#GenerationADA is the cohort of youth age 26 and under who grew up after the ADA was passed. The 2017 NCIL Conference is committed to engaging and supporting #GenerationADA. However, due to a variety of barriers, most especially cost, youth with disabilities have been unable to fully participate in the national disability community. In order for the Independent Living Movement to be more inclusive of young people we need the support of CILs, SILCs, and other organizations. We are asking that your organization takes the #ADAyouthpledge through one of the three ways listed below:

1. Contribute towards the Youth Scholarship Fund that will bring young people from across the country to the NCIL conference. Your donation will support plane tickets, hotel accommodations, personal assistance services, and registration costs for attendees.
2. Pledge to financially sponsor 2 young people in your local area to attend the NCIL conference.
3. Pledge to financially sponsor 2 young professionals on your staff to attend the NCIL conference.

We already have 14 accepted scholars, but we are running out of scholarship funds! Last year we accepted 28 youth with disabilities; with your help, we can bring a greater number of youth with disabilities to the 2017 NCIL Conference and ensure that youth leadership will grow and flourish in the Disability Rights Movement. Together we can ensure that #GenerationADA is empowered, engaged, and ready to lead. We ask that you tweet us with your pledges @youth_fellow.

• Make a donation

Thank you for your support!

The 2017 Annual Conference on Independent Living is scheduled for this July and we have an exciting Conference planned! The Annual Conference Committee and NCIL staff is quite dedicated all year planning the Conference on a limited budget and we are very committed to keeping costs low to make the Conference as affordable as possible for attendees. To make this Conference affordable for all, we need volunteers!

We hope that IL advocates, family, friends, and supporters around the country will provide significant assistance at the 2017 Annual Conference on Independent Living. We have wonderful incentives for those who put in volunteer hours! We know some of your staff must attend all Conference activities, but if there are others that may not normally get to come to the Conference, incentives for volunteering may be the perfect opportunity for them. If you or your staff volunteers more than 5 hours during the Conference, half of the volunteer’s registration fee is waived / reimbursed. If you or your staff person volunteers 10 or more hours, the volunteer’s full registration fee will be waived / reimbursed.  [Read more…]

The spring edition of NCIL’s Legislative & Advocacy Priorities is now available at the NCIL website.

This document contains specific information on the national legislative and policy priorities identified biannually by the NCIL membership, including funding for the Independent Living Program, healthcare and long-term care, housing, transportation, education, and more.

Please share this document with your Center or SILC staff, board, and the Senators and Representatives who serve your districts.

Contact NCIL for further information on the issues discussed in this document.

• NCIL Legislative & Advocacy Priorities (PDF)
• NCIL Legislative & Advocacy Priorities (Word)
• NCIL Legislative & Advocacy Priorities (plain text)

#GenerationADA is the cohort of youth age 26 and under who grew up after the ADA was passed. The 2017 NCIL Conference is committed to engaging and supporting #GenerationADA. However, due to a variety of barriers, most especially cost, youth with disabilities have been unable to fully participate in the national disability community. In order for the Independent Living Movement to be more inclusive of young people we need the support of CILs, SILCs, and other organizations. We are asking that your organization takes the #ADAyouthpledge through one of the three ways listed below:

1. Pledge to financially sponsor 2 young people in your local area to attend the NCIL conference.
2. Pledge to financially sponsor 2 young professionals on your staff to attend the NCIL conference.
3. Contribute towards the Youth Scholarship Fund that will bring young people from across the country to the NCIL conference. Your donation will support plane tickets, hotel accommodations, personal assistance services, and registration costs for attendees.

With your help, we can bring youth with disabilities to the 2017 NCIL Conference and ensure that youth leadership will grow and flourish in the Disability Rights Movement. Together we can ensure that #GenerationADA is empowered, engaged, and ready to lead. We ask that you tweet us with your pledges @youth_fellow.

• Make a donation

Thank you for your support!

Dear Friends,

NCIL is participating in the annual ADAPT FUN*RUN and you can join us!

The FUN*RUN is an annual fundraising event hosted by ADAPT, where people pledge to walk, jog, run, or roll a certain amount of laps around Upper Senate Park in Washington DC. Each participant gets their own fundraising page for people to sponsor them and the proceeds go to the organization that the person chooses to support.

