Great question from a DEC Coordinator, which I'm checking into:
Several people have asked me if the ADA accessibility rule also applies to others who receive money from NYSCA (not through DEC) and, indeed, all non-profits who are funded by the State.
If you have any thoughts, feel free to post.
Suggested Resources (from DEC Coordinators):
Definitely. Because they're public funds, they MUST be used in accordance with the law.
ReplyDeleteHowever...I find that people panic about the meaning of "ADA-compliant" without understanding what that actually means. Quoting from www.ada.gov:
"The ADA requires you to take certain limited steps to improve access to existing venues. This mandate includes the obligation to remove barriers from existing buildings when it is readily achievable to do so. Readily achievable means easily accomplishable and able to be carried out without much difficulty or expense."
That phrase, "readily achievable", gives a lot of leeway. I did a lot of reading on the ada.gov site after this issue was brought up at the retreat and am still struggling to find out exactly how this mandate would affect my grant applicants.
Here's a great resource from the NEA explaining the 2010 changes to the ADA as they apply to the arts: http://www.arts.gov/resources/Accessibility/pubs/NEA-TipSheet.pdf
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