Lighthouse Louisiana secures $10M grant from U.S. Department of Education to advance employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

NEW ORLEANS – Lighthouse Louisiana, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities, is proud to announce that it has been awarded a $10 million grant by the U.S. Department of Education under the Disability Innovation Fund (DIF). This significant funding is part of a broader $251 million initiative to support 27 grantees nationwide working to ensure individuals with disabilities have access to in-demand, competitive jobs of the 21st century.

The five-year grant will fund Lighthouse Louisiana’s Pathways to Success project, an initiative aimed at expanding Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) opportunities through innovative applications of advanced technologies. The project will serve 30 parishes across Louisiana, helping youth and adults with disabilities prepare for careers in telecommunications, customer service, and other technology-driven fields.

PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS: CREATING A 21ST CENTURY WORKFORCE

 The Pathways to Success (PTS) project will focus on increasing employment accessibility for people with disabilities by leveraging advanced technology. Key objectives include:

• Establishing a Training Center: Designed to prepare individuals with disabilities and employers in using cutting-edge technology to foster CIE opportunities.
• Developing Work-Based Learning Experiences: Creating opportunities for career exploration and skill development to prepare participants for long-term employment.
• Creating an Accessible Contact Center: Using AI and other advanced technologies to enable meaningful employment for individuals with disabilities in customer service roles.
• Training Employment Specialists: Ensuring professionals can effectively support workforce development by utilizing technology to remove employment barriers.

The grant will support Lighthouse Louisiana’s mission of fostering an inclusive workforce where individuals with disabilities are paid competitive wages for meaningful employment in competitive environments. By promoting financial independence, self-sufficiency, and sustainable careers, the Pathways to Success project aims to transform workforce opportunities in Louisiana.

“This grant is a tremendous step forward in our mission to create inclusive job opportunities for people with disabilities,” said Dee Budgewater, President and CEO of Lighthouse Louisiana. “With this funding, we can expand access to advanced technologies and support systems that promote competitive integrated employment, helping our community members achieve financial independence.”

EXPECTED OUTCOMES AND IMPACT

• Expanded CIE Opportunities: Lighthouse Louisiana will create new employment pathways by training individuals on advanced technologies and removing barriers to accessibility.
• Increased Workforce Development: The project will support the development of a workforce model driven by technology, particularly in telecommunications and customer service.
• Innovative Research and Policy Contributions: The project will establish best practices for training and employment, setting the standard for improving outcomes and increasing opportunities for people with disabilities.

The project will serve as a model for other organizations across the country looking to enhance employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION

The U.S. Department of Education’s DIF program has awarded more than $251 million to organizations across 16 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands. The initiative aims to create a 21st-century workforce by removing employment barriers and fostering competitive integrated employment.

Lighthouse Louisiana is the only organization in Louisiana to receive this prestigious grant, underscoring its leadership in disability advocacy and workforce development.

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About Lighthouse Louisiana

For more than 100 years, Lighthouse Louisiana has been committed to empowering individuals with disabilities by creating job opportunities and providing critical services in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Through employment, services, and advocacy, Lighthouse Louisiana helps individuals with visual, hearing, and other disabilities lead independent, fulfilling lives. For more information, visit www.lighthouselouisiana.org

 

BACKGROUNDER

OVERVIEW: THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DISABILITY INNOVATION FUND GRANT

The U.S. Department of Education’s Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) is designed to promote competitive integrated employment (CIE) for individuals with disabilities, ensuring they have access to in-demand, well-paying jobs in the 21st-century economy. The DIF’s overarching mission is to dismantle employment barriers, empowering individuals with disabilities to participate in the workforce on an equal footing with their peers, earning real wages for real jobs.

As part of the DIF program, the U.S. Department of Education awarded $251 million in funding to 27 organizations across the country. These grantees represent a mix of institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, state agencies, and other institutions. The goal of the DIF grants is to create sustainable, competitive employment opportunities by harnessing advanced technologies and innovative strategies to support workforce integration for people with disabilities.

