She Plays Girls Sports Alliance

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Executive Summary

She Plays Girls Sports Alliance is a nonprofit in Montana that helps girls start playing sports, stay in sports through the teenage years and see themselves as athletes and leaders. We run free, no-cut, multi-sport seasons for girls ages 6 to 18 at schools and community sites, led by trained coaches, most of them women, with the gear, rides and supports that remove the barriers girls face: cost, safety, a lack of role models and the quiet pressure to quit.

Girls play sports at lower rates than boys, and the gap widens as they get older. National research, including work by the Women's Sports Foundation, has found that girls drop out of sports at higher rates than boys in their teens, and that girls from lower-income families, girls of color and girls who live in neighborhoods with fewer programs have the least access. The reasons are practical and personal: gear that does not fit, such as sports bras, costs families cannot cover, no ride, no female coach to look up to, worry about how their body looks, embarrassment about periods, and a sense that sports are for someone else. Girls who play tend to report greater confidence and stronger connection to school, and we want every girl to have the chance.

With this grant we will serve about 900 girls in Year 1 at about 8 sites, on about 80 teams in soccer, softball, basketball, volleyball, flag football and track and field, with Try-It Days for sports girls may not have tried. About 60 coaches, most of them women, will complete background checks and our Coach Training, which includes how to coach girls well, injury prevention, and how to avoid body talk and recognize signs of trouble. A Girls Gear Fund provides sports bras, cleats, uniforms and equipment in girls' sizes, free. College athletes serve as mentors. We never weigh or measure girls, we do not give diet advice and we refer any health concern privately to a doctor or counselor.

Our Year 1 budget is about $548,000, growing to about $788,000 by Year 5 as we grow to about 16 sites and about 2,200 girls. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 7 paid staff in Year 1 and 10 by Year 5. School district, parks and health department contracts, corporate and athletic brand sponsors and donors add steady support, so grants fall from about 80% of our income in Year 1 to about 62% in Year 5.

We are asking the Big Sky Women's Sports Fund for $95,000 for one Girls Sports Program Coordinator, the Girls Gear Fund, women coach stipends and training scholarships, transportation, menstrual products and healthy snacks, and Try-It Days. Contracts, sponsors, other grants and donors cover the rest, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

I am Jenna Larsen, the Executive Director, and a former college softball player and coach. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

She Plays Girls Sports Alliance is a nonprofit organization in Montana. We are a 501(c)(3) public charity (or a program of one, through a fiscal sponsor), governed by a volunteer board of directors. We will provide our IRS determination letter, board list and most recent financial statements with this proposal.

Our mission. To make sure every girl has the chance to play, belong and lead through sports.

What we believe. Girls deserve the same opportunities to play as boys. Sports are more than games: they teach resilience, teamwork and leadership, and they give girls a place to feel strong in their bodies. Girls need to see women coaches and athletes who look like them. Coaching girls well means attention to confidence, belonging and health, not just skills. Girls' bodies are not up for comment, and every girl is welcome at every size. Safety and respect are non-negotiable, and winning is never more important than the girl.

How we started. She Plays began when a high school softball coach, a nurse and a mother of three noticed that fewer girls than boys signed up for the town's youth leagues, and that the girls who did sign up often quit by seventh grade. They ran a free, girls-only soccer and softball clinic at two elementary schools, with college players as coaches. In two years, 380 girls took part, and 71% of those in the first year signed up again. Principals, parents and the parks department asked whether we could offer more sports and more places. This proposal asks for support to build a staffed alliance.

