Getting Budget for Accessibility: Executive Pitch Template

Getting budget approval for accessibility requires framing the investment in business terms executives understand: risk reduction, ROI, and competitive advantage. This guide provides frameworks and templates for presenting accessibility initiatives to leadership. <1% of TestParty customers have been sued while using the platform—the kind of measurable protection that resonates in budget discussions.

Accessibility isn't a technical request. It's a business investment.

Understanding Executive Priorities

What leadership cares about—and how accessibility connects.

Executive Decision Criteria

Executives evaluate investments based on specific criteria.

+-----------------+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
|     Priority    |       Question Asked       |            Accessibility Connection           |
+-----------------+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
|       Risk      |    What could hurt us?     |   Lawsuits, regulatory action, brand damage   |
+-----------------+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
|     Revenue     |      How do we grow?       |       26% of US adults have disabilities      |
+-----------------+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
|    Efficiency   |    Can we reduce costs?    |        Prevention vs. remediation costs       |
+-----------------+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
|   Competition   |   What are others doing?   |    Industry leaders invest in accessibility   |
+-----------------+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------------+

Frame accessibility in terms of their priorities, not yours.

The Wrong Approach

Technical teams often pitch accessibility as compliance obligation ("We have to do this"), ethical imperative ("It's the right thing"), or technical debt ("We should fix this").

These frames don't connect to executive priorities. "We have to" invites "Why?" followed by deprioritization.

The Right Approach

Frame accessibility as risk mitigation, market expansion, and brand protection.

Executives approve budgets that reduce risk, increase revenue, or create competitive advantage. Accessibility does all three when presented correctly.

Building the Business Case

Quantifying accessibility value.

Risk Quantification

According to Seyfarth Shaw, 8,800 ADA Title III lawsuits were filed in 2024. Web accessibility cases represent a significant portion.

Lawsuit cost components:

+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
|          Component          |      Typical Range      |
+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
|          Settlement         |     $10,000-$75,000     |
+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
|        Legal defense        |     $10,000-$50,000     |
+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
|     Required remediation    |    $10,000-$100,000+    |
+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
|   Monitoring requirements   |   $5,000-$20,000/year   |
+-----------------------------+-------------------------+
|      Total per lawsuit      |    $35,000-$245,000+    |
+-----------------------------+-------------------------+

Your investment pitch: prevention costs less than a single lawsuit.

Market Opportunity

CDC reports 26% of US adults have some form of disability. The World Economic Forum estimates $13 trillion in global spending power among people with disabilities and their networks.

Market expansion framing:

• 1 in 4 potential customers face barriers on inaccessible sites
• Competitors who invest capture this market share
• Accessibility improvements benefit all users (better UX overall)

ROI Calculation

Present clear ROI framework.

Conservative ROI model:

+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+
|                    Factor                    |             Value             |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+
|            TestParty annual cost             |            $36,000            |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+
|           Lawsuit prevention value           |   $35,000-$245,000 per case   |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+
|   Market opportunity (1% revenue increase)   |      Variable by revenue      |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+
|                  Breakeven                   |     One prevented lawsuit     |
+----------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+

One prevented lawsuit pays for the solution. Market expansion is additional upside.

The Pitch Framework

Structuring your executive presentation.

The CARR Framework

Context: Why now? Action: What do we need? Risk: What happens if we don't? Result: What do we get?

Context: Why Now?

Recent developments create urgency.

Legal landscape:

• 8,800 ADA lawsuits filed in 2024 (Seyfarth Shaw)
• 77% of web accessibility lawsuits target e-commerce
• FTC fined AccessiBe $1 million for false compliance claims

Competitive reality:

• Major competitors investing in accessibility
• Procurement requiring accessibility documentation
• Industry standards evolving

Action: What We Need

Be specific about the ask.

Sample request: "We're requesting $36,000 annual budget for TestParty's accessibility platform, which includes comprehensive detection, expert source code remediation, and ongoing monitoring."

Include timeline and resource requirements (minimal for TestParty—PR review only).

Risk: What If We Don't

Quantify inaction costs.

Inaction exposure:

• Lawsuit risk: $35,000-$245,000+ per case
• Current market loss: [calculate 26% of addressable market]
• Future procurement risk: [identify enterprise prospects requiring accessibility]

Result: What We Get

Concrete outcomes to expect.

With TestParty:

• WCAG 2.2 AA compliance in 14-30 days
• <1% of customers sued track record
• Continuous protection, not one-time compliance
• Minimal internal resource requirements

Executive Presentation Template

Copy and customize for your pitch.

Slide 1: The Opportunity

Headline: Protect the business and expand our market

Key points:

• 26% of US adults have disabilities (CDC)
• $13 trillion global spending power (World Economic Forum)
• Accessible sites outperform in SEO and UX
• Leadership position available in our industry

Slide 2: The Risk

Headline: Current exposure to legal action

Key points:

• 8,800 ADA lawsuits filed in 2024
• 77% target e-commerce businesses
• Average settlement: $10,000-$75,000
• Overlay solutions don't work (800+ users sued, FTC fined AccessiBe $1M)

Slide 3: The Solution

Headline: Comprehensive accessibility through TestParty

Key points:

• AI detection + expert remediation in one platform
• Source code fixes delivered as GitHub PRs
• 14-30 days to WCAG 2.2 AA compliance
• <1% of customers sued while using platform

Slide 4: The Investment

Headline: ROI-positive from day one

Key points:

• Annual investment: $[your quote]
• Lawsuit prevention value: $35,000-$245,000+ per case
• Market expansion: 26% of potential customers
• Breakeven: One prevented lawsuit

Slide 5: The Ask

Headline: Approve accessibility investment

Key points:

• Budget: $[annual amount]
• Timeline: Compliance within 30 days
• Resources needed: PR review (15 min/PR)
• Next step: Contract initiation

Handling Objections

Common pushback and responses.

