Are you a web developer or lead architect in a small town, city, or other local government office? If so, you’re part of a municipality that may be eligible for ADA compliance grants from government agencies like the US Department of Justice (DOJ), non-profit organizations, private businesses, and others to achieve ADA compliance at a brick-and-mortar location or digital space.
Keep reading to learn more about ADA compliance grants for businesses, including how they work, eligibility criteria to look out for, and best practices for receiving them.
Let’s Talk About ADA Grants for Municipalities
One of the best ways municipalities can raise funding for Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades and projects, regardless of their jurisdiction, is by applying for a grant. ADA grant funding can contribute to everything from retrofitting brick-and-mortar locations to installing tactile signage at bus shelters.
Here are some examples of ADA funding for municipalities:
Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)
Awarded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), community development block grants are one of the most popular funding sources for accessibility improvements in local jurisdictions. It can fund everything from widening entryways at brick-and-mortar locations to renovating bus stops. For example, a community center may decide to provide reasonable access by retrofitting its entryway to accommodate wheelchair users or upgrading an elevator with Braille displays.
The actual amounts of CDBG grants awarded depend on population size and a comprehensive needs assessment that considers economic indicators such as employment and poverty rates. The lower the employment and poverty rates, the more likely CDBG grants can be awarded.
If you want more information on CDBG funding, we encourage you to contact your state or local government for more details.
Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)
Managed by the US Department of Transportation, TAP grants are awarded to businesses and organizations focusing on transportation-related projects with a nod to accessibility.
Projects that can be funded with ADA compliance grants under the TAP program include pedestrian infrastructure, an accessibility training assistance program, and retrofitting historic public hubs. It improves public transportation systems with features like tactile signage and accessible displays with route information.
The Americans with Disabilities Act promises equal and full inclusivity to individuals with disabilities, offering them equal participation in goods and services, including transportation.
Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG)
One ADA compliance funding opportunity is Emergency Management Performance Grants, which allow state governments to award funding to local governments in exchange for supporting Emergency Management activities. This may imply emergency preparedness via purchasing emergency generators, supporting accessibility education programs, or covering operational costs.
For example, an emergency shelter looking to invest in accessible technologies like Braille signage could apply for emergency management performance grants.
ADA Tax Credit
Also referred to as the Disabled Access Credit, the ADA tax credit offers a nice accessibility incentive for businesses and organizations.
Under the terms of the program, companies can claim a 50% tax credit for eligible expenses related to accessibility up to $5,000 annually. Funding can be used to work on accessibility improvements, such as retrofitting bank ATMs, refurbishing old buses, purchasing assistive technologies like screen readers, or removing barriers to entry for public spaces.
To qualify for the ADA tax credit, your business or organization must earn less than $1 million gross per year and have 30 or fewer full-time employees.
Best Practices to Secure ADA Grants
If you have a large-scale project that can benefit from an ADA-compliant grant, keep the following best practices in mind:
Sharpen Your Research Skills
Before securing an ADA grant, you should become an expert on available funding opportunities. Bookmark the federal government, state government, local government, and nonprofit organizations/foundation websites that have a list of ADA compliance-related grants, along with all eligibility criteria, guidelines, and submission dates.
Two excellent places to start are the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the US Department of Transportation (DOT).
Follow Grant Writing Best Practices
One of the most significant parts of applying for ADA funding is writing a solid proposal. A strong proposal defines goals and objectives along with a detailed project plan complete with budgets, timelines, milestones, and a list of personnel. Beyond project planning details, try to create a compelling narrative.
Once you’ve written up a grant proposal, be sure to review and revise your proposal before submitting it unless you have the help of a grant writer. Listen to feedback from key stakeholders throughout your organization, such as customers and providers.
For example, say that you are the administrative head of a local community center thinking of conducting wheelchair accessibility upgrades. To support your case, your project plan would provide a detailed breakdown of the objective, project planning details, required architectural improvements with floor plans, and similar documentation.
The Importance of ADA Compliance
Complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines cannot be overstated. Failing to comply with ADA regulations can result in lawsuits, administrative fees, and negative brand perception.
Additionally, the revenue impact of having an ADA-compliant website and making sites accessible should not be overlooked. This leads to improved search engine optimization thanks to better-structured content, including alternative images and tags, boosting website traffic and lowering bounce rates as it becomes much easier for individuals with disabilities to navigate between pages.
Overall, the importance of ADA compliance cannot be overstated from a legal perspective, and the impact on web traffic growth and retention cannot be overlooked.
Remember, approximately 15% of the population suffers from a disability, so accessibility overlays like Accessibly (as well as manual and automated accessibility testing) will open up even more avenues for your business.
Common Challenges Faced by Municipalities When Complying with ADA
When trying to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), municipalities may often struggle with the following challenges:
Near Empty Coffers
Sometimes, funding constraints within municipalities can render a building non-ADA compliant due to the costly nature of retrofitting existing facilities and implementing various types of accessibility improvements, especially in brick-and-mortar locations.
Retrofitting Existing Infrastructure/Historic Buildings
One of the challenges with retrofitting existing architectural sites and historic or older buildings for accessibility is their age. Naturally, there’s limited flexibility, but there is much that can be done without compromising the structure’s integrity as a historical center.
Staying Up to Date on Legal/Regulatory Requirements
ADA standards are ever-changing, and different interpretations exist depending on who you speak to. Organizations with resource constraints and limited budgets may face a steep learning curve to keep up with these requirements.
These challenges include a lack of funding, complexities with accessibility solutions for historic buildings, and difficulties staying current on the latest ADA standards. These are just three challenges municipalities can expect to face when trying to secure grants for municipal ADA compliance.
A Word on the Accessibly Accessibility Widget
If you have a website, download the Accessibly web accessibility widget to get on the fast track to ADA and WCAG compliance (and to enjoy benefits on your next return if you’re applying for the ADA tax credit).
Accessibly is the first web accessibility overlay designed with the latest accessibility guidelines. It allows users to customize their navigation to incorporate additional accessible features such as larger cursors, inverted colors, additional reading lines, highlighted links, and more.
Here’s a small, non-inclusive list of features available with the Accessibly widget :
- Alternative text and images
- Text-to-speech reading
- Hide all images on a web page
- Highlight links to simplify navigation
- Grayscale for improved readability
- Automatic text conversion to Helvetica, one of the more easily readable fonts
Want to test drive Accessibly? Whether you just secured accessibility grants for local governments or are planning on starting a simple website, new users can take advantage of a free 7-day trial with access to all features. Plus, no credit card is required. If you’re happy with the trial, pricing starts at $20 monthly for Shopify and $25 monthly for all other platforms. Let’s get on the road to ADA and WCAG compliance today!
