Wisconsin Family Assistance Center For Education, Training, And Support, Inc.

What Wisconsin Family Assistance Center For Education, Training, And Support, Inc. does

Wisconsin Family Assistance Center For Education, Training, And Support, Inc. (WI FACETS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1995 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The organization provides free special-education advocacy, training, and support services to families of children and youth with disabilities across Wisconsin. It also serves as a training and information resource for the professionals and educators who work with those families. In addition, WI FACETS co-directs Region C of the federal Parent Training and Information Center (PTIC) network, extending programmatic reach to 16 Midwest states.

WI FACETS delivers its services through a multi-channel model: one-to-one consultations (2,102 in 2025), live training sessions (113 in 2025), an online resource library, and broad digital and community outreach. In 2025, the organization connected with 5,670 families, professionals, and youth, and reached 329,835 individuals through digital channels. Its technology footprint consists of a public website, an online resource/content library, and virtual training delivery — no proprietary commercial software products are disclosed, and services are mediated by trained human advocates and educators rather than automated systems.

The organization operates a non-commercial revenue model: all services are provided free of charge to end users. Funding is derived from institutional grants, primarily a U.S. Department of Education PTIC award (held continuously since 2001) and grants from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. With approximately 10 staff members, WI FACETS runs a lean operating structure sized to its grant-funded programmatic mandate.

Name

Wisconsin Family Assistance Center For Education, Training, And Support, Inc.

Legal name

Wisconsin Family Assistance Center For Education, Training, And Support, Inc.

Website

https://wifacets.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WI FACETS is a Milwaukee-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded 1995, that provides free special-education advocacy, training, and support to Wisconsin families of children with disabilities, and co-directs Region C PTAC covering 16 Midwest states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism Spectrum (ASD) Academic & Social-Communication Support Tutoring (EDANAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Note-Taking, Interpreting & Communication Access Services (EDALAGAD)

Keywords

• Special education support
• Parent training services
• IEP assistance
• Disability advocacy
• Special education mediation

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: WI FACETS is primarily funded by government grants, including a US Department of Education grant (#H328M110014) for the Parent Training and Information Center (PTIC) since 2001, and a Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction discretionary grant for the Wisconsin Special Education Mediation System (WSEMS) since 1996.
2. Individual Donations and Philanthropy: Individual donations at various suggested giving levels ($100–$1,000+), with all services provided free of charge to families. Also accepts donor-advised funds and planned or estate gifts.
3. Publication Sales: IEP Checklist and other publications available for purchase in quantities of 50–200 copies (e.g., IEP Checklist: 50 copies $38, 75 copies $48, 100 copies $58, 200 copies $95).
4. Corporate Sponsorships: WI FACETS works individually with corporations to create customized sponsorship opportunities, with the Executive Director managing inquiries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

WI FACETS provides free, individualized special education support, training, and resources to Wisconsin families of children with disabilities. Core offerings include a toll-free Help Desk, IEP assistance, special education mediation, parent training webinars, and educational publications on disability rights and special education processes.

Product overview

WI FACETS operates as a nonprofit organization providing a coordinated portfolio of free services to Wisconsin families of children with disabilities. The core offerings include the Parent Training and Information Center (PTIC) providing training and individual assistance, the Help Desk for one-to-one support, and specialized programs like the WI Special Education Mediation System (WSEMS) and Region C Parent Technical Assistance Center (RPTAC). Educational products include the IEP Mini Modules (30-minute self-paced online learning), the Literacy Training Series (interactive modules for home literacy support), and printed publications including the IEP Checklist and Transition IEP Checklist. The organization also runs the Parent Ambassador Program for volunteer leadership development and Serving on Groups Training for decision-making group participation. All services are provided free of charge to families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Parent Training and Information Center (PTIC)

