Point and Purpose Fencing Program

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Executive Summary

Point and Purpose Fencing Program is a nonprofit in New York that gives young people ages 10 to 18 from underserved communities free access to competitive fencing combined with hands-on STEM workshops. Fencing is one of the most science-rich sports there is: the geometry of angles, the physics of blade force, the biomechanics of footwork and the data of reaction time all live inside every bout. We use those connections to make STEM real for young people who have never thought of themselves as scientists.

Equipment, instruction and access are all barriers. A full fencing kit costs several hundred dollars, and few public schools in our area have fencing programs. STEM enrichment outside school hours is similarly hard to find for families with limited resources.

With this grant we will serve about 60 young people in Year 1 at two school sites, with twice-weekly fencing practice, biweekly STEM workshops and full equipment loans. We do not promise that every participant will become a scientist or a champion. We promise a real sport, a real teacher and a real connection to ideas that matter.

Our Year 1 budget is about $116,000, growing to about $192,000 by Year 5 as we add sites and facilitators. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year.

We are asking the Empire State Youth Achievement Foundation for $52,000 for coach and facilitator stipends, fencing equipment and school site access fees, for July 2027 through June 2028. School district contracts, individual donors and other grants also give, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

I am Ramon Diaz, the Executive Director and head coach. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

Point and Purpose Fencing Program is a nonprofit organization in New York. We are governed by a volunteer board of directors, with a written conflict-of-interest policy and a yearly budget the board reviews and approves.

Our mission. Every young person who wants to fence and learn should have a chance to do both, whatever their school's budget or their family's income.

How we started. Two years ago a USA Fencing certified coach began a free fencing and physics workshop series at a community center. Forty young people participated in the first semester. School principals asked us to come to their schools, and our board formed to make that possible.

What we do.
- Run twice-weekly fencing practices at partner school sites, with full equipment loans.
- Hold biweekly STEM workshops that connect fencing concepts to physics, geometry, data and engineering.
- Invite scientists, engineers and athletes who fence to speak and answer questions.
- Help interested participants find school fencing clubs, summer programs and scholarship opportunities.

What we do not do. We do not guarantee a ranking, a scholarship or a career. We do not require academic standing to participate. We do not allow any adult to be alone with a student outside of program hours.

Problem & Opportunity

Fencing is rarely offered in public schools and often costs too much for families with limited resources to access. The same is true of hands-on STEM enrichment.

Cost. A complete beginner fencing kit costs several hundred dollars, which puts the sport out of reach for many families before they know if their child enjoys it.

Access. Most fencing clubs and competitive programs are in communities with higher incomes. Public schools in our area rarely have fencing coaches, equipment or budget for the sport.

STEM connection. Young people who struggle with physics or geometry in a classroom often have no way to see those ideas in action. The sport they play every day may be one of the richest examples of applied math and science that exists, but no one has shown them that.

Role models. Many young people in underserved communities have never met an engineer, a physicist or a competitive fencer from a background like theirs.

What we hear.
- A student says she never understood angles in geometry class until she learned how to score a touch by creating the right line of attack.
- A teacher says our workshops are the first time she has seen certain students pay close attention to something that connects to science.
- A parent says she did not know fencing existed as a real school sport until we showed up.
- A school counselor says she has students who need physical activity, structure and a subject they can feel smart about, and this program gives all three.

We do not claim fencing or STEM will solve every challenge a young person faces. We say both are worth having access to.

Products & Services

Point and Purpose gives young people a sport, a team and a way to see the science they are already living.

How the program works.
1. Sites. We partner with two school afterschool programs that provide space, power and student referrals.
2. Fencing practice. Twice-weekly sessions run for one and a half hours. Students receive a full equipment loan: mask, jacket, glove and foil. A USA Fencing certified coach runs the session.
3. STEM workshops. Every other Saturday, participants take part in a two-hour workshop connecting fencing to a STEM concept. Examples include: measuring blade deflection angles with a protractor, timing footwork with a phone and graphing reaction speed, designing a better grip using materials and load, and reading tournament bracket data to understand probability.
4. Guest speakers. We invite scientists, engineers and fencers from professional and academic careers to visit and answer questions. Every speaker is vetted by our staff.
5. Next steps. We share information about school fencing clubs, summer programs, USA Fencing membership and scholarships with every participant who is interested.

Equipment loans. Every participant receives a complete equipment set on loan. We inspect and maintain gear between sessions and replace items that wear out.

What we do not promise. We do not promise a ranking, a scholarship or a STEM career. We promise a safe program, honest instruction and a real connection between the sport and the ideas behind it.

Market Analysis

Who we serve. Young people ages 10 to 18 from families with low incomes who live near our partner school sites. We do not require academic standing to participate. We give priority to students referred by school counselors who believe fencing or a structured afterschool activity would benefit them.

How we estimate need. We plan from what we can count. Forty young people joined our first semester without any formal outreach. Our Year 1 plan is for about 60 participants at two sites. By Year 5 we plan to serve about 140 participants across four sites.

