09 The Ask

Eight chapters of evidence point to the same conclusion. The site excludes the people Laradon exists to serve. The legal exposure is real and quantified. The financial case is overwhelming. And the fix is achievable. What we’re asking the board to do is straightforward: approve a plan, set a timeline, and start this week.

At a Glance What We're Asking

This is the decision page. Everything before this — the barriers, the legal exposure, the financial risk, the vendor gaps, the roadmap — leads here. We’re asking the board to approve Option B: a professional remediation investment of $30K–$100K over 8–12 weeks. Start the seven zero-cost fixes this week. Convene the Risk Committee within 10 business days. The rest follows a clear, phased plan.
$30K–$100K
Option B ★
8–12 wks
Timeline
10 days
Risk Committee
This Week
Zero-Cost Start

Approve Option B (professional remediation). Convene the Risk Committee within 10 business days. Begin zero-cost fixes immediately. This protects $15M+ in federal funding, 24 district contracts, and $3.5M in donation revenue — at 3–10× less than the cost of reacting to a lawsuit.

Resolution Proposed Board Resolution

RESOLVED: Laradon will implement a digital accessibility program aligned to WCAG 2.2 AA, beginning immediately, to remove barriers to participation, donation, and service access for people with disabilities and their caregivers. Laradon will:
  • Publish an accessibility statement and feedback mechanism (dedicated accessibility@laradon.org) within 14 days
  • Complete zero-cost remediation (lorem ipsum, broken contact links, countdown timer, lang attribute, fundraising counter) within 7 days
  • Complete a professional WCAG 2.2 AA audit and prioritized remediation plan within 30 days
  • Complete remediation and verification within 90 days, subject to budget approval and vendor availability
  • Require VPAT/ACR documentation from key third-party vendors (EveryAction, ApplyToJob, EdTech) and adopt accessibility requirements in future procurement
Audit Recommendation
"The Board is advised to convene its Risk Committee immediately to review this audit and authorize the execution of Phase 1 remediation within the next 10 business days." This audit constitutes formal notice of the risk — inaction after notice may affect D&O coverage.

Options Investment Levels

Option A: Minimal
$0–$5K · 2–4 weeks
Accessibility statement + feedback; remove lorem ipsum; fix link text; high-impact template fixes; basic PDF triage. Best for: "Stop the bleeding" — reduces reputational risk fast.
Option B: Moderate ★ Recommended
$30K–$100K · 8–12 weeks
Professional WCAG 2.2 audit ($8K–$20K); prioritized remediation sprints ($15K–$50K); PDF remediation (PDF/UA); vendor VPAT requests; re-audit/verification ($5K–$15K). Best for: Meaningful risk reduction + credible governance story.
Option C: Comprehensive
$80K–$150K+ · 4–6 months
Rebuild navigation + templates; design tokens for contrast/focus; full PDF library; accessibility governance + monitoring; EdTech procurement controls; participatory design testing. Best for: Long-term resilience and national leadership positioning.

ROI Return on Investment

$30K–$100K
Proactive investment (one-time) + $2K–$10K/yr monitoring · Financial analysis
$50K–$300K+
Lawsuit cost avoided (settlement + mandated remediation) · TestParty
$150,500
CO statutory damages avoided ($3,500 × 43 findings) · CO OIT FAQ
$15M+/yr
Federal funding secured (Medicaid, CDE) · Section 504
24
School district contracts preserved · Title II flow-down
$3.5M/yr
Donation revenue protected (Foundation FY23-24) · Foundation data
First in Colorado
PR value — "First IDD nonprofit in CO to achieve WCAG 2.2 AA" · Positive story
$30K–$100K
Investment
$15M+
Funding Protected
$300K+
Lawsuit Avoided

Owners Who Does What

Executive / Board
Pass resolution. Remove overlay (policy). Commission professional audit. Vendor VPAT requirements.
This week → 30 days
Communications / IT
Publish accessibility statement + accessibility@laradon.org. PDF inventory. EdTech disclosure.
14 days
Content Editors
Remove lorem ipsum. Fix link text (~20 instances). Add alt text. Fix heading structure. Correct Annual Report link.
7 days → 4 weeks
Skip link. Nav keyboard access. Focus indicators. Heading hierarchy. ARIA fixes. Target sizes. Modal fixes. lang attribute. aria-hidden on duplicate nav.
2–4 weeks
HR / Vendor
ApplyToJob: cookie banner fix + form labels. Request VPAT. Evaluate alternatives if no response.
2–4 weeks
Development Team
Consolidate donation flows. Coordinate with EveryAction on VPAT + remediation. Fix fundraising counter.
30–90 days

Key Numbers For the Board

43
Total unique findings · see all
10
Critical findings · see all
0 / 4
User journeys pass keyboard · findings
~25%
Estimated WCAG compliance · findings
12
Pages audited · findings
75+
Sources cited · see all
~210
Employees · laradon.org
24
School districts served · laradon.org
450+
People served annually · laradon.org
~$18M
Operating budget · laradon.org
$3.5M
Foundation raised FY23-24 · laradon.org
The Closing Thought
"Our mission is empowerment. Every one of these improvements directly serves the people Laradon exists to help. A student with Down Syndrome can find their school page independently. A parent with anxiety can donate without being pressured by a countdown timer. A job applicant with cerebral palsy can submit an application without exhausting themselves on 100 tab stops. This isn't compliance for compliance's sake — it's mission delivery through digital channels."