Disability in Development (DiD) Project: Telling Our Truth to Transform Philanthropy

Connect. Belong. Succeed.

The Disabled in Development (DiD) Project is seeking out non-profit staff who hold fundraising responsibilities, and development and philanthropic professionals already in the field – some for decades – for their constructive advice on how to put inclusion principles into practice.

DiD is our place to document advances in inclusion and to testify to ableist structural barriers that we encounter and that all-too often halt our career advancement or force us out. Your stories are important.

Quick Links to More Information

• • The DiD Project Includes Disability, Chronic Illness, Aging
  • How You Can Participate
  • Agreements and Compensation
  • Preview Sample Questions
  • FAQs

Philanthropy has been changing for the better over the past 2 years or so, when it comes to disability and inclusion. The numbers alone indicate dramatic need for change: Just 3% of philanthropy identifies as disabled and funding for global disability civil and human rights advocacy fell by 23% between 2011-2015.

Getting more openly disabled people at philanthropic tables is the right thing to do. But being at the table isn’t the goal. Our representation matters because of our wealth — of expertise, skills, and relationships. DiD’s goal is to make philanthropy more powerful.

We’re all stronger when we connect, belong, succeed.

To achieve that, DiD will help improve philanthropy’s understanding of what ableism is, and how it — not disability — causes exclusion and inequity. This will strengthen philanthropy’s capacity to fight ableism. Philanthropy needs disabled, chronically ill, and aging people in order to become a better, more powerful force for social change.  

DiD provides an accessible outlet for making disability more visible and less stigmatized in the philanthropic sector, increasing the sector’s access to our profoundly marginalized expertise.

Our successes deserve to be known and built on. Our advice should be heard. The barriers that we deal with are often embarrassing, sometimes humiliating, and just as frequently, absurd and infuriating. They make great stories. This is our time to tell them.

Telling our stories and sharing our advice can be acts of liberation. When you talk about your experience, you may not know who’s listening and who will be moved to help repair discriminatory systems — because you told the truth about your work and life.

The Disabled In Development (DiD) Project thanks the amazing Cara Liebowitz for reviewing these materials. Cara, I’m honored to be your colleague in the profession!

Know You Want to Participate? Contact Me: ingrid@talesfromthecrip.org.