AbilityFirst Business Launch Fund

Words in [brackets] are blanks you fill in with your own details when you adopt this sample in Supreme Plan AI.

Executive Summary

AbilityFirst Business Launch Fund is a nonprofit in Maryland that helps entrepreneurs with disabilities start and grow businesses. A free, accessible 12-week course teaches planning, pricing, marketing and benefits basics, each participant receives a coach and a mentor who owns a business and an accommodations fund pays vendors for assistive technology and equipment a participant needs. Participants with a plan may apply for a startup micro-grant paid to vendors.

People with disabilities are far less likely to be employed than others, and self-employment can be a path to work that fits. Few get the training, the accessible space or the capital to begin.

With this grant we will serve about 30 entrepreneurs in Year 1 in 1 office. We do not give legal, tax or benefits advice and we do not promise any business a profit. We promise accessible teaching, careful use of funds and honest help.

Our Year 1 budget is about $200,500, growing to about $271,000 by Year 5 as we add sites, coaches and participants. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 4 staff in Year 1 (an Executive Director, a Program Director and a part-time coach) and 7 by Year 5.

We are asking the Chesapeake Inclusive Economy Foundation for $65,000 for the Program Director and the startup micro-grant pool. Our other income and startup support cover the rest. These numbers are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end of this proposal, and we do not promise any result beyond what we describe.

Company Description

AbilityFirst Business Launch Fund is a nonprofit organization in Maryland. We are a registered charity with a volunteer board of directors, a written conflict-of-interest policy and a yearly budget the board reviews.

Our mission. Every person with a disability who wants to own a business should have the training, the tools and the capital to start one.

What we do.
- Run a free 12-week business launch course designed with and for entrepreneurs with disabilities.
- Match each participant with a business coach and a mentor who owns a business.
- Award startup micro-grants for approved business expenses, paid to vendors.
- Provide an assistive technology and accommodations fund for tools a participant needs to run the business.
- Teach how self-employment fits with disability benefits, with referrals to benefits counselors.
- Offer accessible classes, materials in alternate formats and transportation.

Our values. Respect for every participant, honesty with families and partners, safety first and a place for everyone who wants to belong.

What we do not do. We do not give legal, tax or benefits advice and refer participants to benefits counselors, accountants and attorneys. We do not promise any business a profit. Micro-grants are paid to vendors for approved expenses and never as cash. We follow the rules of our partner sites and our insurer.

How we got here. A group of entrepreneurs with disabilities, a vocational counselor and a banker began meeting monthly to share how they had started businesses. Many came with ideas and questions about benefits. We kept simple records of who came and what they asked. This proposal asks for support to move from monthly meetings to a steady program with paid, trained staff and the materials to match.

Problem & Opportunity

People with disabilities are far less likely to be employed than others, and self-employment can be a path to work that fits, yet few get the training or capital to start.

Cost. Starting a business takes savings, and many people with disabilities have been limited in how much they can save by benefit rules and low wages.

Access. Few business programs are accessible, and many entrepreneurs are told by banks and agencies that their idea is too risky.

Safety and trust. Participants worry about losing benefits, and funders want a program that is accessible, careful and honest about risk.

Missed benefits. Talented people with business ideas never start them, and communities lose their skills and creativity.

What we hear.
- A man says a bank told him no because of his disability, not his plan.
- A woman says she makes beautiful jewelry and does not know how to price or sell it.
- A counselor says her clients ask about self-employment and she has little to offer.
- An owner says the accommodations made the difference between a hobby and a business.

We do not claim that a program can solve every challenge. We believe that an accessible course, the right tools and a small amount of capital can help someone start a business that fits their life.

Products & Services

AbilityFirst Business Launch Fund gives entrepreneurs with disabilities a safe, welcoming place to start and grow a business.

