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Diverse Ability Incorporated

Phoenix, AZ · EIN 820853601 · Form 990 · FY2021 · NTEE P80 · Human Services · Small ($100K-$1M) · diverseabilityincorporated.org
revenue
$512K
expenses
$496K
net assets
$170K
employees
4
volunteers
12
program ratio
27%
mission · from form 990

The mission of Diverse Ability Incorporated is to create, promote, and model, access, equity, inclusion, and brave spaces which celebrate diversity, infuse representation, and foster wellness within individuals, communities, and systems.

profile · synthesized from sources

Diverse Ability Incorporated is a nonprofit organization based in Arizona that provides free programs and services to youth and young adults with disabilities. Their initiatives focus on empowering participants through leadership development, person-centered planning, and peer support, helping them navigate life transitions and achieve their personal goals.

named programs · 6 · from sources

what they call their work

Arizona Youth Engagement Academy (AZYEA)
Empowers graduates of AZYLF to become confident peer leaders through hands-on training and skill development.
Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF)
A multi-day, peer-led conference that empowers youth and young adults with disabilities to become confident advocates and leaders.
Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP)
Offers opportunities for young adults and families to engage as Advisors with organizations, providing their insights and expertise.
Peer Navigation Services
Assists youth and young adults in discovering valuable resources and programs through trained Peer Navigators.
Peer-Based, Person-Centered Planning Services
Helps youth and young adults create personalized plans outlining their vision for the future with support from trained Peer Leaders.
Skills to Pay the Bills
A curriculum designed to prepare young people for success in the workplace by teaching essential interpersonal and professional skills.
activities · 4 groups

what they do

  • Youth Foster Care Transition Support 8 activities
    • Family Transition Navigation Services
      Provides Family Transition Navigation services to support families and transition-aged youth (ages 14-22) with disabilities in planning for post-high school life, including guidance on employment, education, independent living, and connecting with services.
    • Family Transition Navigation Services
      Provides Family Transition Navigation services to support families and transition-aged youth (ages 14-22) with disabilities in planning for post-high school life, including guidance on employment, education, independent living, and connecting with services.
    • Peer Navigation Services
      Provides free Peer Navigation Services to most young people with disabilities, where trained Peer Navigators help youth and young adults discover local resources and programs, offering personal insights and information about organizational opportunities.
    • Peer Navigation Services
      Provides free Peer Navigation Services where trained Peer Navigators help young people with disabilities discover local resources and programs, offering personal insights and information about organizational opportunities.
    • Peer-Based Person-Centered Planning Services
      Provides Peer-Based, Person-Centered Planning Services to help youth and young adults with disabilities create future plans, express wishes, build on strengths, and set goals with the assistance of trained Peer Leaders. This service is offered through school partnerships, community training, events, and individual requests for various student populations.
    • Peer-Based Person-Centered Planning Services
      Provides Peer-Based, Person-Centered Planning Services to help youth and young adults with disabilities create future plans, express wishes, build on strengths, and set goals with the assistance of trained Peer Leaders. This service is offered through school partnerships, community training and events, and individual requests for various student populations, with each plan taking approximately ten hours per student.
    • Person-Centered Planning Services
      Provides Peer-Based, Person-Centered Planning Services to help youth and young adults with disabilities create future plans, express wishes, build on strengths, and set goals with the assistance of trained Peer Leaders. This service is offered through school partnerships, community training and events, individual requests, and as part of the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum, with each plan taking approximately ten hours per student.
    • School-Based Peer Programs
      Empowers students with disabilities transitioning to adulthood through peer-based programs in schools, utilizing trained Arizona Young Adult Leaders to educate, motivate, and equip students via hands-on learning, including Person-Centered Planning and Skills to Pay the Bills programming.
  • Youth Civic Leadership Development 6 activities
    • American Indian Youth Disability Summit
      Hosts the Annual American Indian Youth Disability Summit virtually to amplify the voices of American Indian youth with disabilities.
    • Arizona Youth Engagement Academy (AZYEA)
      Operates the Arizona Youth Engagement Academy (AZYEA) to empower graduates of the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF) to become peer leaders. This program trains these graduates to facilitate events, present workshops, represent the organization, conduct outreach for youth leadership programs, and collaborate at community, state, and national levels.
    • Arizona Youth Engagement Academy (AZYEA)
      Operates the Arizona Youth Engagement Academy (AZYEA) to empower graduates of the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF) to become peer leaders, facilitating events, presenting workshops, and conducting outreach for youth leadership programs.
    • Arizona Youth Engagement Academy (AZYEA)
      Operates the Arizona Youth Engagement Academy (AZYEA) to empower graduates of the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF) to become peer leaders, facilitating events, presenting workshops, and conducting outreach.
    • Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF)
      Operates the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF), a multi-day, peer-led conference for youth and young adults (ages 14-22) with disabilities to build leadership skills, explore the disability experience, set goals, learn about community resources, and practice self-advocacy. This includes hosting virtual informational sessions and specific forums like the Central Region AZYLF and the American Indian Youth Disability Summit.
    • Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF)
      Operates the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF), a multi-day, peer-led conference for youth and young adults with disabilities (ages 14-22) to develop leadership skills, explore the disability experience, set goals, learn about community resources, and practice self-advocacy. This includes hosting virtual informational sessions and providing food and technology support for participants.
  • Disability Rights Public Advocacy Events 3 activities
    • ADA Celebration Participation
      Organizes or facilitates attendance of DAI leaders at the 34th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Celebration.
    • Advocacy for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
      Organizes or facilitates attendance of organizational leaders at events celebrating and advocating for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
    • Advocacy for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
      Organizes or facilitates attendance of organizational leaders at the 34th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Celebration.
  • Uncategorized 8 activities
    • Advisor Training and Support
      Provides initial training and ongoing support for Advisors in the Engaging Families and Young Adults Program.
    • Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP)
      Administers the Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP), which trains and matches young adults (ages 18-26) and families as "Advisors" with organizations seeking their expertise, compensating them for their contributions. This includes providing initial training and ongoing support for Advisors and offering a stipend upon completion of training and signing an agreement.
    • Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP)
      Administers the Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP), which trains and matches young adults (ages 18-26) and families as "Advisors" with organizations seeking their expertise, compensating them for their contributions. This includes initial training, ongoing support, and matching Advisors with Placement Agencies.
    • Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP)
      Administers the Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP), which trains and matches young adults (ages 18-26) and families as "Advisors" with organizations seeking their expertise, compensating them for their contributions with a $350 stipend upon completion of training and agreement.
    • Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP)
      Administers the Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP), which trains and matches young adults (ages 18-26) and families as "Advisors" with organizations seeking their expertise. The program provides initial training and ongoing support for Advisors, matches them with Placement Agencies, and offers a $350 stipend upon completion of training and signing an Advisor Agreement.
    • Skills to Pay the Bills Program
      Offers the "Skills to Pay the Bills" program virtually, consisting of six sessions over three weeks, led by Peer Leaders. This program teaches youth and young adults essential workplace interpersonal and professional skills, including communication, teamwork, networking, problem-solving, and professionalism, through hands-on activities.
    • Skills to Pay the Bills Program
      Offers the "Skills to Pay the Bills" program virtually and in schools, consisting of six sessions over three weeks, led by Peer Leaders, to teach youth and young adults essential workplace interpersonal and professional skills through hands-on activities.
    • Skills to Pay the Bills Program
      Offers the "Skills to Pay the Bills" program virtually, consisting of six sessions over three weeks, led by Peer Leaders, to teach youth and young adults essential workplace interpersonal and professional skills through hands-on activities.
financials · form 990 · fy2021
revenue
Total revenue$512K
Contributions & grants$338K66%
Program service revenue$174K34%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$496K
Program expenses27%
Admin / overhead73%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$328K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$184K
Cash$41K
Investments$0
Liabilities$14K
Net assets$170K
Liquid reserves1.0 mo
3 years on record · 2019–2021 · YoY revenue +146.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021

