ODDPC - Empowerment Fund Policies

OHIO DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES COUNCIL EMPOWERMENT FUND FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND FAMILIES - POLICIES

Priorities for recipients of support will be:

Individuals with developmental disabilities
Family members

Priorities for use of funds will be:

Council members who are unable to “up-front” the money to participate in a local, state or national policymaking committee or board, or to attend a conference;
Individuals with developmental disabilities (non-Council members) to participate in a local, state or national policymaking committee or board;
Individuals with developmental disabilities (non-Council members) to attend a conference;
Individuals with developmental disabilities (non-Council members) to provide testimony at public policy hearings;
Family members to participate in a state or national policymaking committee or board.
Family members to attend a conference
Family members to provide testimony at public policy hearings

Applicants must reside in Ohio and be a person with a disability or a family member.

The Fund will be divided into 4 quarterly amounts. The quarters are:

January 1 through March 31
April 1 through June 30
July 1 through September 30
October 1 through December 31

Priority will be given to support individuals with developmental disabilities to serve on policymaking committees, boards, commissions, etc.

The Empowerment Fund Subcommittee shall consist of three ODDC members, and the Chair of Leadership Development Committee who will serve as an alternate. The alternate will participate only when a subcommittee member is deemed unable to vote. The Empowerment Fund Subcommittee members, with staff assistance, will make all decisions related to approval or denial of requests. The Subcommittee shall meet once a month, in person, to vote (approval/denial) on each application received following the prior meeting. The meetings will be held within the context of the regularly scheduled DD Council meetings. During those months that DD Council does not convene (2 x per year), the Subcommittee, if necessary, shall make arrangements to gather at an alternate location to facilitate the voting on any application received.

Those requesting support from the Fund will be asked if they can contribute some money to pay the costs, or obtain some money from other sources, such as the Family Resource Program, or other organizations.

Participants will always be expected to pay the cost of their own meals. (Note: members of DD Council and staff will have their meals reimbursed according to state rules.)

State travel rules pertaining to all costs will be followed with the exception that the Empowerment Fund will not pay the cost to rent a vehicle.

Each person who receives support from the Fund will be required to turn in appropriate receipts for the use of the money, or return the money. Receipts will be expected to be returned with the report within 45 days after the trip.

Each person who receives support to attend a seminar or conference will be required to submit a report summarizing the event. This may be done in writing or an alternative format and must be submitted to the DD Council office within 45 days following the event. If said person does not turn in a report or receipts, he or she will not be able to use the Empowerment Fund again until they do so.

Individuals who are not Council members will be supported to attend only one conference or event per year. No more than $1,500, plus the cost of personal assistance, may be provided per request.

Council may approve no more than 2 people to the same event.

Requests will be handled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Requests must be made 40 days prior to the conference, by submitting the Empowerment Fund Application and conference agenda.

Priority consideration will be given to people who have some money to contribute.

Advanced funding for non-Council members may be made available only to those applicants receiving SSI, SSDI, or TANF as their only source of income. All other approved non-Council applicants will receive funds on a reimbursement basis.

Requests for conferences in exotic locations (outside the continental United States) will not be approved.

Individuals will make all their own arrangements related to transportation, lodging, registration, personal assistance service, and so forth.

People who are not members of DD Council may not receive funds for more than one conference per calendar year, and may not receive funds to attend the same conference in consecutive years.

Reimbursements must be requested within 45 days after the end of the conference. Any individuals who have not claimed their reimbursements within the specified period will lose the ability to do so and the accounts will be closed.

The Ohio DD Council reserves the right to deny any request, revise policies, or suspend funding, as it deems necessary.

Waiver Clause - These rules shall be interpreted in a flexible manner to accomplish the purpose of this fund. To that end, the Subcommittee shall consider each application on a case-by-case basis, and a rule or rules may be waived when the Subcommittee agrees.