Our Partners
About Us
Self-Employment Technical Assistance, Resources, & Training (START-UP / USA) is a partnership between Virginia Commonwealth University and Griffin-Hammis and Associates, LLC. START-UP / USA is funded by a cooperative agreement #E-9-4-6-011 from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). Congress designated the cooperative agreement funds to ODEP for the further development of self-employment as an employment outcome for individuals with disabilities. ODEP's mission is to provide national leadership by developing and influencing disability-related employment policy and practice affecting the employment of people with disabilities.
A primary focus of the project will be to provide technical assistance and disseminate resources nationally to individuals interested in pursuing self-employment. This includes a live web cast series during year one of the project with successful entrepreneurs who will share their secrets for success.
START-UP / USA also will be providing assistance to three sub-national projects, START-UP / Alaska, START-UP / Florida, and START-UP / New York. These projects are charged with the generation of data and information to validate systems capacity-building strategies and systems change models for successfully increasing self-employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. The information generated through these model programs will be disseminated nationally for replication through technical assistance and support.
Individuals can contact us for more information. Or, submit your questions online through our technical assistance database. Staff members are committed to responding to requests within 48 hours of submission.
VCU
1314 West Main Street
Richmond, Virginia 23284-2011
V: (804) 828-1851
F: (804) 828-2193
TTY: (804) 828-2494
