irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2025
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $126KEMPOWERED FUTURES IS A WORKFORCE READINESS AND CAREER EXPLORATION PROGRAM FOR YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES AGES 12-24. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES SKILL-BUILDING WORKSHOPS, MENTORSHIP, AND REAL-WORLD EXPOSURE TO CAREER PATHWAYS TO HELP PARTICIPANTS SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITION FROM SCHOOL TO EMPLOYMENT OR HIGHER EDUCATION. THROUGH INTERACTIVE TRAINING SESSIONS, NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES, AND INDIVIDUALIZED GUIDANCE FROM DISABLED PROFESSIONALS AND MENTORS, PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP PRACTICAL SKILLS SUCH AS RESUME WRITING, INTERVIEWING, WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION, AND PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING. THE PROGRAM ALSO CONNECTS YOUTH WITH ROLE MODELS WITH DISABILITIES WHO DEMONSTRATE THAT MEANINGFUL CAREERS AND LEADERSHIP ARE POSSIBLE. EMPOWERED FUTURES AIMS TO INCREASE CONFIDENCE, STRENGTHEN EMPLOYMENT READINESS, AND EXPAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISABLED YOUTH AS THEY PREPARE FOR INDEPENDENT AND FULFILLING FUTURES.
- #2 $61KEMPOWHER EXPRESSIONS IS A PUBLIC SPEAKING AND CAREER COACHING PROGRAM FOR DISABLED WOMEN TO IMPROVE THEIR PUBLIC SPEAKING, SOFT SKILLS, AND CONFIDENCE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE CAREER GOALS AND SUCCEED IN THE WORKING WORLD. THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM, THE CLASS OF WOMEN MEET WITH, LEARN FROM, AND ARE MENTORED BY SUCCESSFUL DISABLED WOMEN. EMPOWHER EXPRESSIONS IS A 8 WEEK VIRTUAL PROGRAM WHERE PARTICIPANTS HAVE WEEKLY 30 MINUTE 1-ON-1 MENTORING MEETINGS, ASSIGNMENTS, AND 90 MINUTE VIRTUAL CLASSES EVERY WEEK.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
EmpowHer Expressions
8-week virtual public speaking and career coaching program for disabled women, featuring weekly 1-on-1 mentoring and group classes to build confidence and soft skills
EmpowHer ROC
Monthly events for girls and young women with disabilities (ages 10-21) in Monroe County, NY to build skills and connect with peers and mentors; events are free to attend
EmpowHer Stories
Writing and storytelling program for girls and women with paralysis, offering editorial support and $100 stipends for published blog posts in partnership with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
Empowered Futures
Workforce readiness and career exploration program for youth with disabilities ages 12-24, offering skill-building workshops, mentorship, and career pathway exposure
activities · 11 groups
What they do
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Community-Engaged Public Art Projects 1 activity
- Art and creative expression programs for disabled womenCo-facilitates art exhibitions and creative programs such as the Disabled Women Make History & Art initiative and an annual art show to uplift disabled women through creative expression, including partnerships with institutions like the Toledo Museum of Art.
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Literary Events & Workshops 1 activity
- Book club for disabled women and gender-expansive individualsHosts virtual and in-person book club sessions focused on disability narratives, identity, and intersectional themes, featuring accessibility supports such as captions and ASL interpretation to foster inclusive discussion and community learning.
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Specialized Summer Camps for Disabilities 1 activity
- EmpowHer Camp and annual retreatOperates a year-long empowerment program anchored by an annual retreat or camp for disabled young women and feminine-aligned nonbinary individuals, featuring a wilderness camping trip, self-led community impact projects, and a trip to Washington, D.C. The inaugural EmpowHer Camp was held in 2022.
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Alumni Leadership and Career Support Programs 1 activity
- Leadership development and alumni engagementEngages program graduates in leadership roles, such as involving alumni in application review workgroups for EmpowHer Camp, to build capacity and sustain community-driven program development.
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Girls' Mentorship and Leadership Development 1 activity
- Mentorship program for disabled girls and womenMatches disabled girls and women with mentors who are successful disabled women, based on shared backgrounds, interests, and disabilities, to foster growth, confidence, and leadership. The program includes personalized letter exchanges between girls and role models and year-long engagement with mentorship and community impact projects.
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Inclusive Social & Recreational Events 1 activity
- Peer connection and community meetupsHosts monthly in-person and virtual gatherings for disabled girls and women in regions including Rochester and New York’s Capital Region to build skills, connect with peers, and engage in recreational and educational activities. Includes evening meetups for women aged 21+ and monthly meetups for youth aged 10–21.
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Women's Leadership & Career Advancement Networks 1 activity
- Public speaking and career coaching programRuns an 8-week virtual public speaking and career coaching program for disabled women, including weekly 1-on-1 mentoring sessions, group classes, and skill development in soft skills and professional readiness. The program is also known as EmpowHer Expressions, which has supported over 15 women in reaching their goals.
