All The Tools You Need To Build An Inclusive Community
This program equips faith leaders with practical frameworks, real-world examples, and actionable tools to remove barriers to participation across physical, digital, and community spaces. You’ll learn how to move from good intentions to intentional design, so belonging is built into how your community functions and is not left to chance.
Watch Two Lessons for FreeTransform Your Faith Community
Belonging By Design™ - Leadership Training For Accessible Faith Communities
Attendance does not usually collapse overnight. It erodes quietly. Families miss a week. Then another. Seniors attend less frequently. Caregivers opt for livestream instead of navigating the building. Eventually, people disconnect, not because they lost belief, but because participation became exhausting.Â
Accessibility is not a facilities project. It is not a compliance issue. It is a retention strategy hiding in plain sight.
Unlock Action Today
15+ Informative
Videos
Structured training that moves you from awareness to real-world implementation.
6 - 21 Mins
Lessons Each
Focused sessions that respect your time while delivering practical insight.
Resources To Support Your Progress
Downloadable tools and templates that turn learning into action.
Online Community of Like-Minded Learners
Ongoing peer support so you can lead this work with confidence.
80% of families effected by disability are unchurched
That's not a niche gap, it's one of the largest untapped communities in your congregation's reach. Belonging by Design™ unlocks the knowledge your leadership and volunteers need to welcome these families with real confidence, not guesswork. The return isn't abstract: every family who finally finds a church that sees them becomes a member who stays, gives, serves, and brings others. A congregation that gets this right doesn't just grow its numbers, it grows a community rooted in belonging.
Discover What You'll LearnMEETÂ CHERYL
Cheryl Mitchell is the CEO and Co-Founder of AccessForge and has dedicated her career to advancing accessibility and empowering organizations to design for inclusion from the start. With over 25 years of experience in disability policy, inclusive research, and program development, Cheryl works to bridge empathy, evidence, and impact, turning accessibility into measurable progress.
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Read My Story"We Have a Special Needs Ministry." Is That the Whole Story?
Special Needs Ministries are doing real, meaningful work, and for most communities, they're reaching about 17% of the people with disabilities who might walk through the door. The other 83%? Often invisible: chronic illness, hearing loss, low vision, mental health conditions, disabilities you'd never notice at a glance. We wrote about that gap, why it's so easy to miss, and what a fuller approach to belonging can look like.
Learn Why That's Just the Start
Accessibility is about dignity. It’s about respecting people enough to design for them.
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Judy Heumann
Pioneer of Disability Rights
Bring Your Whole Leadership Team Along
Real change doesn’t happen in isolation, it happens when leaders, staff, and volunteers learn together. Our group discount is designed for faith communities that want shared language, shared understanding, and shared momentum around accessibility. When five or more people enroll, you receive 20% off each seat, full access to the training, and community access for every participant, so learning continues beyond the videos. Fill out the form below, and someone from AccessForge will reach out to learn more about your community, answer questions, and help you take the next step, together.
Learn More About Group PricingChampion Accessibility: Become an Affiliate
Real inclusion requires trusted voices willing to lead the way. If you are a faith-based influencer, speaker, or community leader passionate about breaking down barriers, we want to partner with you. Our affiliate program is designed to equip your audience with practical accessibility tools while creating a meaningful revenue stream for your platform. When you join the program, you earn a generous 30% commission for every enrollment generated through your unique link. Click below to learn more about the program, fill out a brief application, and use your voice to help communities create spaces where everyone truly belongs.
Explore the Affiliate ProgramLearn Why Belonging is By Design ™
Faith communities face real challenges around growth, aging membership, and engagement. This explores how accessibility addresses those challenges, positioning inclusive design as a smart, strategic investment that strengthens community and ensures sustainability.
