second Peer Trainer and Funding Navigator, serve about 450 people, make about 530 device loans and transfers and train about 640 people. Contracts cover more of our budget. A balanced budget of about $663,000, with a small surplus of about $15,200. 9 paid staff.
- Year 4: Add a second Technician, serve about 600 people, make about 700 device loans and transfers and train about 860 people. A balanced budget of about $722,000, with a small surplus of about $16,100. 10 paid staff.
- Year 5: Add a fourth Specialist, serve about 780 people, make about 900 device loans and transfers and train about 1,100 people, with government contracts and program funds covering about 29% of our budget. A balanced budget of about $789,000, with a small surplus of about $15,700. 11 paid staff.

What we measure:
- People served, by age group, type of disability (if the person chooses to share it), primary goal and zip code.
- Demonstrations, loans, reuse transfers and clinical evaluations completed, by device category.
- The share of people who take a device home who are still using it at 90 days, and why others stopped.
- Self-reported satisfaction with the device, using a short, accessible survey such as the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology at the start and 90 days after.
- Funding applications supported, approvals and denials, and appeals filed, reported in totals.
- Training participants, by role (person, family member, caregiver, teacher or employer) and topic.
- Devices cleaned, tested and passed against safety notices, devices recycled and any safety incident, reported in totals.
- Cost per person served and per device placed.
- Whether people felt listened to and respected, collected anonymously.

How we review results. The Program Director and Specialists review demonstrations, loans, follow-up results and any safety concerns every week, and the whole team reviews outcomes monthly. Each semester, staff, the community advisory group and our partners review results together and we change what is not working, including which devices we stock and which sites we use. Twice a year the board reviews results and we share them with funders and government partners as totals. Every number in this plan is a goal, and we will report what really happens, including devices that are returned because they did not fit.

Funding Request

What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $90,000 from the Disability Access and Independence Fund for one Assistive Technology Specialist, assistive technology devices and software for the loan library and demonstration lab, purchased from vendors, and clinical evaluations paid directly to licensed therapists, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Assistive Technology Specialist salary, $40,000 (other funds add $10,000).
- Supplies: Assistive technology devices and software for the loan library and demonstration lab (purchased from vendors, never as cash to a person), $35,000 (other funds add $25,000).
- Contractual: Clinical evaluations by licensed therapists (paid directly to the clinicians), $15,000 (other funds add $5,000).

Other money in the program. Government contracts and assistive technology program funds, other grants and corporate and foundation partners pay the other $40,000 of those lines, plus the Executive Director's salary ($62,000), the Program Director ($58,000), the second Assistive Technology Specialist ($50,000), the Device Repair and Reuse Technician ($42,000), the Peer Trainer and Funding Navigator ($44,000), the part-time Program Coordinator ($26,000), device repair, reuse and sanitizing supplies ($12,000), accessible training materials, captioning and interpreters ($14,000), lab and library rent and utilities ($30,000), technology and secure data system ($8,000), outreach, events and community partnerships ($10,000), insurance ($10,000), staff training ($6,000), evaluation and reporting ($6,000) and administration and accounting ($14,000).

Year 1 budget: about $539,500, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $14,700 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $414,500 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), government contracts and assistive technology program funds $70,000 and corporate partners, foundations and donations $55,000. Year 1 costs: Executive Director $62,000; Assistive Technology Program Director $58,000; two Assistive Technology Specialists $100,000; Device Repair and Reuse Technician $42,000; Peer Trainer and Funding Navigator $44,000; Program Coordinator $26,000; assistive technology devices and software about $60,000; clinical evaluations about $20,000; device repair, reuse and sanitizing supplies about $12,000; accessible training materials, captioning and interpreters about $14,000; lab and library rent and utilities about $30,000; technology and secure data system about $8,000; outreach, events and community partnerships about $10,000; insurance about $10,000; staff training and certifications about $6,000; evaluation and reporting about $6,000; administration and accounting about $14,000; and about $5,600 a year for the wear on equipment.

How we planned devices. Device and software purchases cost about $60,000 in Year 1 for about 140 new devices and accessories, or about $430 each. Many loans and transfers use devices that are donated, reused or loaned again after a trial, so about 260 loans and transfers in Year 1 draw on both new and reused stock. Not every person we serve needs a new device: some need a trial, a setting changed or help with funding, and the cost per person falls over time as the loan library grows and our Technician becomes faster.

