After a spinal cord injury (SCI), there is a period that doesn’t get talked about much. The most critical window of medical care has passed, the intensity of early rehabilitation has begun to settle, and the future is still taking shape. For many people, this is when the absence of the life they knew becomes most apparent. Not the dramatic losses, which have their own grief, but the quieter ones. The rhythm of a workday. A professional identity. Somewhere to be and a reason to be there. Work carries more than income—it creates purpose and when it disappears, what fills that space is not always easy to name.

     This is where many people with SCI begin to rethink how they might enter the workforce, not because someone introduces the idea, but because the desire to contribute is hard to ignore for long. A grantee partner researching this transition found that people who went through a structured return-to-work program reported that having someone dedicated to helping them think through their options, earlier in their recovery rather than later, made a meaningful difference in how prepared and supported they felt. What happens during that stretch of time matters enormously in shaping someone’s experience.

     Another partner has built an entire program around the philosophic idea that re-entering the workforce is often a gradual process. It is something you move toward through smaller acts of capability and contribution. This program allows people living with severe injuries to participate in a vocational program whether that begins with learning to use adaptive technology or taking part in work connected to the community around them. From the outside, these may look like activities; however, for the participants, these can be some of the first moments post-injury when they feel like someone with something to offer.

     One participant who was a skilled tradesman before their injury, made 175 handcrafted soaps for a fundraising gala. The work required their hands, their attention, and their care. The soaps were a hit! They were the reason.

     That kind of experience does not appear on a resume, but it belongs to the story of how someone gets ready to work again. The Neilsen Foundation is also proud to support a fellowship program that picks up further along that arc, placing people with SCI into paid, mentored roles in communications, public policy, nonprofit management, and other fields. The program offers coaching for writing, interview preparation, and access to professional networks, but what fellows describe as most valuable is harder to quantify. It is the experience of being in a professional environment where their disability is neither ignored nor centered. It allows individuals the opportunity to navigate the workplace as a person with SCI and is simply part of the conversation. Fellows leave the program better prepared to ask for accommodations, to talk about their experience with employers, and to understand that what they have been through is not a liability to manage but a perspective they carry.

     But returning to work after SCI involves far more than getting through the hiring process. Transportation remains one of the most persistent barriers to sustained employment for people with SCI, surfacing even after training and placement are complete. For some, it is the difference between holding a job and losing one.

     What the most effective programs understand is that returning to work after SCI is not a single event but a long sequence of them, and that support has to be present across the whole of it. The goal is not just placement—it is the kind of participation that holds, that gives someone not only an income but a reason to get up, somewhere to be, and people who expect them there. Finding the way back to that is not a small thing. We are proud to support the researchers, clinicians, and community organizations working to support the many parts of returning to work that go far beyond what appears on a resume.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) reshapes life in ways that go far beyond physical changes. It changes how people move through their days, how they connect with others, and how they see themselves over time. These experiences are central to life after injury, yet research has not always taken them into account. The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation’s Psychosocial Research (PSR) portfolio exists to help address that gap. This year, the Foundation announces 14 new PSR grants, supporting research that focuses on the emotional and social impact of living with SCI.

PSR grants support research that looks at mental health, relationships, identity, and participation in daily life, not only for individuals with SCI but also for family members and caregivers who support them. Over time, these efforts have shaped care practices, strengthened peer support programs, and contributed to tools that clinicians and individuals can use in real-world settings. A number of grants focus on building a deeper understanding of the challenges people face, while others give researchers more time to develop and test new approaches. Together, they help move ideas forward in ways that can lead to practical, usable solutions.

This year’s grants reflect both the complexity of life with SCI and the importance of looking at familiar challenges from new angles. One, for example, focuses on romantic partners, bringing attention to a part of sexual wellness that research has often overlooked. By working directly with the partner of someone living with SCI as well as their clinicians, the team aims to create tools that help couples navigate changes in intimacy and communication after injury—something many experience, but few resources directly address.