Who else benefits.
- Families, who gain a safe, structured activity with equipment provided.
- Schools, which gain a STEM enrichment program and an afterschool activity with built-in physical education.
- STEM professionals who visit, who gain an opportunity to connect with young people from backgrounds that are underrepresented in their field.

How participants find us.
- School counselors and teachers who refer students.
- Word of mouth from families whose children are in the program.
- Community center staff and afterschool program coordinators.

Competitive Landscape

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

1. Private fencing clubs. They offer excellent programs and charge fees, require equipment purchases and are generally not located in the communities we serve.

2. School clubs. A few schools in our area have fencing clubs with limited equipment and volunteer coaches. We work alongside them and share curriculum when they are interested.

3. General afterschool programs. Many offer sports and tutoring without the specific fencing-plus-STEM combination we bring.

4. Online STEM programs. They are accessible and lack the physical, team-based experience that keeps young people engaged.

What makes us different.
- Fencing and STEM enrichment in one program, with each one strengthening the other.
- Full equipment loans so no family has to buy anything.
- A coach who holds a USA Fencing certification and a STEM background.
- Guest speakers from fields young people in our community rarely encounter.

What we will not do. We will not run a session without a certified coach, and we will not use fencing as a prop for a program that is really just STEM tutoring.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How participants and partners will find us.

Reaching participants and families.
- Schools. We present to school counselors and afterschool program directors at the start of each semester and leave sign-up materials in English and Spanish.
- Community centers. We hold two informational events per year with free equipment demonstrations.
- Families. We hold a parent meeting before each semester starts, with an interpreter when needed.
- Word of mouth. Students who join tell siblings and neighbors. We ask each student to bring one friend to a free trial session.

Reaching partners and funders.
- School districts. We pitch our program as afterschool STEM enrichment that meets physical education standards.
- STEM companies and universities. We ask engineers and scientists to serve as guest speakers and to consider small sponsorships.
- Individual donors. We hold a family showcase at the end of each semester and send a short outcome report to every supporter.
- Foundations. We apply for grants that match our goals and send specific, honest reports on results.

How we will know it is working. We track participants enrolled, sessions attended, workshop participation, guest speaker visits, school referrals and family feedback at the end of each semester.

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1:
- Months 1 and 2 (July and August): Hire the STEM facilitator, buy equipment, complete background checks, finalize consent forms and school site agreements with our attorney.
- Month 3 (September): Begin twice-weekly fencing sessions and biweekly workshops at two school sites.
- Months 3 to 10: Run fall and spring semesters with a family showcase at the end of each.
- Months 11 and 12: Survey participants and families, review equipment and plan for Year 2.

Where we meet. Each partner school provides a gymnasium or multi-purpose room with power and storage. We bring fencing strips, equipment and workshop materials in rolling carts.

Safety. Every participant wears a full mask, jacket and glove at all times during fencing. A USA Fencing certified coach is present at every practice. Two adults are present at every session. Students are released only to adults named by their families. We keep a first aid kit on site and follow the school's emergency plan.

Privacy. Participant names, grades and contact information are kept in a secure system only staff can see. We never share photos or names without written permission.

Staffing. In Year 1 we have an Executive Director and head coach plus one part-time STEM workshop facilitator. We add a school liaison in Year 3 and a second facilitator when we add a third site.

Management & Organization

Ramon Diaz, Executive Director and head coach. I lead the organization, report to the board and coach every fencing session. I hold a USA Fencing coaching certification, a background in physics education and two years running this program in its pilot form. I will complete the same background check and training we require of every program adult.

STEM Workshop Facilitator. Our part-time facilitator designs and runs the biweekly workshops, makes the connections between fencing concepts and curriculum standards and leads the guest speaker visits. We hire someone with a STEM background and experience with young people.

Our board. Our volunteer board includes a physics professor, a school principal, a USA Fencing official, a nonprofit finance volunteer and a parent of one of our participants. The board meets monthly and approves all budgets.

Outside help. A bookkeeper keeps our books by the hour. An accountant reviews them each year. Our attorney wrote our consent forms, school agreements and equipment loan policy.

Pay. I am paid $50,000 a year, which is included in the budget. The program does not depend on unpaid work from me.

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 60 participants at two school sites.
- Complete at least 60 twice-weekly fencing sessions and 20 STEM workshops.
- Host at least four guest speakers from STEM or athletic careers.
- Receive positive feedback from at least 80 percent of families on safety and program quality.
- Have at least 50 percent of participants return for the spring semester.

How we measure. Session attendance, workshop participation, guest speaker records and end-of-semester family surveys.

Year 2 (about 80 participants):
- Add a third school site.
- Start a peer teaching program where second-year participants help introduce beginners.

Year 3 (about 100 participants):
- Add a school liaison and equipment manager.
- Hold a community fencing and STEM exhibition open to the public.