What we offer:
- Free, no-cut seasons. Soccer, softball, basketball, volleyball, flag football and track and field, in age divisions from 6 to 18, with girls-only teams, at schools and community sites. Every girl who signs up plays, with a guaranteed amount of playing time.
- Try-It Days. Short, fun events where girls try sports they may never have played, such as lacrosse, rugby, swimming, climbing or martial arts, with local clubs and college teams.
- Women coaches and mentors. A pipeline that recruits, trains and pays women as coaches, and college athletes who serve as mentors, so every girl sees a woman leading her team.
- Girls Gear Fund. Sports bras, cleats, shin guards, uniforms and equipment in girls' sizes, free, with a private fitting area and no questions about need.
- Menstrual products and hygiene supplies. Available at every practice and game, free and without fuss.
- Injury prevention. Warm-ups and strength and balance training based on research on reducing knee and ankle injuries in girls, which are more common in some sports.
- Wellness and leadership. A short team talk each week on confidence, friendship, speaking up and handling pressure. General education about fueling and rest led by a registered dietitian. No weight, diet or body talk.
- Family and community. Parent workshops on supporting girls in sports, a season-ending Girls Sports Festival and an annual Women in Sports speaker series.
- Know your rights. Short, age-appropriate sessions for girls, parents and coaches on Title IX and equal opportunity in school sports.
- Transportation and snacks. Rides to practices and games, and a healthy snack and water after every practice.

What we do not do. We do not charge required fees: families give what they can, and no one is turned away. We never weigh or measure girls, and we do not give diet, weight or body composition advice. We do not run elite travel teams. We do not provide medical care beyond first aid and athletic training, and we refer girls to doctors and counselors.

How we are run. A seven-member volunteer board of directors oversees the organization and approves the budget each year. The board includes a high school athletic director, a pediatrician, a former college athlete, a school counselor, a mother of two athletes, a young woman who played in our first clinics and a certified public accountant. The Executive Director manages the organization and partnerships, the Program Director oversees operations and safety, and an outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Where things stand today. Eight principals, the parks department and a county health department have signed letters of support, a community college and a state university women's athletics department have offered student athlete mentors, and a health system and two local businesses have indicated interest in sponsoring. We have a letter of intent for a small office and equipment storage space. Before we begin, an attorney will review our facility and school agreements, participant waivers, background check and conduct policies and insurance, and our policy on eligibility for competition.

Problem & Opportunity

Why this program is needed.

Playing sports is linked to many benefits for girls: physical health, confidence, leadership, friendships and stronger connection to school. Yet girls have fewer opportunities to play than boys, and they leave sports earlier. Research from national organizations such as the Women's Sports Foundation and the Aspen Institute has found that girls participate at lower rates than boys, that many girls drop out in the early teen years, and that girls of color and girls from lower-income families face the greatest gaps. Before we submit, we will add the latest figures.

The gaps we see:
1. Fewer opportunities. Many schools and leagues offer fewer teams, fewer practice times and less attention to girls' programs than to boys', and many communities have no girls-only options.
2. Cost. Fees, uniforms, shoes and equipment add up, and girls' gear can cost more or be harder to find. Items like sports bras are not covered by hand-me-downs and are not free in any program we know of, yet they matter for comfort and participation.
3. No role models. Many girls rarely see women coaching. Most youth coaches are men, and girls say they want to see women lead.
4. Confidence and body image. As girls reach adolescence, many become more self-conscious and worry about how they look and how they compare. Many quit rather than risk embarrassment.
5. Periods and hygiene. Lack of access to menstrual products and embarrassment about periods lead some girls to miss practices and games.
6. Injury risk. Girls have a higher rate of certain injuries, such as knee ligament injuries, in some sports. Injury prevention training reduces the risk, and few youth programs provide it.
7. Safety and trust. Parents want to know their daughters will be safe, and girls need coaches who respect them. Programs must have trained and screened adults.
8. Transportation and time. Girls from families without transportation, or who take care of younger siblings after school, cannot join without a ride or a flexible schedule.
9. Unequal access in communities. Rural areas, tribal communities and lower-income neighborhoods often have fewer programs, and many families do not know their daughters' rights to equal access in school sports.

What the evidence says. Research and program experience suggest that sports programs for girls that provide women coaches, supportive team cultures and attention to barriers can increase participation and retention. The benefits depend on the quality of the coaching and the environment. We will measure our own results and report them honestly.

How we know people want this. In our pilot clinics, 380 girls took part in two years, 71% of first-year girls signed up again, and we had more than 200 girls on waiting lists. Parents and principals asked for more places and more sports. College athletes volunteered in large numbers.

How we will show the need. Before we submit this proposal, we will add the girls' and boys' participation rates in school sports in our area from the Montana Office of Public Instruction and the state athletic association, the number of girls ages 6 to 18 and the share in families with limited income from the Census Bureau, the share of girls who report feeling confident or connected to school from the state youth survey, the number of girls' teams and the share of women coaches in local leagues, and our waiting lists. We will cite national research on girls' participation and dropout.