The DIF prioritizes:

• Career Pathways and Technology Integration: Projects that utilize advanced technologies to create inclusive employment pathways.
• Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE): Ensuring individuals with disabilities receive competitive wages and can perform in roles with integrated teams.
• Training and Education: Building the skills and knowledge of both individuals with disabilities and employers to support long-term workforce participation.

The grant funds are dispersed over a five-year period and target innovative, inclusive strategies to ensure individuals with disabilities can succeed in today’s workforce.

LIGHTHOUSE LOUISIANA’S GRANT AWARD

Lighthouse Louisiana, a leading nonprofit in New Orleans with over a century of service, is one of the 27 organizations awarded funding through the Disability Innovation Fund. As the only recipient in Louisiana, Lighthouse Louisiana received $10,068,975 to implement its innovative project titled:

 “Pathways to Success: Creating a 21st Century Workforce through the Innovative Use of Advanced Technology to Increase Competitive Integrated Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities”

This project, led by Natalie Harrison, Employment Services Director, focuses on preparing people with disabilities for the demands of the modern workforce by equipping them with technological skills and career opportunities in fields such as telecommunications and customer service.

KEY ELEMENTS OF THE LIGHTHOUSE LOUISIANA PROJECT

1. Geographical Reach: Lighthouse Louisiana’s Pathways to Success (PTS) project will serve 30 parishes across Louisiana, providing training and support for youth and adults with disabilities. These parishes include:

Acadia, Ascension, Assumption, Calcasieu, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermillion, Washington, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana.

2. Program Goals: The PTS project is centered on increasing access to Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) for individuals with disabilities by integrating advanced technologies. Its goals include:

• Creating New Employment Pathways: Leveraging advanced technology to create accessible job opportunities, particularly in customer service and telecommunications.
• Training and Education: Establishing a training center that educates individuals with disabilities and their employers on the effective use of technology to support career growth.
• Work-Based Learning Experiences (WBLE): Encouraging career exploration and skill development for the population served, using hands-on experiences.
• Upgrading Organizational Operations: Introducing accessible tools and systems within the Lighthouse to support internal CIE opportunities and broader workforce integration.

4. Focus Areas of Technology Innovation: Lighthouse Louisiana’s project emphasizes the innovative use of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), to enhance employment accessibility for individuals with disabilities. These tools will improve communication, productivity, and workflow for both the population served and the organization itself.
5. Key Activities:

• Training Center Development: Preparing both individuals with disabilities and employers to utilize advanced technologies for employment.
• Work-Based Learning: Facilitating learning experiences that encourage career exploration and hands-on skill-building in modern workforce fields.
• Employment Specialist Training: Empowering specialists to effectively use advanced technology in fostering CIE opportunities.
• Contact Center Creation: Establishing an accessible contact center that uses AI and technology to provide new employment opportunities in customer service and telecommunications.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

The project is expected to deliver transformative results, including:

• Educational Platform Development: Creating a comprehensive platform to educate both individuals with disabilities and employers on the use of advanced technologies, increasing their access to CIE opportunities.
• Workforce Development Model: Establishing a workforce development model, especially in telecommunications and customer service, that emphasizes accessibility, AI, and advanced technologies.
• Enhanced Accessibility Tools: Upgrading organizational infrastructure, including productivity tools and software, to ensure all facets of Lighthouse Louisiana’s operations are accessible and conducive to creating employment opportunities.

RESEARCH, POLICY, AND PRACTICE CONTRIBUTIONS

The Pathways to Success project will contribute to the wider body of research on disability employment by piloting new training programs and developing best practices. The data gathered will inform broader policy initiatives aimed at improving workforce outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Additionally, it will offer a replicable model for integrating technology into employment pathways, potentially influencing national practices surrounding disability employment.

With the support of the U.S. Department of Education’s $10M DIF grant, Lighthouse Louisiana is set to broaden the scope of employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities in Louisiana. By implementing innovative technology, enhancing training, and promoting competitive integrated employment, this project will make a significant impact on the workforce landscape for people with disabilities, helping them achieve financial independence and long-term success.

For more information on Lighthouse Louisiana’s Pathways to Success project and its ongoing impact, please visit www.lighthouselouisiana.org.

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