Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
January 27, 2026
I. Strategic Purpose & Movement Context
Q: What does National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) most need this strategic plan to do for the disability rights movement right now?
A: NCIL requires this strategic plan to clearly position the organization as a national leader and stabilizing force for the Independent Living (IL) Movement during a period of heightened political, legal, and funding uncertainty. The plan should provide a clear framework for NCIL to more effectively advance civil and human rights, strengthen advocacy and mobilization infrastructure, and support the capacity of Centers for Independent Living (CILs), Statewide Independent Living Councils, individuals with disabilities and allied organizations.
The strategic plan should give NCIL the framework to move from a largely reactive posture to a proactive, coordinated approach that reinforces Independent Living philosophy, safeguards community-based services, and strengthens the collective power of the disability rights movement.
Q: How should the plan respond to current threats to civil rights laws and the continued institutionalization of people with disabilities?
A: The plan should explicitly address current and emerging threats to civil rights protections and community-based living. It should outline a coordinated strategy that includes federal and state advocacy, legal preparedness, grassroots mobilization, strategic communications, and training and technical assistance.
The plan should reinforce NCIL’s role in opposing forced institutionalization, defending community living, and ensuring that disability policy is shaped by disabled people and Independent Living principles.
Q: What are some of the key initiatives of NCIL?
A: Key initiatives include, but are not limited to:
- National advocacy on Independent Living funding, civil rights enforcement, and Home and Community Based Services (HCBS)
- Grassroots mobilization and rapid response advocacy
- The NCIL Empowerment Training Academy
- The Barrier Removal Fund Initiative
- The Grassroots Project’s National Advocacy and Action Coalition
- The Housing and Services Resource Center
- The Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center
- Healthcare integration initiatives, including physician billing code partnerships
- The Annual Conference on Independent Living, including advocacy and mobilization activities
- Public education and movement-building initiatives addressing ableism and institutional bias
- Strategic Partnership development activities
II. Shared Leadership & Decision-Making
Q: How does shared leadership currently function across the board, committees, staff, and membership and where does it feel strongest or most strained?
A: Shared leadership is essential to NCIL and is strongest through its member-elected board, committees that are primarily made up of members, and its opportunities for members to directly and indirectly shape policy positions, advocacy priorities, and organizational direction.
While NCIL views this shared leadership as a strength, it does create complications and adds challenges. For example, tensions can arise when issues or actions require rapid response, or when timelines are tight. The strategic plan should help clarify roles, communication pathways, and decision-making processes while preserving member-driven governance.
It should consider the pros and cons of a membership driven organization, and how to maximize efficiency and effectiveness while maintaining (or strengthening) shared leadership.
Q: Where would NCIL want the consultant to facilitate alignment, and where should decisions remain fully member-driven?
A: The consultant is expected to facilitate alignment around strategic priorities, implementation timelines, accountability structures, and internal coordination. Input from membership will be used by the board and the facilitator to develop and implement the plan.
Decisions related to policy positions, advocacy stances, and core movement values must remain member-driven, and will not be set as part of this process.
Q: Who/What is/are the key instigator(s) of the process?
A: The Governing Board and Executive Director jointly serve as the initiators of the strategic planning process, with active engagement from committees and membership.
Q: What is the level of board involvement in the organization at present and what is their intended involvement in this planning process?
A: The Board is actively engaged in governance, policy oversight, and strategic direction. During this planning process, the Board intends to participate in structured discussions and activities, provide guidance on mission-level priorities, and formally review and adopt the final strategic plan.
III. Membership Engagement & Legitimacy
Q: Which member voices are most critical to engage to ensure legitimacy?
A: Critical voices include Centers for Independent Living (CILs), Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs), individual members, advocates with lived experience with a disability, emerging disability leaders and key identified external stake holders.
Q: How does NCIL define “meaningful engagement” versus symbolic input?
A: The ideal facilitator should be able to engage individuals in this process in a way that their input is not only gathered but used to inform the plan and its implementation. Symbolic input would be seeking input with no expectation to apply that input into this process.
Q: Approximately how many members does NCIL currently have, and what level of membership engagement do you envision in the strategic planning process?
A: NCIL currently has approximately 148 centers as members, 11 organizational members, 34 State Independent Living Councils members, and103 Satellite center members. Engagement is expected to include a broad membership survey, targeted focus groups or listening sessions, and deeper engagement with board members, committee chairs, and selected external key stakeholders.
Q: What type of stakeholder engagement activities does NCIL envision for this project?
A: NCIL envisions surveys, virtual focus groups, structured interviews, and facilitated discussions with key leadership and stakeholder groups.
Q: Is NCIL open to including surveys, focus groups, and interviews as part of the process?
A: Yes.
Q: Does NCIL plan to engage staff, membership, partner organizations, community members, and the board in these activities?
A: Yes. Engagement will be tailored to each group’s role and capacity.
Q: What internal staff capacity will support this process?
A: The Executive Director, Director of Operations, and designated staff will support coordination, scheduling, and communications throughout the process.
Q: Who will serve as the primary point of contact and internal project champion?
A: The Executive Director will serve as the primary point of contact and internal project champion.
IV. Accessibility & Inclusive Process Design
Q: Will the engagement be in-person or primarily virtual?
A: The engagement will be 100% virtual. NCIL will provide the virtual meeting platform for all sessions.
Q: What accessibility standards or practices are non-negotiable for this planning process?
A: Accessibility is non-negotiable and includes plain-language facilitation, accessible documents, advance distribution of materials, flexible pacing, multiple participation options, live captioning, ASL interpretation as needed, and compliance with applicable accessibility standards.
The consultant will work closely with the Executive Director, and Director of Operations to ensure compliance.
Q: Are there lessons from past planning efforts regarding inclusive participation?
A: Feedback from past efforts indicated that overly complex materials and limited feedback opportunities reduced engagement. This process should emphasize clarity, accessibility, participation, and follow-through.
V. Strategic Direction & Scope
Q: What are strategic questions or tensions the organization has been carrying that this plan needs to resolve?
A: The organization continues to balance rapid response to issues and actions with long-term strategy, while ensuring sustainable funding for advocacy, strengthening grassroots power, and clarifying NCIL’s national role within the current and future political environments.
Q: How prescriptive should the plan be?
A: The plan should establish clear priorities, goals, and accountability measures while allowing flexibility for ongoing, member-driven evolution.
Q: Does NCIL have a current or recently expired strategic plan?
A: Yes. NCIL has an existing strategic framework and operational strategy that will be shared with the selected consultant. This plan was completed in 2022, prior to the hiring of the current Executive Director, and with different board leadership.
VI. Practical Parameters
Q: Is there a budget range NCIL has allocated for this engagement?
A: Yes. The budget range for this project is $10,000–$17,000.
Q: Given the June 30 deadline, when do you anticipate making a selection and executing a contract?
A: NCIL anticipates selecting a consultant and executing a contract in late February or early March, with work beginning shortly thereafter.
Q: Beyond the final strategic plan document, what format is expected for the July 2026 conference presentation?
A: NCIL anticipates a 60–90-minute interactive session at the July 2026 Annual Conference designed to introduce the strategic plan, connect it to current movement realities, and engage members in implementation and ownership.
