Level Field Adaptive Sports

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Executive Summary

Level Field Adaptive Sports is a nonprofit in Oregon that makes sports and recreation possible for children and adults with disabilities. We run adaptive sports clinics, lend sport wheelchairs, hand cycles and other equipment and employ certified coaches who know how to adapt each sport to each person. Participants can try wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, hand cycling, swimming and other activities, with friends and family cheering them on.

Sports build fitness, friendships and confidence, but people with disabilities often have few chances to take part. Equipment is expensive, and many coaches have never worked with adaptive gear. Local gyms and pools may not have the right setup, and families may not know where to start.

With this grant we will serve about 90 participants in Year 1 in five sports, with about 40 clinics and two community tournaments. Participants borrow equipment at no cost. A Program Director manages the program, and part-time coaches teach. We do not give medical advice, and we encourage participants to talk with their doctor before starting a new activity. We do not promise any health result.

Our Year 1 budget is about $193,000, growing to about $245,500 by Year 5 as we add sports and sites. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 3 paid staff in Year 1 and 5 by Year 5, with part-time coaches and volunteers.

We are asking the Columbia River Sports Foundation for $64,000 for our Program Director and for gym and pool rental. Parks departments, hospitals, schools, businesses and donors also give, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

I am Dana Kim, the Executive Director. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

Level Field Adaptive Sports is a small, independent nonprofit in Oregon, organized as a 501(c)(3) public charity. We serve children, teens and adults with physical, sensory and some developmental disabilities in our region.

Our mission. To open the door to sport and recreation for everyone.

What we believe. Everyone deserves to play. We start with what a person wants to try, adapt the sport and the equipment to the person and never insist that someone prove a disability. We keep clinics fun and safe, and we welcome siblings, friends and parents to join in. People with disabilities help lead our program.

What we offer:
- Adaptive sports clinics. Beginner and ongoing sessions in wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, hand cycling, swimming and other sports, taught by certified coaches.
- Equipment loans. Sport wheelchairs, hand cycles and adaptive gear loaned to participants, fitted and maintained by trained staff.
- Community tournaments and events. Friendly competitions and demonstrations for families and schools.
- Support for schools and parks. Training for physical education teachers and recreation staff on adaptive sport.

Who we serve. Children, teens and adults with disabilities, and their families, schools and community groups.

What we do not do. We do not give medical advice, treat injuries, charge for equipment loans or let participants use equipment that is not fitted and checked. We do not promise a particular fitness or health outcome.

How we are run. A volunteer board of seven, including participants and family members, governs the organization. I am the Executive Director. The Program Director manages sites, coaches and equipment. Part-time coaches are certified in the sports they teach. About 30 volunteers help.

Where things stand today. We have letters of support from the parks department, a rehabilitation hospital, two schools and a disability resource center, a rental agreement in principle with a gym and a pool, quotes for the equipment and a participant waiver and equipment loan agreement under review by an attorney. (Replace this with where you really are.)

Problem & Opportunity

People with disabilities are less likely to take part in sports and recreation than people without disabilities. Equipment is a major barrier. A sport wheelchair can cost thousands of dollars, and a hand cycle can cost even more. Few gyms, pools or parks have adaptive equipment or staff trained to use it.

Children with disabilities may be left out of physical education or play on the sidelines. Adults who became disabled through injury or illness may not know that sports are still possible and may lose touch with activities they loved.

Rehabilitation hospitals do wonderful work but often cannot offer long-term recreation. Families may not know where to turn.

For a small nonprofit, the hard parts are the cost and upkeep of equipment, finding certified coaches, renting accessible facilities, getting participants there and keeping everyone safe.

We want to be clear about what we know and do not know. Adaptive sports programs offer fitness, friendships and joy for many participants. We will use the most recent local numbers on people with disabilities and recreation access in our final plan. We do not know exactly how many people will take part, so our plan uses a first-year goal and will report what really happens. We encourage participants to consult their doctor before starting.