Who benefits first. Girls ages 6 to 18 in our service area, especially girls from families with limited income, girls of color, girls in rural and tribal communities, girls with disabilities and girls who have never played on a team. Also their families, coaches and schools.

Products & Services

What the grant will pay for and what we will do.

1. Partner with schools and community sites. We sign agreements with schools, parks and community centers covering space, schedules, safety, insurance and communication. Each site names a liaison. About 8 sites take part in Year 1.

2. Recruit girls who are not playing. Our Girls Sports Program Coordinators visit classrooms and community events, hold family sign-up nights, and work with counselors and teachers to invite girls who have never played or who have stopped. A girl signs up with a parent or guardian's consent and a health form. No tryouts, no cuts and no experience required. If more girls sign up than a team can hold, we add a team. Families give what they can; no required fee.

3. Run girls' seasons. Teams practice once or twice a week and play weekend games or festival events, in soccer, softball, basketball, volleyball, flag football and track and field, in age divisions. Teams are girls-only. Every girl plays at least half of every game. About 80 teams take part in Year 1.

4. Offer Try-It Days. Each season, a Try-It Day lets girls try a new sport, such as lacrosse, rugby, swimming, climbing or martial arts, with local clubs and college athletes, at no cost.

5. Recruit and train women coaches. The Women Coaches Pipeline Manager recruits women from schools, colleges, parents, former athletes and the community, and pairs each new coach with a mentor. Every coach passes a background check and completes Coach Training on coaching girls, positive team culture, child safety and abuse prevention, concussion awareness, heat illness and sudden cardiac arrest, injury prevention, inclusion, and avoiding body talk. At least 70% of coaches are women. Part-time paid coaches receive a stipend of about $650 a season, and training scholarships cover certification costs. About 60 coaches take part in Year 1.

6. Provide the Girls Gear Fund. Sports bras, cleats, shin guards, jerseys and equipment in girls' sizes, free, with a private fitting area, an adult woman helping and no questions about need. Used items are given only if they are clean and safe, and items such as sports bras, mouthguards and undergarments are always new.

7. Make periods a non-issue. Every site has a basket of menstrual products and hygiene supplies, available without asking, and coaches are trained to respond kindly and privately.

8. Prevent injuries. Each practice begins with a warm-up based on research on reducing knee and ankle injuries in girls, taught by trained coaches. A certified athletic trainer or trained first aid provider covers league games.

9. Support wellness and leadership. A short team talk each week on confidence, friendship, speaking up and handling pressure, led by coaches and mentors. A registered dietitian provides general education on fueling and rest at one workshop each season. We never weigh or measure girls, coaches never comment on bodies, and coaches are trained to recognize warning signs, such as repeated missed meals, extreme exercise, fainting, missed periods or sudden changes in mood, and to tell the family and refer the girl privately to a doctor or counselor.

10. Connect with mentors. College athletes serve as mentors, with a stipend, visiting teams and meeting girls one-on-one in group settings, never alone.

11. Educate parents and girls on equal opportunity. Short sessions for girls, parents and coaches on Title IX and how to ask for equal access to teams, facilities and coaching in school sports.

12. Remove barriers. Rides to practices and games, healthy snacks and water, free uniforms and equipment, interpretation for families and accommodations for girls with disabilities.

How we will measure results. We track enrollment, attendance at practice, season completion and return, the share of girls who are new to sports and the share who are in the 12-to-18 age group, coach training completion, share of women coaches, injuries and concussions, and satisfaction. Girls complete a short survey at the start and end of each year on confidence, belonging and enjoyment of sports. With school and family permission, we look at attendance and school connection for participants. We break results out by age, race, neighborhood and family income so that we can find and fix gaps.

