Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities receives grant for advocacy and systems change efforts

On April 21, 2008, the Minneapolis Foundation announced that it had awarded the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) a one-time grant of $150,000 from the B.C. Gamble and P.W. Skogmo Fund. The grant will support CCD’s The Bridge to Independence proposal. Bridge to Independence is a coordinated campaign to improve the lives of all Minnesota adults and children with disabilities through effective grassroots community organizing, policy advocacy, civic engagement and systems change.

CCD is a statewide, cross-disability coalition of 112 disability advocacy and provider organizations that has worked for the past twelve years to ensure that state programs and services positively impact the lives of Minnesotans with disabilities.

The grant period is from May 1, 2008 through April 30, 2009. Grant activities will start immediately, and with the support of the grant, a Consortium Coordinator will be hired to manage the grant work plan. A job description for this position is being developed; individuals interested in getting more information should contact Steve Larson, CCD Co-Chair, at [email protected]

The Minneapolis Foundation is the oldest foundation in Minnesota and one of the nation’s largest community foundations. It distributes an average of $40 million in grants each year, shares its philanthropic expertise with other foundations, and sponsors public information campaigns and conferences on critical social issues. The foundation administers more than 850 charitable funds and partners with a variety of communities and institutions to improve the quality of life in our region. For more information, visit www.MinneapolisFoundation.org