Products & Services

Level Field Adaptive Sports will bring adaptive sports to people with disabilities with the right coach and the right equipment.

How it works, step by step:
1. Sign up. A participant or parent signs up and completes a waiver, a short interest form and a note about any needs. We encourage participants to talk to their doctor.
2. Equipment fitting. Trained staff fit sport wheelchairs, hand cycles or other gear, with the participant's feedback.
3. First clinic. A certified coach introduces the sport, safety rules and basic skills, in a small group.
4. Regular sessions. Participants join weekly or monthly sessions and build skills at their own pace.
5. Play together. Groups scrimmage, ride and swim with friends and volunteers, in games that adapt to every level.
6. Events. Twice a year, we hold a community tournament or demonstration, with free admission.
7. Take it further. Participants who want more can join other leagues or clubs, and we help them find them.
8. Check and repair. Equipment is inspected and repaired regularly, and participants can borrow it between sessions when appropriate.

Why this approach is strong. Trying a sport with the right gear and a friendly coach opens possibilities. A community of peers keeps participants coming back.

Market Analysis

Who we serve: children, teens and adults with physical, sensory and some developmental disabilities, and their families, in our region.

Our primary group is participants who want to try or continue a sport. Our secondary group is schools, parks and recreation departments and rehabilitation programs that need adaptive sports partners. We will use the most recent local numbers on people with disabilities and recreation access in our final plan.

How we sized our plan. We plan to serve about 90 participants in Year 1 in five sports, with about 40 clinics and two tournaments. We grow to about 120 participants in Year 2, 150 in Year 3, 180 in Year 4 and about 200 participants in Year 5 as we add sites and sports. Our Year 1 budget is about $193,000 and our Year 5 budget is about $245,500.

Demand data. Letters of support from the parks department, a rehabilitation hospital, two schools and a disability resource center, and a waiting list from a pilot clinic, show a clear need. We do not count on any one partner.

We do not serve everyone. We refer participants who need medical rehabilitation to a hospital program, and participants who want elite competition to specialty clubs.

Competitive Landscape

Other choices for participants, and what makes us different.

- Rehabilitation hospital programs. They help people early in recovery. We offer long-term recreation and community.
- School physical education and parks programs. They serve some participants. We provide equipment, coaches and training for those programs.
- Specialty clubs and elite teams. They serve serious athletes. We welcome beginners and recreational players.
- Private lessons and gyms. They may not have adaptive equipment. We provide it.
- Wellness and fitness centers. Some have accessible equipment. We add coaches, sport-specific gear and a group to play with.
- Staying home. Many people do. We make it easy to try, with a friendly coach and a borrowed chair or cycle.

What makes us different.
- Free equipment loans and clinics.
- Certified coaches who know adaptive sport.
- A community that includes friends, siblings and parents.
- People with disabilities on our board.

What we do not claim. We are new. Larger programs have more equipment and a longer record. We plan to earn trust one participant at a time.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How we will reach the people we serve.

Hospitals and clinics. We will meet therapists and care teams at the rehabilitation hospital and clinics, give them a one-page guide and ask them to refer participants who are ready.

Schools. We will meet physical education teachers and special education staff, offer a free demonstration and ask them to share information with families.

Parks and recreation. We will work with the parks department to schedule sessions and promote them in their guides.

Families and participants. A flyer in easy-to-read format and a simple website show clinic dates, sports and how to sign up. We hold open house days for families.

Businesses and clubs. We will invite businesses and civic clubs to sponsor equipment and tournaments.

Cost to the participant. Free. We loan equipment and provide coaching at no cost.

Staying involved. We will call participants after a missed session, offer a ride when one is needed and invite them to help with events, so that a participant who is nervous at first becomes a regular.

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1:
- Months 1 and 2 (summer): Sign facility agreements, buy equipment and a trailer, hire and train coaches and finalize the waiver and loan agreement.
- Month 3 (late summer): Open sign-ups and hold the first clinic in each sport.
- Months 4 to 10: Run weekly clinics and sessions at two sites, hold a community tournament in winter and spring and fit new participants.
- Months 11 and 12: Survey participants and families, report to funders and plan Year 2.

