Additional Resources
Gallaudet Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute Student BisonTank
This competition offers students and alumni an opportunity to build on their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit.
Gallaudet Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute (GIEI) annually host BisonTank Business Competition. This competition offers students and alumni an opportunity to build on their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit as well as the mindset required to be successful Changemakers. As well, it offers students the opportunity to explore ways to give back to the community through their innovative ideas.
Eligibility:
1. There is no fee for entry.
2. A proposal may be submitted by an individual or as a teams up to 2 members.
3. Each individual and/or team may submit only one proposal for consideration.
4. All participants, including those submitting as a team, must be currently enrolled as a degree seeking student at Gallaudet University.
4. Students who are currently on academic or disciplinary probation are not eligible to participate.
5.. The deadline to submit a proposal is February 2, 2025 at 11:59 pm eastern. The University reserves the right to determine whether any proposals submitted after the deadline will be accepted.
Proposal Requirements:
1. Proposals must be in the idea or conceptual phase. No existing start-ups will be considered.
2. Proposals must be the original work of the participants and must not infringe upon another party’s intellectual property rights.
3. Proposals containing racial slurs, sexist remarks, profanity or other inappropriate or unethical content will be disqualified.
4. Proposals must not violate any applicable federal and DC state laws.
If you are interested in applying , please submit your application here by Sunday, February 2, 11:59PM EST.
2Gether International Annual Gala
Join 2Gether International for a night of celebration & unity at the 2GI Annual Gala to connect with inspiring disabled founders & entrepreneurs!
Get ready for a night of fun, food and festivities as we come together to celebrate another amazing year. Join us on Thursday, Dec 05 2024 at 6:30 pm, at 3400 Georgia Ave NW for an unforgettable evening. Dress to impress and get ready to mingle with fellow supporters and friends. Don’t miss out on this exciting event – mark your calendars now!
Evaluating Your Idea Before It’s Too Late (The Job-To-Be-Done Way)
How do you know if you’re onto something? And how do you assess its viability before investing time, resources, and energy? Enter the Job-To-Be-Done (JTBD) framework—a powerful methodology for understanding customer needs and designing solutions that resonate.
In this practical session, we dive deep into the approach. You will walk away with the practical toolset and skillset required to ensure you’re on the right track before making significant investments.
Watch the Zoom Recording (with shared screen and gallery view)
Watch the Webinar on YouTube (with corrected captions) – Coming Soon!
View and download the PowerPoint Slides
ASL Interpretation and Captioning were be provided. If you have questions about this session, please email Alexis Jones at ajones@ndi-inc.org.
Small Business Exporting – Entrepreneur’s Experiences
Join us for an engaging panel discussion moderated by LaTaunya Darden, Business Development Specialist, Minority and Women-Owned Business Outreach Division, Export-Import Bank of the United States. Business owners who used EXIM’s services to build and grow their businesses globally will share how they started their companies, what product or service they offer, their experience with EXIM and lessons learned along the way.
Following the panel of entrepreneurs, viewers will hear from David Hincapie, Lender Relations Specialist, Veteran Business Development Officer, Washington Metropolitan Area District Office, U.S. Small Business Administration. David will discuss the SBA’s role in supporting international trade. Attendees will learn about SBA’s trade loans, export finance programs and the functions of the SBA Office of International Trade, providing valuable resources and guidance for small businesses venturing into global markets.
Watch the Zoom Recording (with shared screen and gallery view)
Watch the Webinar on YouTube (with corrected captions)
View and download the PowerPoint Slides
ASL Interpretation was provided by Interpreter Now and Captioning was provided by Caption First. If you have questions about this session, please email Alexis Jones at ajones@ndi-inc.org.
Beyond Our Disabilities – Celebrating Black Disabled Entrepreneurs
“Beyond our Disabilities – Celebrating Black Disabled Entrepreneurs” is an empowering event dedicated to showcasing the tenacity and innovation of Black entrepreneurs with disabilities. This event, in collaboration with National Disability Institute (NDI) and Financial Joy School, offers the inspirational stories of determination and success from founders who have triumphantly navigated a variety of challenges. The event will be hosted by the charismatic Ruby SunShine Taylor and feature a panel of outstanding entrepreneurs, including Mariah Barber from Invisible Strengths, Dr. Samantha Scott of JuneBrain and Stephanie Thomas of Cur8able.com. Join us for an afternoon of celebration, insights and appreciation for these extraordinary individuals who have turned obstacles into opportunities for growth and achievement
Watch the Zoom Recording (with shared screen and gallery view)
Watch the Webinar on YouTube (with corrected captions)
View and Download the PowerPoint Slides
ASL Interpretation was provided by Interpreter Now and Captioning was provided by Caption First. If you have questions about this session, please email Alexis Jones at ajones@ndi-inc.org.