Our Year 1 goals:
- About 900 girls play on about 80 teams at about 8 sites.
- At least 35% of girls have never been on an organized team before.
- At least 80% of girls who start a season finish it, and at least 65% return for another season.
- At least 25% of participants are ages 12 to 18, the years when girls most often leave sports.
- At least 70% of coaches are women, and 100% pass a background check and complete Coach Training before the first practice.
- Every main site has an AED and an emergency action plan, and trained medical coverage at league games.
- At least 80% of girls say they feel more confident and more connected to their team at the end of the year.
- At least 90% of families say the program was safe and respectful.
These are goals, and we will report our real results to the Fund, including where we fall short. We do not promise that any girl will improve her grades or stay in sports.

Market Analysis

Who we serve and how many.

The girls. Girls ages 6 to 18 who live in our service area, with a parent or guardian's consent. Every girl who signs up is welcome. We reach out especially to girls from families with limited income, girls of color, girls in rural and tribal communities, girls with disabilities, girls who have never played on a team and girls in the early teen years, when many leave sports.

Where we work. About 8 sites in Year 1: school gyms and fields, parks and community centers in the city and nearby towns, selected for need and for access. Eligibility for competition follows the rules of each league and applicable state law, which our attorney reviews, and we treat every girl with dignity and respect.

How many we will reach:
- Year 1: about 900 girls on about 80 teams at about 8 sites, about 60 coaches.
- Year 2: about 1,150 girls at about 10 sites, about 69 coaches.
- Year 3: about 1,450 girls at about 12 sites, about 79 coaches, with a third Girls Sports Program Coordinator.
- Year 4: about 1,800 girls at about 14 sites, about 91 coaches, with a second Girls Wellness and Mentoring Coordinator.
- Year 5: about 2,200 girls at about 16 sites, about 105 coaches, with a fourth Girls Sports Program Coordinator.
Over five years we expect about 7,500 girl-years of participation. Many girls play several seasons, so they are counted more than once.

Who else benefits:
- Families. Parents see their daughters active, confident and connected, and gain trusted coaches and a place for their daughters after school.
- Schools. Teachers and counselors gain a partner who engages girls after school, and more girls on school teams in later years.
- Women coaches and mentors. Women gain paid coaching experience, training and leadership opportunities, and college athletes gain mentoring experience.
- Brothers, teammates and friends. Girls' participation changes how a whole community sees girls in sports.
- The community. Girls who are active, confident and connected grow into stronger leaders and neighbors.

How we will size the need before we submit. We will add the number of girls in our area, the share in families with limited income, the participation gap between girls and boys in school sports, the number of girls' teams and women coaches in local leagues and our waiting lists. These come from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Montana Office of Public Instruction, the state athletic association, local leagues and our own records.

Competitive Landscape

Other options girls have, and how we fit.

- School teams. School teams offer good coaching and competition, usually with tryouts and cuts, and fewer teams for girls in some schools. We serve girls who are too young, cut or not yet ready, and we send girls on to school teams. We schedule around school seasons.
- Recreation department leagues. City leagues offer sports for a modest fee, often coed and mostly coached by men. We work with the parks department, share fields and add girls-only teams, women coaches, gear and rides.
- Club and travel teams. They offer high-level competition for a high price. We are not an elite program, and girls who want to compete at that level are encouraged to try out.
- National girls' sports organizations. Some offer curricula or programs for girls in a few sports, usually in larger cities. We partner with them and use their materials where helpful.
- Boys and girls clubs and YMCAs. They offer sports among many programs. We partner and share sites, and focus on girls, women coaches and the barriers girls face.
- Church leagues and community groups. Often volunteer-run, with varying training. We invite their coaches to our coach training.
- Informal play. Pickup games and backyard play are valuable but are less available to girls and provide no coaching or safety coverage.

The gap we fill. In our service area, no program offers free, no-cut, girls-only, multi-sport seasons led mostly by trained women coaches, with a gear fund for girls' sizes, menstrual products, injury prevention, college athlete mentors and a respectful approach to body image.

Our partners:
- Eight principals and schools, which provide fields, gyms, liaisons and referrals.
- The parks department, which provides fields and community centers.
- A county health department and a health system, which provide athletic trainers, dietitians and sports physicals.
- A community college and a state university's women's athletics department, which provide student athlete mentors and coaches.
- Local clubs and teams, which host Try-It Days.
- A women's sports organization and local businesses, which sponsor and advise.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How girls, families and supporters will find us and how we keep them engaged.

