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Executive Summary
Ride Together Community Transportation is a nonprofit that gives rides to people in our county and the nearby towns who have no other way to get where they need to go. We provide door-to-door rides to medical appointments, jobs and grocery stores in wheelchair-accessible vehicles, with trained, background-checked drivers and well-kept vehicles.
A ride can be the difference between getting care and going without, between keeping a job and losing it, between being connected and being alone. Many older adults, people with disabilities and people with low incomes in our area have no car, cannot drive or live where public transit does not reach. Our program provides safe, dependable rides, at no cost or a low cost, to the places that matter most.
In Year 1 we plan to serve about 150 riders and 3,500 rides over the year. Our Year 1 budget is about $127,000, growing to about $343,000 by Year 5 as we grow from one driver to seven. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small amount set aside in savings.
We are asking the Lakeshore Community Trust for $60,000, as part of the $115,000 in grants and contracts we need for Year 1. The other $12,000 in Year 1 comes from donations, which we plan to grow to about $40,000 a year by Year 5. Grant money pays for drivers, vehicle costs and the record-keeping funders require.
We will measure how many people we serve, how many rides we give, how many rides are to medical appointments and jobs, how often we are on time, and how many riders say they could not have gotten there another way. We will report results to our funders every six months.
Company Description
Ride Together Community Transportation is a nonprofit organization in Iowa. A 501(c)(3) public charity
Our mission. To give people without other options a safe, dependable ride to the places that matter in their lives.
How we started and what we have done. We began in 2021 when a church used a donated van to take older members to medical appointments. Since then we have given about 3,000 rides to about 120 riders, with 10 volunteer drivers helping each week.
What we do:
- Give rides to medical appointments, pharmacies, grocery stores, jobs and community events.
- Operate wheelchair-accessible vehicles, so people who use mobility devices can ride.
- Schedule rides by phone, with reminders and friendly drivers.
- Train drivers in safety and in helping passengers with special needs.
- Work with other agencies so rides connect with public transit and other services.
Where we work. Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., within our county and to the regional hospital in the next county
Our partners. The community health center (referrals), the senior center, the county transit agency and a church that provides parking.
Our approach. A ride is more than a vehicle. We treat riders with dignity, arrive on time and help riders from door to door where they need it.
How we are run. A volunteer Board of Directors (a small group of community members who oversee the organization) meets regularly, approves the budget, reviews the finances and oversees the Executive Director.
Problem & Opportunity
Why this program is needed.
Many people in our county and the nearby towns do not drive, cannot afford a car or live far from services. Public transit may not run where or when people need it, and paratransit can require days of notice. Missed medical appointments and lost job opportunities follow, and people become isolated.
Facts about our community. According to the U.S. Many households in our county have no vehicle, which makes work, medical visits and groceries hard to reach.
Gaps in the help that exists now:
1. Medical trips. Missed appointments lead to worse health and higher costs.
2. Work. Many people cannot take a job because they cannot get there.
3. Rural and suburban gaps. Transit may not reach many areas at all.
4. Accessibility. Many vehicles are not set up for wheelchairs or walkers.
5. Cost. Taxis and ride apps are too expensive for people on fixed or low incomes.
What we have seen ourselves. Several riders told us they had missed medical appointments for months because they had no way to get to the clinic.
Who we serve first. Older adults, people with disabilities and people with low incomes who have no other way to get around, in older adults and people with disabilities who live outside the transit area and have no car.
Products & Services
How the program works.
1. Reliable rides. Riders call to schedule, and drivers pick them up at the door and bring them back, with reminders and help as needed.
2. Accessible vehicles. We buy and keep a wheelchair-accessible van, and add vehicles as we grow. In Year 1, we spend about $55,000 on equipment, mostly a good used accessible van.
3. Trained, screened drivers. All drivers pass background checks and driving record checks, and are trained in safety and passenger assistance.
4. Partnerships. We work with clinics, senior centers, employers and transit agencies to coordinate rides.
5. Fair costs. Rides are free or low cost, with donations welcome. Vehicle and maintenance costs are about $26,000 in Year 1.