GHA Training Series: Reporting Business Activity for SSDI/Medicare
This session will explain the timing and process for reporting the start of a business and ongoing business activity for SSDI and Medicare, including Medicare financial assistance programs. This session will also explain how Social Security reviews an SSDI beneficiary’s work activity and the documentation an SSDI beneficiary should keep and be prepared to submit to Social Security.
Presented by: Griffin-Hammis Associates
Watch the Zoom Recording (with shared screen and gallery view)
Watch the Webinar on YouTube (with corrected captions)
ASL Interpretation was provided by Interpreter Now and Captioning was provided by Caption First. If you have questions about this session, please email Alexis Jones at ajones@ndi-inc.org.
Preparing for Accessing Capital
During this session, Karlene Sinclair-Robinson, Director of CBP’s Business Finance Center, will address the capital challenges small business can face, and explore how to prepare for capital and strategies for accessing it. Community Business Partnership (CBP), based in Springfield, Virginia, is one of the organizations certified by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s CDFI Fund. They are also a Small Business Administration’s Approved Intermediary Microlender, and a Virginia Small Business Resiliency Lender. The organization focuses on lending to small businesses, startups, and individuals seeking to start up micro-enterprises. The CBP provides loans starting at $1,000 to qualified applicants in their geographically approved markets.
Karlene started with CBP as a client 18+ years ago and evolved to where she supported the organization’s lending mission to bringing the current loan funds and programs to the community. Karlene is considered an Alternative Financing Expert and is a speaker on numerous topics impacting the small business community.
Presented by: Community Business Partnerships
Watch the Zoom Recording (with shared screen and gallery view)
ASL Interpretation was provided by Interpreter Now and Captioning was provided by Caption First. If you have questions about this session, please email Alexis Jones at ajones@ndi-inc.org.
GHA Training Series: Reporting Business Activity for SSI/Medicaid
This session will explain the timing and process for reporting the start of a business and ongoing business activity for SSI and Medicaid. This session will also explain how Social Security adjusts the SSI benefit based on projected net earnings from self-employment and reconciles the benefit payments after the business tax return is completed.
Watch the Zoom Recording (with shared screen and gallery view)
Watch the Webinar on YouTube (with corrected captions)
ASL Interpretation was provided by Interpreter Now and Captioning was provided by Caption First. If you have questions about this session, please email Alexis Jones at ajones@ndi-inc.org.
GHA Training Series: Starting Small with My Big Goals
This session explains how entrepreneurs can get their businesses going with little to no capital by starting small with products, launches, and partnerships. Featured guests will share their methods of business growth that allowed them to work slowly and steadily towards their big goals. Guests will speak on how they created community awareness and excitement around their business with little-to-no overhead costs.
Presented by: Griffin-Hammis Associates
Guest Speakers: Daman Wandke of Wandke Consulting and Victor Ocando of Adapt The Game
Watch the Webinar on YouTube (with corrected captions)
ASL Interpretation was provided by Interpreter Now and Captioning was provided by Caption First. If you have questions about this session, please email Alexis Jones at ajones@ndi-inc.org.
Guardianship and Self-Employment Listening Session
We held a listening session to learn how guardianship or supported decision making (SDM) can facilitate or be a barrier to self-employment for people with disabilities. We invited people with disabilities and their parents who have started down the path of self-employment and have a guardian/SDM. We were interested in hearing about your experiences.
ASL Interpretation and Captioning were provided. If you have questions about this session, please email Alexis Jones at ajones@ndi-inc.org.
This event was not be recorded for public viewing.
GHA Training Series: Funding Your Business
In this session, we share ideas for funding your business start-up. Each business and business owner has unique start-up needs, as a result most business owners combine multiple sources for start-up funds to launch their business. We invite featured guests to share how they funded their businesses, what resources they recommend, and how they communicate their funding needs to meet their individual start-up needs.
