Community Employment Alliance

What Community Employment Alliance does

Community Employment Alliance (CEA) is a Washington State non-profit advocacy coalition founded in 1974 and headquartered at 201 Auburn Way N, Suite B, Auburn, WA. Its mission is to advocate, educate, and partner for employment opportunities for people with disabilities. CEA is a coalition of approximately 30 member employment service provider agencies (including Trillium, Provail, Cascade Connections, and ENSO) that collectively serve nearly 7,000 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across nearly every region of Washington State. The 5,550 figure is explicitly cited on the Members page; the higher ~7,000 figure is cited on the About page. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors (President, President-Elect, Past President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Directors) and operates with a small staff consisting of an Executive Director (Aaron Dickson, appointed October 30, 2024) and an Operations Coordinator (Jason Peterson).

CEA has no software products, APIs, or proprietary technology platform; its "technology" footprint is a Weebly-hosted website, a Facebook group, and a YouTube playlist of Community Inclusion Stories. Its core activities are legislative advocacy in Olympia, annual Spring and Fall Conferences, an annual Employment for All Advocacy Day, advocacy workshops, and operation of a "Find an Employment Service Provider" directory that connects employers to member agencies. CEA was a central coalition driver of HB 1706 (2019), which eliminated subminimum wage certificates in Washington, making the state the 5th in the U.S. to do so by 2021.

The revenue model consists of two disclosed streams: (1) recurring membership dues from the 30 employment service provider agencies, and (2) event-based corporate sponsorships, with disclosed 2026 Spring Conference sponsors including Microsoft, Convergence, Hub, and Punctual Pug. Membership dues are not publicly disclosed; no traditional product pricing exists. CEA maintains ongoing partnerships with Washington State agencies — the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA), the WA State Rehab Council, and the WA State Developmental Disabilities Council — as well as advocacy coalitions such as The Arc of Washington, Washington Labor Association, and People First / SAIL / Allies in Advocacy.

Name

Community Employment Alliance

Legal name

Community Employment Alliance

Website

https://communityemploymentalliance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Community Employment Alliance is a Washington State non-profit coalition, founded in 1974, representing 30 member employment service agencies that help people with disabilities find and retain employment through advocacy, training, and statewide legislative influence.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Employment Advocacy

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development & Inclusive Employment (Job Training, Placement) (BPAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB), Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF)

Keywords

• Supported employment services
• Disability employment advocacy
• Vocational rehabilitation
• Community inclusion services
• Nonprofit employment coalition

Headquarters

HQ city

Auburn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: CEA generates revenue through membership dues from employment service provider agencies. The About page describes CEA as a statewide coalition of employment providers, and membership information indicates benefits include networking, professional development, advocacy in Olympia, and access to state directors of programs like DVR and DDA.
2. Sponsorships: Sponsors support the annual CEA Spring Conference, with corporate sponsors including Microsoft, Convergence, Hub, and Punctual Pug. This represents event-based sponsorship revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Community Employment Alliance is a statewide nonprofit advocacy coalition that represents 30 employment service provider agencies serving roughly 5,550 individuals with disabilities across Washington State. The organization delivers legislative advocacy in Olympia, hosts annual Spring and Fall Conferences and an Employment for All Advocacy Day, runs advocacy workshops, and operates a public directory connecting employers to member supported-employment providers. Membership benefits for agencies include networking, professional development, advocacy representation, and direct access to state program directors at DVR and DDA.

Product overview

Community Employment Alliance (CEA) is a statewide advocacy coalition focused on advancing supported employment and community inclusion services for individuals with disabilities in Washington state. The organization does not offer a commercial product or software platform; rather, it provides advocacy services, legislative representation, professional development, and networking opportunities for its member employment service provider agencies. CEA's core activities include legislative advocacy, member training, and connecting employment service providers with employers and state programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legislative Advocacy and Member Representation
• Annual Spring Conference

