Thank you for your interest in applying to UW LEND. Our Program prepares individuals from a variety of disciplines, including family members and self-advocates, to be future leaders serving and advocating for the disability community. The UW LEND mission is to develop a workforce of leaders who represent the communities we serve. We are committed to bringing together learners from a variety of backgrounds and lived experiences.
As a UW LEND long-term trainee you will:
- Complete ≥ 300 hours of training to include classroom learning and discussion, clinical practice, community-based experiences, and leadership activities
- Commit 6-8 hours per week on LEND activities for 9 months
- Complete a mentored leadership project
- Meet with assigned faculty mentor on regular basis
- Receive a base stipend with opportunity to apply for additional needs-based funding*
*The UW LEND program is supported by a federal HRSA/MCHB grant, as such stipends are based on availability and offered only to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
Applications for enrollment for the 2026-2027 program year are now open through April 17, 2026.
Please note that we are applying for a 5-year renewal of our federal LEND grant. We encourage you to apply to be a UW LEND trainee. We will make admission announcements in early Summer upon confirmation of our funding award.
Applications accepted from:
- Students enrolled in an advanced graduate program
- Individuals completing a post-doctoral fellowship
- Mid-career community professionals
- Family members of a loved one with a developmental disability
- Self-advocates: individuals who self-identify as having a developmental disability or neurodiversity and are ready to grow their leadership and advocacy skills
Are you a Self-Advocate applying to UW LEND? Click here to learn about the self-advocate training experience and how to apply. Please email our Self-Advocate Faculty team and let them know you want to apply to UW LEND: Ben Moore bmoor2@uw.edu , and Kathleen Lehman lehmank@uw.edu. They want to meet you and will help you complete your application.
For questions or to request assistance completing your application, please contact nan Ringera.
*For those in Speech Language Pathology completing their Clinical Fellowship Year, UW LEND does not fund/hire SLP clinical fellows. SLP applicants with CFY placements in the community are welcome to apply to UW LEND with the agreement of the CFY supervisor.
