A Path Forward for Deaf Nonprofits: Legislative Advocacy

I’ve learned that there’s tremendous power in showing up, in being seen and heard, and in taking a stand on issues that affect our communities. And I learned that from a surprising person and place: a drag queen in Texas.

Last year, during the Texas legislative session, a local drag queen named Brigitte Bandit hosted weekly gatherings at Oilcan Harry’s in Austin. She rallied the community to stay informed on bills that could help or harm LGBTQIA+ Texans and pushed us to show up when it mattered. 

Bandit often emphasized the importance of being present at the Capitol, noting that many LGBTQIA+ individuals cannot afford to take time off or travel long distances to oppose harmful bills. It was up to locals to show up for those who couldn’t. 

And I did. Every chance I got.

The Power of Being Seen

I showed up often to the Capitol, even if that simply meant “dropping a card” to register support or opposition to a bill. Over time, I became a familiar face in those halls.

Bandit also encouraged me to attend Austin’s LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission meetings. I learned how city decisions shape issues like safety, housing, and access to services. I gained a deeper understanding of how those structures work to address community needs. After several months of attending, a commissioner approached me to ask what brought me there.

Here’s the truth: as I kept showing up, something became painfully clear. I wasn’t seeing anyone from the deaf community in these rooms. 

Deaf nonprofits are constantly struggling to stay afloat, fighting for resources and visibility. Just 1% of national philanthropic funding reaches disability-focused organizations, with even less supporting deaf organizations. Austin is home to one of the largest deaf populations in the country, yet our community was missing from funders and politicians' tables. So I showed up for us.

The Power of Being Heard

Being visible creates opportunities to be heard. 

I was invited to roundtable discussions with city leaders and fellow advocates to talk about urgent community needs.

At one meeting, city council members shared that Austin might lose a portion of its federal funding due to recent changes to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies. I raised a concern that some accommodations protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) were being miscategorized as DEI initiatives. Accessibility is not optional—after all, the ADA is a long-standing federal law. People in the room took note, and that clarification helped ensure critical protections for disabled people would not be lost.

At another roundtable, which included the district attorney, I voiced concerns about House Bill 1106, which removes protections for LGBTQIA+ youth by prioritizing parents’ refusal to affirm a child’s identity. I shared that a deaf youth was already being harmed as a result of this legislation bill. Others in the room confirmed similar harm in their own communities. 

By making my concerns heard, this led to follow-up conversations on how we could better protect LGBTQIA+ youth going forward.

The Power of Taking a Stand

Speaking up led to more opportunities to bridge gaps. 

Travis County Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing invited me to share how they could better support deaf LGBTQIA+ community members. I encouraged them to partner with organizations that already have expertise serving LGBTQIA+ people. These collaborations later came in handy when urgent support was needed for a deaf survivor of abuse.

When we build cross-community partnerships, more efficient support can be provided to our communities. In emergent situations, strong partnerships allow organizations to act fast.

Key Takeaways

Local and state governments cannot meet every community’s needs. And this is why organizations fill those gaps. Too often, Deaf organizations are left out of meaningful conversations or treated as an afterthought, which makes it important for us to be present in these spaces. To effectively advocate for our communities, we must:

Who knew a drag queen, not a politician or city official, would teach me what real community engagement looks like?

Showing up as a deaf person can be isolating due to communication barriers. So, bring friends, build allies, and keep returning. Each time you show up, you gain more opportunities to be seen, heard, and to stand for your community.

It starts with you.

NOTE: The author recognizes that LGBTQIA+ individuals may have different intersecting identities, and confront various systemic issues such as: immigration, racism, transphobia, ableism, aging, and barriers to public safety, education, and healthcare.

Why Deaf Organizations Matter

As the CEO of Communication Service for the Deaf, Inc. (CSD), one of the largest deaf nonprofits that just celebrated 50 years of service, I aim to ensure that other deaf organizations reach and surpass the same milestone. In alignment with this vision, the CSD Board of Directors and I established Deaf Organizations Fund (DOF) in 2021 to fund and resource deaf nonprofits across the United States (US). 

The Gallaudet Research Institute estimates up to 1.5 million deaf people in the US use American Sign Language as their primary way to communicate. Based on the best available data, there are about 319 nonprofit organizations in the country with missions focused on deaf communities. This means there's roughly one deaf nonprofit for every 5,000 deaf people.  

Approximately 35% of those organizations operate with budgets under $25,000 a year. In other words, one in three deaf organizations has little to no income and relies completely on volunteers to keep their work going.  

This is not okay. Deaf organizations are the backbone of deaf communities.

Why This Work Matters

Deaf organizations provide essential, life-changing support to our communities, especially during times of crisis. 
 
Over the years, I've seen and heard countless personal stories that speak to their impact:

"They saved my life."
"They showed up when I needed them most."
"They helped me find a home."
"They helped me get a job."
"They gave me food and clothes when I lost everything or had nothing."

Behind every quote is a person with a story of resilience and a deaf nonprofit that supported them in their journey.

The Road Ahead

DOF, as the only funder in the US committed to deaf organizations, is raising $200K to support the work of 10 nonprofits in early 2026. But we can't do this work alone. Please consider joining us in funding deaf organizations. 

DONATE NOW

Together we can strengthen the nonprofits that show up every single day to make life better for our deaf communities.  

First-of-Its-Kind Directory for Deaf Nonprofits

We know one thing for certain: deaf organizations provide incomparable services to deaf communities, yet many are struggling.  

Since 2020, Deaf Organizations Fund (DOF) has received 300 funding requests from deaf organizations. Nearly half reported operating on less than $100K per year, highlighting the fact that organizations working with deaf communities are underfunded and under-resourced. Their services are fully accessible to their deaf communities, yet they are frequently limited in their capacity to pay rent, expand programming, hire staff, provide training, develop boards, and conduct strategic planning, among countless similar challenges. 

“As an agency that serves the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing, it can be difficult to find funding partners who understand the needs and culture of the communities we serve.” - DOF Impact Grant Applicant 

If you work for a foundation or are a grantmaking institution interested in supporting the work of deaf organizations, we’ve developed a resource to not only foster cross-organizational collaborations, but also to connect you, the funder, with these incredible yet oft-overlooked nonprofits.  

Called the Deaf Organizations and Programs Directory, this resource is a continually expanding list of nonprofits and programs working to meet the needs of deaf communities within the United States. The directory is searchable by geographic region and/or by cause area, such as advocacy, education, racial justice, and more.  

As an example: if you are affiliated with a community foundation that’s interested in locating and potentially resourcing deaf organizations in your state that address a particular need, use our directory to initiate your search!  

With deaf nonprofits receiving less than 1% of the $37.2 billion in grants awarded globally by funders each year, this is an optimal opportunity for you to help leverage the playing field.