1. Patti Lind, Founder and Executive Director, The Abilities Fund Jill Houghton, Project Director, USBLN

2. Supplier Diversity is a corporate program that encourages the use of minority-owned, operated and controlled, for-profit enterprises as vendors.

3. As with other disadvantaged populations, many individuals with disabilities turn to business ownership as a means to economic independence.

4. Americans with disabilities should be fully participating in supplier diversity, but companies have expressed some needs.

5. The Abilities Fund and USBLN ® have joined together to address the needs.

6.  How to define disability  How much ownership is sufficient  Should there be a commitment to further the employment of people with disabilities

7. The Abilities Fund and the USBLN® want to work together with states to design strategies for opening opportunities to businesses owned by individuals with disabilities.

8.  Host “Buying Conferences”  Conduct roundtable discussions with stakeholders to identify challenges and opportunities for developing a Diversity/Disability Supplier Program  Additional Ideas

9. Patti Lind Toll Free 1.888.222.8943 ext 224 prlind@abilitiesfund.org Jill Houghton 954-461-4726 Jilldh@bellsouth.net