Years 4 and 5 (about 120 and 140 participants):
- Add a fourth site and a second facilitator.
- Report results publicly each year and ask an outside reviewer to assess the program.
- Build school district contract support so grants cover less than half the budget.

Funding Request

What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $52,000 from the Empire State Youth Achievement Foundation for coach and STEM facilitator stipends, fencing equipment and school site access fees, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Head coach and STEM facilitator stipends for two school sites, $32,000 (other funds add $14,000).
- Supplies: Fencing equipment loan sets and STEM workshop materials, $12,000 (other funds add $5,000).
- Contractual: School site access and afterschool program coordination fees, $8,000 (other funds add $3,000).

Other money in the program. This request is about 65% of our Year 1 grant income. School district contracts, individual donors and other grants pay for everything it does not cover. If we receive less than we ask for, we will start with one site and add the second when more funding arrives.

Year 1 budget: about $116,000, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $8,800 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $80,000; School District Contracts and Afterschool Partnerships $24,000; Individual Donors and Community Supporters $12,000. Year 1 costs: Executive Director and Head Coach $50,000; STEM Workshop Facilitator (part-time) $22,000; Equipment Loan Upkeep and Replacement about $8,000; STEM Workshop Materials and Curriculum about $7,000; Coach and Facilitator Training and Certification about $5,000; Administration and Insurance about $12,000; about $5,000 a year for the wear on equipment.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $30,000 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $16,000 for fencing equipment loan set for 30 students (masks, jackets, gloves, foils); $3,000 for attorney review of consent forms and school agreements; $4,000 for background checks and first insurance payment; $4,000 for STEM curriculum materials and printed workbooks; $3,000 for outreach materials and a simple website.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($30,000), the cash the program uses before it balances (about $0) and a cash cushion of about $26,000, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. In all, that comes to $56,000. We start with $10,000 from our founding board and $54,000 in startup support from a school foundation and two individual donors, $64,000 in all, which covers that amount with room to spare.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $116,000 in Year 1 to about $192,000 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $80,000, $96,000, $110,000, $120,000 and $122,000 in Years 1 to 5. Other income grows as well: school district contracts from $24,000 to $44,000 and individual donors from $12,000 to $26,000. We grow from 60 participants to about 140 across four sites, adding a school liaison in Year 3 and a second facilitator as we add sites. Our surplus is planned at about $8,800 in Year 1, about $6,700 in Year 2, about $10,500 in Year 3, about $6,200 in Year 4 and about $11,600 in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $55,400, at the end of Year 1. Some grant payments and partner payments arrive after we bill, so we plan for about $4,640 owed to us at the end of Year 1.

Cost per participant. In Year 1, our total costs are about $1,700 per participant, which includes setting up the program and providing equipment. By Year 5, with more participants sharing the cost, that falls to about $1,200 per participant.

After the grant. School districts that see results tend to formalize contracts. Participants who connect fencing to academic success are the program's best advocates. We are building a program that earns its own renewal.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- A student injury during fencing. Full protective gear required at all times, certified coach at every session, consent forms, waivers and insurance.
- A coach or facilitator leaves. We keep session plans in writing and maintain relationships with backup certified coaches.
- A school site changes its schedule. We keep agreements with more than one school and identify backup spaces.
- Low attendance. We adjust outreach, scheduling and workshop topics based on student and family feedback.
- Equipment damage or loss. We inspect every item before and after each session and replace worn gear on a schedule.
- A grant ends. We build school district contract support each year and keep savings to cover a gap.

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 participants 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 school principals and afterschool directors.
- Your school site agreements and insurance certificate.
- Your participant consent form, equipment loan policy and safety plan.
- Your coach USA Fencing certification and background check policy.
- A sample workshop plan and a session outline.
- Quotes for fencing equipment and workshop materials.
- Resumes for your Executive Director and workshop facilitator.
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: $80,000 in Year 1, growing to $122,000 in Year 5.
- School District Contracts and Afterschool Partnerships: $24,000 in Year 1, growing to $44,000 in Year 5.
- Individual Donors and Community Supporters: $12,000 in Year 1, growing to $26,000 in Year 5.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): Executive Director and Head Coach $50,000; STEM Workshop Facilitator (part-time) $22,000; School Liaison and Equipment Manager (part-time) $20,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: Equipment Loan Upkeep and Replacement $8,000; STEM Workshop Materials and Curriculum $7,000; Coach and Facilitator Training and Certification $5,000; Administration and Insurance $12,000. These grow between 4% and 6% a year.
- Equipment: $16,000 at the start, then $2,000 to $3,000 a year.
- Startup costs: $30,000, paid once from $64,000 in startup money.
- Participants served: about 60 in Year 1, growing to about 140 in Year 5.
- Sites: 2 school sites in Year 1, growing to 4 by Year 5. Each semester runs about 18 weeks with twice-weekly fencing and biweekly workshops.
- 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