ADA Planning Tips

The following are ten planning tips that will assist organizations in the development of a long-range plan for ADA compliance.

  1. Identify the ADA Coordinator for your organization. This can be a volunteer, board member, staff member from marketing, development, house management, etc. For a job description of an ADA Coordinator please refer to the self-assessment survey which is described in tip #3.
  2. Identify individuals to serve on your ADA Advisory Board. Be sure that your advisory board includes some people with disabilities. As a suggestion, you can collaborate with some other organizations in your geographic area and implement an advisory board that can be of guidance to all of you.
  3. Complete a Self-Assessment Survey. Sometimes it is easier to complete the survey with assistance from another representative of your organization (i.e. board member, staff member, advisory board member or volunteer). The survey can be obtained by logging onto www.njartscouncil.com. This document is for your internal use only and does not get submitted to the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
  4. Review sample role model plans. These can be obtained by calling the New Jersey Arts Access Cultural Access Network at 973-540-0515, ext. 13.
  5. Write an ADA Policy and Non-Discrimination Statement and have it approved by your board. Samples can be found in the Self- Assessment Document.
  6. Identify a Grievance Committee and develop a grievance procedure and have it approved by your board. Samples can be found in the Self-Assessment Survey.
  7. Print out a Plan Outline. This can be obtained by logging onto The Arts Council's Website
  8. Write the plan using the Plan Outline format. Refer to your completed self-assessment survey when writing each section of your plan. Be sure to include in a narrative or a chart format your current status, your objectives and action steps in each area, person or persons responsible for each action step, your timeline, and the cost for each action item. Be sure that your timeline is realistic.
  9. Utilize the New Jersey Arts Access Task Force for assistance.
  10. Have your plan reviewed and approved by your Board and members of the ADA Advisory Board.
For Further Info:
Design for Accessibility: A Cultural Administrator’s Handbook

A resource designed to help you not only comply with Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, but to assist you in making access an integral part of your organization’s planning, mission, programs, outreach, meetings, budget and staffing. Available on loan from your County and Cultural Offices, New Jersey Theatre Alliance and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

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The Cultural Access Network is a co-sponsored project of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts / Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.