Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living

09/01/2026

Planning Your Trip to Niagara Falls


The conference will be held at the Niagara Falls Convention Center, conveniently located directly across the street from the Sheraton Niagara Falls, our official conference hotel. A special APRIL room block has been reserved with discounted rates available through September 21, 2026. Additional accessible room blocks are also available at nearby hotels if needed.

More information can be found on our website: https://april-rural.org/index.php/en/conferences/2026-conference-information

Image Description: Illustration of Niagara Falls with text below "Conference Reminder: 2026 APRIL Conference room block rates are only being held until September 21, 2026. Make your hotel reservations and accommodations now!" APRIL logo with Conference details below: 2026 APRIL Conference at Niagara Falls, NY October 23-25, 2026.

08/31/2026

APRIL is now accepting nominations for the 2027 Board of Directors.

Serving on APRIL’s Board is an opportunity to contribute your experience, help shape the organization’s future, and strengthen the national Independent Living Movement. Members may nominate themselves or another qualified APRIL member.

Positions open for election include:

• Six Board Members at Large
• Two Youth Board Members, who must be under age 30
• Board Vice President
• Board Secretary
• Our Voices Member
• Executive Member at Large

APRIL especially encourages nominations of youth leaders and candidates from states that are not currently represented on the Board.

Nominees must be APRIL individual members in good standing, active members of a Center for Independent Living or Statewide Independent Living Council, and have verified support from a CIL or SILC. Candidates for executive officer positions must have served at least one full term on the APRIL Board.

Nominations close October 2, 2026.

Submit a nomination:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MXKPS5W

For an accommodation to complete or submit the nomination, contact [email protected].

Image Description: A graphic designed as a corkboard with pinned notes reads, “Join the 2027 APRIL Board.” Open positions include six Board Members at Large; two Youth Board Members under age 30; Board Vice President; Board Secretary; Our Voices Member; and Executive Member at Large. The graphic includes the APRIL logo, a QR code, and an accessibility symbol. Nominations are due October 2, 2026.

08/31/2026

Register Early for the 2026 APRIL Conference, Become an Exhibitor, and Celebrate Excellence in Rural Independent Living. Reminder: Earlybird Registration ends TODAY, August 31, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST. Register with the lowest registration prices today! You can also view our updated Conference agenda as well. We are excited about the diversity of topics and speakers present a this year's Annual APRIL Conference. The information can be found at this link and on our website. -

We are excited to invite you to the 32nd Annual APRIL National Conference, taking place October 23–25, 2026 (with Pre-Conference and Youth Conference activities on October 23) in Niagara Falls, New York. This year's theme, "FALL into APRIL: Facilitate • Advocate • Learn • Lead," promises ano...

08/30/2026

APRIL is looking for creative youth to participate in a T-Shirt Design contest! If selected, your design will be used for the Youth Conference T-Shirt.

If interested, please submit your designs by August 31. See below more information:

Eligibility and Theme
To participate, you must:

- Be between 13 and 30 years old
- Be involved in a Center for Independent Living (CIL) or a disability-led organization
- Submit a t-shirt design that matches the theme: "blooming collaborative: planting the seeds of tomorrow"
- No bad words, profanity or slurs
- The design MUST be original work, no AI designs

For any questions, email [email protected].

Deadline: August 31, 2026

People can send their submissions by filling out this form:https://www.jotform.com/261954745025057

Image Description: Dark green background with white text that reads "APRIL YOUTH T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST. Design the Official 2026 APRIL Youth Conference T-shirt. Blooming Collaborative. Planting the seeds of tomorrow. Submission deadline: August 31, 2026.

08/29/2026

APRIL Youth now has a Discord server!

Discord is a free online platform where people can connect through organized text and voice channels. It offers a space to ask questions, share resources, participate in discussions, and stay connected between meetings and events.

The APRIL Youth Discord server was created to help youth and young adults:

• Connect with peers from across the country
• Continue conversations outside of monthly meetings
• Learn about leadership and advocacy opportunities
• Receive updates about the Blooming Collaborative, Youth Steering Committee, and other APRIL Youth programs
• Participate in discussions and peer support

Joining is free. You only need a Discord account and the APRIL Youth invitation link. New members will complete a short onboarding process with screening questions to help keep the community focused on APRIL Youth participants and people interested in the Independent Living movement.

Join the APRIL Youth Discord server:
https://discord.gg/RAQWqhTfT

Image Description: Blue background color with white text that reads "APRIL Youth Discord Server. Connect with youth and young adults from across the country. APRIL logo below and discord logo above.

08/29/2026

The 2026 APRIL Conference Agenda is Now Available!

Check out our fantastic line-up of presenters and see what the schedule looks like for our 2026 Conference by clicking the link below. This information is also available on our website.

Please note that this agenda is TENTATIVE. Some dates, times and presentations may shift as we get closer to the Conference dates.

