PhiLab published a new research paper: A Forgotten Cause: The Underfunding of Disability by Quebec Philanthropic Foundations, which is the second part of a study on philanthropy and disability. The report argues that disability must be more fully integrated into the strategies and funding priorities of Canadian philanthropy. The authors of the report include: Diane Alalouf-Hall, Associate Professor at UQAM and Transfer and Training Manager at PhiLab – Université du Québec à Montréal; Félix Chouinard, Student – Université de Montréal – Département de Sociologie; Anne Delorme, Humanité et Inclusion; and Emmanuelle Lajoie, Humanité et Inclusion.

PhiLab’s research reveals a vicious cycle: chronic underfunding limits and constrains the professionalization and structuring of disability rights charities, which in turn justifies foundations’ reluctance to invest. According to the study, the analysis shows that even equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) frameworks, which have enabled the emergence of substantial funding for other marginalized groups, systematically exclude disability as a priority area or relegate it to a secondary position.

The report concludes with a call for transformative philanthropic reinvestment both in disability-related causes and within philanthropic strategies and frameworks themselves, so that disability becomes a systematic and legitimate dimension of grantmaking. The authors also proposed specific operational recommendations to support this shift.

For further information about research, and to access the report, click here.