Our Strategic Plan
2025 – 2029
National Disability Institute (NDI) is the recognized leader in economic advancement for all people with disabilities. Through pioneering research, projects, education and public policy advocacy, we address the economic barriers that limit the financial lives of millions of people with disabilities. NDI is disability-led. We focus on evidence-based strategies that support pathways out of poverty, financial stability, wealth accumulation and asset preservation. Our mission is to build a better financial future for all people with disabilities and their families.
Our collective impact across several measures will move forward our mission:
- Achieving A Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts adoption will increase savings in ABLE accounts by 25 percent over the next five years, as a pathway to wealth accumulation for people with disabilities in receipt of a public benefit.
- Collaboration with financial institutions and other relevant stakeholders will reduce the unbanked rate for people with disabilities by an additional five percent nationwide over the next five years.
- American Dream Employment Network (ADEN) membership growth will support 20 percent more participants in re-entering the workforce, resulting in $50 million dollars in earnings and $5 million dollars in savings to the SSA Trust Fund over the next five years.
- Small business ecosystem coordination will increase the number and success rate of small businesses owned by individuals with disabilities by 25% over the next five years.
- A network of trained financial educators, financial counselors and financial coaches specializing in disability-related financial issues will be able to provide just-in-time support and guidance to people with disabilities and their families in 15 states over the next five years.
Goal One
Advance financial inclusion, financial empowerment and wealth accumulation for all individuals with disabilities and their families.
Objectives
- Develop and refine strategies, programs and tools to improve the financial inclusion, financial empowerment and wealth accumulation of individuals across the spectrum of disability and their families.
- Implement tailored approaches to increase understanding and use of affordable financial products, work incentives, financial education, financial counseling, financial coaching and other financial tools.
- Pilot innovative financial products and services in partnership with tech companies to test their effectiveness in improving financial outcomes for people with disabilities.
- Connect, convene and facilitate partnerships across government, corporate entities, philanthropy, service providers and organizations to advance financial stability, inclusion and growth for all people with disabilities and their families.
Goal Two
Promote employment and self-employment opportunities and outcomes for all individuals with disabilities and their families.
Objectives
- Implement tailored approaches to increase understanding and use of evidence-based strategies that support the employment and self-employment outcomes of people with disabilities.
- Support the continued development of training and technical assistance resources that address service gaps and promote systems alignment to improve the employment outcomes of people with disabilities.
- Foster a more effective and collaborative small business ecosystem through cross-sector training and technical assistance to support entrepreneurs and small business owners with disabilities.
- Pilot and expand innovative products and services that provide new pathways to employment for people with disabilities.
Goal Three
Promote public policy that improves the financial well-being of all individuals with disabilities and their families.
Objectives
- Research, analyze and inform local, state and national public policy development and implementation that benefits individuals with disabilities and their families with the intentional inclusion of populations within the disability community that experience multiple forms of discrimination and issues specific to those intersections.
- Develop a comprehensive public policy agenda addressing key economic issues facing the disability community, with a focus on financial inclusion, wellbeing and empowerment.
- Develop knowledge translation tools to educate all stakeholders on strategies that move policy to practice.
- Engage in coalition-building with other disability, economic, and consumer groups to amplify the collective voice of people with disabilities and their families.
Goal Four
Advance research on the financial challenges people with disabilities face and solutions that advance the status of all individuals with disabilities and their families.
Objectives
- Define a research agenda aimed at discovering effective innovations and pathways to economic stability, mobility and wealth for individuals with disabilities.
- Conduct and publish research annually on topics related to the financial status, behaviors and needs of people with disabilities to inform policy and practice.
- Publish research findings and recommendations, including impact outcomes and case studies on successful strategies and community-driven interventions to inform future program development and policy advocacy efforts.
- Establish partnerships with academic institutions and research centers to expand the scope and impact of disability-focused financial empowerment research.
Goal Five
Grow, manage and diversify the needed human, financial and technical resources to advance NDI’s mission.
Objectives
- Define a research agenda aimed at discovering effective innovations and pathways to economic stability, mobility and wealth for individuals with disabilities.
- Conduct and publish research annually on topics related to the financial status, behaviors and needs of people with disabilities to inform policy and practice.
- Publish research findings and recommendations, including impact outcomes and case studies on successful strategies and community-driven interventions to inform future program development and policy advocacy efforts.
- Establish partnerships with academic institutions and research centers to expand the scope and impact of disability-focused financial empowerment research.
Your Support Matters
Be a catalyst for change by donating today to support National Disability Institute’s innovative projects and research that help build a better financial future for people with disabilities and their families. NDI is a 501(c)3 organization and all donations are tax deductible.
