FISA Foundation

01/14/2026

New grant opportunity for improving maternal health in Pennsylvania!

The PA Perinatal Action Collaborative (PAC) is now accepting proposals from qualified organizations to support implementation of recommendations from the Maternal Health Strategic Plan. To learn more about this opportunity, join the informational webinar on January 21, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.

Proposals are due at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 17, 2026

📢 New Grant Opportunity Announced!
The PA Perinatal Action Collaborative (PAC) is now accepting proposals for Implementation Grants supporting the PA Maternal Health Strategic Plan. Funding is available to strengthen maternal home visiting, improve health-related social needs screening, and support community-based organizations.
Proposals due February 17, 2026 (5:00 PM EST)
https://hubs.li/Q03ZLG4D0

01/12/2026

Assistive technology is vital for people with disabilities, but it can be costly or not covered by insurance and often requires individualized customization.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently highlighted UPMC’s Assist+ program, an assistive technology center that helps people learn about available products, find potentially lower-cost solutions, and try devices before purchasing. Assist+ is open to the public and free to visit from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 1622 Locust St., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219. Appointments are recommended by emailing assistplus@upmc.edu or by calling 878-261-6361.

For more than three decades, Matthew Massaro has been rebuilding a life interrupted at age 15. Shot in the heart at a friend’s house in 1991, Matthew...

01/07/2026

A celebration of Paul O'Hanlon’s life and legacy will be held this Saturday, January 10th, from 2:00–4:00 pm. Join Paul's friends, colleagues, and family in person or online to honor and remember Paul's incredible leadership and commitment to justice.

Pittsburghers for Public Transit is also collecting written and video remembrances of Paul at https://www.pittsburghforpublictransit.org/rest-in-power-paul-ohanlon-a-ppt-rememberance

Please join us as we remember and honor Paul O’Hanlon - an advocate, leader, and member of the Consortium’s Advisory Committee whose work helped advance disability justice and inclusion across our region and beyond.

🗓 Saturday, January 10 • 2-4 PM
📍 University of Pittsburgh's William Pitt Union (Lower Lounge), 3959 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Learn more, RSVP, and find details about optional virtual participation and sharing remembrances here:
https://www.wpdhac.org/paul-ohanlon-memorial-gathering/


cc: , Pittsburghers for Public Transit, Tina Calabro

01/06/2026

John Montell “Monty” Mitchell is autistic and newly certified as a paramedic, with dreams of becoming a doctor. In Rich Lord’s newest article for his series, Job One, Rich highlights that Monty’s “aspirations would put him in a field in which people with disabilities are dramatically underrepresented. While 1 in 4 U.S. adults has a disability of some kind, only around 1 in 32 physicians identifies in that way.”
Rich’s series in PublicSource showcases the hopes and concerns facing disabled job seekers. Learn more about this current landscape in the article below:

A certified EMT pushes through anxiety to pursue his dream career. Experts share optimism and worry for people with disabilities entering a tight job market.

12/29/2025

Webinar Recording Available!
In November, the Race and Disability team hosted a webinar on “Building Inclusive Emergency Preparedness: Centering Resilience in the Disability Community.” The recording is now available to view! The webinar focused on the disproportionate impact of disasters on people with disabilities, and efforts to prepare and respond to support people with disabilities when such events occur.

Panelists included:
-Shaylin Sluzalis and Germán Parodi from The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies
- Ciawanda McDonald from Disability Solutions for Independent Living, Inc.
- Misty Dion from Roads to Freedom Center for Independent Living

Thank you to our amazing presenters for sharing their expertise and insights.
View the full webinar recording here: https://disabilityinclusionpgh.org/recordings/

12/23/2025

Check out FISA’s incredible webinar series, Breaking Barriers: Dialogues on Healthcare Access for People with Disabilities! This series is part of our Access to Healthcare Initiative and engages experts in disability and healthcare fields to share key resources and innovations in accessible healthcare. All conversations are recorded and available on FISA’s website with captions and ASL: https://fisafoundation.org/access-to-health-care-initiative/ -barriers-webinars

12/18/2025

Congratulations to Disability Lead's inaugural SWPA Institute cohort!

FISA is thrilled for these amazing disabled leaders to build their networks, expand their leadership skills, and bring their expertise to positions of power and influence across sectors in the Pittsburgh region!

12/15/2025

At FISA’s annual December holiday program, current and former board members learned about the remarkable accessibility improvements our grantee partner, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, has undertaken to make Frick Park a more inclusive place for all visitors.

In the first photo, Assistive Resources and Accessibility Coordinator, Tress Belesi, explains the assistive technology and adaptive resources available to Frick Park visitors for free through the lending library: https://pittsburghparks.org/lending-library

We also heard about the amazing success of the Trackchair pilot program! These all-terrain wheelchairs will have their full program launch in the Spring of 2026. Additionally, we heard about the innovative accessible stations and signage throughout Frick Park's Outdoor Discovery Space and Sensory Nature Trail: https://pittsburghparks.org/odssnt/

FISA is honored to have supported these investments in accessibility.

12/11/2025

Being meaningfully employed as a person with a disability can be a tricky balance to ensure that necessary benefits can continue, and any reduction in them is not a surprise.
In Rich Lord’s recent article for Pittsburgh’s PublicSource, “Why John’s Funky Inflatables shouldn’t blow up his disability benefits,” Lord highlights a common balancing act for people with disabilities. Read more:

A McCandless man builds a life around inflatables while navigating disability benefits, work opportunities and employment rules.

12/09/2025

“There's a lot of people like me who are out there now fighting the good fight, because he mentored us and gave us the strength and the power to go out on our own and start fighting.” - Alisa Grishman, founder and director of Access Mob Pittsburgh
WESA shared a beautiful remembrance of Paul O'Hanlon and his impact on accessible housing, transit, and voting. FISA was honored to have worked with Paul over the years and to have him speak at our Disability Inclusion & Access event. FISA is proud to continue to support organizations deeply impacted by Paul, including Pittsburghers for Public Transit, of which Paul was a founding member.

For decades, Paul O’Hanlon was a pillar in Pittsburgh-area advocacy efforts for better public transit, as well as voting rights, disability rights and affordable housing.

12/08/2025

FISA Foundation is proud to announce our October 2025 grants! FISA awarded grants to 11 organizations serving women, girls, and people with disabilities.

Grantees in this cycle are addressing the economic disparities experienced by Black women and people with disabilities, protecting healthcare and reproductive rights, and advocating for inclusive and equitable education.

FISA praises these organizations for their impact on systematically disenfranchised communities in southwestern PA. Read the full October 2025 grants announcement here: https://fisafoundation.org/fisa-awards-october-2025-grants-to-uplift-women-girls-and-people-with-disabilities/

ACTION-Housing, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation, Pennsylvania Health Law Project, PPWP--Planned Parenthood of Western PA, The Friendship Circle of Pittsburgh, City Mission - Living Stones, Inc., Education Law Center, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, Catapult Greater Pittsburgh, Opportunity Fund, Pittsburgh Center for Disability Justice

[image description: First image features blue and yellow shapes and FISA logo with the text “FISA Foundation Announces October 2025 Grantees!” Remaining images feature blue and yellow shapes and the logos of grantees]