Space. We rent gym and pool time at accessible facilities. Gym and pool rental is $18,000 a year in Year 1. Our small office is shared space in a community building.

Equipment. We buy about $42,000 of equipment once at the start: six sport wheelchairs for basketball and tennis ($24,000), two hand cycles ($10,000), adaptive gear such as balls, nets, goals and swim aids ($4,000) and an equipment trailer for travel to sites ($4,000). Later years replace or add equipment.

Staffing. In Year 1, I serve as Executive Director. The Program Director, paid $46,000 a year, manages sites, coaches and equipment. Part-time coaches, counted as full-time equivalents and paid $28,000 a year each, are about one in Year 1, growing to two and a half by Year 5.

Safety. Every coach holds the certification for the sport they teach and first aid and CPR training. Equipment is fitted, inspected before each use and repaired by trained staff. An automated external defibrillator and a first aid kit are at every site, and a written plan names 911 for emergencies. All adults pass a background check and no adult is alone with a minor.

Quality and learning. After each session we ask participants for feedback, track attendance and review safety notes. Coaches meet monthly to share what works.

Costs. Equipment maintenance and replacement are about $8,000 in Year 1, transportation about $5,000, background checks and insurance about $5,000 and administration about $11,000.

Management & Organization

The people who will carry out the project.

Dana Kim, Executive Director. Thirteen years of nonprofit and recreation work, including seven years running an adaptive sports program. She oversees the program, partnerships, fundraising and finances. (Replace this paragraph with your own background.)

Program Director (from Year 1). Manages sites, coaches, equipment and schedules.

Adaptive sports coaches (part-time, from Year 1). Certified coaches who teach sports and help fit equipment.

Volunteers. About 30 volunteers, including peer mentors who use adaptive equipment themselves.

Board and advisors. Seven volunteer board members, including a participant, a parent and a physical therapist, who meet every quarter. An attorney reviews our waiver and equipment loan agreement.

Staff pay in this plan is a full year per person: Executive Director $55,000, Program Director $46,000 and adaptive sports coach $28,000 per full-time equivalent. Replace them with the pay you can offer where you live.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals for each year and how we will measure them.

- Year 1: Serve about 90 participants in five sports with about 40 clinics and two tournaments. A balanced budget of about $193,000, with a small surplus of about $8,600. About 3 paid staff.
- Year 2: Serve about 120 participants and add a youth league. A balanced budget of about $209,500, with a small surplus of about $8,400. About 4 paid staff.
- Year 3: Serve about 150 participants and add a second site in a nearby town. A balanced budget of about $226,000, with a small surplus of about $8,000. About 4 paid staff.
- Year 4: Serve about 180 participants and add adaptive cycling rides on local trails. A balanced budget of about $228,500, with a small surplus of about $7,400. About 4 paid staff.
- Year 5: Serve about 200 participants and share our training and equipment loan system with other programs. A balanced budget of about $245,500, with a small surplus of about $7,300. About 5 paid staff.

What we measure:
- Participants and clinics held.
- Participants who attend at least six sessions.
- Equipment loaned and repaired.
- Participants who say they feel more active and connected.
- Community events and attendance.
- Family and partner feedback.

How we review results. The Program Director reviews numbers every month. Twice a year, staff and the board review all results and share them with funders and partners. If a site has low attendance or an equipment problem, we meet with the site and fix it. Every number in this plan is a goal, and we will report what really happens.

Funding Request

What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $64,000 from the Columbia River Sports Foundation for a Program Director and gym and pool rental for adaptive sports, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Program Director salary, $46,000.
- Other: Gym and pool rental, $18,000.

Other money in the program. This request is about 47% of our Year 1 grant income. Other grants and the income lines below pay for everything it does not cover.