Reaching girls and families:
- At school. Coordinators visit classrooms, lunch rooms and assemblies, talk with counselors and teachers who know which girls would benefit, and announce sign-ups.
- Sign-up nights. Family nights at each site with a meal, interpretation and a simple form, where girls try drills and meet women coaches.
- Word of mouth. Girls bring friends, sisters and cousins, and college athlete mentors are powerful role models.
- Flyers, text messages and a simple website in English and Spanish and other languages used in our area, with schedules, forms and a map of sites.
- Community partners. Churches, libraries, tribal and cultural centers and neighborhood groups share flyers.
- Social media with photos of games and festivals, shared only with signed photo permission.

Making it easy to join:
- Families give what they can, and no one is turned away. Uniforms, gear, snacks and rides are free.
- No tryouts, no cuts and no experience required.
- Sign-up forms are short, and staff help families who need it with consent and health forms.
- Practices are at neighborhood sites right after school, with rides for those who need them.
- We provide interpretation and accommodations for girls with disabilities.

Keeping girls engaged:
- Small teams with two coaches who know every girl's name and a guaranteed amount of playing time.
- A team culture that celebrates effort, courage and kindness, not only winning.
- Weekly team talks on confidence and friendship, mentors who stay in touch and a season-ending festival.
- If a girl misses two practices, the coach or coordinator calls home to see what is getting in the way, such as a ride, a schedule or a worry.

Reaching coaches:
- Women are recruited through schools, colleges, parents, former athletes and community organizations, and we offer free training, stipends and a mentor.
- Men who want to coach girls are welcome and trained in the same way.

Reaching supporters. School districts, the parks department, businesses, athletic brands and individuals are invited to sponsor a team, a site, the Girls Gear Fund or the festival. We share results twice a year with funders and partners as totals.

Outreach budget. Try-It Days, clinics and the Girls Sports Festival are about $18,000 a year in Year 1, growing about 10% a year. Parent workshops, interpretation and family outreach are about $6,000 a year. The logo, banners, website and online registration platform are paid for once from startup money ($6,000).

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1:
- Months 1 to 3: Attorney review of facility and school agreements, participant waivers, background check and conduct policies, insurance and our eligibility policy, sign the lease for the office and storage space, hire the Program Director, two Girls Sports Program Coordinators, the Women Coaches Pipeline Manager and the Girls Wellness and Mentoring Coordinator, buy equipment and AEDs, sign agreements with sites and the medical coverage partner and set up the registration platform.
- Month 4: Recruit and screen coaches and mentors, run Coach Training and emergency drills, hold sign-up nights and the first Try-It Day.
- Months 5 to 7: Fall season (soccer and flag football). Season-ending festival.
- Months 8 to 10: Winter season (basketball and volleyball). Parent workshop and dietitian session.
- Months 10 to 12: Spring season (softball and track and field). Girls Sports Festival, year-end review, report to funders and schools and planning for Year 2.

Space. Practices and games are held at school fields and gyms, parks and community centers under written agreements. Field and gym rental is about $26,000 a year in Year 1. We lease a small office with equipment and gear storage, about $18,000 a year in Year 1. Shelving, security and storage improvements are a one-time cost of $4,000, with a deposit and first month of rent of $4,000.

Equipment. We buy about $45,000 of equipment once at the start: portable soccer goals, volleyball nets and standards, softball bases and track equipment ($14,000), four AEDs with cabinets ($6,000), first aid and ice kits ($2,000), tablets and a video system for skills coaching and injury prevention training ($4,000), a used equipment trailer ($10,000), five laptops and a registration system ($5,000), and a private fitting room, racks and shelving ($4,000). An opening supply of new sports bras, cleats, shin guards, balls, jerseys and training equipment in girls' sizes is a one-time cost of $16,000. After Year 1, we set aside about $6,000 to $9,000 a year to replace and add equipment. The Girls Gear Fund is about $36,000 a year in Year 1.

Staffing. In Year 1: an Executive Director, a Program Director, two Girls Sports Program Coordinators, a Women Coaches Pipeline Manager, a Girls Wellness and Mentoring Coordinator and a part-time Program Coordinator. A third Girls Sports Program Coordinator joins in Year 3, a second Girls Wellness and Mentoring Coordinator in Year 4 and a fourth Girls Sports Program Coordinator in Year 5. Each coordinator oversees about four sites. Part-time paid coaches receive stipends and training scholarships, about $40,000 in Year 1.

