Get Involved

ACCESSIBILITY & TRANSPARENCY

Last Updated: September 25, 2026

Accessibility & Transparency

Heritage Ways was created around a simple belief: meaningful places, stories, history, and culture should be within reach of more people.

Accessibility, inclusion, responsible stewardship, and transparency are central to that mission.

Our Commitment to Accessibility

Heritage Ways is committed to making HeritageWays.org and the virtual experiences we create as accessible and usable as reasonably possible for people with disabilities and people who use different technologies or methods to interact with digital content.

Digital accessibility is not simply a website feature for Heritage Ways. It is an important part of why our organization exists.

Our Accessibility Goal

Heritage Ways aims to follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA wherever reasonably possible.

Our accessibility efforts may include:

  • Keyboard-accessible navigation
  • Screen-reader-friendly page structure
  • Alternative text for meaningful images
  • Captions for recorded speech
  • Transcripts for video and audio
  • Audio descriptions where appropriate
  • Sufficient color contrast
  • Readable and adjustable text
  • Accessible forms and controls
  • Clear headings and page structure
  • Alternatives to information communicated solely through images, sound, or motion
  • Multiple ways to experience important educational and interpretive information

Accessibility is an ongoing process, and we continue to evaluate and improve our digital experiences as technology, accessibility guidance, and our content evolve.

Accessibility & 360° Virtual Experiences

Interactive 360° environments and immersive media create unique opportunities—and unique accessibility challenges.

Heritage Ways works to make important educational and interpretive information available through more than one method whenever reasonably possible.

Depending on the experience, accessible supporting content may include:

  • Audio narration and descriptions
  • Captions and transcripts
  • Keyboard navigation
  • Written descriptions
  • Alternative text
  • Photographs
  • Structured educational content
  • Other alternative formats

Our goal is to ensure that an inability to visually or physically navigate an immersive environment does not unnecessarily prevent someone from accessing the important stories and information contained within it.

Third-Party Accessibility

Some experiences on HeritageWays.org may rely on third-party technologies that provide virtual tours, video, maps, donations, or other interactive content.

Heritage Ways seeks to select and configure these technologies with accessibility in mind. However, some aspects of a third-party interface may be outside our direct control.

If you encounter a barrier within a third-party experience accessed through HeritageWays.org, please contact us. We will make reasonable efforts to help provide the underlying information or experience through an alternative method where possible.

Accessibility Feedback

Feedback from people with disabilities is an important part of improving Heritage Ways.

If you encounter difficulty accessing any part of our website or a virtual experience, please let us know.

When contacting us, it is helpful to include the page or experience you were attempting to access, the barrier you encountered, the device/browser/assistive technology involved if relevant, and the type of assistance or alternative format that would be useful.

You are not required to disclose a disability or medical diagnosis to report an accessibility issue or request assistance.

Accessibility Contact

For accessibility questions, feedback, or requests for assistance:

Heritage Ways
Email: [ACCESSIBILITY EMAIL]

Heritage Ways will make reasonable efforts to respond and provide accessible information or an alternative method of access where possible.

Organizational & Financial Transparency

Heritage Ways is committed to responsible stewardship of the donations, grants, partnerships, and other resources entrusted to our organization.

Financial support helps Heritage Ways research, document, preserve, and create accessible digital experiences of culturally, historically, and naturally significant places.

Nonprofit Status

Heritage Ways is recognized as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. No goods or services are provided in exchange for a charitable contribution unless otherwise identified in the donor’s acknowledgment or receipt.

Only keep the paragraph above if Heritage Ways has already received its IRS 501(c)(3) determination.

Annual Reports

As reports become available, Heritage Ways will make organizational and financial information available here to help donors, partners, grantmakers, and the public understand our work and how resources support our mission.

2026 Annual Report
To be published following completion of the reporting year.

[DOWNLOAD ANNUAL REPORT]

IRS Form 990

Applicable Form 990-series filings will be made available as they become available.

[VIEW FORM 990]

Responsible Stewardship

Heritage Ways is committed to using charitable resources responsibly in support of our mission, including:

  • Accessible virtual heritage experiences
  • 360° and immersive documentation
  • Cultural and historical research
  • Digital preservation
  • Accessibility development and evaluation
  • Educational resources
  • Community and organizational partnerships
  • Technology that expands access to heritage experiences

Financial Questions

Questions regarding Heritage Ways financial information, charitable giving, or organizational transparency, please contact us.