You can find this information (and MUCH more!) on our Conference page section of the APRIL website: https://april-rural.org/index.php/en/conferences/2026-conference-information

This is where you can download an accessible PDF version of the tentative Conference Agenda.

Make sure to register with our Earlybird prices - which have been extended through August 31, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST!

Image Description: memo note over background photo of Niagara Falls. Tape pieces with the APRIL logo hold this memo note up, and the memo says "The 2026 APRIL Conference agenda is now available to view! Please note this is a tentative agenda and subject to change as we get. closer to the Conference dates." The word "available" is circled. Direct Conference website link is listed below at the bottom of the image.

08/28/2026

Nominate an Outstanding Rural Youth Leader

The Linda Gonzales Award for Outstanding Rural Youth honors an exceptional young leader who exemplifies the future of the Independent Living movement through advocacy, leadership, and service to rural communities.

The recipient will also be recognized during the Sunday evening Awards Ceremony and receive a $500 award and engraved recognition. Nominations are due September 18, 2026.

Link: https://form.jotform.com/261786459980173

Image Description: A light gray graphic promoting nominations for APRIL’s Outstanding Rural Youth Leader award. The APRIL logo, featuring a blue star and large red “APRIL” lettering, appears at the top. Large bold blue text reads, “Nominate an Outstanding Rural Youth Leader.” Below the heading is a photo of a woman with short gray hair wearing a purple-and-white flower lei. To the right, blue text reads, “Nominations are due September 18, 2026.” Large blue text across the lower half explains that the Linda Gonzales Award for Outstanding Rural Youth honors an exceptional young leader who represents the future of the Independent Living movement through advocacy, leadership, and service to rural communities. The graphic also states that the recipient will be recognized during the Sunday evening Awards Ceremony and will receive a $500 award and engraved recognition.

08/28/2026

In the United States, living with a disability—or caring for someone who is—often means navigating a system that penalizes economic mobility and financial stability.

For millions of Americans, the "hidden cost" of disability is embedded in systemic structural barriers that force families and adults into impossible financial choices such as:

The Marriage Penalty: Adults who rely on Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid for essential health care face benefit cuts or complete loss of coverage if they choose to marry.

The Income Cap Tightrope: For families raising medically complex children, even a modest 1% cost-of-living raise at work can push household income over strict state thresholds, threatening critical Medicaid waivers that pay for specialized nursing and life-support equipment.

Ford Foundation U.S. Disability Rights program grantees are working to advance economic justice for the more than 40 million Americans living with a disability.

Learn more about how Patrice and Garry are fighting for marriage equality for everyone in the disability community: https://www.fordfoundation.org/news-and-stories/stories/the-cost-of-i-do-in-the-disability-community/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_campaign=DisabilityDemandsJustice&utm_content=DisabilityPatriceGarry

Learn how families are mobilizing into action for medically complex children with Little Lobbyists: https://www.fordfoundation.org/news-and-stories/stories/an-economic-tightrope-for-families-with-medically-complex-and-disabled-kids/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_campaign=DisabilityDemandsJustice&utm_content=DisabilityLittleLobbyists

08/26/2026

Registration is open for the 2026 APRIL Annual Conference! You can still register with Earlybird prices through August 31 at 11:59 pm EST!

Join us October 23–25, 2026, in beautiful Niagara Falls, New York, for three days of learning, networking, advocacy, and leadership at the 32nd Annual APRIL Conference.

Register early to take advantage of Early Bird pricing and start planning your trip today!

While you're planning, don't forget to:
• Reserve your hotel room at the conference rate
• Explore travel and budgeting resources
• Apply to become an exhibitor
• Nominate deserving advocates and youth leaders for APRIL's annual awards

Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime APRIL member, we can't wait to welcome you to Niagara Falls this fall!

🔗 Register today: https://form.jotform.com/aprilinfo/2026-APRILCon

🔗 Exhibitor and Nomination Information: https://april-rural.org/index.php/en/conferences/2026-conference-information

Image Description: Promotional graphic for the 2026 APRIL Conference. Large blue text at the top reads "FALL" with the word "into" in green script across the middle and "APRIL" in matching green script below. Beneath is the tagline: "Facilitate • Advocate • Learn • Lead." On the left are two photos of Niagara Falls in autumn. On the right is a large QR code linking to conference registration. The background is light beige with blue and green accents throughout.

08/26/2026

Entrepreneurship is stronger when people have real support. APRIL is connecting our small business community to Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, a free platform that gives you access to coaching, learning tools and a network of peers who are building something too. Get started at this link: https://digitalready.verizonwireless.com/partner-ndi-april-rural

Image Description: Introducing Verizon Small Business Digital Ready. A free program featuring coaching, networking, and more. Sign up. NDI and Verizon links. Image on the right of a young black woman in a wheelchair on her phone.