Accessibility Commitment

Our Accessibility Standards

We strive to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards across our entire platform. This means implementing proper semantic HTML, ensuring keyboard navigability, maintaining sufficient color contrast, providing meaningful alt text for images, and creating a responsive design that works across devices and assistive technologies. We've also included features like the "Skip to Content" link to improve navigation for screen reader users.

Our commitment extends beyond technical compliance to embrace the spirit of inclusive design. We've taken care to write in plain language, maintain consistent navigation patterns, and provide clear feedback for all interactive elements. Every piece of data visualization is designed with accessibility in mind, offering alternative ways to access the information beyond visual representations alone.

We recognize that accessibility is especially crucial for a civic engagement tool like ours. Health conditions and disabilities affect millions of Americans who deserve equal access to advocate for research funding. By making our platform accessible, we ensure that the very people who may benefit most from NIH funding can effectively make their voices heard in the democratic process.

Our commitment to accessibility mirrors our broader mission of inclusivity and civic participation. Just as we believe public health research should benefit everyone, we believe public advocacy tools should be usable by everyone. This isn't just about meeting legal requirements—it's about living up to our values and respecting the dignity and rights of all visitors to our site.

We acknowledge that achieving perfect accessibility is an ongoing journey, not a destination. Despite our best efforts, there may be gaps or oversights in our implementation. These aren't intentional but stem from our own limitations and the evolving nature of web technologies. We view accessibility as a process of continuous improvement, and we're committed to learning and adapting.

That's why we welcome your feedback. If you encounter any barriers while using Our Health ROI, please let us know. Your insights help us identify issues we might have missed and make the site better for everyone. We promise to take your feedback seriously and address issues promptly. After all, this is a citizen-built tool intended to serve all citizens—and your input is essential to fulfilling that mission.

We test our site regularly with various assistive technologies, including screen readers and keyboard-only navigation. However, we recognize that real-world usage often reveals issues that testing can miss. If you use assistive technology and have suggestions for how we can better accommodate your needs, your expertise is invaluable to us. Together, we can make this platform truly inclusive.

Accessibility isn't just a technical requirement—it's a reflection of our values. We believe in digital equity and in removing barriers to civic participation. By making our site accessible, we're working to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to advocate for the health research funding that affects us all. Because a democracy works best when everyone can participate fully.