ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY
Golden Gate Regional Center is offering scholarships to
Guidelight Group's Essential Independent Facilitator Training Program
for people who are committed to serving Golden Gate Regional Center clients in San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties.
We're looking for people from underserved communities in GGRC's area, including Black and African American communities and Spanish- and Cantonese-speaking communities, who can meet the cultural and language needs of the families they serve.
Want to learn more?
Join an upcoming Discovery Call to meet our instructors, get answers to your questions, and learn more about the program and the scholarship.
IMPORTANT DATES & DEADLINES
Program Deadlines:
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Application Deadline: Friday, November 20, 2026
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Awardees Notified: by December 4, 2026
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Awardee Orientation: January 13, 2027 | 10:30-11:30 am
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Training Dates and Meeting times: January 27-March 31, 2027, Wednesdays 10:30 am-12 pm
Discovery Call Options (click here to register):
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Tuesday, November 3, 12:30-1:00 pm
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Tuesday, November 10, 9:30-10:00 am
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Thursday, November 19, 12-12:30 pm
All sessions are held online.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What is the Regional Center system?
Regional Centers are agencies in California that help people with developmental disabilities and their families get the services and support they need to live full lives in their communities.
You do not need to be an expert in the Regional Center system to apply for this scholarship — but it helps if you already have some information about the system and the needs of people with developmental disabilities.
2. What is the Self-Determination Program (SDP)?
This is a program any client of any Regional Center can choose to join. It allows the participant to choose how to spend money from their Regional Center budget to meet their needs. It’s a way for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to have more choice and control over the services they receive through California’s Regional Center system.
If you’d like to learn more about the Self-Determination Program and how Regional Center clients can benefit, click here.
3. What is an Independent Facilitator (IF)?
An independent facilitator (IF) helps people make a life plan (called a Person-Centered Plan), choose their services, and connect with supports in their community.
An independent facilitator can:
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Advocate for their clients to access the services and supports they need.
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Find opportunities in the community that the person would enjoy.
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Help look for new services based on the person's needs.
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Review the client's spending to make sure it's on track.
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Support communication between the client and their team.
The independent facilitator gets paid by the client through their Regional Center budget.
If you’d like to learn more about the role of an Independent Facilitator, click here.
4. Who Can Get a Scholarship?
This opportunity is for people from underserved communities in GGRC's area, including Spanish- and Cantonese-speaking communities, who want to support people with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families. If you want to help people make their own choices and have more control over the services in their lives, this may be a great fit for you.
SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS
About the Program:
The purpose of this scholarship is to increase the number of qualified local independent facilitators who support Golden Gate Regional Center clients from underserved communities in accessing the Self-Determination Program (SDP). Ultimately, the goal is to increase SDP participation among underserved communities in San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties.
Recipients of the Golden Gate Regional Center scholarship will have access to all of the components of Guidelight Group's standard training program, including:
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24+ hours of video instruction (with closed captioning)
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9 weekly live skill-building workshops
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Weekly office hours
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Individual coaching and personal feedback on your assignments
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Group coaching sessions
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Extensive, downloadable resource library
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Customized tools and templates
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Free membership in The IF Collective, our community of IFs
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Six months of small-group mentorship after the training
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A welcome orientation, plus a final session on working with GGRC, presented with GGRC staff
Visit our main independent facilitator training page for more info.
Scholarship Value:
The cost to attend Guidelight Group's Essential Independent Facilitator Training Program is $1,980. Golden Gate Regional Center is offering a scholarship of $1,700 per person, which leaves a small out of pocket investment of $280 per person.
For those who are not able to make the out-of-pocket investment, up to six full scholarships are available. You can indicate your need for a full scholarship on the application.
Eligibility:
The scholarship program is intended for people who have some understanding of Regional Center services and the needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and who are interested in the role of an independent facilitator.
Scholarship recipients must commit to serving the underserved community they represent within the Golden Gate Regional Center area (San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties). Spanish- and Cantonese- speaking applicants desired.
The training is offered in English, so the ability to read and write in English is required. Closed captioning is provided on all pre-recorded videos. Applicants must complete the online scholarship application to be considered.
Requirements:
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Ability to complete 4 hours of self-paced online learning each week (2-3 hours of videos with closed captioning, 1-2 hours of reading and writing in English)
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Ability to attend 1.5 hour workshop sessions each week for 9 weeks (1 absence is permitted).
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Ability to access sessions via Zoom and course materials via an online learning platform.
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Ability to respectfully participate in virtual workshops and collaborate with classmates.
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Ability to read and write in English, and understand official Regional Center documents and simple spreadsheets.
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Willingness to provide General Self-Directed Supports under service code 099 or PDS 099, to support people to transition into the Self-Determination Program (paid at approximately $50/hour).
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Commitment to serving the community you represent as an independent facilitator.
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Willingness to sign a scholarship agreement with GGRC, share your progress with your mentor, and complete a short survey one year after the training.
Priority will be given to applicants who meet the following criteria:
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Live within (or near) the Golden Gate Regional Center area (San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties)
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Have ties to and/or currently serve underserved communities, such as Spanish- or Cantonese-speaking, or Black and African American communities
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Speak the language of the community you will serve, such as Spanish or Cantonese, if it isn't English
Guidelight Group and Golden Gate Regional Center reserve the right not to select an applicant for the scholarship if, in its determination, the applicant is not qualified for or sufficiently responsive to the scholarship intent.
