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Alberta Council of Disability Services

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Overview of Project

In 2025, as Alberta’s community disability services sector faced profound transformation driven by government restructuring, leadership turnover, and rising complexity, the Alberta Council of Disability Services (ACDS) recognized the need to review and reaffirm its mandate and chart a sustainable path forward. Incite was engaged to guide ACDS through a comprehensive strategic planning process, ensuring the organization could respond effectively to sector-wide shifts while maintaining its core values and strengthening its impact.

Background of Client

ACDS serves as the collective voice for disability service providers across Alberta, advocating for excellence in service delivery, effective public policy, and professional standards. The organization sits at the centre of complex, evolving policy and funding environments, requiring both strong leadership and deep sector alignment to achieve its vision: an environment where people with disabilities live full lives as citizens supported by a vibrant network of services in their communities.

Incite-led Deliverables

Incite’s engagement began with a robust discovery phase, including individual interviews with board and sector leaders, review of governance and strategy documents, and a thorough assessment of internal and external dynamics. This process surfaced an emerging need requiring Board engagement and alignment: ACDS needed consensus on whether to maintain a traditional focus on PDD (Persons with Developmental Disabilities) or expand its scope to consider a broader focus on disability services.

To address this, Incite facilitated a strategic planning session using the LEAP framework (look to the future, evaluate the current state, assess alternatives, and plan next steps), enabling the board and leadership to examine alternatives, align around critical priorities, and openly debate future directions. The session led to agreement on a renewed strategic direction, balancing thoughtful adaptation with the preservation of core values.

Following the session, Incite synthesized insights and decisions into a new three-year strategic plan, supported by a concise one-page summary. The plan leans into ACDS’ four strategic pillars:

  • Influence and Advocate
  • Strengthen the Community Disability Services Sector
  • Foster Connections and Collaborative Opportunities
  • Strengthen our Foundations

To ensure successful adoption, Incite developed and supported the rollout of an engagement and implementation plan. This included facilitated sessions with staff, members, and external partners, as well as tailored communication strategies to drive alignment and foster buy-in during a period of sector change.

”Incite helped make space for our Board and leadership team to effectively engage in the necessary but uncomfortable conversations around organizational focus, change, and how ACDS can best serve the community disability services sector.

Andrea Hesse, CEOAlberta Council of Disability Services

Impact

The result was a clear, actionable roadmap that positioned ACDS to lead with confidence through uncertainty. The process enabled greater alignment among leadership and members, clarified advocacy and sector development priorities, and equipped ACDS with the frameworks, tools, and communications needed to sustain momentum. Early indicators of impact included improved member engagement, strengthened relationships with government partners, and tangible progress on workforce development and sector collaboration.

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