In short
A disability inclusion proposal should involve organisations of persons with disabilities in design and delivery, use a twin-track approach (making mainstream services accessible while supporting specific needs), collect data disaggregated by disability, budget for accessibility and reasonable adjustments, and measure participation and outcomes for persons with disabilities.
Funders increasingly expect every project to include persons with disabilities, and specialist funders look for projects shaped by disabled people themselves.
Who funds disability inclusion projects
Disability inclusion is funded by disability-focused foundations, development agencies, United Nations agencies and corporate programmes. Many align with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Recommended outline
| Section | What to include |
|---|---|
| Problem statement | Barriers persons with disabilities face in the area, with disaggregated data |
| Participation | How organisations of persons with disabilities shape and lead the project |
| Methodology | Twin-track approach: accessible mainstream services plus targeted support |
| Accessibility | Physical, communication and information accessibility, and reasonable adjustments |
| Outcomes | Participation and results for persons with disabilities compared with others |
| Sustainability | Inclusive policies and practices adopted by partners and services |
Example results and indicators
| Result | Indicator |
|---|---|
| Participation | Number and percentage of participants with disabilities, by type of difficulty |
| Accessibility | Number of facilities or services meeting an accessibility checklist |
| Outcomes | Results for participants with disabilities compared with other participants |
| Leadership | Number of persons with disabilities in project decision-making roles |
Typical budget lines
- Accessibility adaptations to buildings and materials
- Sign language interpretation, Braille and easy-read formats
- Assistive devices, within funder rules
- Partnership with organisations of persons with disabilities
- Disability inclusion training for staff and partners
- Disaggregated monitoring
What makes a disability inclusion proposal stand out
- Designed and led with organisations of persons with disabilities.
- Uses the twin-track approach.
- Budgets for accessibility from the start.
- Collects disability-disaggregated data, for example with the Washington Group questions.
Common mistakes
- Treating disability only as a medical issue.
- No budget for accessibility.
- Consulting persons with disabilities only at the end.
- No disaggregated data, so inclusion cannot be shown.
Frequently asked questions
What is the twin-track approach?
An approach that makes mainstream services and projects accessible to everyone, while also providing specific support that some persons with disabilities need.
How do I collect disability data?
Many projects use the Washington Group Short Set of questions, which ask about difficulties with everyday activities rather than medical conditions.
Written by Gachi Foundation, a non-profit in Jharkhand, India. All proposal-writing resources.