How the program works.
1. Application. Entrepreneurs apply with a short form, and we help anyone who needs assistance completing it.
2. Course. A 12-week course in accessible formats covers planning, pricing, marketing, records and benefits basics.
3. Coaching and mentors. Each participant has a coach and a mentor who owns a business.
4. Accommodations fund. We pay vendors directly for assistive technology and accommodations the participant needs.
5. Micro-grants. Participants with a plan may apply for a startup micro-grant for approved expenses, paid to vendors.
6. Benefits counseling. We refer participants to benefits counselors who explain how self-employment affects benefits.
7. Follow-up. We check in at six and twelve months.

What a typical session looks like. Participants arrive and check in with a staff member, settle in together, work on the day's activity in small groups and finish with a short talk about what went well. Staff praise effort, correct mistakes kindly and make sure no one is left out.

Staff. Our coaches and mentors are business owners and advisors who complete our orientation and a training in disability inclusion, pass a background check and are paid or supported for their time.

Access and fairness. Programs are free. The program is free. All materials are available in alternate formats, and we offer interpreters, captioning and rides.

Market Analysis

Who we serve. Adults with disabilities who have a business idea or a young business in our service area. Eligibility is a self-reported disability and a business idea or business, and no one is turned away for the type of disability.

How we estimate need. We cannot count every young person who could benefit, so we plan from what we can see. In our monthly meetings rooms were full and we kept a waiting list. Vocational counselors and independent living centers told us that many more people want to start a business than we can serve. For Year 1 we plan to serve about 30 participants at 1 offices. By Year 5, with more staff and sites, we plan to serve about 90.

Where participants come from.
- Vocational rehabilitation counselors.
- Independent living centers and disability groups.
- Banks and community lenders.
- Participants who tell a friend.

Who else benefits. Participants gain income and independence. Communities gain new businesses and employers. Funders see public support turned into self-sufficiency.

What the numbers mean. Every number here is an entrepreneur who opened her own shop. We keep our early counts modest and honest so we can do the work well.

Competitive Landscape

What young people can find today, and how we are different.

1. Small business development centers. Strong and not always accessible or familiar with disability benefits. We partner.

2. Vocational rehabilitation. Offers some self-employment help with strict limits. We add training and capital.

3. Banks and lenders. Provide loans to qualified businesses and may not see disability entrepreneurs. We help them prepare.

4. Online courses. Convenient and not always accessible.

5. Peer groups. Valuable and informal. We add structure.

What makes us different.
- A course built for entrepreneurs with disabilities.
- An accommodations fund paid to vendors.
- Benefits counseling referrals.
- A mentor who owns a business.
- Accessible formats and transportation.

Why this gap matters. Existing programs do good work, and most serve people who can already pay or who live close to them. The people we serve are the ones left over: they live in the wrong neighborhood, have the wrong schedule or have no one to ask. We are built to reach them.

We have spoken with vocational rehabilitation counselors, independent living centers and small business centers to make sure we are filling a gap and not duplicating services. Their letters of support are in the attachments.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How young people and partners will find us.

Reaching young people.
- Vocational rehabilitation offices. We will share a one-page referral form in accessible formats.
- Independent living centers. We will present at meetings.
- Banks and lenders. We will invite loan officers to class sessions.
- Social media and local radio. We will share accessible messages.
- Word of mouth. Participants tell friends.
- A simple website that works with screen readers and a phone line with a text option.

Reaching staff and sponsors.
- Recruit coaches and mentors through business owners' groups, disability networks and banks.
- Offer an orientation, a background check and training in safety, privacy and respectful practice.
- Give partners a short report each quarter with counts of participants and what they said.

How we decide who joins. We use a simple sign-up form and enroll participants in the order received, with priority for those with the greatest need and for people new to the program. We keep a waiting list when the program is full.

What we watch. Sign-ups, attendance, businesses started, micro-grants awarded and how many participants return for a second season.

