Washington Initiative for Supported Employment

What Washington Initiative for Supported Employment does

Washington Initiative for Supported Employment (WISE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1985 and headquartered in Tukwila, Washington. The organization delivers training and consulting services focused on competitive integrated employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). WISE works alongside individuals with disabilities, families, employment service providers, schools, employers, and government agencies across multiple levels to advance inclusive employment outcomes.

WISE's core products are organized around a training platform and a consulting portfolio. The Wise Learning Center is a self-paced online training platform built on the SAP Litmos LMS, offering over 300 hours of content with CESP (Certified Employment Support Professional) pre-approval, accessible through tiered subscriptions ($40/month, $100/quarter, $350/year). The Wise Online Academy provides structured curricula at foundational (WOA 100 Series, $600/attendee) and advanced (WOA 200 Series) levels. Specialized training programs include Person-Centered Planning Facilitator Training ($1,000), Plan to Placement ($950), Community Inclusion Bootcamp ($2,000), Project NEXT ($11,300 virtual / $16,200 in-person), and the newly launched SEAT (Skills Empowerment and Advocacy Training). The WiseStream Studio provides in-house multimedia production for training videos and livestream events, including ASL-interpreted content. BenefitU is a separate virtual benefits planning platform serving individuals age 14+ with IDD.

WISE's business model combines recurring subscription revenue (Learning Center memberships), fee-for-service training, custom enterprise training contracts (e.g., Project NEXT, Start Now), professional consulting (strategic planning, executive coaching, policy analysis, board development, hiring initiatives), and government grants from Washington State DDA/DDCS and the federal Office of Disability and Employment Policy. The organization serves six primary customer segments: people with IDD, their families, employers, employment service providers, government agencies, and schools/educators. Geographic operations are anchored in Washington State (all 39 counties) with extended engagements in Oregon, Colorado, Georgia, and Kansas. WISE is governed by a board chaired by Paula Johnson and led by Executive Director Cesilee Coulson, with approximately 11-50 employees.

Name

Washington Initiative for Supported Employment

Legal name

Washington Initiative for Supported Employment

Website

https://gowise.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Washington Initiative for Supported Employment (WISE) is a 40-year-old nonprofit delivering training and consulting on competitive integrated employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, operating an LMS-based learning platform, specialized training programs, and consulting services primarily in Washington State with national reach.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Supported Employment Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Training Delivery Services (Onsite/Virtual Instruction, Workshops, Coaching) (BPAEANAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

AT Implementation, Coaching & Professional Development (Teachers/Staff) (EDAKAIAI), Assistive Technology (AT) & Accessible Learning Tools (EDALAGAB)

Keywords

• Supported employment training
• Disability employment consulting
• Vocational rehabilitation services
• Person-centered planning training
• Employment first consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Tukwila

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Learning Center Memberships: Subscription-based access to online training library with tiered pricing (Free, Monthly, Quarterly, Annual). Includes CESP pre-approved courses and specialized collections.
2. Fee-for-Service Training: Individual training programs with per-attendee pricing (e.g., WOA 100 Series $600, Person-Centered Planning Facilitator Training $1,000, Plan to Placement $950)
3. Custom Training Engagements: Large-scale custom training contracts with flat rates for groups (Project NEXT Virtual $11,300, Start Now $11,300)
4. Consulting Services: Organizational development, strategic planning, benefits planning, and other consulting engagements for government agencies, nonprofits, and employers
5. Government Grants: Funded by Washington State Developmental Disabilities Administration, federal Office of Disability and Employment Policy, and other government sources for specific initiatives

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

WISE delivers training programs, technical assistance, and consulting services that advance competitive integrated employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Its core offerings include the Wise Learning Center (an online LMS with 300+ hours of CESP-pre-approved content), the Wise Online Academy (WOA 100/200 series), a portfolio of fee-for-service training programs (Person-Centered Planning, Project NEXT, Start Now, SEAT, Community Inclusion Bootcamp, etc.), the WiseStream Studio for multimedia production, the BenefitU virtual benefits planning platform, and consulting services spanning organizational development, hiring initiatives, board development, policy analysis, executive coaching, graphic facilitation, and event management.

Product overview

Wise operates as a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of training programs and consulting services focused on supported employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The core offerings include the Wise Learning Center (an online platform with 300+ hours of on-demand training), the Wise Online Academy (100 Series for new professionals and 200 Series for advanced practitioners), and specialized training programs such as SEAT, Person-Centered Planning Facilitator Training, Positive Behavior Support Playbook, Plan to Placement, Project NEXT, Start Now, and Community Inclusion Bootcamp. The WiseStream Studio provides multimedia content creation services, while the Wise Webinar Series and Community Summit offer additional learning and networking opportunities. Consulting services span organizational development (strategic planning, hiring initiatives, board development, workplace accessibility, policy analysis), event facilitation (PATH Plans, graphic facilitation, person-centered planning, event management), individual development (benefits planning, presenter development, executive coaching, Kolbe consulting), and school-to-work transition services. BenefitU provides a dedicated platform for virtual benefits planning. Together, these offerings form an integrated system supporting competitive integrated employment through training, technical assistance, and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BenefitU: A service developed by Wise with support from Washington State's Developmental Disabilities Administration (now DDCS) to help people with disabilities better understand and manage their public benefits.
• WiseStream Studio
• Wise Learning Center
• SEAT (Skills Empowerment and Advocacy Training)
• Wise Online Academy

