Signature Employment Grants

Posted by on February 03, 2014

Kessler Foundation Invites Applications for 2014 Signature Employment Grants

DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 7, 2014 (CONCEPT APPLICATION)

The Kessler Foundation is dedicated to improving quality of life for people with disabilities through discovery, innovation, demonstration, application, and dissemination. To that end, the foundation is inviting concept applications from nonprofit organizations for its annual Signature Employment grants program, which supports new pilot initiatives, demonstration projects, and social ventures that lead to the generation of new ideas to solve the high unemployment and underemployment of individuals with disabilities.

Preference is given to interventions that overcome specific employment barriers related to long-term dependence on public assistance, advance competitive employment in a cost-effective manner, or involve a social enterprise or individual entrepreneurship project. Projects must be collaborative, serve a large geographic area, and include multiple funding partners and stakeholders. In addition, initiatives or projects must have the potential for growth, scalability, and/or replication.

Grants of up to $500,000 over two years will be awarded for qualified projects. Signature grants are not intended to fund project expansions or bring proven projects to new communities. Innovation lies at the core of all Signature Employment grants.

Interested candidates must submit an online concept application. Upon review, select candidates will be invited to submit full proposals by May 16, 2014. Grants will be awarded in December 2014 for the grant period January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2016.

Any organization recognized as tax-exempt under the Internal Revenue Code may apply for funding. This includes nonprofit agencies, public or private schools, and public institutions such as universities and government (state, local, federal) based in the United States or any of its territories. The foundation will not fund projects that discriminate in hiring or provide services on the basis of race, gender, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, age, and/or national origin.

See the Kessler Foundation Web site for complete program guidelines and application instructions.

http://kesslerfoundation.org/grantprograms/signatureemploymentgrants.php