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1:
- Months 1 and 2 (July and August): Hire the staff, buy equipment and materials, finalize the waiver, consent form and privacy policy with our attorney and sign site agreements.
- Month 3 (September): Open applications and start the first course.
- Months 4 to 10: Run courses of about 15, with coaching and micro-grants.
- Months 11 and 12: Survey participants, report to funders and plan Year 2.

Space. Classes are held in accessible rooms at libraries and community colleges and online with captioning.

Safety and privacy.
- Micro-grants are paid to vendors for approved expenses and reviewed by two people.
- All spaces and materials are checked for accessibility.
- Every staff member and volunteer passes a background check and completes safety training.
- Staff work in pairs or in view of others whenever participants are minors or in a vulnerable situation.
- We keep an emergency plan at every site, and participants complete an emergency contact form.
- We keep records private, share them only with a participant's permission or as the law requires and follow a written policy.

Equipment. We buy about $6,000 of equipment once at the start: accessible laptops, assistive technology and screen readers for the program ($3,000), portable captioning and sound equipment ($1,500), office furnishings and accessible workstations ($1,500). Later years replace or add a few items.

Staffing. In Year 1 I serve as Executive Director. The Program Director, paid $46,000 a year, manages the course, coaches and fund. A part-time business coach, paid $24,000, works with participants. We add coaches as cohorts grow.

Management & Organization

Marcus Hill, Executive Director. I lead the organization, report to the board and am responsible for budgets, partnerships and reporting. I came to this work as a business owner who uses a wheelchair and learned how hard it is to find help. I will take the course so I understand the program from the inside. (Replace this paragraph with your own background.)

Staff. The Program Director manages the course, coaches and fund, and part-time business coaches work with participants. Each passes a background check. These positions are part of our grant request.

Board of directors. Our volunteer board includes a business owner with a disability, a vocational counselor, a banker who serves as treasurer, an attorney, an accountant and a benefits counselor. The board meets every other month, approves our budget and reviews our safety plan. No board member is paid, and members with a conflict of interest step out of related decisions.

Advisory partners. An independent living center director, a small business center advisor and a bank community lender give guidance twice a year.

Staffing and pay in this plan: Executive Director, paid $52,000 a year; program Director, paid $46,000 a year; business Coach (part-time), paid $24,000 a year.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals, how we will measure them and when we plan to reach them.

Year 1 outcomes (July 2027 through June 2028):
- Serve about 30 participants at 1 offices.
- Run at least two full seasons and a summer session.
- Have at least 85 percent of participants attend most sessions.
- Have at least 80 percent of participants return for a second season.
- Receive positive feedback from at least 90 percent of families who answer our short survey.

What we count and how.
- Participants enrolled, sessions and games attended, from our records.
- Skills learned and goals met, from the coach's checklist.
- Equipment issued and returned, from our log.
- Participant and family feedback, from a short, confidential form.
We report what we find, including what did not work, and use it to improve.

Growth over five years.
- Year 2: About 45 participants at 1 offices.
- Year 3: About 60 participants at 2 offices.
- Year 4: About 75 participants at 2 offices.
- Year 5: About 90 participants at 2 offices.

Learning along the way. At the end of each quarter, the director and the board review the numbers and decide whether we are on track. If we are behind, we will adjust our outreach, our sites or our schedule before asking for more money.

After the grant. By Year 5, grants make up about 51 percent of our budget, down from about 65 percent in Year 1, as partners and donors give more. We will keep building those relationships every year.

Funding Request

What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $65,000 from the Chesapeake Inclusive Economy Foundation for the Program Director and the startup micro-grant pool, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Program Director salary, $46,000.
- Other: Startup micro-grant pool paid to vendors, $19,000.

Other money in the program. This request is about 50% of our Year 1 grant income. Other grants and the income lines below pay for everything it does not cover.

