Highlights from DonorConnect: Breaking Barriers - Workforce Access for People with Disabilities
Apr 2, 2026
At our latest DonorConnect: Breaking Barriers – Workforce Access for People with Disabilities, we explored the challenges individuals with disabilities face in accessing employment, the policy landscape influencing those outcomes and the innovative solutions nonprofits are advancing to expand opportunity.
We appreciated the insight shared by our panelists during this thoughtful conversation. Panelists included:
A clear message emerged: people with disabilities want to work. The challenge isn’t ability; it’s the barriers that stand in the way.
Insights from the Panelists
Understanding the Barriers
The Harkin Institute grounded the conversation with three interconnected barriers that shape workforce access:
- Attitudinal
Often unintentional, these are shaped by assumptions about what people can or cannot do. They can show up early - during hiring, onboarding or everyday workplace interactions - and limit opportunity before it begins. Attitudinal barriers can also show up internally, as individuals question what’s possible. Creating space to explore, try and adapt can help expand what opportunity looks like.
- Structural
From inaccessible job applications to transportation challenges, systems are not always designed with everyone in mind. When environments are more accessible, they often become more welcoming and productive for everyone—from flexible workspaces to tools like noise-canceling headphones.
- Policy
Policies can unintentionally restrict opportunity. Today, individuals with disabilities may face income and asset limits tied to public benefits, creating difficult choices between career advancement and essential support.
Shifting the Conversation and Expanding Opportunity
Across the discussion, panelists emphasized a simple but powerful shift, as shared by Easterseals: accommodation is a conversation. Employers want to do the right thing but may not know where to start. While the ADA is rooted in employees requesting an accommodation, panelists encouraged employers to take the lead - creating a culture where support is offered openly, not only when it’s asked for.
Often, the most effective approach is the simplest, asking, “What do you need to be successful?” Creating environments where employees feel comfortable asking for support and where that process is clear and transparent, can open the door to stronger teams and better outcomes for everyone. Access The Harkin Institute’s Business Toolkit to learn more.
One of the most urgent themes of the conversation was the role of Medicaid. For many individuals with disabilities, Medicaid is not just health insurance, it is a pathway to living independently, providing access to services like transportation and in-home support that make employment possible.
Yet current policies can create a “cliff,” where earning more income risks losing these critical benefits. The “benefits cliff” remains a significant challenge, with individuals and families weighing career growth against access to the supports they rely on to live and work. As a result, individuals are often forced to turn down promotions or additional hours, not because they don’t want to grow, but because the risk is too great, as reflected in the State of and Barriers to Employment in Iowa Survey conducted by Disability Rights Iowa.
Despite these challenges, Hope Agency Des Moines and Easterseals Iowa shared powerful examples of what’s possible when barriers are removed. Individuals, like Sam, are building meaningful careers with the right supports in place. Employers. like PawsAbilities, are discovering dedicated, capable team members. Partnerships are creating new pathways into the workforce.
Moving Forward
The message from the conversation was clear: when barriers are removed, opportunity expands - not just for individuals, but for workplaces and our entire community. Panelists encouraged attendees to continue to advocate and take action, including:
- Challenging assumptions and staying curious
- Advocating for policy change, particularly around benefit limitations
- Creating more welcoming environments in workplaces and communities
- Getting connected to organizations doing this work
Amplify Impact with the Community Foundation
The Community Foundation believes in the power of connection to drive change. Through GIVEdsm, you can explore opportunities to support organizations working to expand access, remove barriers and create a more inclusive workforce. Together, we can help ensure that all people have the opportunity to contribute, grow and thrive.
DonorConnect is part of a free conversation series designed to bring our community together to learn about and discuss our region’s most pressing issues and promising opportunities. Look for future events by visiting DesMoinesFoundation.org/Events.
As always, our team is here to simplify your giving to the causes you care about. Whether considering ways to maximize your giving today, involving your family in charitable conversations or planning how to leave a legacy for generations to come – we are here to create a personalized giving plan for you.
Contact our team to learn more about customized giving solutions that enable you to give back in the ways that meet your unique goals. We are better together.