molly.cooney@wisconsin.gov
608.266.0266

Questions?

Contact Molly

We want to partner with businesses interested in hiring more people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

These grant funds and technical assistance provide businesses with support to tap into new talent and learn best practices for finding, hiring and supporting workers with disabilities. This helps businesses fill workforce shortages and reach diversity and inclusion goals.

Check out the application for more information. Deadline to apply: Wednesday, May 24 at 5p.m.

PwB Application

Hiring people with disabilities is good for business! BPDD’s Partners with Business initiative helps service providers and employers support workers with disabilities to be successful and independent at work. Partners with Business strategies result in cost-effective, flexible, inclusive employment, and help businesses improve their bottom line and workplace diversity goals.

Click the button below to read the Annual Report to the WI legislature. 

Annual Report
What Is Partners with Business?

Partners with Business is an initiative that was passed by the Wisconsin Legislature in 2018 to assist businesses to hire and support workers with disabilities. 

Through the Partners with Business initiative, employers and supported employment service providers use best practice strategies to train and support workers with disabilities. If a worker needs additional support above and beyond what is typically provided by supervisors and coworkers, the employer can receive funding to provide this extra support.

Each year BPDD selects five Partners with Business grantees through a Request for Application process. These grantees receive guidance to implement Partners with Business strategies. Businesses, service providers, schools, Managed Care Organizations, and IRIS Consultant Agencies can apply for the Partners with Business grant.  

Tools for Service Providers

 

Resources for Businesses
  • Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR): DVR is an office within the Department of Workforce Development that connects qualified job applicants to employers through a variety of services, including resources for Internships and Temporary Work Experiences https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dvr/business/
  • Disability:IN Wisconsin: A non-profit, non-partisan business-to-business network that raises awareness and works to advance, improve and expand employment for people with disabilities
    https://disabilityinwisconsin.org/
  • Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN): Provides comprehensive resources for employers to learn how to recruit, hire, retain and advance employees with disabilities
    https://askearn.org/
  • Job Accommodation Network (JAN): Provides information, resources and free consultation for businesses about workplace accommodations. Ask JAN. They can help. https://askjan.org/
Real Life Stories
Job Coaching Resources