Jean Wolff-Rossi Fund: NC Disability Conference Grants
Author: Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 4 Jun 2013 - Updated: 8 Sep 2026
Publication Type: Announcement
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content
Synopsis
This information details a state-funded reimbursement program managed by the NC Council on Developmental Disabilities that helps people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, their families, and guardians access professional development opportunities. The Jean Wolff-Rossi Fund for Participant Involvement provides practical financial assistance covering registration fees, childcare, personal assistance services, lodging, and travel expenses for educational seminars and conferences. What makes this resource particularly valuable is its focus on removing economic barriers that often prevent individuals with disabilities and their advocates from attending skill-building events, with priority consideration given to first-time applicants, those from rural areas, and individuals who enhance cultural diversity within the disability community.
At a Glance
- 1 - Recipients must be North Carolina residents. Each must complete a Rossi Fund Participant Survey afterward to share what they learned with the Council and community.
- 2 - The program partially covers costs rather than the full amount. This approach stretches limited resources so that more applicants can receive assistance each year.
- 3 - Funding is capped at 600 dollars per year for in-state events and 800 dollars per year for out-of-state events. These limits apply to each individual applicant.
- 4 - The 40-member Council prioritizes first-time users, first-time event attendees, and applicants from rural or under-served areas. Preference is also given to those who enhance ethnic or cultural diversity within the disability community.
Topic Definition
- Jean Wolff-Rossi Fund for Participant Involvement
The Jean Wolff-Rossi Fund for Participant Involvement is a reimbursement program administered by the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities that helps residents with intellectual or developmental disabilities, along with their parents, family members, and guardians, cover the expenses of attending educational conferences and training seminars. Rather than paying event organizers directly, the fund returns money to individual participants for approved costs such as registration fees, transportation, lodging, childcare, and personal assistance services. Its purpose is to remove the everyday financial obstacles that keep self-advocates and families from building the knowledge, networking connections, and advocacy skills they need to participate fully in the disability service system and push for meaningful change in their communities.
Overview
Rossi Fund reimburses individuals for training and conferences to improve advocacy skills of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities or parents.
Self-advocates and parents raising children with disabilities are encouraged to apply to the NC Council for Developmental Disabilities for funds needed to attend conferences or educational seminars that improve knowledge, and networking and advocacy skills.
Those eligible for reimbursement of expenses include people with an intellectual or other developmental disability (I/DD), parents, family members, guardians, or parents of a child at risk of I/DD.
All recipients must be residents of North Carolina and will be expected to complete a Rossi Fund Participant Survey to share knowledge with the community and the Council.
The Jean Wolff-Rossi Fund for Participant Involvement has funds available to reimburse applicants for costs incurred, including seminar or conference registration, child care, personal assistance, lodging costs and transportation. The fund will only partially cover the costs of attending such events so that more people can receive financial help.
There is a limit of $600 in funding per year for in-state events or $800 per year for out-of-state for any individual applicant.
Other considerations in making awards from the Rossi Fund are whether this is a first time user of the Fund, a first time attendee for the activity or event, will the attendee enhance ethnic or cultural diversity and is the applicant from rural or under-served areas of the state.
The 40-member North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities seeks to support effective and innovative initiatives that promote community inclusion, independence, productivity, self-determination and integration for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who created the Jean Wolff-Rossi Fund
The fund is administered by the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities as part of its mission to support community inclusion and self-determination for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
How do I apply for Rossi Fund reimbursement
Interested residents apply directly to the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities, which reviews requests for conference and seminar expenses before funds are awarded.
Does the Rossi Fund pay expenses before an event
No, the program works as a reimbursement, meaning applicants pay their approved costs first and then receive money back after the event and required paperwork are complete.
Can people outside North Carolina use this fund
No, all recipients must be residents of North Carolina, although the fund does cover approved out-of-state conference travel up to the annual limit.
What types of disabilities qualify for this program
Eligibility covers people with an intellectual or other developmental disability, along with parents, family members, guardians, and parents of a child at risk of a developmental disability.
Are children with disabilities covered by the fund
Yes, parents raising children with disabilities and parents of a child at risk of a developmental disability are among those encouraged to apply for support.
What is the Participant Survey requirement
Every recipient agrees to complete a Rossi Fund Participant Survey after the event so the knowledge gained can be shared with the Council and the wider disability community.
Why does the fund only cover part of the cost
Partial funding allows the Council to spread limited resources across more applicants while asking each participant to keep some personal investment in their own development.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: While funding caps at $600 for in-state and $800 for out-of-state events may seem modest, the Rossi Fund represents something more significant than dollar amounts - it acknowledges that advocacy skills require cultivation through exposure, networking, and formal training. By partially subsidizing conference attendance rather than covering full costs, the program stretches limited resources to benefit more people while still requiring applicants to maintain some financial investment in their own development. For North Carolina residents navigating the disability service system, this funding can mean the difference between isolation and connection, between accepting services passively and advocating effectively for systemic change.
Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability, a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.