Federal Grant Award Summary

Independence First Inc. received a Formula Grant award of $394,378 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living under the ACL Centers for Independent Living program (CFDA 93.432) to support Wisconsin's statewide network of Centers for Independent Living (CILs). The award, issued September 30, 2025, with a completion date of September 29, 2027, enables the organization to deliver comprehensive independent living services to individuals with significant disabilities, including information and referral services, independent living skills training, peer counseling, individual and systems advocacy, and transition assistance designed to facilitate movement from institutional to community-based settings. These services are delivered through a consumer-controlled, community-based, cross-disability framework operated by and for individuals with disabilities, with particular emphasis on serving underserved populations including minorities, low-income individuals, older adults, and rural populations.

As an established CIL provider, Independence First Inc. receives this continuation award based on compliance with Rehabilitation Act standards and assurances, consistent with the statutory funding priority structure that prioritizes existing centers at prior-year funding levels. The organization's service delivery model promotes autonomy, community integration, and full inclusion of individuals with disabilities into mainstream American society, representing a continuation of the organization's federal CIL program funding, which has totaled over $2.5 million cumulatively since 2019.