Partner Inquiry
Interested in establishing a referral relationship or learning more about how Option C can serve your clients? Fill out this form and we'll follow up within a few business days.
Option C Foundation works alongside reentry programs, disability service providers, vocational rehabilitation counselors, workforce development organizations, social service agencies, faith-based groups, and community colleges to give the people you serve access to a free, complete small-business launch — not another resume workshop. We deliver the structure, mentorship, and professional execution; you make the introduction.
Most "free entrepreneurship" programs hand a participant a workbook and a webinar link. Option C is different. We deliver real, professional outputs alongside the participant — the kind of work an agency would normally charge thousands for — and we walk them through the entire 6-stage Business Building Machine framework with a mentor at their side. Here is what they actually receive once accepted:
A real mentor through the entire process — not a chatbot, not a forum, not a webinar.
Real, written, usable for clarity, funders, or licensing.
Original, professional, designed around the participant's offer.
Pages written for their business, mobile-friendly, fast-loading, structured to convert.
Site stays live with no monthly bill or surprise renewal fees.
So real customers can find them on Google when they're searching.
Created and verified for Maps, the local 3-pack, and right-side search results.
Installed and configured so they can see what's working.
Branded with their logo, ready to start posting day one.
All of it delivered through the Business Building Machine — a structured 6-stage operating system. See how the framework works →
Option C collaborates with organizations whose clients face barriers to traditional employment. If your clients are motivated and looking for an alternative path, we may be a useful resource to add to your referral list.
Organizations supporting people returning from incarceration — transitional housing, reentry case management, second-chance employers, and parole and probation offices looking for legitimate self-employment referral resources.
State VR agencies, disability service providers, independent living centers, Centers for Independent Living, Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) projects, and organizations supporting individuals with physical, mental health, or sensory disabilities.
American Job Centers, local workforce boards, employment training programs, WIOA-funded providers, and other organizations working with adults struggling to enter or re-enter the traditional workforce.
Case managers, social workers, county and state human services, and nonprofit service organizations whose clients face long-term unemployment, housing instability, or other significant life barriers and want to build something stable on their own.
Churches, mosques, synagogues, recovery ministries, community centers, and faith-based nonprofits providing support to community members facing difficult circumstances and looking for legitimate referral resources.
Adult education programs, GED programs, community colleges, continuing education providers, and second-career programs whose students may benefit from structured entrepreneurship support as an alternative career path.
Option C is meant to extend what partner organizations already do, not duplicate it. Here's the practical value a partnership tends to provide.
Many of the adults you serve have been told they should "consider self-employment" without anyone actually offering them the structure or deliverables to do it. Option C is the operational answer to that conversation — and it doesn't add a cost burden to your clients or your budget.
When a referred client moves through our program, we can share milestone updates with you (subject to participant consent). You see what got produced, what stage they're at, and what they launched — useful for your own outcome reporting.
There is no fee, contract, or financial commitment required from partners or participants. Option C is funded by donors and grants specifically so the cost barrier doesn't fall on the people being served or the organizations referring them.
We serve adults with disabilities, prior felony convictions, long-term unemployment, or limited access to professional resources. The criteria are clear, the program is structured, and it's easy to know whether a particular client is likely to be a fit before you make the introduction.
Option C is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We don't take equity, royalties, or fees from participants. We're not selling a product upstream to your clients. The work is the mission, and the mission is the work.
You don't need a Memorandum of Understanding, a legal review, or a meeting with your leadership team to start sharing our interest form with the right clients. The simplest partnership is a link share — deeper collaboration is available if it's useful.
You don't need a formal agreement to start connecting clients to the program. Pick whichever level matches what's actually useful for your organization — you can always start small and scale up.
The simplest level. Share our interest form — optioncfoundation.org/qualify — directly with clients who may be a fit. They apply on their own and we handle the rest. No tracking, no MOU, no email chains required.
For a closer collaboration, send us a warm referral by emailing info@optioncfoundation.org with the client's name and contact info (with their permission). We reach out directly to introduce the program and answer their questions.
For organizations that refer multiple clients regularly, we offer a formal referral relationship: program overview materials for your team, a shared point of contact, periodic updates on participant outcomes, and the ability to discuss specific cases together when helpful.
Quick checklist to help you decide whether a particular client is likely to be a strong candidate before you make the introduction.
No. There is no cost to your organization, no cost to the clients you refer, and no fee to apply. Option C Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded by donations, grants, and community partners.
No. The simplest partnership is sharing our interest form link with the right clients — that requires no agreement at all. Formal partnerships with shared points of contact and outcome updates are available if your organization wants closer collaboration, but they're optional.
Yes. Many of our participants are on supervised release, and we structure work, milestones, and reporting around those conditions. Most supervising officers actively support legitimate self-employment because it lowers risk on every dimension. We also have a dedicated page for participants with prior convictions with more detail.
Carefully — and with help from people who specialize in this. Self-employment income can affect eligibility and benefit amounts, and the rules differ between SSI and SSDI. We are not benefits experts and do not give specific advice. We strongly encourage participants to consult their state's WIPA project or a Community Work Incentives Coordinator (CWIC) before generating income, and we can help them find one. See our disability sub-page for more on this.
Those programs are excellent and complementary. The main differences with Option C: (1) we're focused specifically on adults facing employment barriers, not the general entrepreneur population; (2) we deliver the actual launch deliverables (custom business plan, logo, website, SEO, profiles, analytics) rather than primarily teaching or advising; and (3) every participant gets a 1-on-1 mentor through the entire 6-stage Business Building Machine. If your client doesn't fit our criteria, those other organizations may be a better referral.
Option C does not currently bill state VR systems for participant services — the program is grant- and donor-funded so it can be free for participants regardless of VR status. That said, our program can run alongside an existing VR plan, and many VR counselors find that referring a client to Option C complements their other services rather than replacing them.
Lawful, legitimate small businesses across a wide range of categories — local services (cleaning, landscaping, handyman, mobile detailing, pet care), skilled trades, consulting, online businesses, e-commerce, food (where local laws allow), and more. We do not support illegal businesses, MLM, dropshipping clones, or "passive income" models. See the full program details →
We aim to respond to interest forms within a few business days. Warm referrals usually get a faster initial reply because we know there's a partner organization expecting follow-up.
Interested in establishing a referral relationship or learning more about how Option C can serve your clients? Fill out this form and we'll follow up within a few business days.
Option C Foundation is stronger when organizations that serve the same communities work together. If the people you work with face employment barriers and are motivated to build something legitimate, we'd like to hear from you.