Weekend Fuel Backpack Program

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Executive Summary

Weekend Fuel Backpack Program is a nonprofit in West Virginia that sends children home from school on Friday with a backpack of food for the weekend. School counselors, nurses and teachers quietly let us know which students may go hungry between Friday lunch and Monday breakfast. Volunteers and staff pack bags of child-friendly, ready-to-eat food, and the school slips a bag into each child's backpack at the end of the week without calling attention to anyone.

A child who is hungry cannot learn well on Monday. Free school meals cover the school week, but weekends can be long for a family that is out of food. Many families are working hard and still come up short at the end of the month. A bag of simple food can make a weekend easier, and the child comes back to school ready.

With this grant we will serve about 400 students at eight schools in Year 1 for 36 school weeks, packing about 14,400 bags at a food cost of about $3.60 each, plus donated food from drives. Each bag has six to eight shelf-stable foods that need no cooking, such as cereal cups, fruit cups, soup cups, crackers and protein items. No student has to prove need, and no family is asked to pay.

Our Year 1 budget is about $207,000, growing to about $229,500 by Year 5 as we add schools. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 3 paid staff in Year 1, supported by about 60 volunteers.

We are asking the Ridgeline Community Foundation for $80,000 for our Program Coordinator and for weekend food. Schools, churches, civic clubs and donors also give, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

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

Company Description

Weekend Fuel Backpack Program is a small, independent nonprofit in West Virginia, organized as a 501(c)(3) public charity. We serve students in public schools in our region and rely on schools, churches and neighbors.

Our mission. To make sure no child goes hungry over the weekend.

What we believe. Food should reach a child with dignity and no embarrassment. Every bag is packed the same way and handed over privately, so no child is singled out. Families are never asked to prove need beyond a school staff member's quiet referral, and they can say no at any time. We follow food safety rules, label common allergens and never use leftover or home-prepared food.

What we offer:
- Weekend food bags. Six to eight shelf-stable, ready-to-eat items for each child, every school week.
- School partnership. A school contact who identifies students and receives the bags each week.
- Family choice. A simple form where families tell us about allergies and food they cannot eat, or choose to stop at any time.
- Holiday and break bags. Extra bags before long school breaks when funds allow.

Who we serve. Students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade who might go without enough food on weekends.

What we do not do. We do not ask children about their families, share names outside the school contact and our staff, give cash or gift cards or serve food that needs cooking or refrigeration. We do not guarantee that any bag is free from allergens.

How we are run. A volunteer board of seven governs the organization. I am the Executive Director. The Program Coordinator manages schools, food orders and volunteers. A part-time packing and delivery coordinator runs weekly packing and deliveries.

Where things stand today. We have letters of support from two school districts and eight schools, commitments from churches and civic clubs for packing space and volunteers, a quote from a food distributor, a lease offer on a small packing space and a family permission form being reviewed by an attorney. (Replace this with where you really are.)

Problem & Opportunity

Free and reduced-price school meals help many children eat well during the school week. But weekends can be difficult. A family that is out of money for food by the end of the month may have little to eat on Saturday and Sunday. Children come back on Monday tired, hungry and less able to pay attention, and teachers often notice.

Families who need help face barriers. Food pantries may be open only on weekdays, far from home or hard to reach without a car. Some parents feel embarrassed to ask, or fear being judged. Children often feel worse than their parents.

Schools want to help, but they do not usually have the budget, space or staff to buy, pack and deliver weekend food. Teachers and counselors sometimes buy food from their own pockets.

For a small nonprofit, the hard parts are buying food at good prices, packing it safely, delivering it on time every week of the school year, keeping the program private and raising money steadily.

We want to be clear about what we know and do not know. Weekend food programs are a common way for communities to support hungry children, and we will use the most recent local numbers on student eligibility for free and reduced-price meals and food insecurity in our final plan. We do not know exactly how many students will need a bag, so our plan uses a first-year goal and will report what really happens.

