As a field, disabilities and special needs is particularly challenging: the multiplicity of choices can be overwhelming; different approaches bewildering, and the number of organizations puzzling. With so much complexity, funders sometimes skip the important due diligence and research steps, and the quality of the funding—and therefore the field—suffers.
This book is an attempt to provide some guidance to funders seeking to invest in this important area. Commissioned by our peer network of funders committed to disabilities and special needs, it is, we believe, a valuable step to creating a more informed and more impactful philanthropy in this important area. We hope it serves as a tool, for those already investing in this field, to help fine-tune your grantmaking, and equally important, inspires others to delve into this challenging and rewarding area.
