NENA - National Employment Network Association

What NENA - National Employment Network Association does

NENA (National Employment Network Association) is a U.S. non-profit membership association founded in 2005 and headquartered in Concord, New Hampshire, that serves organizations participating in the Social Security Administration's Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program. Its core constituencies are Employment Networks (ENs) — public or private organizations that contract with SSA to deliver free employment support services to SSDI/SSI beneficiaries ages 18 through 64 — as well as American Job Centers and State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies. The association operates with a lean staff of 7 employees.

NENA's product surface is a portfolio of member services rather than a unified software product. It delivers standardized virtual training via Microsoft Teams, including the 4-session Employment Network 101 (EN 101) and Work Incentives Counseling 101 (WIC 101) courses at $125 per attendee, an annual in-person National Training Conference ($460 for members, $510 for non-members), and recurring engagement through six interest-area calls covering Advocacy, Operations, Marketing & Outreach, Ticket Talk with Q&A, VR/EN Partnership Plus, and Quarterly Training. Its technology backbone is the Wild Apricot membership platform powering nenaticket.org.

NENA's revenue model is a blend of recurring membership dues from ENs, AJCs, SVRAs, and other Ticket to Work stakeholders, professional-services fees for training courses, and conference registration and sponsorship revenue. The association maintains direct strategic relationships with SSA leadership, including the Office of Research, Demonstration and Employment Support, and the Ticket Program Manager, providing advocacy representation for members on Ticket Program policy and operations.

Name

NENA - National Employment Network Association

Legal name

National Employment Network Association

Website

https://nenaticket.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NENA is a U.S. non-profit membership association that serves Employment Networks, American Job Centers, and State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies participating in the SSA Ticket to Work Program, delivering training courses, an annual conference, and advocacy support to its member organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Not specified

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: NENA generates revenue through annual membership fees from Employment Networks, American Job Centers, State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies, and other Ticket to Work stakeholders.
2. Training Course Fees: EN Fundamentals courses (EN 101 and Work Incentives WIC 101) offered at $125 per attendee for 4-session courses. Reduced rates available when bundled with conference registration.
3. Conference Registration: Annual National Training Conference with registration fees of $460 for members and $510 for non-members. Includes sponsorship opportunities for exhibitors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NENA is a membership-based professional association that serves Employment Networks (ENs), American Job Centers (AJCs), and State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies (SVRAs) participating in the Social Security Administration's Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program. It sells annual membership, paid training courses (EN 101 and Work Incentives 101), and registration for its Annual National Training Conference, and provides ongoing advocacy, networking, and operational support for member organizations.

Product overview

NENA (National Employment Network Association) is a membership organization serving Employment Networks, American Job Centers, State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies, and other stakeholders in the Social Security Administration's Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program. NENA does not offer a unified software product but provides a portfolio of member services including training courses (Employment Network 101 and Work Incentives Counseling 101), an annual national training conference, monthly newsletters, and various interest area calls/meetings for advocacy, operations, marketing, and VR/EN partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Employment Network 101 (EN 101) Course A four-session virtual foundational course for organizations operating as Employment Networks under the SSA Ticket to Work Program, covering hiring processes, administrative requirements, operational procedures, intake, tracking, PII management, partnering, and marketing. Priced at $125 per attendee.
• Work Incentives Counseling 101 (WIC 101) Course A four-session virtual course covering Social Security Administration work incentives for Title II and SSI beneficiaries, teaching Employment Networks how to discuss work incentives and determine when to refer workers to benefits planners. Priced at $125 per attendee.
• Annual National Training Conference NENA's annual in-person national training conference providing training sessions, networking opportunities, and sponsor/exhibitor interactions for Employment Networks and Ticket to Work stakeholders. Includes sponsorship opportunities for exhibitors.
• NENA Membership Enrollment Annual membership enrollment for ENs, AJCs, SVRAs, and other Ticket to Work stakeholders, providing access to insights, practical tools, and the NENA professional network.

Quantifiable outcome

• Members gain access to standardized EN Fundamentals training courses (EN 101, Work Incentives 101) to maintain compliance and operational excellence

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Social Security AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNENA maintains a strong working relationship with the Social Security Administration and the Ticket Program Manager. The association serves as an advocate for Employment Networks providing feedback regarding the Ticket Program with SSA. NENA Board meets with SSA officials including Robert Pfaff, Director of Office of Research, Demonstration and Employment Support, to discuss Ticket Program growth and policy improvements.
• Ticket Program ManagercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNENA maintains regular engagement with the SSA Ticket Program Manager to provide feedback and ensure effective program administration. The association coordinates advocacy efforts and shares member insights regarding Ticket Program operations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SourceAmerica: SourceAmerica is a nonprofit that connects people with disabilities to employment opportunities through AbilityOne and other federal programs. Comparable to NENA in mission (disability employment) and federal-program dependency, though it operates a service-delivery model rather than a pure membership association.
• APSE (Association of People Supporting Employment First): APSE is the national membership association for the employment-first movement supporting people with disabilities in integrated employment. Directly comparable to NENA as a similarly sized, mission-aligned professional association serving disability employment service providers, with overlapping but distinct membership constituencies.
• Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR): CSAVR is a membership association representing state vocational rehabilitation agency directors, including State VR Agencies that NENA explicitly serves. Directly comparable as a partner/overlapping association in the VR and Ticket to Work ecosystem, though it represents the state-agency side rather than ENs.
• National Industries for the Blind (NIB): NIB is a nonprofit that represents and supports agencies employing people who are blind or have significant disabilities under the AbilityOne program. Comparable to NENA as a nonprofit anchored in federal disability-employment programs, with overlapping advocacy and training offerings for affiliated service providers.
• National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP): NAWDP is a membership-based professional association for the publicly funded workforce development system, including American Job Center staff. Comparable to NENA in structure (small-staff membership association delivering training, certifications, and an annual conference) and in serving overlapping customer segments such as AJCs and WIOA-funded providers.

Broad incumbents

• National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA): NASWA is a broader, more established membership association representing state workforce agencies that administer Wagner-Peyser, WIOA Adult/Dislocated Worker, and UI programs. Comparable in representing the publicly funded workforce system that includes American Job Centers, but at a larger and more established scale than NENA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nena---national-employment-network-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about NENA - National Employment Network Association