Section 504 Resources Manual. A Guide for Small Institutions to Useful Sources, Services, and Procedures for Locating and Applying for Funds to Meet Section 504 Mandates

摘要

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that programs receiving Federal funds allow 'otherwise qualified handicapped individual(s)' to participate in all activities. The regulation caused anxiety among administrators of human services agencies, chiefly because of the misconception that Section 504 was a barrier removal bill. This monograph dispels the misconception, provides a true picture of the bill's intent, and makes suggestions on practical, inexpensive ways of meeting the Federal requirements. However, the primary purpose of the monograph is to review the sources and services designed to aid in identifying, locating, and successfully applying for grants to comply with the Section 504 regulation. The author reviews 37 such sources and services and answers four major questions: (1) does the source or service identify appropriate sources of aid; (2) is there sufficient information about funding sources to enable one to make decisions about further investigation; (3) does the source or service supply information about eligibility, application process, etc., and does it list a contact person or agency; and (4) does it provide application guidelines and / or procedures. The strategy for responding to these major questions considers several variables, and each source or service is discussed according to a specified format. Also listed are the five levels at which financial resources may be found and tips on locating external funding. In the appendix, the author identifies other potential resources for assistance and publications on public and private sector funding and of general interest to those raising funds. Two figures are included.