Access Living has announced settlement of the second-largest accessible affordable housing lawsuit in history. After over 8 years, the City of Chicago will now be required to build and / or retrofit 2,800 units to be accessible, with a significant portion of those being affordable. bit.ly/499h28s

NCIL is offering scholarships to attend our 2026 Annual Conference on Independent Living to youth with disabilities ages 18–26. NCIL also offers the Emet Tauber Scholarship for at least one youth with a disability who is also trans and / or Jewish. Deadline: June 12, 2026 More: bit.ly/42UBiqV

Call for Volunteers! NCIL's 2026 Annual Conference on Independent Living is scheduled for July 20-23, 2026, at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, DC. Committed volunteers are critical to its success. Read more: bit.ly/3RmsRBX

If you know me, you have probably heard me say this more than once, “little by little”. I say it a lot because I have lived it. I have lived those moments when life hits you so hard, and you don’t see a way out. When the situation feels too big! Too heavy! Too far gone! bit.ly/42kE6NK

OPEN POSITION: Independent Living Specialist, Disability Connection Midsouth (Memphis, TN) Closing Date: May 10, 2026 The specialist will assist in tracking goals and services by providing peer support, role modeling, information, referral and advocacy as needed. Read more: bit.ly/3OKeWVA

Annual Conference Early Bird Rates End May 1! Early Bird registration rates for NCIL’s 2026 Annual Conference on Independent Living end Friday, May 1. Don’t miss out! Visit our Annual Conference website to review the agenda and workshops, register, and book your hotel room: bit.ly/4rLhUXj

OPEN POSITION: Executive Director (Part-Time), Accessible Resources for Independence (Glen Burnie, MD) Closing: April 15, 2026 ARI is mission-driven and actively practices its disability-rights values during a time when it is facing strong headwinds from funding sources. More: bit.ly/4sS9r5Y

NCIL celebrates Trans people with disabilities as a vital part of our community. Read about Trans Day of Visibility at the link below. glaad.org/tdov/

A Message from Theo Braddy: Life Happens One of my family members is in his seventies. Until recently, he lived a life most people would describe as healthy. His body mostly did what he asked of it, when he asked. Then life changed. More: bit.ly/47qvjwv

Registration Open: 2026 Annual Conference on Independent Living! July 20-23 (Grand Hyatt, Washington, DC) We’ll be making memories and making history. We hope you’ll join us. Visit our Annual Conference website to review the agenda and workshops, register, and book your hotel.

Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) help people with disabilities live, work, and participate in their communities. Visit the LEAD Center webinar archive to learn how DSP experience can lead to many career pathways! bit.ly/3Z8oNpO

OPEN POSITION: Coordinator of Youth Services, APRIL (Remote) Open until filled. Responsible for providing services to ensure that youth with disabilities have opportunities to build individual and collective leadership skills, maximizing their opportunities to affect change. bit.ly/4ljvL5i

OPEN POSITION: Executive Director, Silicon Valley Independent Living Center (San Jose, CA) Closing date: open until filled SVILC is searching for an experienced and highly visible Executive Director who will champion systemic change for people living with disabilities. More: bit.ly/40qpACZ

OPEN POSITION: Executive Director, Mainstream CIL (Little Rock, AR) Open until filled The Executive Director is the chief executive officer of Mainstream and provides visionary, mission-driven leadership grounded in the Independent Living philosophy. More: bit.ly/4sx1K4n

Support NCIL’s 2026 Annual Conference on Independent Living! Sponsorship opportunities: bit.ly/4bkAyz1 Browse our sponsorship levels, and when you are ready, fill out the: commitment form: bit.ly/4cDdKNe

FINAL REMINDER! Workshop Proposals for NCIL's 2026 Annual Conference on Independent Living are due March 7, 2026. Read more: bit.ly/3MW8iui

Watch the latest webinar from The LEAD Center to learn how workforce programs use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to build AI literacy, so that training works for all job seekers, including people with disabilities. bit.ly/4a4gXm1

A Call to Action to Protect Independent Living from the Legendary Tony Coelho: bit.ly/4tYibIB Donate today to join the fight: bit.ly/3MWg1IG

Reminder: NCIL Workshop Proposals Due March 7, 2026! Read more: bit.ly/3MW8iui

The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) is proud to announce the release of our 2024 + 2025 Annual Report. It highlights key accomplishments, advocacy achievements, and continued efforts to advance the disability led Independent Living Movement. Explore the full report: bit.ly/3MCStIX

OPEN POSITION: Executive Director, Rolling Start, Inc. (San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono Counties, CA) Closing: March 15, 2026 The next Executive Director will inherit an organization with a proud history of advocacy, direct services, and community leadership. More: bit.ly/4rtx7wP

Ready to grow your career? The LEAD Center’s new Direct Support Professional (DSP) Career Exploration Infographic outlines the skills and steps to start or advance in a DSP role. bit.ly/4rsVmLb

A Message from Theo Braddy: We Cannot Fix What We Refuse to Define I recently logged off a high-level stakeholder meeting with a disturbing realization. People in the room were making major decisions about HCBS without a shared understanding of what those services actually are. bit.ly/4tYiYth

Early Sponsor Call NCIL’s 2026 Annual Conference on Independent Living is coming to Washington, DC July 20–23, 2026. Early partners receive priority engagement. Contact [email protected] for more details. Join us. Stand with us. Protect. Persist. Prosper. Read more: bit.ly/4tzLUYn

UPDATE: NCIL Seeks Strategic Planning Consultant In response to interest in the NCIL Request for Proposals seeking a Strategic Planning Consultant, NCIL is extending the deadline and providing additional information for interested applicants. More: bit.ly/4k6NCft