Another area of focus looks at loneliness, which continues to affect many people living with SCI even when they are connected to others. This effort builds on an existing group-based program designed to help people feel more confident in social situations. By adapting it specifically for SCI, researchers are exploring how structured support, shared experiences, and practical skills can help people reconnect in ways that feel meaningful and sustainable over time.

The work being supported stays grounded through ongoing input from people with lived experience. They shape this research at every stage and help ensure it reflects real needs and priorities. With goals to look at everyday challenges, find approaches that benefit daily living and identify barriers to participation, these perspectives keep the focus on what matters day to day and help build support that fits into people’s lives.

As spring arrives, people begin spending more time outdoors, whether that means tending to a garden, spending time on a trail, or simply gathering with others. For individuals living with spinal cord injury (SCI), those experiences are no different in principle, though they may look different in practice depending on the environment.

Across the world of SCI, organizations supported by the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation are creating more opportunities for people to spend time outside. Social connection influences well-being and through increased accessibility, community-based programming, as well as many rehabilitation environments, sharing time outdoors can have a significant impact on daily living.

Community programs reconnecting people with nature

For one grantee partner, the starting point was a garden. Their program invites individuals living with SCI to participate in small horticultural therapy sessions where participants grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers together as a group.

The program is intentionally structured to support an environment of inclusion through both participation, and connection:

• Small group sessions create space for conversation and shared learning
• Participants return regularly, allowing them to observe how the garden changes week by week as plants develop throughout the season
• Activities are adapted so people with different levels of mobility can take part comfortably

Participants often describe the experience as both relaxing and engaging. The program has organized more than 100 gardening sessions and events, creating regular opportunities for people with SCI to spend time outdoors and connect with others in their community.

Along California’s coastline, another grantee partner uses adaptive track systems that convert manual wheelchairs into all-terrain devices. With this equipment, individuals with SCI can explore beaches and coastal trails alongside volunteer naturalists and educators.

Collectively, these programs highlight how outdoor spaces can become welcoming environments when participation and access is thoughtfully designed.

Outdoor spaces in rehabilitation

Creating outdoor opportunities is also appearing more often in rehabilitation settings.

One grantee partner focused on improving access to a hospital’s garden for use during rehabilitation. The grant funded ceiling lift equipment on the SCI unit, making it easier for patients to transfer out of bed and participate in garden activities earlier in their recovery.

With this type of equipment available, patients began requesting frequent trips to the garden and found a relaxing way to spend time outside with family and friends. The space became another setting where patients could practice independence and learn important new life skills while continuing their rehabilitation.

Research exploring connection and well-being

Researchers are also examining how social environments influence health and quality of life after spinal cord injury. One study supported by the Neilsen Foundation explored social isolation and loneliness. Researchers surveyed 100s of individuals with SCI and mapped the structure of their social networks to better understand how relationships influence well-being.

The findings revealed that social networks were often small. On average, participants reported they had fewer than four people they could turn to for important conversations, and nearly one-third of participants reported high levels of loneliness. At the same time, individuals who interacted more frequently with their social networks and who had a wider range of connections reported lower loneliness and higher life satisfaction. This highlights how environments with community spaces create the opportunity for these important connections to develop naturally.

Looking ahead

These initiatives show how outdoor environments can support everyday life after spinal cord injury. Each program approaches the idea differently, but the goal is similar. They make it easier for people with SCI to spend time outside in ways that feel meaningful to them. Organizations continue developing these approaches while researchers study how connection and everyday environments influence well-being. This work is helping create more opportunities for individuals with SCI to stay engaged with their communities and the activities they enjoy.

 

When a spinal cord injury (SCI) happens in someone’s life, it does not arrive in isolation. It enters families that have already established how they communicate, make decisions, and support one another. It enters cultures rooted in language, history, and shared expectations about independence and responsibility. While SCI can disrupt daily routines and long-held roles, language and cultural values continue to guide how people adapt, renegotiate responsibilities, and make sense of change.

Disability is sometimes treated as if it creates a clean break, as if everything before it fades into the background. For most people living with SCI, that does not reflect reality. Life does not restart from zero—it continues within the pre-established language, relationships, and cultural context that were there prior to injury.

