Self-Employment


Many people with developmental disabilities are not able to and/or do not want to pursue traditional jobs. There are currently no resources available in Nevada for people with developmental disabilities to develop their interests/abilities into self-employment opportunities.
The goal of this project will to create a system that assists people with developmental disabilities and parents of children with disabilities in developing and operating their own small businesses. This will include:

  • Increasing the awareness of self-employment opportunities
  • Providing training for people with developmental disabilities and the people who support them in microenterprise development
  • Building capacity in existing Small Business Development Centers and Microenterprise Iniatives to work with people with developmental disabilities in developing businesses
  • Creating a incubator and mentoring environment for new business owners
  • Creating financial resources for new business start-up costs

Contact Information


Mary Bryant, Project Coordinator
University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
University of Nevada Reno
College of Education/MS285
Reno, NV 89557
(775) 784-4921, ext. 2352