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,550 individuals served annually across WA state through member agencies
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• DVR (Division of Vocational Rehabilitation)coreOthersState agency partner providing vocational rehabilitation services. CEA maintains regular engagement with DVR directors as part of member benefits and advocacy coordination. DVR funds employment services for individuals with disabilities.
• DDA (Developmental Disabilities Administration)coreOthersState agency within DSHS that administers developmental disabilities services and programs. CEA works with DDA on policy priorities including eligibility age and funding for community DD services. CEA developed Guiding Values for supporting people with I/DD in collaboration with DDA.
• WA State Rehab CouncilsupportingOthersAdvisory council for vocational rehabilitation services in Washington State. CEA links employers to resources including DVR services and maintains collaborative relationship with the council.
• WA State Developmental Disabilities CouncilsupportingOthersState council advocating for systems change for people with developmental disabilities. CEA collaborates with DDC on legislative priorities and advocacy efforts, including the successful subminimum wage elimination campaign.
• MicrosoftminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for the CEA 2026 Spring Conference. Microsoft provides marketing/sponsorship support for the organization's annual conference and advocacy events.
• ConvergenceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for the CEA 2026 Spring Conference, providing marketing and financial support for annual conference activities.
• HubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for the CEA 2026 Spring Conference, supporting the organization's advocacy events and conference programming.
• The Arc of WashingtonsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in advocacy campaigns including the successful elimination of subminimum wage in Washington State. Collaborates on legislative priorities affecting people with disabilities.
• Washington Labor AssociationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in advocacy efforts including labor-related disability rights legislation. Participated in the coalition that eliminated subminimum wage.
• People First / SAIL / Allies in AdvocacysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelf-advocacy organizations that partnered with CEA in legislative campaigns, particularly the elimination of subminimum wage. Self-advocates Ivanova Smith and John Lemus provided leadership in these efforts.
• ENSOsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember agency providing supported employment services. ENSO collaborated with CEA member Cascade Connections on agency restructuring discussions, transitioning to a unified Employment Specialist model. ENSO provided resources and support to CEA member organizations.
• TrilliumsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember agency providing supported employment services. Trillium works with employers like Whiskey Gulch Coffee Pub, providing job coaching support for employees with disabilities. Operates as part of the CEA member network.
• ProvailsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember agency providing supported employment services. Provail partners with retailers like Walgreens to provide employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, with job coaches facilitating workplace success.
• Cascade ConnectionssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember agency and current employer of CEA's new Executive Director Aaron Dickson. Cascade Connections has benefited from CEA networking, collaborating with ENSO on organizational restructuring. Testimonials credit CEA for valuable connections and professional development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Disability Rights Network: National membership network of disability rights advocacy organizations including Protection & Advocacy systems. Comparable in advocacy and coalition model to CEA though focused on legal protection and rights enforcement.
• APSE (Association of People Supporting Employment First): National membership organization advancing employment-first policies for people with disabilities, with state chapters that operate as direct equivalents to CEA's coalition model. APSE chapters engage in advocacy, training, and member support in the same way CEA does for Washington.
• The Arc of Washington: Statewide disability advocacy organization in Washington that partnered with CEA on legislative campaigns including subminimum wage elimination. Operates as a similar coalition model advocating for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals: National nonprofit network providing disability services including employment, job training, and advocacy. Comparable in mission but at significantly greater scale with broader service offerings beyond employment.
• SourceAmerica: National nonprofit that creates employment opportunities for people with disabilities through AbilityOne and similar programs. Comparable in mission focus on disability employment but operates at much larger national scale with federal contracting.
• The Arc of the United States: National organization serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with state and local chapters that overlap with CEA's advocacy scope. Operates as an umbrella advocacy network similar to CEA but at national scale.
• Goodwill Industries International: Large national nonprofit operating employment and workforce development programs, including for people with disabilities. Serves a much broader mandate but overlaps with CEA's member agencies on disability-inclusive employment services.

Regional players

• Disability Rights Washington: Washington State-based disability rights advocacy and legal services organization. Operates in the same advocacy ecosystem as CEA, often alongside it on legislative priorities, though focused more on legal protection than employment services.

Others

• Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council: State council advocating for systems change for people with developmental disabilities. CEA is a partner organization; the Council is a quasi-governmental partner rather than a direct competitor but operates in the same advocacy space.

Emerging players

• State Employment Leadership Network (SELN): Membership network of state agencies working on employment outcomes for people with developmental disabilities. Operates at state-government level in a manner that closely parallels CEA's member-network advocacy model but with a different constituency (state officials vs. provider agencies).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLzLLiIK7pM09B7OXCmkuTRZFzzNquIhnM
• Facebookfacebook.com/CommunityEmploymentAlliance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-employment-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Community Employment Alliance