Research supported by the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation helps explain why language and culture are such an important part of this conversation. In one study, people living with SCI from different racial and ethnic backgrounds were asked to describe what independence meant to them in daily life. What researchers found was that those ideas were closely tied to culture. For some participants, independence was about doing things entirely on their own. For others, it meant being able to make decisions with their family, contribute to shared responsibilities, and stay connected to the community. These differences mattered. When programs and guidance matched how people already understood independence, they felt more confident and were more likely to use the support available to them. When independence was defined in a way that conflicted with their cultural values or family roles, those same resources often felt harder to apply.

Some grantee partners clearly see this dynamic in their programming. One organization working alongside tribal Native American communities learned early on that disability-focused outreach on its own was not enough. The challenge was not a lack of interest, but rather the language used to introduce SCI-related activities. The programs needed to connect to how people understood their place within the community. Instead of presenting adaptive sports as therapy or rehabilitation, the organization reframed participation around rebuilding physical strength, returning to ancestral lands, and stepping into leadership roles valued across generations. This shift worked because, in many tribal communities, identity is closely tied to land, responsibility, and continuity. When activities were introduced in this context, engagement increased, families became more involved, and referrals began coming through relatives and trusted community networks. Disability did not disappear, but it no longer stood apart from cultural identity. It became part of it.

Other grantee partners are addressing a related challenge through communication. They recognized that after SCI, information needs to be shared and is rarely processed by one person alone. Families often need to understand new concepts together, talk them through, and make decisions as a family. When information is only available in one language, that shared understanding can break down, especially in moments that already feel overwhelming. By developing educational resources in English, Spanish, and Chinese, organizations made it possible for individuals and families to learn side by side. A discussion in a language used at home allows people to move through complex topics, absorb information, express concerns, and ultimately, make decisions. When families could communicate naturally, they had a deeper understanding of the issues and were more confident applying what they learned to daily life.

Taken together, these efforts point to a clear lesson. One part of life is shaped by SCI but language, culture, and lived experience also play important roles. When this is kept as a part of the conversation, individuals and families are better able to navigate change in ways that feel real, grounded, and sustainable. The work we support at the Neilsen Foundation begins with this understanding. Because moving forward should never require leaving who you are behind.

There’s a particular kind of power that comes from being in a place where you don’t have to explain yourself. Where no one asks, “What happened?” first. Where you can show up as a whole person, curious, tired, funny, frustrated, hopeful, without being reduced to a single part of your story.

Across the world of spinal cord injury (SCI), shared experiences create those spaces. They might look like a peer mentor showing someone how to use a sports wheelchair for the first time. At times they’re quieter moments: talking honestly about mental health, body changes, or the emotional whiplash that can come with big life transitions. And sometimes they’re just about laughing, especially at the absurd comments people have heard in public more times than they can count.

These connections matter because they make room for both grief and growth, often at the same time. People can talk about what’s hard without being rushed toward positivity. They share moments of progress that carry real weight—the first solo trip, a routine that finally works, or a workaround that makes daily life more manageable. In these spaces, learning from someone who’s lived it turns “I didn’t know that was possible” into “Maybe I can try that too.”

One grantee partner is creating that kind of opportunity by launching and sustaining regional peer support groups that meet consistently each month, both in person and over Zoom. These groups bring together people living with SCI and caregivers to connect with trained peers, talk openly, and navigate real-life needs. This includes finding rehabilitation services and transportation, as well as locating adaptive equipment and mental health support. For many participants, especially those in areas with limited access to resources, these gatherings have become a steady source of understanding and support.

Other grantee partners focus on shared experience through action. Accessible community outings, adaptive recreation, and structured mentorship give people the chance to try things they once believed were out of reach, regardless of how long they’ve been living with SCI. From spending a day exploring museums with peers to building confidence through weekly mentorship and advocacy projects, these occasions help people re-engage with their communities and see themselves differently. Not because someone told them what was possible, but because they experienced it firsthand.