Products & Services

Weekend Fuel Backpack Program will give children a bag of food every Friday during the school year, privately and with dignity.

How it works, step by step:
1. Partner schools. We sign an agreement with each school that names a contact person, delivery day and a private way to give bags to children.
2. Quiet referral. School counselors, nurses and teachers identify students who may need the program, and send a short form home so parents can say yes or no and note allergies.
3. Buy and collect food. We buy shelf-stable food in bulk from a distributor and collect donations from food drives, then check dates and store everything off the floor.
4. Pack. Volunteers pack bags each week in a clean space, using a checklist and wearing gloves, with allergy labels on the bag when needed.
5. Deliver. Our van delivers bags to each school before the end of the week, in sealed boxes labeled by classroom or number, not by name.
6. Hand off. School staff place a bag in each child's backpack at the end of the day, discreetly.
7. Adjust. We use feedback from teachers and families to change items, and we replace foods that children do not eat.
8. Report. We tell funders how many bags we packed and where they went, never naming a child.

Why this approach is strong. Schools already know the children and have a private way to reach them. Bags are simple, safe and consistent, and no one has to ask for help in front of others.

Market Analysis

Who we serve: students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at partner public schools in our region, and their families.

Our primary group is children whose families are living with limited income and may struggle with food at the end of the month. Our secondary group is children facing a crisis, such as a job loss, a move or an illness in the family. We will use the most recent local numbers on students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals and on food insecurity in our final plan.

How we sized our plan. We plan to serve about 400 students at eight schools in Year 1, packing about 14,400 bags over 36 school weeks. We grow to about 500 students at 10 schools in Year 2, 600 at 12 schools in Year 3, 700 at 14 schools in Year 4 and about 800 at 16 schools in Year 5. Our Year 1 budget is about $207,000 and our Year 5 budget is about $229,500.

Demand data. Letters of support from two school districts and eight schools, and calls from counselors who already buy food for students, show a clear need. We do not count on any single school.

We do not serve everyone. We refer families who need more help to food pantries, SNAP and school meal programs and to the school counselor. We start with the schools that have the most need and a waiting list for more.

Competitive Landscape

Other choices for children and families, and what makes us different.

- School meal programs. They are essential for weekdays. We cover the weekend.
- Food pantries. They offer more food, but have limited hours and may be far. We bring food to the child at school.
- Other weekend food programs. Several exist in our state. We coordinate with them and serve schools they do not reach.
- Church and civic club food drives. They help many families. We combine donations with bulk purchasing so the supply is steady every week.
- Families and neighbors. Many help each other. We offer a reliable extra step so no child is left without.

What makes us different.
- Food that is ready to eat, with no cooking needed.
- Private delivery in the school backpack, with no sign of who gets a bag.
- A weekly routine that never skips a week of school.
- Allergy labels and a family option to say no.

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

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How we will reach the people we serve.

Schools. We will meet principals, counselors and nurses, explain how the program works and sign agreements before the school year starts. School staff identify children, so we do not advertise to the public.

Parents. A family form goes home in English and Spanish, with a short explanation and a phone number for questions. Families can say yes, say no or ask us to change foods at any time.

Volunteers and churches. We will recruit volunteers from churches, civic clubs, businesses and students, and invite them to pack for an evening or a weekend.

Donors. We will invite individuals, churches, businesses and clubs to sponsor a school, a classroom or a month of bags. Food drives are held in spring and fall.

Telling the story. We will share stories and totals with the community without naming or showing any child.

Holidays and breaks. Before long school breaks we will pack extra bags when funds allow, and we will share a list of local food pantries and holiday meal programs with every family so help is easy to find all year.

Cost to the family. Free. No family is asked to pay or prove need beyond the school's quiet referral.

