At a Glance
The Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) is a national grassroots, nonprofit membership organization consisting of over 260 members from Centers for Independent Living, their satellites and branch offices, Statewide Independent Living Councils, Youth Leadership Forums, and other organizations and individuals concerned with the independent living issues of people with disabilities living in rural America. APRIL was founded in 1986 by twelve directors of rural CILs at a meeting in Houston, Texas. In 1994, APRIL attained its 501(C)(3) status and hired a national coordinator.
As a national membership organization, APRIL is dedicated to advancing the rights and responsibilities of people with disabilities in rural America by serving as a center of resources and by leading systems change. We achieve this through our Training and Technical Assistance programs including: our National Conference and Youth Conference, Peer Mentoring programs, Information and Referral, IL Conversation teleconference series, Youth Talk teleconference and Facebook chat series, Growing Leadership and Succession Planning workgroup, Knowledge Translation advising, and Dissemination through our list serv and social media. We also achieve our mission with our advocacy and collaboration including: leadership opportunities for youth with disabilities, rural advocacy work groups and initiatives, and our partnerships and work plans with national Research and Training Centers, AgrAbility, and other allied national organizations.