Fund for Excellence

The Human Development Institute (HDI) established the Fund for Excellence for the development of innovative programs, services or products to address the needs of individuals with disabilities and their families, for which funding is not currently available. Fund for Excellence Projects are led by HDI staff.

List of funded projects

The Human Development Institute (HDI) established the Fund for Excellence for the development of innovative programs, services or products to address the needs of individuals with disabilities and their families, for which funding is not currently available. Fund for Excellence Projects are led by HDI staff. List of funded projects Project Director: Kathy Sheppard-Jones Project Website:  

Latest Updates

Speaking Through Felt: Katie Peña-Van Zile’s Autistic Voice on Stage

Speaking Through Felt: Katie Peña-Van Zile’s Autistic Voice on Stage

Katie Peña-Van Zile remembers the job that inspired her play, Felt, well. “I was diagnosed with autism in 2021, much …

How an Autistic Advocate Turned Personal Loss into Lifesaving Work

How an Autistic Advocate Turned Personal Loss into Lifesaving Work

Caleb Rader was 13 when his cousin died by suicide. He remembers the funeral vividly—and the decision it sparked in …

Global Accessibility Awareness Day Logo

Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2025

On Nov. 27, 2011, Joe Devon, a web developer out of Los Angeles, wrote an article about the need for …