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1:
- Months 1 and 2 (summer): Sign agreements with eight schools, lease the packing space, buy shelving, freezers and a scale, recruit volunteers and place the first food order.
- Month 3 (late summer): Send family forms home, train volunteers and school contacts and run a practice pack.
- Months 4 to 12 (school year): Pack and deliver bags every week of school, hold food drives each fall and spring and add children as forms are returned.
- Months 11 and 12 (late spring): Thank schools and volunteers, survey teachers and families, report to funders and plan Year 2.

Space. A rented packing space of about 1,000 square feet with shelving and a handwashing sink. Rent is $9,000 a year in Year 1.

Equipment. We buy about $12,000 of equipment once at the start: steel shelving and a packing table ($3,900), two chest freezers and a refrigerator for fresh and chilled items ($3,600), a pallet jack, hand truck and scale ($1,200), a computer, label printer and phone ($1,500) and handwashing and food safety supplies ($1,800). Later years replace or add a few items.

Staffing. In Year 1, I serve as Executive Director. The Program Coordinator, paid $40,000 a year, manages schools, orders and volunteers. A part-time packing and delivery coordinator, paid $22,000 a year, runs weekly packing and deliveries.

Food safety. We follow our state's food safety rules, check dates and storage on every delivery, never use opened or home-prepared food, label top allergens and wash hands before packing. We keep a log of every delivery and a plan for recalls.

Volunteers. Volunteers sign a simple agreement, are trained on food safety and privacy and never contact a child or family directly. School visits are done only by staff who pass a background check.

Costs. Food purchases are about $52,000 in Year 1, bags, packing supplies and allergy labels about $5,000, van fuel and delivery about $5,000 and administration and insurance about $10,000.

Management & Organization

The people who will carry out the project.

Frank Mullins, Executive Director. Fourteen years of nonprofit work, including eight years running a church-based food program. He oversees the program, partnerships, fundraising and finances. (Replace this paragraph with your own background.)

Program Coordinator (from Year 1). Manages schools, food orders, volunteers and reports.

Packing and delivery coordinator (part-time, from Year 1). Runs weekly packing and driving.

Volunteers. About 60 volunteers a year, including students, church members and retired workers.

School contacts. A counselor or nurse at each school who identifies children and receives bags. School contacts are the only people who know which children receive a bag.

Board and advisors. Seven volunteer board members, including a school counselor and a food safety professional, who meet every quarter. An attorney reviews our family form and privacy policy.

Staff pay in this plan is a full year per person: Executive Director $54,000, Program Coordinator $40,000 and part-time packing and delivery coordinator $22,000. 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 400 students at eight schools and pack about 14,400 bags over 36 weeks. A balanced budget of about $207,000, with a small surplus of about $7,600. About 3 paid staff.
- Year 2: Serve about 500 students at 10 schools and add a second delivery route. A balanced budget of about $212,000, with a small surplus of about $7,400. About 3 paid staff.
- Year 3: Serve about 600 students at 12 schools and add holiday and break bags. A balanced budget of about $217,500, with a small surplus of about $7,400. About 3 paid staff.
- Year 4: Serve about 700 students at 14 schools and strengthen our volunteer teams. A balanced budget of about $223,000, with a small surplus of about $6,800. About 3 paid staff.
- Year 5: Serve about 800 students at 16 schools and share our packing and privacy system with other counties. A balanced budget of about $229,500, with a small surplus of about $7,200. About 3 paid staff.

What we measure:
- Bags packed and delivered each week.
- Students served at each school.
- Teacher and counselor feedback.
- Families who opted out or asked for changes.
- Cost per bag.
- Food safety checks passed and recalls handled.

How we review results. The Program Coordinator reviews numbers every week of the school year. Twice a year, staff and the board review all results and share them with funders and partner schools. If a school has missed deliveries or complaints, we meet with the school contact and fix the plan. 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: $80,000 from the Ridgeline Community Foundation for a Program Coordinator and weekend food for students, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Program Coordinator salary, $40,000.
- Supplies: Weekend food for students, $40,000 (other funds add $12,000).