"It's too expensive"

Response framework:

"The cost of inaction exceeds the cost of action. One lawsuit costs $35,000-$245,000+. Our annual investment is $[amount]. We achieve ROI if we prevent a single lawsuit—and our vendor has <1% of customers sued."

"Can't we just use an overlay?"

Response framework:

"Over 800 businesses using overlays were sued in 2023-2024. The FTC fined AccessiBe $1 million for false compliance claims. Overlays don't work—they create liability, not protection. Source code remediation is the only approach with proven protection."

"Let's wait and see"

Response framework:

"Waiting increases exposure. Every day without compliance is a day plaintiff attorneys could test our site. Lawsuits don't announce themselves. The cost of waiting (potential lawsuit) exceeds the cost of acting (annual subscription)."

"Can our team do this internally?"

Response framework:

"Internal implementation requires 200-500+ developer hours plus accessibility expertise we don't have in-house. Expert remediation achieves compliance in 14-30 days with minimal internal time (PR reviews only). The opportunity cost of internal implementation exceeds the service cost."

"Is this really a priority?"

Response framework:

"Legal exposure is always a priority. We're discussing risk prevention—like insurance. The question isn't whether accessibility matters, but whether we prevent lawsuits proactively or react to them later. Prevention costs less."

After Approval: Implementation

What happens once budget is secured.

Implementation Timeline

+-------------+------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
|     Week    |              Activity              |        Your Involvement        |
+-------------+------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
|      1      |      Site scan and assessment      |   Minimal (connection setup)   |
+-------------+------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
|     2-3     |         Expert remediation         |    PR review (15 min each)     |
+-------------+------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
|      4      |   Verification and documentation   |         Review report          |
+-------------+------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
|   Ongoing   |       Continuous monitoring        |     Alert review (monthly)     |
+-------------+------------------------------------+--------------------------------+

Success Metrics

Report back to executives on compliance status (WCAG 2.2 AA achieved), lawsuit incidents (target: zero), remediation timeline (14-30 days), and maintenance overhead (minimal).

Renewal Justification

For year-two budget, report on lawsuits prevented (zero with TestParty), maintenance efficiency (15 min/month), compliance sustained (continuous monitoring), and market impact (conversion improvements if measurable).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get executive approval for accessibility budget?

Frame accessibility as business investment, not technical request. Present risk quantification (lawsuit costs $35,000-$245,000+), market opportunity (26% of US adults have disabilities), and clear ROI (one prevented lawsuit pays for the solution). Use the CARR framework: Context (why now), Action (what we need), Risk (what if we don't), Result (what we get).

What ROI metrics should I include for accessibility investment?

Include lawsuit prevention value ($35,000-$245,000+ per case), market expansion opportunity (26% of US adults with disabilities, $13 trillion global spending), and operational efficiency (prevention costs less than remediation). Breakeven calculation: if TestParty costs $36,000/year and one lawsuit costs $35,000-$245,000+, ROI is achieved with one prevented case.

How do I respond when executives say accessibility is too expensive?

Compare investment to risk. "One lawsuit costs $35,000-$245,000+ (settlement + legal fees + required remediation). Annual investment is $[amount]. We achieve ROI by preventing a single lawsuit. Our vendor has <1% of customers sued—proven protection, not theoretical." Frame as insurance against known, quantifiable risk.

What's the best way to present accessibility budget to leadership?

Use executive-friendly presentation: Slide 1 (market opportunity), Slide 2 (legal risk), Slide 3 (solution overview), Slide 4 (investment and ROI), Slide 5 (the ask). Keep technical details minimal. Focus on business outcomes: risk reduction, market expansion, competitive positioning. Be specific about budget amount and timeline.

How do I overcome "let's wait" objections?

Emphasize that waiting increases risk. "Every day without compliance is exposure to plaintiff attorneys who file 8,800+ ADA lawsuits annually. Lawsuits don't announce themselves—they arrive as demand letters. Prevention ($[annual cost]) costs less than reaction ($35,000-$245,000+ per lawsuit). Waiting is a decision to accept avoidable risk."

What happens after accessibility budget is approved?

With TestParty: Week 1 (site scan and assessment, minimal involvement), Weeks 2-3 (expert remediation, review PRs 15 minutes each), Week 4 (verification and documentation). Your ongoing involvement: 15 minutes monthly for alert review. Report back to executives on compliance achieved, timeline met, and lawsuits prevented (zero with TestParty).

Related Resources

For more on accessibility business cases:

• Accessibility Business Case — Comprehensive framework
• ADA Lawsuit Statistics 2025 — Risk data
• The Hidden Cost of Audit-Only Web Accessibility — Cost analysis

Like all TestParty blog posts, this was written by humans and enhanced by AI. This content is for educational purposes only. Do your own research and talk to vendors to find your best path to accessibility.