Presented by: Griffin Hammis Associates
Guest Speakers:
- Jane Jonas of Eyeth Studios and Lost River Vacations
- Renee Metro of Fulcrum Stained Glass
Watch the Zoom Recording (with shared screen and gallery view)
Watch the Webinar on YouTube (with corrected captions)
View and Download the Presentation Slides
View and Download Renee’s Slides
Watch the Lost River Vacations Video
ASL Interpretation was provided by Interpreter Now and Captioning was provided by Caption First. If you have questions about this session, please email Alexis Jones at ajones@ndi-inc.org.
Creating Accessible PDFs
PDF document accessibility plays a vital role in the overall accessibility of your website. To provide an equal experience for all users, regardless of disability, you must develop all digital content with accessibility in mind.
Presented by Results One LLC
Watch the Zoom Recording (with shared screen and gallery view)
Watch the Webinar on YouTube (with corrected captions)
ASL Interpretation was provided by Interpreter Now and Captioning was provided by Caption First. If you have questions about this session, please email Alexis Jones at ajones@ndi-inc.org.
GHA Training Series: Business Structure & Business Plan
This session touches on two pivotal parts of starting a business: choosing a business structure & navigating the business plan. In this time together, we will provide a brief overview of the common business structures, important benefit considerations for choosing a business structure, and an overview and importance of a business plan. We’ll learn and understand how our featured guests chose a business structure that best serves them and how they use their business plan as working document to help them grow and maintain their business.
Presented by Griffin Hammis Associates
Guest Speakers:
- Thad Brown of VASLA
- Sherry Wynn of Just Fix This Mess
Watch the Zoom Recording (with shared screen and gallery view)
Watch the Webinar on YouTube (with corrected captions)
ASL Interpretation was provided by Interpreter Now and Captioning was provided by Caption First. If you have questions about this session, please email Alexis Jones at ajones@ndi-inc.org.
Entrepreneurship, Disability, and CDFIs: Session 5: CDFI and Founder Experiences
Accessing capital can be essential for business growth, yet many founders with disabilities report experiencing significant barriers. Come and join us for the final session of the five-part webinar series to hear from Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) who have found ways to increase inclusion and from disability owned businesses on how they obtained the capital they needed.
Guest Speaker: Charles Hammerman, Disability Opportunity Fund
View and Download the Presentation Slides
ASL Interpretation and Captioning were provided. If you have questions about this session, please email Alexis Jones at ajones@ndi-inc.org.
Deafhood Training Part 3: Communicating Effectively
Presented by: Gallaudet Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute
The Dos and Don’ts of including Deaf and hard of hearing people in your meetings on Zoom and in-person meetings. Tips and strategies to maximize communication effectiveness in meetings so that everyone feels included — not left behind.
Watch the Zoom Recording (with shared screen and gallery view)
Watch the Webinar on YouTube (with corrected captions)
ASL Interpretation was provided by Interpreter Now, Captions were automatically generated by Zoom. If you have questions about this session, please email Alexis Jones at ajones@ndi-inc.org.
Deafhood Training Part 2: Understanding Language Translation
Presented by: Gallaudet Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute
Further dive into Deafhood with the lens of language translation through more than one modality. This session provides an understanding of how language translation impacts small business training for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people. Providing an American Sign Language interpreter is often inadequate, especially from the training perspective — we will explore why along with the recommended solutions.
Watch the Zoom Recording (with shared screen and gallery view)
Watch the Webinar on YouTube (with corrected captions)
ASL Interpretation was provided by Interpreter Now, Captions were automatically generated by Zoom. If you have questions about this session, please email Alexis Jones at ajones@ndi-inc.org.
GHA Training Series: Business Concept Development & Discovering Your Business
This session dives into strategies for identifying a business concept that fits the person. The session will focus primarily on the Discovery process and explain how it can be used to identify business concepts that are based on a person’s skill, passion, and conditions of employment. Featured guests will discuss their natural supports, their experience in identifying a business concept, essential resources, tools, and other Discovery “how-to’s” that attendees can implement immediately with their organizational services or their businesses.