Child safety. Every coach, official, mentor, volunteer and staff member working with girls passes a background check and completes training on child safety and abuse prevention, including the principles of SafeSport, before the first practice. Two adults are always present at practices and games, no adult is alone with a girl, and adults do not message girls privately. Adults are mandated reporters and follow the law on reporting suspected abuse or neglect. Locker rooms and changing areas are supervised by women staff with privacy protections. A hotline gives girls and families a safe way to report any concern, and we act on every report.

Medical safety. A certified athletic trainer or trained first aid provider covers league games, and every main site has an AED, an emergency action plan and a cardiac emergency response plan, practiced each season. Coaches and site staff are trained in first aid, CPR and AED use. If a girl has a serious injury or emergency, staff call 911 right away and follow the plan. Concussion rules follow the state's youth concussion law, which we confirm each year: a girl who shows signs of a concussion is removed from play immediately and returns only with written clearance from a qualified health care professional. We follow heat safety guidelines, with water breaks, shade and adjusted practice schedules, and we move or cancel play in dangerous heat. Athletic training and injury prevention are about $14,000 a year in Year 1.

Body image and health. We never weigh or measure girls, coaches do not comment on bodies, and we do not give diet, weight or body composition advice. General education on fueling and rest is led by a registered dietitian. Coaches are trained to recognize warning signs of disordered eating and low energy, to speak privately and kindly with the girl and her family, and to refer to a doctor or counselor. Staff never diagnose.

Menstrual products and hygiene. Free products are stocked at every site and are always available without asking.

Equal opportunity. We follow civil rights laws and the spirit of Title IX. We welcome all girls and treat each with dignity. Eligibility for competition follows the rules of each league and applicable state law. We make reasonable accommodations for girls with disabilities.

Insurance. We carry accident insurance for participants, general liability, abuse and molestation liability, non-owned auto liability and workers' compensation once we hire. Insurance is about $12,000 a year in Year 1. Families are told how the accident coverage works and that it does not replace family health insurance. Transportation, with licensed providers and two adults on each trip, is about $14,000 a year in Year 1.

Privacy. Girls' and families' information, including health forms, is kept in a locked cabinet and a secure, password-protected system, shared only with the family's permission, except where the law or safety requires. We report results to funders only as totals, never with a girl's name. Photos are shared only with written permission.

Records. Grant money is tracked separately so we can show each funder how their money was spent, and an outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Management & Organization

Who leads the organization.

Jenna Larsen, Executive Director. Jenna leads the organization, raises money, manages grants and school and parks partnerships, supervises staff and reports to the board. She played college softball, coached girls' teams for 12 years and co-founded our pilot clinics. Planned salary: $58,000 a year.

Program Director. Oversees operations, scheduling, safety and the Girls Sports Program Coordinators. Must have experience in youth sports, recreation or education and training in child safety. Planned salary: $50,000 a year.

Girls Sports Program Coordinator. Manages the program at about four sites: recruiting girls, scheduling, supporting coaches, communicating with families and site staff and handling day-to-day issues. Two in Years 1 and 2, three in Years 3 and 4 and four in Year 5, at a planned salary of $42,000 each. The Big Sky Women's Sports Fund grant would support the first Girls Sports Program Coordinator.

Women Coaches Pipeline Manager. Recruits and screens coaches, runs Coach Training, matches new coaches with mentors, oversees emergency action plans and injury prevention and manages the medical coverage partnership. Must have experience in coaching education or sports safety. Planned salary: $46,000 a year.

Girls Wellness and Mentoring Coordinator. Runs team talks and the mentor program, organizes parent workshops and the dietitian sessions, and connects girls and families to services. Must have experience in youth development, counseling or education. One in Years 1 to 3 and two from Year 4, at a planned salary of $42,000 each.

Program Coordinator (part-time). Handles registration, forms, rosters, scheduling and communications, about 25 hours a week. Planned pay: $26,000 a year.

Pay figures include payroll taxes and workers' compensation insurance.