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Disability Rights Advocacy & Self-Advocacy Empowerment 1 activity
- Publication of educational and empowerment guidesCreates and distributes accessible, topic-specific guides such as the "Disabled Girl's Guide to College," "Liberty and Justice For All Means All," and "EmpowHer Camp Best Practices" to support disabled women and girls in higher education, civic engagement, and mentorship. Also publishes educational comics like "Windman v. Hurricane" on emergency preparedness.
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Nonprofit Sector Research & Data Analysis 1 activity
- Research on workplace and systemic barriers for disabled womenConducts and publishes original research on systemic inequities, including studies on hiring practices, leadership access, and workplace barriers for women with disabilities, such as the survey of 445 hiring professionals and the "Left Behind in the Flames" study on fire safety evacuation in schools.
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Supported Employment for Developmental Disabilities 1 activity
- Skill-building and empowerment programs for disabled youth and womenOffers ongoing skill-building workshops, pre-employment services, and empowerment programming for disabled girls, women, and gender-expansive youth ages 10–24, including job exploration, self-advocacy training, hands-on work experience, and career coaching. Programs are delivered in-person and virtually across New York regions including Monroe County, Western New York, and the Capital Region.
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Volunteer Engagement and Capacity Support 1 activity
- Volunteer engagement and community outreachEngages community members through quarterly Zoom meetings to share volunteer opportunities and build support for programs, fostering broader community involvement in organizational initiatives.
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financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$523K
Contributions & grants$414K79%
Program service revenue$109K21%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$-879
expenses
Total expenses$409K
Program expenses100%
Admin / overhead0%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$206K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$349K
Cash$348K
Investments$0
Liabilities$10K
Net assets$338K
Liquid reserves10.2 mo
4 years on record · 2021–2025 · YoY revenue +29.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
board members · 8
- ABIGAIL L RITTER — SECRETARY
- AMY TWEEDLE — VICE CHAIR
- DAVI KALLMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- JOHILENY MERAN — BOARD MEMBER
- KATHERYN SHELLEY — BOARD MEMBER
- KATHRYN CARROLL — BOARD CHAIR
- KATHRYN SHELLEY — TREASURER
- MARY WILLARD — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 16
Who they work with
- Aerie Real Foundation Funder — Awarded a $10,000 Community Grant to support EmpowHer Camp programming for young women with disabilities.
- Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation Partner — Collaborates to publish stories written by girls and women with paralysis through the Empowher Stories program.
- Fae Attractions Travel Company Partner — Nadia, an EmpowHer Champion, is the founder of Fae Attractions Travel Company, which partners with the network to support inclusive travel.
- Golisano Foundation Funder — Awarded a $25,000 grant to support skill-building and social programs for disabled girls and women in Western New York.
- Gupta Family Foundation Funder — Awarded a $25,000 grant to support skill-building and confidence development for young women with disabilities.
- Our corporate partners Partner — Corporate partners support the provision of mentors, programming, and growth opportunities for disabled girls and women.
- P3 Technology Partner — Research partner in conducting a study on workplace barriers to leadership for women with disabilities.
- Pierce College Partner — Dr. Davi, an EmpowHer Champion, serves as the Dean of Student Engagement at Pierce College.
- SARTAC Partner — Collaborates with SARTAC Fellows, including publishing civic engagement guide authored by SARTAC Fellow Kelsi Weaver.
- SUNY Albany Partner — Liz, an EmpowHer Champion, recently graduated with her Masters in Public Administration from SUNY Albany.
- Spa Area Independent Living Services Partner — Amy, an EmpowHer Champion, is the co-director of Spa Area Independent Living Services.
- Strong Hospital Partner — Heidi, an EmpowHer Champion, works as an Inpatient Diet Technician at Strong Hospital.
- The New York Bar Foundation Funder — Provided funding to expand the "Know Your Rights: The Disabled Girl's Guide to College" program.
- Toledo Museum of Art Partner — Collaborates on an art exhibition showcasing works by disabled women artists.
- Toledo Museum of Art Partner — Collaborates with Disability EmpowHer Network to present the annual Disabled Women Make History (and Art) art show.
- hello@DisabilityEmpowHerNetwork.org Partner — Point of contact for accessible format requests for organizational documents
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Identity-Based and Structured Experiential Programmingmethodology: experiential_learning_and_civic_engagementBy delivering immersive, cohort-based experiences—such as camps and virtual leadership programs with individualized mentoring—we build confidence and belonging because structured, identity-affirming environments enable disabled girls to safely develop skills and leadership.
- Mentorship and Role Model Accessmethodology: mentorship-and-role-model-accessBy connecting disabled girls and women with successful disabled role models through structured mentorship, we increase self-efficacy, leadership development, and career aspirations because representation and relatable guidance counter systemic underrepresentation and build confidence.
- Peer-Led, Lived-Experience-Centered Empowermentmethodology: peer_led_empowermentBy centering programs on peer leadership and knowledge drawn from lived experience, we foster authentic community connection and self-actualization because shared identity and mutual trust increase engagement and personal transformation.