At the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, we support organizations that create and protect these kinds of spaces. Because progress in the world of SCI doesn’t only come from innovation or research, it also comes from listening, learning, and recognizing the quiet power of being understood.

 

After a spinal cord injury (SCI), life takes on a new rhythm.

Things that once felt automatic—getting dressed, leaving the house, going to an appointment, planning for work—can now depend on many people and systems working together. Daily life requires more coordination, communication, and follow-through.

At the center of all of this is trust.

Trust that accessible transportation will arrive as scheduled.
Trust that a medical office understands how to safely help someone transfer from a wheelchair to an exam table. (Of course, that assumes the table is accessible in the first place.)
Trust that paperwork, approvals, and follow-up conversations will move forward so progress does not stall unexpectedly.

For people living with SCI, trust is a necessary part of moving through the world. When trust is present, daily life feels more stable, more predictable, and more open to possibility.

The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation funds nonprofit organizations working across healthcare, community programs, and spinal cord injury research. Their work shows how trust is built through everyday interactions.

 

Where Trust Takes Root in Medical Care and Rehabilitation

For many people with SCI, trust begins in medical settings.

Soon after injury, individuals rely on a wide range of healthcare professionals: doctors who oversee medical decisions, nurses who provide day-to-day support, therapists who help rebuild strength and skills, and rehabilitation teams who guide the transition back to daily life. These relationships form quickly, often during an overwhelming and unfamiliar time.

Trust grows when these teams are prepared and communicate clearly. When healthcare teams understand how SCI affects the whole body and daily routines. When they explain what is happening, what decisions are being made, and what the next steps will look like.

One grantee partner supported training for OB/GYN practices focused on reproductive and sexual healthcare for women with SCI. This work recognized an important reality—many clinicians want to provide high-quality care, but may not encounter SCI often enough to feel fully confident navigating practical details such as safe transfers, positioning during exams, or conversations about sexuality, family planning, and independence.

Providers worked through common scenarios before patients arrived, allowing them to prepare in advance rather than problem solve in the moment.

When medical teams are prepared, appointments tend to go more smoothly. Conversations feel more focused and respectful. Patients can spend less energy explaining logistics and more time engaging in their care. Trust grows when preparation is shared and supported.

 

Trust That Extends into Everyday Life

As people move beyond the hospital or rehabilitation setting, trust continues to play a central role.

Life after SCI often involves coordinating housing, transportation, insurance benefits, employment, and ongoing medical appointments. These systems are usually managed separately, which means things can slow or come to a halt if one piece is missing or unclear.

Community-based organizations help connect these parts of life.

One grantee partner supports individuals through a peer support program built around a community health worker model, led by people with SCI. A community health worker is someone who understands life with SCI firsthand and helps individuals navigate complex systems, such as housing applications, transportation arrangements, or follow-up appointments, by staying involved and helping keep things moving forward.

In one situation, a newly injured person was ready to begin inpatient rehabilitation, an intensive therapy program designed to support recovery and independence. However, rehab could not begin without a confirmed, safe place to live afterward. At the same time, the individual did not have a phone or reliable internet access, making it difficult to coordinate housing independently.

Through this program, staff worked with hospital staff, housing organizations, and community services to identify a temporary housing option. That support continued as longer-term plans were explored, allowing rehabilitation to begin as scheduled.

The same program also supported another individual several years after injury. After a long period without meeting others who shared similar experiences, they were invited to community events and introduced to peers living with SCI. Over time, those connections led to friendships, access to adaptive equipment, support in learning to drive, and confidence to explore new job opportunities.

In both cases, trust was built through continuous involvement. Program staff stayed engaged, followed through, and remained a consistent point of support over time.

 

Trust Strengthened Through Research

Trust also shapes how people with SCI engage with research, especially when studies influence healthcare practices, workplace policies, and community programs.

One grantee partner examined employment outcomes by studying how health insurance coverage, disability benefits, and out-of-pocket medical costs affect decisions about returning to work. The research explored practical, day-to-day questions: How do healthcare costs change when someone works more hours? What risks do people weigh when deciding whether to return to work? How do benefit rules influence those decisions?