NCIL’s 2026 Regional Forum Series is here! We’re bringing Independent Living Networks and disability advocates together across the country to strengthen connections, identify regional challenges, and collaborate on powerful, community‑driven advocacy. Learn more: bit.ly/45wgiIH

NCIL is excited to welcome Haley Yetter as our Mobilization and Engagement Coordinator. Haley is an Arkansas native who has called Kentucky home since 2021. They join NCIL after holding the role of Youth Coordinator with the Kentucky Statewide Independent Living Council. More: bit.ly/49ySfv0

Call for Workshops: 2026 Annual Conference on Independent Living July 20-23 / Washington, DC NCIL strongly encourages workshop proposals to clearly connect to the 2026 conference theme, Protect. Persist. Prosper. Read more: bit.ly/4sWD3zC Deadline: 5:00 p.m. Eastern on March 7, 2026.

New Pocast: Power Station with Anne Pasmanick featuring NCIL Executive Director Theo Braddy bit.ly/4b75NyZ

NCIL Seeks Strategic Planning Consultant The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking an experienced consultant to support our next phase of strategic planning. ncil.org/news/announc...

Website Redesign Bootcamp: A Special Offer for NCIL Members After joining our 2025 Annual Conference on Independent Living, Arcstone developed the Website Redesign Bootcamp specifically for NCIL member CILs, SILCs, and IL Associations. Read more: bit.ly/4jWIQRH

NCD has two public comment opportunities during their January 22 Council meeting in Orlando, Florida. In-person, virtual and email submissions available. bit.ly/4aPqcZk

A Message from Theo Braddy: Now is the Time Independent Living is under real threat. The Protect IL Campaign was created because waiting is no longer an option. These are real concerns and they affect the ability of people with disabilities to live in their communities. More: bit.ly/4aLPWFU

The National Council on Independent Living mourns the passing of Bob Kafka, a powerful advocate and movement leader whose life and work helped shape the fight for independent living, disability justice, and community inclusion. Read more: bit.ly/4swsfbc

NPR: Disability rights advocate Bob Kafka dead at 79 n.pr/49ujir8

Independent Living is a movement and it is in us. Watch a special message from Keri Gray: bit.ly/49aeCpj Donate to help protect Independent Living at: ncil.org/donate/prote...

OPEN POSITION: Assistant Director, Access 2 Independence of the Eastern Iowa Corridor, Inc. (Iowa City, IA) The Assistant Director is responsible for assisting with organizational management and staff supervision and implementing organizational programs and services. Read more: bit.ly/4p2W2Fu

Ensure your American Job Center, or other community organization, is ready to serve Deaf or hard-of-hearing job seekers. Check out this tip sheet for clear steps for communication access, interpreters, captioning, and more. bit.ly/47YHCj5

Airbnb FIFA Accessibility Academy: a webinar focused on accessibility ahead of the FIFA World Cup 26™. Homes with accessibility features, such as step-free access are in high demand on Airbnb. This webinar will explain how to get started. - January: bit.ly/4qjdqXy - February: bit.ly/4qdak7f

Join us. Protect Independent Living. When funding is disrupted, lives are disrupted. That’s why NCIL is launching the Protect IL Campaign. This campaign will defend the infrastructure that makes supports and service delivery possible and stronger. Learn more / donate:

Do you want to coordinate resources better across agencies serving job seekers with disabilities? Check out this LEAD Center FAQ on Blending, Braiding, and Sequencing for clear strategies and guidance for state workforce decisionmakers. bit.ly/4i4eN9B

OPEN POSITION: ADRC Service Coordinator, Tri-County Independent Living (Eureka, CA) Open until filled. The ADRC Service Coordinator provides access to services and support for older adults and individuals at risk of institutionalization until a long-term plan is in place. www.tilinet.org/jobs

Episode 1 of The Independent Podcast, powered by CIL (Berkeley) has just been released. The premiere conversation features Congresswoman Lateefah Simon, exploring leadership, justice, access, and the urgent need for disability-informed public policy in this political moment. bit.ly/4pgPXGd

Veterans: Planning your career after military service? The Veterans Accommodations Toolkit helps you match your skills to civilian jobs, find training, and connect with employers. Get started today: bit.ly/4oInVDm.

Webinar: Employment and Empowerment Through Sustainable Partnerships December 9, 2025; 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Eastern Hosted by: Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center (DETAC) Find out more: bit.ly/44zfFgN

This video is part of NCIL’s Campaign to End Ableism! Help spread the word by sharing our ongoing #EndAbleism messages.

OPEN POSITION: Executive Director, Insight Enterprises, Inc. – Peninsula CIL (Hampton, VA) Open until filled. Posted: November 26, 2025 Responsible for the administration and overall functioning of all aspects of the Center, including fiscal, personnel and programmatic. More: bit.ly/43NnCyM

NCIL Mourns the Loss of our Dear Friend, Jorge Pineda For 15 years, Jorge Pineda served as NCIL’s accountant and so much more. He was the glue that turned our small staff into a family. Read more: bit.ly/49Gq7Xs

OPEN POSITION: Community Organizer, Center for People With Disabilities (Boulder, CO) Closing date: open until filled Posted: November 21, 2025 The Community Organizer is responsible for advancing the CPWD's public policy and advocacy agenda. More: bit.ly/3Mfc2WV

For expert help with your organization’s website, consider connecting with ArcStone. After joining our 2025 Conference, Arcstone developed these opportunities for NCIL member organizations: - Insi Discount - Website Redesign Bootcamp - Accessibility Audit + Governance Plan More: bit.ly/4r4gQOS