Philanthropy in the Disability Community

Griffen Stapp is the Executive Director of Ability Central and the California Communications Access Foundation (CCAF). He brings more than 20 years of experience in finance, operations, organizational strategy, and nonprofit leadership across healthcare, biomedical, technology, and social impact organizations.

With extensive experience serving on nonprofit boards supporting disability services, Griffen is passionate about advancing accessibility, communication access, disability inclusion, and equitable opportunities. Under his leadership, Ability Central continues to strengthen its role as a philanthropic resource, convener, and collaborative partner within the disability community.

Ability Central is a nonprofit philanthropic organization working to improve communication and information access for people who are Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent.

Through grantmaking, partnerships, education, and community collaboration, Ability Central supports initiatives that advance accessibility, inclusive technology, workforce development, and greater participation in education, employment, and public life.

At TALTalks 2026, Griffen Stapp will explore the role of philanthropy in advancing inclusion and creating meaningful opportunities within the disability community.

His talk will highlight how philanthropy can move beyond traditional funding by listening to communities, supporting innovative solutions, building cross-sector partnerships, and investing in accessibility and inclusion.

Through his experience at Ability Central, Griffen will share insights into how strategic philanthropy can help address barriers to communication and information access while empowering people with disabilities to participate more fully in society.

• Philanthropy and disability inclusion

• Communication and information accessibility
• Community-driven solutions
• Accessible technology and innovation
• Cross-sector collaboration
• Workforce development and equitable opportunity
• The evolving role of philanthropy in creating systemic change

Griffen Stapp’s work demonstrates how philanthropy can become a powerful catalyst for accessibility, inclusion, and greater opportunity for people with disabilities.