Here’s how you can support NCIL through the FUN*RUN:

1. Click on “Register for a FUN*RUN” and click the ADAPT FUN*RUN FOR DISABILITY RIGHTS in Washington D.C.
2. Where it says “Organization I am supporting” click the drop down menu and select “NCIL”.
3. Select walk, jog, run, roll, or virtual from the “I am able to” drop down menu. If you are unable to attend the FUN*RUN in person, please select “virtual”.
4. Click the estimated number of laps you will do.
5. Click the submit button, and you’re done! Share your FUN*RUN page so that people can sponsor you and support NCIL! 50% of all money raised will go to NCIL so that we can continue our mission of community living for all!

If you are a CIL that would like to participate in the FUN*RUN, you can support NCIL while also raising money for your CIL! Here’s how:

1. Email Bob Kafka at [email protected] with the name of your Center so it can be listed as an option for runners to select when registering. Tell him that NCIL sent you!
2. Ask your staff and supporters to register for the FUN*RUN and select your Center as the organization they are supporting.
3. That’s it! 25% of the money raised will go to your CIL, 25% will go to NCIL, and 50% will go to National ADAPT.

You can also sponsor a runner who’s supporting NCIL.

We’re grateful for your support and hope to see you at the FUN*RUN!

Dear NCIL Members,

It’s time for the annual NCIL Congressional Briefing & Reception on Capitol Hill!

We are asking for your help to get your members of Congress to attend this briefing. NCIL, as the national advocate for CILs, SILCs, and the Independent Living philosophy, has the mission of being your voice in Washington DC and representing your interests. NCIL hosts this annual briefing and reception in order to educate members of Congress on a number of relevant policy initiatives that aim to advance disability rights and the ability of people with disabilities to live more independently.

There is a lot at stake for our community right now. This event a great opportunity for your members of Congress to learn more about the issues affecting our members, and they will hopefully leave better equipped to vote in the interests of the Independent Living community.

To invite your members, simply email the customizable invitation below to your Senators and Representative, and urge them to attend! They are much more likely to attend if they hear from constituents within their home districts, so we are really counting on our members to make this event a success.

Follow the links below to find contact information for your state’s Representatives and Senators. You will likely have to submit an email using the form on their website.

• Contact Your Senator
• Contact Your Representative

Sample Invitation Letter

Dear [Senator or Representative’s Name],

The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) would like to invite you and your staff to our Congressional Briefing & Reception on the State of Disability in America. With so much at stake in 2017, our members want to ensure that our elected officials understand the issues that are most important to our community. The event will take place on Wednesday, March 29 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. in Rayburn House Office Building 2044.  [Read more…]

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) hopes that you will be able to join us at our annual Congressional Briefing & Reception on the State of Disability in America. The briefing will take place on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 from 5:00-7:00 in the Rayburn House Office Building 2044.

Last year’s NCIL Briefing was extremely successful, and was well attended by leaders in the disability community, the Administration, and both parties in Congress. NCIL was proud to host an engaging event on the Hill in 2016, and we invite you to start off 2017 with us in the same spirit of collaboration and progress.

The reception will include a short presentation on the state of the Independent Living Program in America, and brief remarks by members of the NCIL Board of Directors. Members of the House and Senate, as well as members of the Administration, are also invited to provide brief remarks. Last year’s speakers included disability rights champions and allies like Senator Schumer, Senator Isakson, Congressman Hardy, Congressman Thompson, and special guests like Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement Maria Town, Administration for Community Living Administrator Kathy Greenlee, and Deputy Commissioner of the Administration on Disabilities and Director of the Independent Living Administration Bob Williams.

We are looking forward to an equally exciting event this year. We would like to thank Anthem, Inc. for their continued support, and thank you to Representative Langevin for sponsoring the room for this event. If you plan to attend, please RSVP at the link below or to NCIL’s Policy Analyst, Lindsay Baran, at [email protected] or (202) 207-0334, ext. 1108 by Friday, March 24, 2017.

• RSVP online

July 24-27, 2017; Grand Hyatt, Washington

Open our Annual Conference Guide (in PDF or plain text) to find everything you need to know about the 2017 Annual Conference.

Then, register online or by using the printable Registration Form (PDF or plain text). Online registration gives you the ability to register up to three attendees with one transaction and accepts Discover, American Express, Visa and MasterCard.

Visit our 2017 Annual Conference web page for:

• Complete registration details
• Hotel information and reservations links
• Complete Conference agenda

All registrations received and paid before April 28, 2017 are eligible for the Early Bird registration rates.