People with SCI were involved throughout the study. They helped identify questions that reflected real concerns and reviewed survey language to ensure it matched how decisions are made. Testing the surveys in real-world settings helped ensure the findings were clear, relevant, and useful beyond academic research.

Another grantee focused on healthcare experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals with SCI by listening to both patients and clinicians. The study highlighted areas where clearer communication and additional training could strengthen trust and improve care experiences, offering insight into how healthcare environments can better support people with diverse identities alongside SCI.

Research like this helps translate lived experience into knowledge that healthcare systems, employers, and community organizations can use to improve how they support people with SCI.

 

Why Trust Matters

Trust is built over time. It grows when organizations are prepared, communicate clearly, and remain consistent in how they show up for the people they serve.

For people living with SCI, that kind of trust creates stability. It makes it easier to plan ahead, pursue goals, and move through daily life with greater confidence.

 

Friends,

As we approach the end of the year and think about what’s to come, we’re forced to reimagine our future in a time of unknowns. I’ve always been a big fan of strategic planning—looking ahead and charting a course gives me a clear sense of purpose and direction. It helps guide me in mission-based decisions and prevents reactive responses that don’t always produce the desired results. In a moment where scientific expertise and human compassion are being challenged, time is critical and we can’t wait for a better political climate to respond. The risk of a “wait-and-see” strategy is that many of our grantee partners may not survive.

We are living in a time where we must reimagine what sustainability looks like. From small grassroot efforts to large academic institutions, in laboratories and adaptive sports clinics, we’ve spent decades building a nonprofit infrastructure that fuels our work and advances our shared values. We broadened our view of the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation’s role in supporting this community; while assuming federal funding would remain the backbone in sustaining research, education, and healthcare, as well as serving as the voice for equity. That approach has led us to make more multi-year programmatic grants, support research that celebrates creativity, and champion mentorship and leadership development—all serving to position issues related to spinal cord injury to be more competitive in obtaining federal, state, and other support.

Well, you know the adage about what happens when we “assume.” Like it or not, this structure is crumbling around us. How we got here is a conversation for another day. What matters now is what we do about it. What proactive steps will develop new models of sustainability? Researchers can’t innovate if they are in constant crisis mode. Nonprofit leaders won’t be able to nurture their organizations if their base of support disappears and the need for capacity building isn’t prioritized. The Neilsen Foundation has begun to shift in response to the changing environment—acknowledging that nonprofits need unrestricted funding and making annual grants at levels above the IRS required minimum distribution of 5% for private foundations.

Philanthropy, no matter how large a foundation might be, can’t take the place of federal funding. The need is just too great. At this critical moment, our role is to find strategic ways to help our grantee partners through this unexpected systemic shift, to help them build the muscle they need to thrive in a post-federal landscape. We need to accept the fact that this is not a temporary fix or something we can wait out; it will have to be a permanent change in how we do business.

We must think about the decline in federal funding beyond the fiscal challenge and see it as a call to action. Now is the time to lead with innovation, not hesitation. Rather than waiting for more favorable government leadership, a luxury we can’t afford, our communities must commit to taking immediate steps to address the challenges posed. The needs of our communities are not going away, and if we pit one dire need against another, no one will win in the end. A pivotal part of this transformation will be embracing partnerships. Collaboration between researchers, nonprofits, and funders that includes the voice of people with lived experience, is essential in shaping a sustainable future. As we create new funding strategies, we must continue to value inclusion, adaptability, creativity, and a willingness to challenge the status quo. These values, which were modeled by our Founder, will also shape Voices from the Community, a new segment of our eBlasts coming in 2026 designed to elevate perspectives from people across the world of SCI.

I encourage you to think about something you can do to help move us in this direction. Everyone must participate. It doesn’t matter how big or small your idea is—what we need is the collective determination to keep moving forward. Imagine what’s possible.

