Accessing Indiana's NEW Family Involvement Fund

The Family Involvement Fund is a collaborative effort between the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, Indiana University, Bloomington and the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services, Bureau of Child Development. It is administered by the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community.

Indiana’s Family Involvement Fund (FIF) provides financial assistance for family members of children with disabilities ages birth-21 to further their knowledge and understanding of their child’s disability and/or the programs and services that support their child. The financial assistance may be provided for attending conferences, workshops, public forums or hearings, task force meetings and similar events as well as online trainings and teleconferences. Additionally, the FIF may provide financial assistance for the purchase of print and electronic media materials.

There is a $250 limit per person or $500 limit per family per program year. Monetary limits are subject to change. The program year runs from October 1st thru September 30th. Family is defined as parents, stepparents, siblings, grandparents, legal guardians, foster parents, and educational surrogate parents. Participation in out of state training events will only be considered if : 1) a comparable event is not offered within Indiana; or 2) if the out of state training event is located close to the family’s residence. You will be asked to verify this information.

If the FIF request is for purchase of materials, families will be asked to follow these steps: 1) consult with the child’s teacher or service provider to assure the materials are relevant to the child’s disability and/or educational goals (IEP, IFSP); 2) contact the Center for Disability Information and Referral (CeDIR) to check on availability of the materials in their collection and; 3) if the materials are not available from CeDIR and the cost of the purchase is over $100, CeDIR may purchase the materials and make them available to check out for up to 3 months with a renewal option of 3 times, after which the materials must be returned to CeDIR.

An application for the FIF can be requested by calling or emailing the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community. Applications to download or submit online are available at the Indiana Family to Family web site: http://www.inf2f.org/FIF/FamilyInformationFund.htm. Please note:

The Family Involvement Fund is considered a “payer of last resort”. You will be asked if you applied for funds from another source such as the GPCPD Consumer Investment Fund, First Steps Council if your child is ages birth-2, or local CSPD (Comprehensive System of Personnel Development) Funds through your local director of special education if your child is 3-21 years old;
Applications must be received at least 30 days prior to an event;
If approved for the FIF, you must save and submit original receipts for actual expenses and you will be reimbursed;
Upon approval you will receive a letter and the forms needed to fill out and return after the event; and
If your application is not approved, you will receive a letter of explanation.

For further information about the FIF, please contact:

Indiana Institute on Disability and Community
C/O Family Involvement Fund
2853 E. 10th Street
Bloomington, IN 47408
1-800-825-4733 (Indiana only)
1-812-855-6508
Fax: 1- 812-855-9630
Email: fif@indiana.edu
Questions: Ask for Cathy Beard or Sharon Hauss

For further information on the CeDIR collection of materials and/or their checkout and renewal policies, please contact:

Center for Disability Information and Referral
Indiana Institute on Disability and Community
2853 E. 10th Street
Bloomington, IN 47408
1-800-437-7924 (Indiana only)
1-812-855-9396 (Voice/TTY)
Fax: 1-812-855-9630
Email: cedir@indiana.edu
Web: http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/cedir/

Wheeler. (2008). Accessing Indiana’s NEW Family Involvement Fund. The Reporter 13(2), 14-15.


	Accessing Indiana’s NEW Family Involvement Fund Contributed by Marci Wheeler The Family Involvement Fund is a collaborative effort between the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, Indiana University, Bloomington and the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services, Bureau of Child Development. It is administered by the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community. Indiana’s Family Involvement Fund (FIF) provides financial assistance for family members of children with disabilities ages birth-21 to further their knowledge and understanding of their child’s disability and/or the programs and services that support their child. The financial assistance may be provided for attending conferences, workshops, public forums or hearings, task force meetings and similar events as well as online trainings and teleconferences. Additionally, the FIF may provide financial assistance for the purchase of print and electronic media materials. There is a $250 limit per person or $500 limit per family per program year. Monetary limits are subject to change. The program year runs from October 1st thru September 30th. Family is defined as parents, stepparents, siblings, grandparents, legal guardians, foster parents, and educational surrogate parents. Participation in out of state training events will only be considered if : 1) a comparable event is not offered within Indiana; or 2) if the out of state training event is located close to the family’s residence. You will be asked to verify this information. If the FIF request is for purchase of materials, families will be asked to follow these steps: 1) consult with the child’s teacher or service provider to assure the materials are relevant to the child’s disability and/or educational goals (IEP, IFSP); 2) contact the Center for Disability Information and Referral (CeDIR) to check on availability of the materials in their collection and; 3) if the materials are not available from CeDIR and the cost of the purchase is over $100, CeDIR may purchase the materials and make them available to check out for up to 3 months with a renewal option of 3 times, after which the materials must be returned to CeDIR. An application for the FIF can be requested by calling or emailing the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community. Applications to download or submit online are available at the Indiana Family to Family web site: http://www.inf2f.org/FIF/FamilyInformationFund.htm. Please note: The Family Involvement Fund is considered a “payer of last resort”. You will be asked if you applied for funds from another source such as the GPCPD Consumer Investment Fund, First Steps Council if your child is ages birth-2, or local CSPD (Comprehensive System of Personnel Development) Funds through your local director of special education if your child is 3-21 years old; Applications must be received at least 30 days prior to an event; If approved for the FIF, you must save and submit original receipts for actual expenses and you will be reimbursed; Upon approval you will receive a letter and the forms needed to fill out and return after the event; and If your application is not approved, you will receive a letter of explanation. For further information about the FIF, please contact: Indiana Institute on Disability and Community C/O Family Involvement Fund 2853 E. 10th Street Bloomington, IN 47408 1-800-825-4733 (Indiana only) 1-812-855-6508 Fax: 1- 812-855-9630 Email: fif@indiana.edu Questions: Ask for Cathy Beard or Sharon Hauss For further information on the CeDIR collection of materials and/or their checkout and renewal policies, please contact: Center for Disability Information and Referral Indiana Institute on Disability and Community 2853 E. 10th Street Bloomington, IN 47408 1-800-437-7924 (Indiana only) 1-812-855-9396 (Voice/TTY) Fax: 1-812-855-9630 Email: cedir@indiana.edu Web: http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/cedir/ Wheeler. (2008). Accessing Indiana’s NEW Family Involvement Fund. The Reporter 13(2), 14-15.