Year 1 budget: about $193,000, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $8,600 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $137,000 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), parks, hospital and school partner support $26,000, businesses, clubs and individual donations $30,000. Year 1 costs: executive director $55,000; program director $46,000; adaptive sports coaches $28,000; gym and pool rental about $18,000; equipment maintenance and replacement about $8,000; transportation about $5,000; background checks and insurance about $5,000; administration about $11,000; about $11,000 a year for the wear on equipment.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $50,400 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $24,000 for six sport wheelchairs for basketball and tennis; $10,000 for two hand cycles; $4,000 for adaptive gear: balls, nets, goals and swim aids; $4,000 for equipment trailer for travel to sites; $2,000 for opening stock of tires, repair parts and safety gear; $2,600 for attorney review of the equipment loan agreement and participant waiver; $1,400 for banners, large-print flyers and a simple website; $2,400 for coach certification fees, background checks and first insurance payment.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($50,400), the cash the program uses before it balances (about $0) and a cash cushion of about $44,000, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. The cash used before it balances and the cushion come to about $44,000. In all, that comes to $94,500. We start with $22,000 of our own savings and $75,000 in startup support from a local sports foundation and our board, $97,000 in all, which covers that amount with room to spare.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $193,000 in Year 1 to about $245,500 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $137,000, $141,500, $146,000, $136,500 and $141,500 in Years 1 to 5. Other income grows: parks, hospital and school partner support from $26,000 to $50,000 and businesses, clubs and individual donations from $30,000 to $54,000. We add sites, sports and part-time coaches as the program grows. Grants fall from about 71% of our income in Year 1 to about 58% in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $66,200, at the end of Year 1. Some grant payments and partner payments arrive after we bill, so we plan for about $5,790 owed to us at the end of Year 1.

After the grant. Parks, hospitals, schools, businesses, clubs and individual donors grow every year, so grants become a smaller share of our budget. Participants share their stories, and sponsors can underwrite a chair, a cycle or a tournament by name.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- A safety incident. We follow a written plan, certify coaches, inspect equipment and carry insurance.
- Equipment is damaged or lost. We set aside a repair fund and train participants in care.
- A site becomes unavailable. We keep agreements with more than one facility.
- Low attendance. We offer rides, reminders and flexible times.
- A grant ends. We keep savings and grow partner and donor support each year.

If you are just starting. A new organization can begin before it has its own 501(c)(3) status through a fiscal sponsor: an established nonprofit that receives grants for you and passes them to your program, usually for a fee (commonly around 5% to 10% of the grant, sometimes more; ask before you agree). Another way is to start smaller: one site, three sports and a few borrowed chairs, tracked carefully. Strong results from a small start make larger grants easier to win.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach with this proposal:

- Your IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter, or your fiscal sponsor agreement.
- Your most recent financial statements and your current year budget.
- A list of your board members and what each one does.
- Signed letters of support from partner organizations.
- Your facility agreements.
- Your participant waiver and equipment loan agreement.
- Your coach certification records and background check policy.
- Your safety and emergency plan.
- Quotes for equipment.
- Resumes for your Executive Director and key staff.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.

The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Grant Revenue: $137,000 in Year 1, then $141,500, $146,000, $136,500 and $141,500.
- Parks, Hospital and School Partner Support: $26,000 in Year 1, growing to $50,000.
- Businesses, Clubs and Individual Donations: $30,000 in Year 1, growing to $54,000.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): executive director $55,000, program director $46,000, adaptive sports coaches (part-time) $28,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: gym and pool rental $18,000, equipment maintenance and replacement $8,000, transportation $5,000, background checks and insurance $5,000, administration $11,000. These grow between 4% and 6% a year.
- Equipment: $42,000 at the start, then $3,000 to $4,000 a year.
- Startup costs: $50,400, paid once from $97,000 in startup money.
- Participants: about 90 in Year 1, growing to about 200 in Year 5. Equipment is loaned at no cost.
- About 3% of each year's income is still owed to us at year end.
- Tax: none, as a nonprofit.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and real budget.

Startup Costs