Iowa Blueprint for Change (DIF) Grant

Iowa was one of 14 states awarded a five-year Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) Grant.

This Grant is to support innovative activities with the intent to improve the employment outcomes of Iowans with disabilities. The award of $13,875,048.55 will be used to improve systems across Iowa. This way, individuals with disabilities can move from subminimum wage employment to competitive integrated employment opportunities.

Grant Goals and Objectives

The overall goal of Iowa Blueprint for Change (IBC) is to advance and improve systems. This is so that Iowans with disabilities have competitive integrated employment (CIE) opportunities. The opportunities can then lead to economic security.

The goals of the Iowa Blueprint for Change Project are:

1. Establish and engage a coalition of diverse stakeholders. They will develop, pilot, refine, and put in place collaborative systems change models. The models will support Iowans with disabilities employed or thinking about employment at subminimum wage to move into competitive integrated employment.
2. Use the U.S. Department of Labor’s recognized Direct Support Professional Registered Apprenticeship (RA) and pre-apprenticeship (PA) programs as a model to recruit, train, and keep interested Iowans with disabilities in CIE.
3. Increase ongoing delivery of preparation, placement and support services for youth with disabilities that begin in early high school for uninterrupted transition to CIE.
4. Facilitate an increase in Iowans with disabilities with obtaining and maintaining CIE that leads to economic security.
5. Increase expectation and demand for CIE for all Iowans with disabilities.
6. Align public policies, funding, and practices that support CIE as the first and preferred outcome for all Iowans with disabilities.

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact:

Brandy McOmber, DIF Project Director 
319-830-0423 
brandy.mcomber@iowa.gov