How we will measure results. We record every ride: the purpose, on-time arrival and any problems. We track riders served and ask riders twice a year how rides have helped them. Our goals for Year 1: give 3,500 rides to 150 people; have 95% of rides on time; make 60% of rides to medical appointments; and have 90% of riders say they could not have gotten there another way.
Market Analysis
Where we work and who we serve.
We serve people in our county and the nearby towns, especially older adults and people with disabilities who live outside the transit area and have no car.
How we know people need this. We had a waiting list of 40 riders last year, and the clinic and senior center refer riders every week.
How many we will reach. In Year 1, about 150 riders and 3,500 rides over the year. The number of households with no car, the number of adults over 65 and the reach of public transit are common ways to size the need, and the guide for this plan shows where to find them. As we grow from one driver to seven, we expect to give more rides each year.
How riders reach us. Clinics, hospitals, senior centers, churches and social service agencies.
Competitive Landscape
Other help, and how we work with it.
- Public transit offers low-cost rides on fixed routes. We help riders use it, and serve people and places it does not reach. We coordinate with the county transit agency to connect riders to routes.
- Paratransit serves people with disabilities who cannot use fixed routes, but often needs advance booking and has set service areas. We fill gaps.
- Taxis and ride apps are convenient but costly. We offer low-cost or free rides.
- Medical transportation through Medicaid covers certain trips for eligible people. We help riders use it and may become a provider later.
- Volunteer driver programs offer rides with volunteers. We offer paid, trained drivers for dependability.
What makes us different: door-to-door service in accessible vehicles, trained drivers and rides scheduled by a real person, not an app
Marketing & Sales Strategy
How we reach people and build support.
Reaching people:
- Referrals from clinics, hospitals, senior centers, churches, social service agencies and employers.
- Flyers, newsletters and information at pharmacies, grocery stores and housing complexes.
- Word of mouth from riders, which is our best advertisement.
- A simple phone number answered by a real person.
Funding. Funding for rides comes from sources like the federal Section 5310 program for seniors and people with disabilities (distributed through state transportation agencies), city and county funds, health systems and foundations. Many require vehicle safety rules, driver rules and detailed ride records, which we plan for.
Volunteers. Retired people, church groups and local employers.
Raising money beyond grants. Donations are planned at about $12,000 in Year 1, growing to about $40,000 by Year 5, through a yearly giving campaign, business and community partners, a community event and online giving. Raising more of our own money means we depend less on any one grant or contract.
Operations Plan
How the program runs.
How a ride works:
1. A rider calls to schedule, ideally a day or more ahead.
2. The coordinator checks eligibility and books the ride, with a reminder the day before.
3. The driver picks up the rider at the door and provides help as needed.
4. The driver waits or returns at the agreed time.
5. Every ride is recorded, and a rider can give feedback.
A first call. The coordinator asks where the person needs to go and any help they need, checks eligibility and books the first ride, with a reminder the day before.
Safety and rules. Our vehicles are inspected regularly, carry the insurance our state and funders require and have safety equipment such as wheelchair securement. Drivers have valid licenses, pass background and driving record checks, take regular drug and alcohol tests where required by funders, and are trained in first aid and passenger assistance. We follow the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Privacy. Rider information, including health-related trips, is kept private. We share it only with permission or when the law requires it, and funders get totals, never names.
Equipment. In Year 1 we buy about $55,000 in equipment (a good used wheelchair-accessible van, radios or phones, a scheduling system, a laptop and a first aid kit), then about $6,000 to $8,000 a year to replace worn items.
Staff. One driver in Year 1, then two in Year 2, four in Year 3, five in Year 4 and seven in Year 5. Drivers are paid fairly and trained well, because safe, steady drivers are the heart of the program.
Office work. Bookkeeping, insurance and reporting cost about $12,000 in Year 1.
Management & Organization
Who leads the organization.
Monique Bennett, Executive Director and Transportation Coordinator.
The Executive Director leads the organization, raises money and manages grants and contracts, builds partnerships, oversees the finances and reports to the Board. The Transportation Coordinator part of the role schedules rides, supervises drivers and makes sure we follow safety and vehicle rules. Planned salary: $52,000 a year.
Drivers. Drive and assist riders, check vehicles and keep ride records. One position in Year 1, growing to seven by Year 5, at a planned salary of $34,000 each. Qualifications we look for: a valid license and clean driving record, experience driving or working with older adults and people with disabilities and first aid training.