Products and services

• Wise Learning Center

Quantifiable outcome

• 140+ adults with I/DD placed in competitive employment through Partners for Work initiative since 2008
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HireAbility SpokanecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Promotes hiring of people with developmental disabilities in Spokane County through employer consultation, interview events, and ongoing support. Partners with supported employment professionals to create diverse, inclusive workforce solutions.
• BenefitUcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Service developed by Wise with support from Washington State DDA/DDCS to help people with disabilities understand and manage their public benefits. Offers virtual benefits planning for individuals age 14+ with IDD.
• Partners for Work (Rotary District 5030)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Rotary-led initiative connecting businesses with skilled individuals with developmental disabilities through working interviews. Since 2008, has placed over 140 adults with I/DD in paid roles across King County through 21 Rotary clubs.
• Washington State DSHS/DDCScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopmental Disabilities Community Services sponsors the annual Community Summit and funds the Wise Webinar Series. Long-standing partnership for systems change and employment outcomes.
• Open Doors for Multicultural FamiliescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-created and co-facilitated the Language Access Forums, a six-part statewide virtual learning series addressing language access for multicultural families of people with disabilities.
• Washington State Developmental Disabilities AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary state government partner for training and technical assistance. Funded Washington State Employment First Initiatives and mentors other states in competitive integrated employment.
• Kuni FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunder of the SEAT (Skills Empowerment and Advocacy Training) program developed by individuals with developmental disabilities.
• Clallam County Developmental Disabilities ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty-level funder for SEAT training program supporting board and committee service for individuals with disabilities.
• Clark County Developmental Disabilities ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty-level funder for SEAT training program supporting advocacy and leadership development.
• Kitsap County Developmental Disabilities ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty-level funder for SEAT training program supporting employment advocacy.
• Washington State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner engaged in DDA/DVR Collaboration through signed Memorandum of Understanding since 2018 for coordinated employment services.
• Alderbrook ForumscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-designed Washington State's Alderbrook Employment Forums which resulted in doubling of employment outcomes for individuals with IDD through cross-sector visioning.
• County Coordinators NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of county-level coordinators throughout Washington's 39 counties providing localized support and connections to regional employment resources.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TransCen: Nonprofit dedicated to improving employment outcomes for people with disabilities through training, consulting, and research. Directly comparable to WISE on supported employment training, school-to-work transition services, and organizational development consulting for employment service providers.
• Marc Gold & Associates (Try Another Way): Pioneer in supported employment training, providing technical assistance, training, and consulting on customized employment for people with significant disabilities. Closely comparable to WISE's Customized Employment (WOA) training offerings and direct service provider training programs.
• Griffin-Hammis Associates: National consulting and training organization specializing in customized employment and self-employment for people with disabilities. Directly competes with WISE on fee-for-service training, customized employment curriculum, and state systems change consulting for employment providers.
• Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at UMass Boston: University-affiliated research and training center providing training, technical assistance, and publications on employment for people with disabilities. Directly comparable to WISE on CESP-aligned training content, state systems change work, and workforce development research.

Broad incumbents

• The Arc of the United States: National advocacy and services organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable to WISE's mission focus on I/DD, transition services, and family/individual supports; offers overlapping training and consulting but is primarily an advocacy organization.
• SourceAmerica: National nonprofit focused on creating employment opportunities for people with disabilities through AbilityOne program and workforce development. Overlaps with WISE on disability employment consulting and policy work, though more oriented to federal contracting pathway.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit providing disability services including employment support, training, and consulting. Comparable to WISE in serving people with I/DD and offering employer training, though operating at national scale with broader service portfolio beyond employment.
• Goodwill Industries International: Large established network operating employment programs and training services for people with disabilities across the U.S. Overlaps with WISE's employer-facing hiring initiatives (Partners for Work, HireAbility Spokane) and disability employment service delivery, though Goodwill is a much broader social enterprise.

Regional players

• HireAbility (Vermont): Vermont-based supported employment and benefits planning organization with similar service mix to WISE's BenefitU platform and Partners for Work hiring initiatives. Comparable model of state-level employment services for people with I/DD, but geographically concentrated in Vermont.
• Viability: Regional nonprofit providing employment services, training, and consulting for people with disabilities across New England. Comparable to WISE on supported employment services and consulting, though operating as direct service provider with a different funding mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@gowise.employment
• Facebookfacebook.com/gowise.employment
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wise--washington-initiative-for-supported-employment
• Instagraminstagram.com/gowise.employment

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Washington Initiative for Supported Employment