Year 1 budget: about $200,500, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $8,300 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: Grant Revenue $130,500; state Disability Services Funding $40,000; corporate and Bank Partners $22,000; individual Donors $8,000. Year 1 costs: executive Director $52,000; program Director $46,000; business Coach (part-time) $24,000; startup Micro-Grant Pool about $36,000; assistive Technology and Accommodations Fund about $10,000; curriculum and Materials about $4,000; accessible Transportation about $5,000; coaching and Legal Clinics about $5,000; administration and Insurance about $9,000; about $2,800 a year for the wear on equipment.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $14,000 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $3,000 for accessible laptops, assistive technology and screen readers for the program; $1,500 for portable captioning and sound equipment; $1,500 for office furnishings and accessible workstations; $2,500 for attorney review of the participant agreement, fund policy and privacy policy; $2,000 for accessible website, large-print flyers and signs; $1,500 for coach training and background checks; $2,000 for first insurance payment.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($14,000), the cash the program uses before it balances (about $0) and a cash cushion of about $47,800, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. In all, that comes to $62,000. We start with $6,000 from our founding board and $58,000 in startup support from a community foundation and a bank, $64,000 in all, which covers that amount with room to spare.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $200,500 in Year 1 to about $271,000 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $130,500, $144,000, $133,000, $147,000 and $137,000 in Years 1 to 5. Other income grows: state Disability Services Funding from $40,000 to $64,000; corporate and Bank Partners from $22,000 to $46,000; individual Donors from $8,000 to $24,000. Our surplus is planned at about $8,300 in Year 1, about $9,900 in Year 2, about $10,600 in Year 3, about $12,200 in Year 4 and about $13,500 in Year 5. We grow from 1 offices to 2 by Year 5, adding a part-time coach for each new site.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $59,500, at the end of Year 1. Some grant payments and partner payments arrive after we bill, so we plan for about $8,020 owed to us at the end of Year 1.

Cost per entrepreneur. In Year 1, our total costs are about $6,407 per entrepreneur served, which includes setting up the program. By Year 5, with more entrepreneur served and a trained team in place, that falls to about $2,862 per entrepreneur.

After the grant. State disability employment funding, corporate sponsors and individual donors grow every year, so grants become a smaller share of our budget. Participants and families share their stories, and businesses can sponsor a team or a season by name. We will look for partnerships with schools and the city that want a safe, free entrepreneurship option for every child.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- An injury. Certified coaches, proper equipment, groups matched by age and skill, a written emergency plan and insurance.
- A site is no longer available. We keep agreements with more than one site and a plan for bad weather.
- A coach leaves. We keep a list of trained backup coaches and share lesson plans.
- Low attendance. We adjust sites, times and rides based on family feedback.
- A privacy problem. We follow a written policy, use secure systems and train every staff member and volunteer.
- 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 neighborhood, a handful of entrepreneurs and a small team, 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 schools, agencies and sites.
- Your site agreements and your insurance certificate.
- Your consent, waiver and privacy policy.
- Your safety plan and background check policy.
- Your program outline and schedule.
- Quotes for equipment and materials.
- 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: $130,500 in Year 1, growing to $137,000 in Year 5.
- State Disability Services Funding: $40,000 in Year 1, growing to $64,000 in Year 5.
- Corporate and Bank Partners: $22,000 in Year 1, growing to $46,000 in Year 5.
- Individual Donors: $8,000 in Year 1, growing to $24,000 in Year 5.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): executive Director $52,000; program Director $46,000; business Coach (part-time) $24,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: startup Micro-Grant Pool $36,000; assistive Technology and Accommodations Fund $10,000; curriculum and Materials $4,000; accessible Transportation $5,000; coaching and Legal Clinics $5,000; administration and Insurance $9,000. These grow between 4% and 6% a year.
- Equipment: $6,000 at the start, then $1,500 to $2,500 a year.
- Startup costs: $14,000, paid once from $64,000 in startup money.
- Participants served: about 30 in Year 1, growing to about 90 in Year 5. Sites: 1 in Year 1, growing to 2 by Year 5. Courses run twelve weeks, with cohorts starting twice a year.
- About 4% 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