who runs it

paid leadership · 3
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Melissa Santora Visionary Founder 40 $7K
Isaac Zwinger Nathanson Member 1 $3K
Brandon Martin Treasurer 1 $750
board members · 10
  • Abel Young — Member
  • Bill Lucero — Member
  • Claudia Rank — Member
  • Gabriel Maytorena Jr — Member
  • Mary Slaughter — Vice Chair
  • Mica Stewart — Secretary
  • Pavleena Madhivanan — Member
  • Rachel Rios Richardson — Member
  • Steven Cano Wells — Chair
  • Suzanne Malson — Vice Treasurer
relationships · 14

who they work with

  • ADHS/Bureau of Women’s and Children’s Health Funder — Provided funding for the Engaging Families and Young Adults Program through the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant.
  • ADHS/Bureau of Women’s and Children’s Health Funder — The Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP) is funded by the ADHS/Bureau of Women’s and Children’s Health through the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant.
  • Arizona Department of Education/Exceptional Student Services Partner — Collaborative partner for providing Person-Centered Planning Services at no cost.
  • Arizona Youth Leadership Forum Partner — AZYEA empowers graduates of the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF).
  • Arizona Youth Leadership Forum Partner — Peer Leaders for Diverse Ability Incorporated's programs are graduates of the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum.
  • Encircle Families Partner — Administers the Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP) in partnership with Encircle Families.
  • Encircle Families Partner — Collaborative partnership that helps provide Peer Navigation Services.
  • Encircle Families Partner — Manages the Engaging Families and Young Adults Program in partnership with Diverse Ability Incorporated.
  • Encircle Families Partner — Partners with Encircle Families for Family Transition Navigation services.
  • Gila River Indian Community Partner — Engages members of the Gila River Indian Community in youth leadership and disability advocacy programs.
  • Rehabilitation Services Administration/Vocational Rehabilitation Services Funder — Provides funding support for eligible youth to participate in AZYLF at no charge.
  • Rehabilitation Services Administration/Vocational Rehabilitation Services Funder — Provides funding that allows youth to participate in the Skills to Pay the Bills program at no charge.
  • Rehabilitation Services Administration/Vocational Rehabilitation Services Partner — Collaborative partner for providing Person-Centered Planning Services at no cost.
  • University of Arizona Partner — Host location for the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF) 2026.