About government contracts. State assistive technology program funds under the federal Assistive Technology Act, vocational rehabilitation purchase-of-service contracts, Medicaid home and community-based services, school district contracts and veterans programs can fund assistive technology demonstration, loans, reuse and training. These are competitive, awarded for set periods and have strict rules about eligibility, accessibility, data collection and reporting. We plan to apply once we have a track record. The amounts in this plan are our planning estimates, not promises, and agencies can change their budgets, rules and awards.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $51,800 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $14,000 for equipment, $5,000 for leasehold improvements, $4,500 for deposits, $12,000 for opening supplies and inventory, $800 for licenses and permits, $8,000 for legal and professional help, $3,000 for an accessible website and braille and large-print brochures, $4,500 for background checks, training and first insurance.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($51,800), the cash we need to cover the wait for the first payments (about $20,300) and a cash cushion of about $130,500, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. That comes to $203,000. We start with $20,000 of our own savings and $185,000 in startup support from a disability foundation, an equipment donor gift and our board, $205,000 in all, which covers that amount.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $539,500 in Year 1 to about $789,000 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $414,500, $389,000, $446,000, $444,000, $442,000 in Years 1 to 5. Government contracts and program funds grow from $70,000 to $225,000, and corporate and foundation partners grow from $55,000 to $122,000. We add a third Specialist and a second Peer Trainer and Funding Navigator in Year 3, a second Technician in Year 4 and a fourth Specialist in Year 5. Grants fall from about 77% of our income in Year 1 to about 56% in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $170,700, at the end of Year 1. Government and grant payments often arrive after we bill or after we submit documents, so we plan for about $37,765 owed to us at the end of Year 1.

After the grant. Our plan is to grow government contracts and program funds as agencies see our results, to invite businesses, banks and civic groups to sponsor devices and evaluations and to grow individual donors. Because a person with the right device, the skills to use it and support around them is more likely to learn, work and live independently, success lowers long-term costs for families, schools and public programs and strengthens our case for public funding.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- Donated device supply dries up or quality drops. We build relationships with multiple donation sources, purchase from certified vendors and refurbishers when donated supply is low and set quality thresholds.
- A device is returned or abandoned. We match carefully, follow up at 30 and 90 days, learn why and change what we stock and how we train.
- A device causes a safety concern. We check every device against manufacturer notices, document every inspection, remove anything that is unsafe and report any incident to the board.
- A funding program denies coverage or changes its rules. We track programs, tell people immediately, help appeal and help apply to the next available source.
- Demand exceeds our capacity. We keep a waiting list, prioritize by need and referral partners and refer to other programs.
- Government contracts are delayed or not awarded. We plan with a cash cushion, stage hiring so costs follow funding and apply to other funders.
- A grant ends. We keep savings, grow contracts and donors and keep our cost per person low.

If you are just starting. A new organization can begin before it has its own 501(c)(3) status through a fiscal sponsor: an established nonprofit that receives grants for you and passes them to your program, usually for a fee (commonly around 5% to 10% of the grant, sometimes more; ask before you agree). Another way is to start smaller: a volunteer device drive and a monthly demonstration day at a library or center for independent living, loaning 20 to 30 devices and training 50 people in the first year, tracked carefully. Strong, honest results from a small program make larger grants easier to win.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach with this proposal:

- Your IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter, or your fiscal sponsor agreement.
- Your most recent financial statements and your current year budget.
- A list of your board members, what each one does and how many are people with disabilities or family members.
- Resumes for your Executive Director and Program Director, including any Assistive Technology Professional certification.
- Letters of support from a rehabilitation department, a center for independent living, a school district special education office, a veterans service organization and an equipment donor.
- Your device loan agreement and transfer agreement templates.
- Your device cleaning, inspection and recall-check standard and your recycling policy.
- Your funding navigation and clinical evaluation payment policy.
- Your privacy policy, your child safety policy and your staff home-visit safety plan.
- Your accessibility policy for the lab, website and classes.
- Your plan for measuring results, including 90-day follow-up.
- Results from your founder's prior program or pilot, shown as totals.
- Proof of general liability, property and professional liability insurance, or a quote.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.

The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Grant Revenue: $414,500 in Year 1, then $389,000, $446,000, $444,000, $442,000.
- Government Contracts and Assistive Technology Program Funds: $70,000 in Year 1, growing to $225,000.
- Corporate Partners, Foundations and Donations: $55,000 in Year 1, growing to $122,000.
- People and training: about 220 people served, 260 device loans and transfers and 300 people trained in Year 1, then 320, 450, 600, 780 people, 380, 530, 700, 900 loans and transfers and 450, 640, 860, 1,100 people trained in Years 2 to 5.
- Pay: Executive Director $62,000, Program Director $58,000, Assistive Technology Specialist $50,000 (two in Years 1 and 2, three in Years 3 and 4, four in Year 5), Device Repair and Reuse Technician $42,000 (one in Years 1 to 3, two from Year 4), Peer Trainer and Funding Navigator $44,000 (one in Years 1 and 2, two from Year 3), Program Coordinator (part-time) $26,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: Assistive Technology Devices and Software for the Loan Library and Demonstration Lab (Paid to Vendors) $60,000, Clinical Evaluations by Licensed Therapists (Paid Directly to the Clinicians) $20,000, Device Repair, Reuse and Sanitizing Supplies $12,000, Accessible Training Materials, Captioning and Interpreters $14,000, Demonstration Lab and Loan Library Rent and Utilities $30,000, Technology and Secure Data System $8,000, Outreach, Events and Community Partnerships $10,000, Insurance $10,000, Staff Training and Certifications $6,000, Evaluation and Reporting $6,000, Administration and Accounting $14,000. Growing between 4% and 10% a year.
- Equipment: $14,000 at the start, then $3,000 to $4,000 a year.
- Startup costs: $51,800, paid once from $205,000 in startup money.
- About 7% of each year's income is still owed to us at year end.
- Tax: none, as a nonprofit.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and real budget.

Startup Costs