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,670 families, professionals, and youth connected with WI FACETS in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• United Way (Workplace Giving)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025While WI FACETS is not a United Way member agency, individuals who participate in United Way workplace campaigns may designate their gift to WI FACETS (designation code WI 2407963), enabling workplace giving as a donation channel.
• Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Through funding provided by the DPI Grant, WI FACETS works closely with MPS leadership to enhance positive relationships, communicate effectively, and support parents of students with special education needs to be more engaged in RTI and PBIS processes. A MPS Grant Advisory Team, including WI FACETS, develops family-friendly resources highlighting important topics for families of students with IEPs in MPS.
• Serving on Groups Collaborative PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014The Serving on Groups guide was developed by WI FACETS along with a broad group of statewide agencies, school representatives, and family members in Wisconsin, including: The Arc Wisconsin, Family Voices of Wisconsin, Independence First, Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities (WBPDD), and other disability and education organizations. The guide focuses on research-based strategies for effective decision-making group participation.
• Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014WI FACETS links families and parent centers to current national resources through CPIR, a national hub of information and resources for families of children with disabilities.
• National Center for Parent Leadership, Advocacy, and Community Empowerment (National PLACE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014WI FACETS' Executive Director and former CEO serve as founding Board members of National PLACE, advocating to ensure a place at the table for every family and family organization.
• CESA #7 (Cooperative Educational Service Agency #7)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014CESA #7 represents the school perspective in the Wisconsin Special Education Mediation System (WSEMS), partnering with WI FACETS (parent perspective) and Gia Pionek-Valle (dispute resolution) to provide free mediation, facilitated IEP, and Resolution Meeting neutral services to Wisconsin families and schools.
• Region C Parent Technical Assistance Center (RPTAC) — 16-State RegioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003WI FACETS, as Co-Director of Region C PTAC, provides technical support to OSEP-funded parent centers (PTIs & CPRCs) in 16 Midwest states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Services include serving as a resource to directors and program staff, providing targeted technical assistance, linking parent centers to national resources, and facilitating collaboration.
• Wisconsin Special Education Mediation System (WSEMS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996WSEMS is a collaborative effort between WI FACETS (representing parent perspective), CESA #7 (representing school perspective), and Gia Pionek-Valle (representing dispute resolution expertise). Through this partnership, parents and school districts may request mediation, facilitated IEP, or have a neutral at a Resolution Meeting, free of charge. WI FACETS provides outreach, training, and information about free dispute resolution options.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Wrightslaw: Wrightslaw is a leading online publisher of special education law and advocacy information for parents, focused on IEPs, IDEA, and Section 504. It serves as a content-only complement to the service-heavy model that WI FACETS operates, and is frequently used by families in tandem with PTIC services.

Broad incumbents

• The Arc: The Arc is a national disability rights and services organization with state and local chapters that provide advocacy, family support, and case management for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities — overlapping with WI FACETS on parent support and IEP navigation but at broader scale and scope.
• National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD): NCLD is a national advocacy organization focused on learning disabilities and special education policy. It operates at a national scale rather than a single state but shares WI FACETS' focus on parent empowerment and IDEA-related rights.
• Understood.org: Understood is a major national digital resource serving parents of children with learning and attention issues, with extensive online IEP/504 content. It competes for the same parent audience as WI FACETS but at national scale and with substantially greater technology investment.
• Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR): CPIR is the national OSEP-funded hub that links and resources all PTICs and CPRCs across the country, including WI FACETS itself. It serves as the umbrella information resource and strategic coordinator — broader scope but directly connected to WI FACETS' federal funding network.

Direct peers

• PACER Center: PACER is the federally-funded Parent Training and Information Center (PTIC) serving Minnesota, providing free training, resources, and individual assistance to families of children with disabilities — directly analogous to WI FACETS' Wisconsin PTIC role, including the same OSEP funding stream.
• Matrix Parent Network & Resource Center: Matrix is a California-based PTIC providing free parent training, IEP support, and disability resources — direct peer in the OSEP Parent Training and Information Center network serving families of children with disabilities.
• SPAN Parent Advocacy Network: SPAN is New Jersey's PTIC and a major OSEP-funded parent center offering Help Desk, training, and advocacy services for families of children with disabilities — same federal designation, same free-service model, same IEP navigation focus as WI FACETS.
• Federation for Children with Special Needs: Federation for Children with Special Needs operates as the PTIC for Massachusetts with a similar free, parent-led model: Help Desk, IEP training, workshops, and parent leadership programs for families of children with disabilities — directly comparable in mission, funding model, and service mix.
• Parent to Parent of New York State: Parent to Parent of NY is the OSEP-funded Family-to-Family Health Information Center and PTI for New York, providing free parent training, IEP support, and disability navigation — directly analogous to WI FACETS in scope and federal-grant funding structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/wifacets
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/wifacets
• Facebookfacebook.com/wifacets
• Instagraminstagram.com/wifacets
• Pinterestpinterest.com/WIFACETSsLiteracyPage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wifacets

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Wisconsin Family Assistance Center For Education, Training, And Support, Inc.