Key Insights from an Analysis of Grant-Funded Programs Aimed at Workforce Inclusion for People with Disabilities
White paper explores successful elements and challenges faced by grantee organizations
Analysis of the 21 Kessler Foundation-awarded programs revealed multiple findings that contribute to the larger body of lessons learned about how organizations can help people with disabilities find and maintain employment. Strong collaborations, high organizational capacity, leveraged collaborations, agility, clear and concise goals, effective communication, and strategic coordination were all elements that increased the likelihood of programmatic success and positive outcomes.
- Strong collaborations with clearly defined and delineated goals helped organizations recruit participants, find resources, and place participants in employment.
- Organizational capacity mattered when analyzing elements of success among the 21 programs. Programs led by organizations with high capacity and resources, including staff time, salary dollars, staff with various types and high levels of expertise, and strong collaborations, were more likely to experience elements of success through implementation and outcomes.
- Leveraged collaborations helped meet the needs of participants across several programs. The needs of participants were not fully understood or anticipated by the staff of several organizations. While it is not always possible to anticipate the realm of barriers faced by individuals with disabilities, programs that were responsive to participant needs and leveraged multiple partners to help meet those needs were often able to reduce participant barriers faster than those without help from partners.
- Organizations with agile staff were able to overcome challenges and innovate. Programs that were able to overcome challenges also responded quickly and pivoted direction.
- Clear and concise program goals helped organizations implement them in a timely manner. Program goals that were complex or overly ambitious were much more difficult to achieve.
- Effective communication among partners led to an increased likelihood of successful implementation.
- Strategic coordination through planning and implementation increased the likelihood of program success. Organizations that worked with their partners to coordinate implementation efforts had more success.
Employing People with Disabilities: Lessons from Kessler Foundation’s Signature Employment Grants
A White Paper for Professionals in Grant making, Workforce Development, Disability Employment, and Human Resources
From 2004 through 2019, Kessler Foundation has awarded more than $46.7 million to support national and local initiatives that create or expand opportunities for people with disabilities. This 2018 White Paper assesses the diverse grants supported under the Foundation’s Signature Employment Grant (SEG) program from 2009-2015. The SEG program provides major funding for pilot initiatives, demonstration projects, and social ventures that generate new models to address the employment gap between people with and without disabilities.
The paper is based on the independent evaluations of more than 20 Signature Employment Grants by experts at the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University. In assessing the SEG programs, five strategic elements emerged as success factors in employment programs for people with disabilities.
- A focus on changing attitudes about people with disabilities and their ability to work
- A person-centered approach to employment
- Technological platforms or model documentation
- Strong community partnerships
- Wraparound services
The markers for success were increased employment of people with disabilities, employer and program participant satisfaction, and model replicability. These lessons learned from Kessler Foundation’s experiences in grant making are important considerations for all who seek greater inclusion of individuals with disabilities in our workplaces.