The Naples Players Receives Golisano Foundation Grant to Launch Inclusive Workforce Apprenticeship

The Naples Players Receives Golisano Foundation Grant to Launch Inclusive Workforce Apprenticeship Program for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

The Naples Players has received a multi-year grant from the Golisano Foundation to support the expansion of its Inclusive Workforce & Apprenticeship Pathways Program, a workforce development initiative designed to create meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

The initiative provides structured, paid apprenticeships embedded within The Naples Players’ daily operations, including front-of-house services, scenic construction, costuming, concessions, administration, and theatre operations. Apprentices will receive individualized coaching, workplace readiness training, and supervised hands-on experience designed to prepare participants for long-term competitive employment.

The program reflects TNP’s mission to build community through exceptional access to the power of theatre by creating meaningful workforce pathways within the arts for individuals who have historically faced barriers to employment.

Summer Pliskow

The program will be led by Summer Pliskow, TNP’s Director of Arts Access, whose work has helped expand the organization’s accessibility initiatives, sensory-friendly programming, and community partnerships serving individuals with disabilities. Pliskow will oversee apprentice support, employer collaboration, program development, and workforce readiness implementation throughout the initiative.

Over the next three years, The Naples Players plans to serve at least 30 individuals through paid apprenticeships while building a replicable model for inclusive workforce development within the arts sector.

“Theatre has the power to build confidence, connection, and purpose,” said Bryce Alexander, CEO & Executive Artistic Director of The Naples Players. “We want individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to see that there is a place for them not only in the audience, but as valued professionals, artists, collaborators, and leaders within our community.”

The apprenticeship initiative builds upon TNP’s broader Arts Access work, which has become one of the organization’s defining community impact efforts. Through sensory-friendly and relaxed performances, accessibility accommodations, inclusive education programs, and partnerships with organizations serving individuals with disabilities, TNP has worked to ensure that every person feels welcome not only in the audience, but throughout the creative process and organizational culture.

TNP’s campus includes dedicated accessibility features designed to support patrons, students, volunteers, and performers with sensory and developmental needs. The organization also partners with schools, behavioral specialists, service providers, and disability-focused nonprofits to expand access to theatre participation and arts education throughout Southwest Florida.

The apprenticeship program addresses a significant workforce gap facing individuals with IDD after exiting school-based transition services. While many programs focus on participation or enrichment, The Naples Players’ initiative is centered on measurable employment outcomes and integrated workplace experience. The program will serve young adults ages 18–30 from Collier County and surrounding Southwest Florida communities.

“The Golisano Foundation has been a national leader in advancing inclusion and opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” Alexander said. “We are deeply grateful for their investment in this work and their belief that community institutions like theatres can help redefine what inclusive employment looks like.”

About The Naples Players

The Naples Players is one of the nation’s leading community theatres and a nationally recognized nonprofit arts organization based in downtown Naples, Florida. Operating a year-round, multi-venue campus, TNP serves more than 80,000 people annually through performances, education, accessibility initiatives, and community partnerships. The organization engages more than 850 volunteers each year and has been recognized nationally for its innovative community-centered model, expanded accessibility infrastructure, and commitment to building community through exceptional access to the power of theatre.

About the Golisano Foundation

The Golisano Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the U.S. dedicated to making the world a better place for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Foundation is devoted to opening doors to opportunity, changing negative perceptions and stereotypes, and forging unprecedented partnerships to ensure individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have pathways to personal dignity, independence, and the best possible expression of their abilities and talents throughout their lifetimes. Founded in 1985 by Tom Golisano—entrepreneur, philanthropist, civic leader, and founder of Paychex, Inc. —the Foundation “imagines the possibilities,” advocating for families, fighting for their dignity, and giving people with IDD the opportunity to thrive in their communities. With more than $100 million in gross assets, it awards about $5 million annually to non-profit organizations in Western New York and Southwest Florida.