Be well and happy holidays,

 

Kym Eisner, Executive Director

 

The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation has awarded grants to 59 nonprofits through its Creating Opportunity & Independence (CO&I) portfolio. These organizations will leverage their funding to expand access, inclusion, and quality of life for people living with spinal cord injury (SCI). Our new grantee partners reflect the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to supporting programs that create meaningful opportunities for individuals to live active and engaged lives in their communities.

The Community Support Grants focus on three key areas: improving accessibility in how things are done, supporting the activities people can participate in, and strengthening the transitions they go through after injury. Collectively, these grants recognize that independence looks different for everyone, and that progress is built through inclusion at every stage of life.

Many of this year’s partners are rethinking environments, technology, and community spaces to better meet the needs of people with SCI. Acknowledging the importance of lived experience, several are incorporating lived experience into the design of public spaces—ensuring that trails, theaters, and recreation areas are both functional and welcoming. Others are closing everyday gaps through innovation, such as adaptive gaming and mobility devices that make participation possible for individuals with limited mobility. These efforts show how thoughtful design and collaboration can redefine what it means to be accessible.

Another theme this year is to bring people together through shared activities. Across the arts, sports, and peer support, grantee partners are creating spaces for connection and creativity. Some programs are introducing art and music therapy into rehabilitation settings, helping participants express themselves and build confidence as a critical part of recovery. Other organizations are expanding access to adaptive recreation and fitness programs, making movement a shared, community experience. Each effort contributes to belonging and wellbeing, reminding us that connection is just as vital to independence as access itself.

The third area of funding addresses key life transitions, supporting individuals as they move from hospital to home and beyond. This includes programs that make living spaces safer and more functional, offer adaptive driving instruction, or help people return to work or school with the right technology and equipment. Organizations are also focusing on skill-building and resource navigation, ensuring that individuals and families can approach new stages of life with confidence. The goal of this work is to help remove barriers that can limit independence and participation in daily life.

The Foundation is proud to make this $7.4 million investment and stand alongside grantee partners who are driving progress in practical, human-centered ways. Their work reflects dedication, creativity, and a shared belief that inclusion and opportunity strengthen not only the SCI community, but the broader communities we all belong to.

 

Travel opens doors to connection, work, and exploration, offering experiences that can shape lives in meaningful ways. But, for people with spinal cord injuries (SCI), it also comes with questions that most travelers never have to consider: Will my wheelchair be safe on the flight? Will the hotel room actually match the description online? What steps do I need to take to stay healthy on a long trip? These challenges are real, but so are the solutions, shaped by community programs, healthcare guidance, and research projects working toward better systems of accessibility.

Community Impact

Lodging is one of the most common pressure points in travel. A Craig H. Neilsen Foundation grantee partner found that more than 90% of travelers with SCI who used hotels after injury encountered environmental barriers. What stood out most was not the lack of features, but the lack of reliable information. Without clear details about room dimensions, bathroom layouts, or bed heights, travelers often arrived to find spaces that didn’t work for them, only after long hours on the road.

Efforts are underway to change that. A grantee-partner of the Neilsen Foundation developed a framework for hotels to share accurate accessibility details online, including measurements and photos, so guests can make informed choices before booking. The concept is simple, but powerful: when travelers know what to expect, they report feeling not only more confident in booking, but also more welcomed by the property itself.

Changes making a difference for travelers with SCI include:

• Hotels listing accessibility features such as bed height, doorway width, and roll-in shower availability online.
• Communities piloting better accessibility standards for recreation and lodging.

Each of these steps, though incremental, adds up to fewer surprises and more freedom for people who want to keep traveling.

Health Implications

Preparing for travel also means planning for health. A long flight is not only about endurance. For people with SCI, it can raise risks such as pressure sores and circulation issues from sitting upright for long periods, urinary tract infections, or dangerous fatigue. Our grantee partners have emphasized how proactive strategies can make all the difference.

Medication and health management are other key factors. Travelers often need to adapt dosing schedules when crossing time zones or spending long stretches in transit without predictable access to restrooms or refrigeration. Rehabilitation specialists frequently guide people through these adjustments so trips remain safe and sustainable.

