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Executive Summary
Open Hands Community Outreach is a nonprofit outreach ministry in the east side of our city that serves neighbors in need, led by a congregation and open to everyone. We provide a weekly hot meal, a grocery pantry and a children's after-school program, because we believe caring for our neighbors is part of living out our faith.
Most congregations already help their neighbors, often with only volunteers and a small budget. A church that wants to do more faces a choice: stay small, or build a program that lasts, with a plan, a budget, records and the right legal setup. This plan shows how a congregation can do the second, so that more neighbors are helped, and so that it can qualify for grants as well as gifts from members.
In Year 1 we plan to serve about 800 neighbors over the year. Our Year 1 budget is about $72,000, growing to about $142,000 by Year 5 as we add our first paid program staff member in Year 2 and a second in Year 4. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small amount set aside in savings.
We are asking the Carlisle Family Foundation for $30,000, as part of the $52,000 in grants and contracts we need for Year 1. The other $20,000 in Year 1 comes from congregational giving and individual donations, which we plan to grow to about $60,000 a year by Year 5. Grant money pays for food and supplies, a program director and, from Year 2, program staff, and for the record-keeping funders require.
We will measure how many neighbors we serve, how many meals or items we give, how many volunteers take part and what neighbors tell us about the help they receive. We will report results to our funders every six months.
Company Description
Open Hands Community Outreach is a nonprofit organization in Tennessee. A 501(c)(3) public charity
Our mission. To serve our neighbors in need with love, dignity and practical help, regardless of faith.
How we started and what we have done. We began in 2021 when our church started a monthly Saturday meal and food pantry in the fellowship hall. Since then we have served about 600 neighbors, with 30 volunteers helping each month.
What we do:
- Provide hot meals, groceries or other basic help on a regular schedule.
- Offer extra services based on neighbors' needs, such as clothing, tutoring, a children's program or help with forms.
- Connect neighbors to other agencies and services, and welcome anyone who comes, regardless of faith.
- Train and support volunteers from our congregation and the wider community.
- Keep careful records and report to funders as a nonprofit should.
Where we work. The church fellowship hall, Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Our partners. The regional food bank, three other congregations that send volunteers, the elementary school and a community clinic.
Our approach. Our faith motivates us, but our services are open to everyone, and no one has to take part in a religious activity to receive help. Where we have worship or prayer, it is voluntary and separate from our services.
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 neighbors in the east side of our city struggle to meet basic needs, such as food, clothing or a safe place for their children after school. Churches and other congregations are often the first place people turn, and many are already stretched thin. With a clear plan and a little more structure, a congregation can do much more.
Facts about our community. According to Map the Meal Gap, a significant share of people in our county are food insecure.
Gaps in the help that exists now:
1. Hunger and basic needs. Many households have gaps at the end of the month, and food assistance does not always reach them.
2. Reach. Many people are not connected to services, and a trusted congregation can be a bridge.
3. Capacity. Volunteers carry most of the load, and few congregations have staff time to coordinate it.
4. Funding. Many congregations do not know how to apply for grants, or are not set up legally to receive them.
5. Follow-through. A single meal or bag of food helps, but neighbors often need more.
What we have seen ourselves. Many neighbors told us they come at the end of the month, when the food runs out, and that they had never asked for help before.
Who we serve first. Neighbors in need, regardless of faith, with priority for families with children and older adults, in families with children and older adults on the east side.
Products & Services
How the program works.
1. A regular, reliable program. We serve neighbors on a set schedule, so people know when and where to find help.
2. Open to everyone. We serve all who come, and we do not require anyone to take part in a religious activity. Prayer or worship is always optional and separate from our services.
3. Food and supplies. About $16,000 in Year 1 pays for food, supplies and activities, in addition to donations from our congregation.
4. Volunteers. Members of our congregation and the wider community give their time, with training for the roles they take.
5. Connection to help. We connect neighbors to agencies and services that can help with needs we cannot meet.
How we will measure results. We count neighbors served, meals or items given and volunteers involved. We ask neighbors a few simple questions about how the help has made a difference. We keep records that a funder or auditor can follow. Our goals for Year 1: serve 800 neighbors; give out 6,000 meals and grocery bags; involve 60 volunteers; and have 85% of neighbors say they were treated with respect.
Market Analysis
Where we work and who we serve.
We serve neighbors in the east side of our city, especially families with children and older adults on the east side.
How we know people need this. Our line starts an hour before we open, and we ran out of food on six Saturdays last year.
How many we will reach. In Year 1, about 800 neighbors over the year. Poverty and food insecurity data for our area, and the number of households that use food assistance, are common ways to size the need, and the guide for this plan shows where to find them. As we add program staff, we expect to serve more neighbors each year.
How neighbors reach us. The elementary school, the clinic, other churches and word of mouth.
Competitive Landscape
Other help, and how we work with it.
- Food banks and pantries distribute food. We partner with the regional food bank and serve neighbors in our area. We are a partner agency of the regional food bank.
- Other congregations serve neighbors in their own ways. We work with them through local ministerial or interfaith groups.
- Government benefits like SNAP and WIC are very important. We help neighbors apply.
- Other nonprofits provide specific services. We refer neighbors to them and take their referrals.
- Schools and community centers serve the same families. We coordinate with them.
What makes us different: a warm welcome for everyone, a schedule neighbors can count on and a strong team of volunteers from our congregation
Marketing & Sales Strategy
How we reach people and build support.