Presented by Molly Sullivan and Ciara Ladroma, Griffin-Hammis Associates
Guest Speakers:
- Matthew Shapiro of 6 Wheels Consulting
- Trevor Dealy and Tia Hanson-Dealy of Trev’s Trade
ASL interpretation and captioning (CART) will be provided during the session. If you have any accessibility requests or questions, please email ajones@ndi-inc.org.
GHA Training Series: Net Earnings from Self-Employment and SSI/Medicaid
This session will explain how net earnings from self-employment (NESE) affects SSI, and how an SSI beneficiary can have more income when self-employed. When explaining the effect of NESE on SSI, this session will provide a brief explanation of the SSI work incentives. This session will also provide a general explanation of the affect NESE has on Medicaid.
Watch the Zoom Recording (with shared screen and gallery view)
Watch the Webinar on YouTube (with corrected captions)
ASL Interpretation was provided by Interpreter Now, Captions were automatically generated by Zoom. If you have questions about this session, please email Alexis Jones at ajones@ndi-inc.org.
GHA Training Series: Building Your Team
Building an effective team is critical for success with any self-employment venture, whether the potential business owner has a disability or not. This session will provide viewers with a map of the common self-employment team members supporting people with disabilities, and tips for finding those resources in different cities and towns. Featured guests will share their experience in assembling and leading a team made up of professional and personal connections that made their businesses possible.
Presented by: Griffin Hammis Associates
Guest Speakers:
- Andrea of Puppy Luv Dog Boutique
- Lorraine of Becoming rentABLE
Watch the Zoom Recording (with shared screen and gallery view)
Watch the Webinar on YouTube (with corrected captions)
ASL Interpretation was provided by Interpreter Now and Captioning was provided by Heart Captioning. If you have questions about this session, please email Alexis Jones at ajones@ndi-inc.org.
Disability-Sensitivity Session 1: Introduction to Disability Inclusion
At the end of the session, you will be able to:
• Identify different types of disabilities as defined by the ADA, including hidden disabilities;
• Share appropriate responses to people with disabilities;
• Use person-centered approaches
• Debunk some common myths about people with disabilities
• Identify specific, actionable tips for treating people with disabilities respectfully
Disability-Sensitivity Session 9: Social Media and Accessibility
The content you deliver via social media should be accessible. However, social media platforms don’t always make it easy to add alternative text or consider other disabilities like hearing impairment or loss, visual impairment or loss, distractions, etc. In this workshop, you will learn tips to make your social media content as compliant as possible so everyone can participate.
ASL interpretation and live captioning (CART) was provided during the session. If you have any accessibility requests or questions, please email ajones@ndi-inc.org.
Disability Awareness and Sensitivity Series: Session 11- The Integrated Resource Team Approach
As a wrap up to the Disability Sensitivity series, this session covered how systems and organizations can come together to create an informal, customer-centered partnership between an individual entrepreneur with a disability and diverse service systems. Its goal is to coordinate services and leverage funding to give the entrepreneur comprehensive, wrap-around services tailored to their unique needs and business goals.
ASL interpretation and live captioning (CART) was provided during the session. If you have any accessibility requests or questions, please email ajones@ndi-inc.org.
Disability Awareness and Sensitivity Series: Session 10- Creating Accessible PDF’s
PDF document accessibility plays a vital role in the overall accessibility of your website. To provide an equal experience for all users, regardless of disability, you must develop all digital content with accessibility in mind.
ASL interpretation and live captioning (CART) were provided during the session. If you have any accessibility requests or questions, please email ajones@ndi-inc.org.
Disability-Sensitivity Session 8: Creating Accessible Content for Content Creators: The Basics
What does accessible content mean, and why is it important to your customers and employees? The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are a set of principles intended for content and web creators to ensure that all people, including those with disabilities, can view, interact, and share information. This course will teach you how to create accessible content.
ASL interpretation and live captioning (CART) were provided during the session. If you have any accessibility requests or questions, please email ajones@ndi-inc.org.
Disability Awareness and Sensitivity Series: Session 5 Blind and Low Vision
This session will cover the definitions of blindness and low vision, share some common myths, and include the lived experience of Shawn Calloway, President, National Federation of the Blind of Washington, DC, Radio Show Host of “Open Our Eyes”, Motivational Speaker, and Disability Advocate.