Other money in the program. This request is about 55% of our Year 1 grant income. Other grants and the income lines below pay for everything it does not cover.

Year 1 budget: about $207,000, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $7,600 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $145,000 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), school partner support $18,000, churches, civic clubs and individual donations $32,000, food drive cash and fundraisers $12,000. Year 1 costs: executive director $54,000; program coordinator $40,000; packing and delivery coordinator $22,000; food purchases (child-friendly, ready-to-eat) about $52,000; bags, packing supplies and allergy labels about $5,000; warehouse and packing space about $9,000; van fuel and delivery about $5,000; administration and insurance about $10,000; about $3,800 a year for the wear on equipment.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $21,600 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $3,900 for steel shelving and a packing table; $3,600 for two chest freezers and a refrigerator for fresh and chilled items; $1,200 for pallet jack, hand truck and a scale; $1,500 for computer, label printer and phone; $1,800 for hand-washing and food safety supplies; $4,800 for opening stock of food and backpacks; $2,200 for attorney review of school agreements and student privacy policy; $1,200 for banners, flyers and a simple website; $1,400 for background checks and first insurance payment.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($21,600), the cash the program uses before it balances (about $0) and a cash cushion of about $49,300, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. The cash used before it balances and the cushion come to about $49,300. In all, that comes to $71,000. We start with $14,000 of our own savings and $60,000 in startup support from a local family foundation and our board, $74,000 in all, which covers that amount with room to spare.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $207,000 in Year 1 to about $229,500 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $145,000, $136,000, $127,500, $119,000 and $111,500 in Years 1 to 5. Other income grows: school partner support from $18,000 to $42,000 and churches, civic clubs and individual donations from $32,000 to $56,000 and food drive cash and fundraisers from $12,000 to $20,000. We add schools and a second delivery route in Year 2 as the program grows. Grants fall from about 70% of our income in Year 1 to about 49% in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $65,800, at the end of Year 1. Some grant payments and partner payments arrive after we bill, so we plan for about $6,210 owed to us at the end of Year 1.

After the grant. Schools, churches, civic clubs, businesses and individual donors grow every year, so grants become a smaller share of our budget. Food drives bring in new donors, and sponsors can adopt a school or a classroom by name.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- A school contact leaves. We keep a second contact at each school and a written guide.
- A food price rise. We buy in bulk from more than one supplier and keep a reserve.
- A food safety problem. We follow a written plan, check dates and keep a recall log.
- A delivery day is missed. We keep a back-up volunteer driver and a stock of bags at each school.
- A grant ends. We keep savings and grow school, church 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: two schools, 100 students and volunteer packing in a church hall, 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 each partner school and district.
- Your school agreement and family form in English and Spanish.
- Your food safety plan and recall procedure.
- Your privacy policy and volunteer agreement.
- Your packing space lease or letter of intent.
- Quotes for food and 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: $145,000 in Year 1, then $136,000, $127,500, $119,000 and $111,500.
- School Partner Support: $18,000 in Year 1, growing to $42,000.
- Churches, Civic Clubs and Individual Donations: $32,000 in Year 1, growing to $56,000.
- Food Drive Cash and Fundraisers: $12,000 in Year 1, growing to $20,000.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): executive director $54,000, program coordinator $40,000, packing and delivery coordinator (part-time) $22,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: food purchases (child-friendly, ready-to-eat) $52,000, bags, packing supplies and allergy labels $5,000, warehouse and packing space $9,000, van fuel and delivery $5,000, administration and insurance $10,000. These grow between 4% and 7% a year.
- Equipment: $12,000 at the start, then $1,500 to $2,500 a year.
- Startup costs: $21,600, paid once from $74,000 in startup money.
- About 14,400 bags in Year 1 at a food cost of about $3.60 each, plus donated food from drives. Students served: about 400 in Year 1, growing to about 800 in Year 5.
- 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