Reaching people:
- Announcements in our congregation and other congregations.
- Referrals from schools, clinics, social service agencies and other churches.
- Flyers in places neighbors go.
- Word of mouth from neighbors we have helped.
Funding. Our congregation's giving is the heart of our support. We also apply for grants from foundations and, where appropriate, government agencies. Many funders ask for a separate nonprofit organization, financial records and a clear separation between religious activity and funded services. Government funds cannot be used for worship or religious instruction, and neighbors cannot be required to take part in religious activity to get help. Rules differ by funder, so we ask before we apply.
Volunteers. Members of our congregation, other congregations, school service clubs and local employers.
Raising money beyond grants. Congregational giving and individual donations are planned at about $20,000 in Year 1, growing to about $60,000 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 the program runs:
1. Volunteers set up on the program day.
2. Neighbors arrive and are welcomed, with a simple sign-in that asks only what we need.
3. Meals or groceries are served, along with any extra services that day.
4. Neighbors who want more help are connected to partners.
5. Volunteers clean up, count what was given and record the numbers.
A typical program day. Volunteers arrive at 8 to set up, doors open at 10, neighbors are greeted, served a hot meal and given a grocery bag, and the team cleans up and counts at 1.
Setup and records. A church can apply for grants as a church, or set up a separate nonprofit corporation for its outreach, which many funders prefer. We keep program money in separate accounts and separate funded services from worship. Food handling follows local health rules, and anyone working with children passes a background check.
Privacy. Information about neighbors 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 $4,000 in equipment (tables, chairs, refrigeration, a printer and a laptop), then about $1,000 to $1,500 a year to replace worn items.
Staff. In Year 1, the Program Director and volunteers run the program. We hire one program staff member in Year 2 and a second in Year 4.
Office work. Bookkeeping, insurance and reporting cost about $8,000 in Year 1.
Management & Organization
Who leads the organization.
Jessica Rodriguez, Program Director.
The Program Director leads the organization, raises money and manages grants and contracts, builds partnerships, oversees the finances and reports to the Board. Planned salary: $46,000 a year.
Program staff. Starting in Year 2, program staff help the Program Director coordinate volunteers, run the program and keep records. One position in Year 2, growing to two by Year 5, at a planned salary of $32,000 each. Qualifications we look for: experience in community programs or food service, strong organizational skills and a warm, respectful manner.
Volunteers. Volunteers from our congregation and the wider community cook, serve, tutor, drive and welcome. They are screened and trained before working with neighbors, especially children.
Board of Directors. A five-member board including Tanya Thompson, 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:
- Set up our nonprofit organization and bank accounts, and write our basic policies.
- Build our volunteer team and begin a regular program day.
- Serve about 800 neighbors over the year.
- Reach our Year 1 goals for neighbors served and volunteers trained.
- Stay within a balanced budget of about $72,000.
Year 2: one program staff member; budget of about $106,000.
Year 3: one program staff member; budget of about $107,000.
Year 4: two program staff; budget of about $141,000.
Year 5: two program staff; budget of about $142,000.
Over the five years: add program staff in Year 2 and Year 4, add services based on what neighbors tell us, and grow giving from our congregation and community. Direct program costs grow about 5% a year.
How we will check our results. We record neighbors served, meals and items given, volunteers and what neighbors tell us. Staff, volunteers and the Board review the numbers each quarter and share them with funders.
Funding Request
What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $30,000 from the Carlisle Family Foundation for food and supplies, the Program Director's salary and the costs of reporting results, for January through December 2027. Year 1 budget: about $72,000, planned to balance. Year 1 money coming in: - Grants and government contracts: $52,000 (this request plus other grants we are applying for). - Congregational giving and individual donations: $20,000. Year 1 costs: - Program Director: $46,000. - Direct program costs (food, supplies and activities): $16,000. - Office costs (bookkeeping, insurance, reporting): $8,000. - That is about $70,000 in costs. The remaining $2,000 or so goes into savings. Equipment we buy once at the start (about $4,000) is paid from startup money, not from the yearly budget. The next five years. Our budget grows from about $72,000 in Year 1 to about $142,000 in Year 5 as we add program staff and serve more neighbors. Grants and contracts are planned at $52,000 in Year 1, $78,000 in Year 2, $69,000 in Year 3, $92,000 in Year 4 and $82,000 in Year 5. Congregational giving and individual donations grow from $20,000 to $60,000, so grants become a smaller part of our budget over time. Savings. We start with about $12,000 of our own plus $40,000 in startup support, and we add to savings each year. Important for grants. Many grants require a separate nonprofit, pay in installments or after a report and have rules about religious activity. We ask each funder how they work, keep careful records and do not depend on any one grant. Help we receive that is not cash. Donated space, volunteer hours, donated food and supplies are a real part of what we do and are not counted in the budget above. Free use of the church fellowship hall and kitchen (about $8,000 a year in rent value), about 3,000 volunteer hours a year and donated food 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 regular program day, run by volunteers, and track results carefully. When you have a track record and records, you will be ready for grants. 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.
- Your IRS determination letter, or your church's letter, or your fiscal sponsor agreement.
- Letters of support from partners, other congregations or neighbors.
- Your policy that services are open to everyone and religious activity is voluntary and separate.
- Your 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: Program Director $46,000; each program staff member $32,000, starting in Year 2 (one) and growing to two in Year 4.
- Direct program costs about $16,000 in Year 1, rising about 5% a year
- Office costs about $8,000 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.