Signature Employment Grants for people with disabilities

Posted by Kessler Foundation on January 11, 2016

Kessler Foundation Invites Applications for Signature Employment Grants

The Kessler Foundation is dedicated to improving the 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, or social ventures that lead to the generation of new ideas aimed at solving the unemployment and underemployment of individuals with disabilities.

Innovation lies at the core of all signature employment grants. Preference will be given to interventions that overcome specific employment barriers related to long-term dependence on public assistance, advance competitive employment in a cost-effective manner, and/or launch 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 to qualified pilot projects. Signature grants are not intended to fund project expansions or bring proven projects to new communities.

All interested candidates must submit an online concept application no later than March 18, 2016. Upon review, select candidates will be invited to submit a full proposal by July 1, 2016.

Any organization recognized as a tax-exempt entity under the Internal Revenue Code may apply. This includes nonprofit agencies, public or private schools, and public institutions such as universities and government agencies (state, local, federal) based in the United States or any of its territories.

See the Kessler Foundation website for complete program guidelines, information about previous grant recipients and application instructions.

DEADLINE: MARCH 18, 2016 (CONCEPT APPLICATIONS)

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