About Project E3

Project E3 – Educate, Empower, Employ within Targeted Communities


Project E3 - The Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Targeted Communities (VRTAC-TC) is designed to improve employment outcomes of persons with disabilities from traditionally marginalized communities.

The Project E3 team provided intensive and focused technical assistance to 24 communities in partner states (California, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Virginia). Universal General technical assistance was provided to all 80 State-Federal Vocational Rehabilitation agencies across the U.S. and Territories.

The outcome was increased vocational rehabilitation participation of persons with disabilities from these communities and improved quality employment outcomes.

This national project is a collaboration of Southern University Baton Rouge, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Stout, University of Kentucky, George Washington University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Employment Resources, Inc. (ERI) and the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR). More about this collaboration…

What Is the Goal of the Project?

The goal of Project E3 is to provide State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies and their partners with the skills and competencies needed to effectively and efficiently address barriers to competitive integrated employment and community integration for people with disabilities who live in economically disadvantaged communities. We focus on serving people who are eligible for VR services, have been traditionally underserved, and who face multiple challenges to employment.

Objectives of the Project

Objective 1


To involve all 80 state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies for development
of knowledge and selection of targeted communities.

Objective 2


To collaboratively design modules and strategies (field-based, in-office, state-of-the art Information Technology Platform, and two communities of practice) for provision of intensive, targeted, and general technical assistance and coordination activities to Vocational Rehabilitation stakeholders serving economically disadvantaged persons with disabilities.

Objective 3


To provide technical assistance to state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies, their partners, and employers that is designed to maximize community support services in targeted communities, complement Vocational Rehabilitation services, and promote competitive integrated employment consistent with informed choice for economically disadvantaged persons with disabilities from high-leverage groups of national applicability.

Objective 4


To conduct formative and summative evaluations to measure and track effectiveness of on-going technical assistance, training, and alliance building activities.

Project E3: Overview