As part of our state plan goals and objectives, the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council (CDDC) posted a Request for Proposal (RFP) to find an organization or individual to conduct a research study on intentional communities in Colorado. The purpose of this solicitation was to provide funding to an individual or an organization in order to conduct a landscape analysis on intentional communities for people with disabilities in Colorado. The Council seeks to support policies and systems changes that both increase access to affordable, integrated, and inclusive housing and support self-advocates and families. Read the Council’s 2022 Position Statement on Housing here.
The Evaluation Process
The Council’s community review panel included three subject matter experts specific to the RFP, including a self-advocacy coordinator who has lived experience and is active in neuro-inclusive housing efforts at the local level; a statewide housing representative with expertise in Rental Assistance Programs, including housing vouchers and other payment models for specialized population groups who are seeking affordable and accessible housing; and a reviewer from our state’s Protection and Advocacy agency, Disability Law Colorado, which consistently identifies affordable and accessible housing as the number one need each year. The review team evaluated all application materials and information in an objective and unbiased manner within and according to rules and policies governing procurement ethics and conflicts of interest, in accordance with state procurement rule and process.
Pleased to Announce Our Newest Grantee
The Council is pleased to announce our newest grantee: Neuro-Inclusive Housing Solutions. The review team noted the proposal included multiple reasons to award to Neuro-Inclusive Housing Solutions, including:
- Demonstrated experience in similar projects involving individuals with IDD and housing.
- Provided detailed information for how they would complete the project in an inclusive manner with an estimated timetable.
- Demonstrated experience working with the IDD community, and that they understand how to ensure the project will incorporate feedback from the community throughout, by means of surveys, qualitative research, and literature review.
- Provided a detailed plan of how to include potential reimbursement and payment models into the final product of the research.
- Overall, the proposal was most responsive to the Council’s needs; and the proposed fiscal management approaches were fair and reasonable.
About Neuro-Inclusive Housing Solutions
Started by Desiree Kameka Galloway, a recognized disability housing expert, Neuro-Inclusive Housing Solutions, LLC seeks to advance neuro-inclusive community development by providing subject matter expertise to industry professionals. As the Director of the Autism Housing Network for the Madison House Autism Foundation, she spent over a decade researching the barriers and identifying unique opportunities to increase residential options for adults with IDD, has led national advocacy efforts on issues of autism in adulthood and has positively influenced policy development at national and state levels. Having visited over 120 residential opportunities and social enterprises across the USA, and led a network of over 250 organizations, Desiree uses this experience and network to help individuals and local leaders understand supportive housing options, service delivery models and strategies for neuro-inclusive community development.
Looking Ahead
The Council is excited to award this grant to Neuro-Inclusive Housing Solutions. Housing is a problem many people are facing right now, and people with IDD face even greater barriers. In addition to gathering much needed information, the Council will use the results of this research study to better position itself to advocate for policies and system changes that increase access to affordable, integrated, and inclusive housing in Colorado, and to inform a national network of Councils concerned with similar issues in their states.