The Edelman Trust Barometeri, a global in-depth survey facilitated for twenty years by the communications firm of the same name, found in 2020 that universities have built-in elements to amplify the importance of specific issues. Experts, students, and alumni can all be harnessed to help solve economic and social conditions of specific communities. In the annual survey, 73% of people reported respecting educational organizations that strive to use their resources in this way.

To this end, UCEDDs represent a significant vehicle for accelerating the importance of increasing the competitive integrated employment rates of youth and adults with disabilities. This sphere of influence is generated through several UCEDD-specific factors, which, if purposely examined, can lead to a methodical, and judicious use of the resources UCEDDs can deploy within their Developmental Disability (DD) Networks as well as to other Administration on Disability (AoD) grantees within the state and beyond.