Volunteers. Volunteers help with scheduling, rider calls and reminders, and ride along as assistants. They are screened and trained.
Board of Directors. A five-member board including Tanya Williams, who brings nonprofit finance experience.
Money management. Grant and contract money is tracked separately so we can show each funder exactly how their money was spent. An outside accountant reviews our books every year.
Milestones Narrative
Our goals and how we will measure them.
Year 1:
- Buy and insure our first accessible van and complete vehicle inspections.
- Hire and train our first driver and set up our scheduling system.
- Serve about 150 riders and 3,500 rides over the year.
- Reach our Year 1 goals for rides given, on-time arrival and rides to medical appointments.
- Stay within a balanced budget of about $127,000.
Year 2: two drivers; budget of about $163,000.
Year 3: four drivers; budget of about $235,000.
Year 4: five drivers; budget of about $271,000.
Year 5: seven drivers; budget of about $343,000.
Over the five years: grow to seven drivers, add vehicles and extend our hours and service area. Vehicle and maintenance costs grow about 5% a year.
How we will check our results. For every ride we record the date, purpose and on-time arrival. We track riders served and survey riders twice a year. Staff and the Board review results and share them with funders.
Funding Request
What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $60,000 from the Lakeshore Community Trust for our first driver's salary, the purchase of a used accessible van and the costs of reporting results, for January through December 2027. Year 1 budget: about $127,000, planned to balance. Year 1 money coming in: - Grants and government contracts: $115,000 (this request plus other grants we are applying for). - Donations: $12,000. Year 1 costs: - Executive Director and Transportation Coordinator: $52,000. - Drivers: $34,000. - Vehicle fleet and maintenance (fuel, repairs, insurance, inspections): $26,000. - Office costs (bookkeeping, insurance, reporting): $12,000. - That is about $124,000 in costs. The remaining $3,000 or so goes into savings. Equipment we buy once at the start (about $55,000) is paid from startup money, not from the yearly budget. The next five years. Our budget grows from about $127,000 in Year 1 to about $343,000 in Year 5 as we grow to seven drivers. Grants and contracts are planned at $115,000 in Year 1, $145,000 in Year 2, $210,000 in Year 3, $239,000 in Year 4 and $303,000 in Year 5. Donations grow from $12,000 to $40,000, so grants become a smaller part of our budget over time. Savings. We start with about $22,000 of our own plus $85,000 in startup support, and we add to savings each year. Important for government transportation funds. Many are paid after you spend the money, often require matching funds, and come with strict rules on vehicles, drivers and records. We plan for the wait and keep careful records. Help we receive that is not cash. Donated vehicles or vehicle parts, volunteer hours, donated space and partner services are a real part of what we do and are not counted in the budget above. Free parking and garage space from a church (about $3,600 a year), about 1,000 volunteer driver hours a year and donated fuel cards If we are just starting. A new organization can begin before it has its own 501(c)(3) status. One way is a fiscal sponsor: an established nonprofit that agrees to receive grants for you and pass them to your program, usually for a fee (commonly around 5% to 10% of the grant, sometimes more; ask before you agree). Many funders accept this. Another way is to start smaller: start with one vehicle and a few volunteer drivers, partner with a clinic or senior center, and track results carefully. Safety and insurance come first. Strong results from a small start make larger grants and contracts easier to win.
Appendix Notes
Documents to attach with this proposal:
- Your IRS 501(c)(3) letter, or your fiscal sponsor agreement.
- Your most recent financial statements and your current budget.
- A list of your Board members and what they do.
- Letters of support from clinics, senior centers, transit agencies or other partners.
- Proof of insurance, vehicle inspection records and your driver screening and training policies.
- Your safety, accessibility and emergency policies.
- Your ride numbers from the past year, if you have them.
- 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):
- Staff pay: Executive Director and Transportation Coordinator $52,000; each driver $34,000, growing from 1 to 7.
- Vehicle fleet and maintenance about $26,000 in Year 1, rising about 5% a year
- Office costs about $12,000 in Year 1, rising about 4% a year.
- Grants and contracts set so each year's budget balances with a small amount saved.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your organization's real budget.