Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Developmental Disabilities Council topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council on Developmental Disabilities tells finance committee its federal funding is level; staffing follows program needs
Summary
The New Hampshire Council on Developmental Disabilities told senators it is 100% federally funded, expects to be level-funded this federal year, and uses grants and technical assistance to advance integration and leadership for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Isadora Rodriguez Legendre, executive director of the New Hampshire Council on Developmental Disabilities, told the Senate Finance Committee the council is funded entirely by federal dollars and that its role is to assess statewide needs, develop a five‑year state plan and support leadership and inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Rodriguez Legendre said the council typically administers a small grants program and provides technical assistance such as plain-language and easy‑read materials. She presented the council’s most recent federal notice of award and told the committee the council has been told it will be level‑funded for the current federal fiscal year. The council typically receives about $527,000 annually but the federal DD Act sets a statutory floor of $400,000.
Why it matters: The council serves as a federally funded planning, advocacy and grantmaking body that helps people with developmental disabilities engage in community life and helps other agencies produce accessible materials and inclusive programs.
Key points
- Funding: The council said it is 100% federally funded. The council’s typical annual funding is about $527,000; the DD Act identifies a statutory minimum of $400,000.
- Staffing: The council has three full‑time and three part‑time staff, and the FY26–27 budget replaces one full‑time position with another rather than increasing overall staffing.
- Grants and partnerships: The council chiefly supports community programs via grants and technical assistance and sometimes acts as a subrecipient or pass‑through when project administrative capacity is limited.
Quotes from the record
- “We are 100 federally funded,” Rodriguez Legendre said, summarizing the agency’s revenue model.
What the council said it will do next
The council said it will monitor federal appropriations and Congress for any changes to its award levels and will continue to manage grants and technical assistance within the funding it receives.
