SSB has been awarded a $9.1 million dollar Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) grant to from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA).
Each year, vocational rehabilitation agencies return unspent funds to RSA. RSA may use these funds to award grants for innovative opportunities. The application process is highly competitive, with over 200 applicants in 2024. Read SSB's DIF Grant Application.
The funds SSB received will be used in a 5-year timeframe to implement Evolve Employment. The 5-year period begins October 1, 2024 and runs through September 9, 2029.
There is an ongoing crisis of employment for people who are blind, low vision, and DeafBlind (BLVDB). This group continues to experience high unemployment and underemployment, as well as low labor force participation.
Evolve Employment creates a dual-customer model to address the unique employment challenges faced by BLVDB individuals and their current and potential employers.
We will assist Evolve Employment customers with:
We will collaborate with businesses on:
Watch a comprehensive overview video of SSB's Evolve Employment plan. Passcode: iJm2u#E.
