New Disabled South Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Data & ResearchNDS produces original research and plain-language resources that illuminate the experiences and needs of disabled people in the South. Highlights include the continued growth of the Plain Language Policy Dashboard and a co-published report with Data for Progress, Southern Voters Agree Disabled People Have Inclusivity in Their Local Community but Face Discrimination When It Comes to Interacting With Law Enforcement. Through accessible reports and tools, NDS strengthens public understanding and equips advocates, policymakers, and community members with actionable data to drive change.Advocacy & Policy ChangeNDS advances disability justice through advocacy at the local, state, and regional levels, with priorities centered on poverty and care, criminalization, and democracy. This year, NDS expanded its plain-language policy fact sheets, including Accessible Voting in the South, Funding Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waivers in the South, The Electoral Process, and Voting Rights. By translating policy into clear, accessible formats, NDS ensures that disabled Southerners and their allies can more effectively advocate for equitable laws, funding, and systems of support.Voter Engagement & Democratic InclusionNDS works to ensure that disabled people can fully participate in the democratic process. In partnership with New Disabled South Rising (c4), NDS released voting guides for 14 Southern states and a 2024 electoral calendar as part of its Voting in the South initiative. The Disabled Voters Rising: Political Education and Training Series offered seven sessions, including webinars, trainings, and panels to build civic knowledge and confidence among disabled voters. Additional initiatives like Roll to the Polls and the Plain Language Ballot Measures Tool (with Disability Culture Lab) further strengthen democratic inclusion across the South.OrganizingNDS cultivates a regional network of disability justice advocates, organizers, and organizations. Through partnerships with Disability Culture Lab and collaborations with New Disabled South Rising, NDS fosters shared learning, leadership development, and collective care. These relationships deepen solidarity and coordination across the Souths disability and social justice movements.Service Access & Community SupportNDS advocates for investments in home and community-based services (HCBS), Medicaid expansion, and policies that enable disabled people to live with dignity and independence. The Funding HCBS Waivers in the South brief highlights critical gaps in access and offers solutions for more equitable systems of care. Through policy advocacy and mutual aid support, NDS advances a vision of the South where all disabled people have the resources they need to thrive.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 61.8%; rating input score 62
• Program expense ratio: 78.4%; rating input score 78
• Fundraising efficiency: $10.79 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 91.7%; rating input score 92; 7th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 80.1%; rating input score 80; 21st percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 5 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 56
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 21.2%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.78; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 18.6%; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 76% per year; rating input score 100; 98th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 88.1% per year; rating input score 100; 99th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 86.4% per year; rating input score 100; 99th percentile among comparable filings