These health considerations place an additional burden on individuals with SCI while traveling and are essential for turning a stressful journey into a manageable one. And they remind us that accessible travel is not only about physical space but also about protecting health and energy so that the trip itself can be enjoyed.

Research Effect

While community efforts and healthcare guidance address immediate needs, research is laying the groundwork for broader change. Current grantee work is gathering in-depth accounts from travelers with SCI to create recommendations for airline and airport personnel training. The goal is straightforward: staff who understand the realities of SCI are better prepared to handle equipment, transfers, and emergencies safely.

This work connects directly with wider industry challenges. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation fined a major airline $50 million for mistreating passengers with disabilities and their equipment, the largest disability-related fine in airline history (Los Angeles Times). More recently, proposed federal rules aim to strengthen protections and hold carriers accountable when mobility devices are broken or delayed (Fortune). These developments highlight both the scale of the problem and the urgency of solutions.

Airlines are beginning to respond. Some airlines, such as Delta, have publicly committed to testing new seating designs, distributing evacuation tools, and expanding accessibility advisory groups. Yet even with these advances, gaps remain. The interviews and focus groups underway with travelers with SCI in the U.S. and Canada are designed to close those gaps, producing recommendations that airlines can act on immediately.

Solutions do not always begin with renovations. Often, they start with better training, clearer data, and a commitment to listening.

Looking Ahead

For people with SCI, travel continues to evolve. While barriers remain, change is underway: hotels are sharing clearer accessibility details, healthcare providers are equipping travelers with strategies for safe journeys, and researchers are advancing solutions shaped by the lived expertise of the SCI community. Step by step, these efforts are expanding opportunities and making travel a more seamless, enjoyable experience.

The future of accessible travel is about ensuring that people can make decisions with dignity and confidence, and ultimately about shifting the question from “Will this trip even be possible?” to “Where should I go next?”

 

Each year, the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation supports organizations working to improve the lives of people with spinal cord injury (SCI). In 2025, the Foundation’s continued commitment to research and education is something we are proud of.  These new grants speak to the core purposes of the Spinal Cord Injury Research on the Translational Spectrum (SCIRTS), SCI Medicine Fellowships (SCIMF), and the Neilsen Scholarship Program (NSP) portfolios, which reflect the values of our Founder and the important work happening across the field of SCI.

Through SCIRTS, more than $9 million in new research funding has been awarded to institutions tackling real-world challenges faced by people with SCI. These projects explore ways to reduce pain, prevent falls, improve bladder function, and restore aspects of sexual health. Several of these grants will support the use of artificial intelligence and computer modeling to better understand how treatments work as well as making care more personalized. Many research teams are also building stronger connections with people with SCI, highlighting the value of including lived experience to help keep the work grounded and relevant.

In healthcare, the SCIMF portfolio continues to underwrite academic centers and hospitals training the next generation of physicians who specialize in SCI medicine. This year, $1.1 million in new grants will support 10 fellows at eight institutions. These doctors-in-training are gaining experience in clinical care as well as outreach and community-based initiatives. Several programs are building innovative partnerships to expand what SCI medicine can look like within and beyond the hospital setting.

The Foundation continues to fund colleges and universities committed to removing financial and accessibility barriers for students with SCI through NSP. A total of $3.4 million in grants was awarded to 13 institutions to support 33 students pursuing a wide range of degrees. While each academic path is unique, many students see their success as part of something larger. As a University of Florida graduate shared, NSP “provided an opportunity for me to be a role model within the community, as an encouragement to current and upcoming students, who aspire to better their lives and realize that it is possible despite any physical or mental limitations.”

While each portfolio focuses on a different area, the connection between them is what strengthens the overall impact. Research generates new knowledge, medical training ensures that knowledge reaches people through care, and educational access helps individuals shape their own future. Together, these efforts create a more informed, responsive, and supportive SCI ecosystem.

The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation is grateful to the organizations and individuals who bring expertise, dedication, and heart to every effort. Their work moves the field forward and makes a lasting impact in the lives of people with SCI. It’s a privilege to support these partners and their progress in 2025 and beyond.