Staff in each year: 7 paid staff in Years 1 and 2 (six full-time and one part-time), 8 in Year 3, 9 in Year 4 and 10 in Year 5.

Coaches and mentors. About 60 coaches in Year 1, at least 70% women, including teachers, community volunteers, college students, former athletes and part-time paid coaches, and about 25 college athlete mentors. Mentors work in group settings and are never alone with girls.

The board. A seven-member volunteer board approves the budget, reviews results twice a year and helps raise money. Board members serve three-year terms. The board's certified public accountant chairs the finance committee. The board's pediatrician, athletic director and counselor help keep the program grounded in what girls need.

People who help us. An outside accountant who reviews our books every year, an attorney who reviews our school agreements, waivers and policies, an insurance agent who understands youth sports, a certified athletic trainer, a registered dietitian and a Girls Advisory Council that meets each season.

Training. All staff, coaches and mentors complete training in child safety, positive coaching of girls, concussion, heat and cardiac emergencies, injury prevention and inclusion before the first practice, and again each year.

Money management. Grant money is tracked separately for each funder. The Executive Director and a board member must both approve any payment over $2,500.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals for each year and how we will measure them.

- Year 1: Open the alliance at about 8 sites with about 900 girls on about 80 teams, at least 70% women coaches and 100% of coaches screened and trained. A balanced budget of about $548,000, with a small surplus of about $17,000. 7 paid staff.
- Year 2: Grow to about 10 sites and about 1,150 girls. Begin tracking school connection for participants. A balanced budget of about $571,000, with a small surplus of about $16,000. 7 paid staff.
- Year 3: Add a third Girls Sports Program Coordinator and grow to about 12 sites and about 1,450 girls, including sites in rural and tribal communities. A balanced budget of about $640,000, with a small surplus of about $15,700. 8 paid staff.
- Year 4: Add a second Girls Wellness and Mentoring Coordinator and grow to about 14 sites and about 1,800 girls. Expand the mentor program. A balanced budget of about $712,000, with a small surplus of about $15,800. 9 paid staff.
- Year 5: Add a fourth Girls Sports Program Coordinator and grow to about 16 sites and about 2,200 girls, with contracts, sponsors and family contributions covering about 38% of our budget. Report five years of results and share our toolkit with other communities. A balanced budget of about $788,000, with a small surplus of about $15,900. 10 paid staff.

What we measure:
- Girls enrolled, by site, age, race, family income and whether they had played before.
- Attendance at practice, season completion and return in later seasons, especially for ages 12 to 18.
- Share of women coaches and coach training completion.
- Injuries, concussions and emergency responses, and how they were handled.
- Sportsmanship incidents and any safety or conduct concerns reported, and how they were resolved.
- Girls' and families' satisfaction, confidence and belonging.
- With permission, school attendance and connection for participants.
- Gear and menstrual product use, and the cost per girl.

How we review results. Girls Sports Program Coordinators review attendance and safety after every game week. After each season, staff, coaches, site liaisons and our Girls Advisory Council review the results and change what is not working. Twice a year, the board reviews results and we share them with funders and partners as totals. 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: $95,000 from the Big Sky Women's Sports Fund for one Girls Sports Program Coordinator, the Girls Gear Fund, women coach stipends and training scholarships, transportation, menstrual products and healthy snacks, and Try-It Days, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Girls Sports Program Coordinator salary, $42,000.
- Other: Girls Gear Fund (sports bras, cleats, uniforms and equipment), $18,000 (other funds add $18,000).
- Other: Women coach stipends and training scholarships, $14,000 (other funds add $26,000).
- Other: Transportation, $8,000 (other funds add $6,000).
- Other: Menstrual products, hygiene supplies and healthy snacks, $6,000 (other funds add $4,000).
- Other: Try-It Days, clinics and the Girls Sports Festival, $7,000 (other funds add $11,000).

Other money in the program. School district, parks and health department contracts, corporate and athletic brand sponsors, other grants and individual donors pay the other $65,000 of those lines, plus the Executive Director's salary ($58,000), the Program Director ($50,000), the second Girls Sports Program Coordinator ($42,000), the Women Coaches Pipeline Manager ($46,000), the Girls Wellness and Mentoring Coordinator ($42,000), the part-time Program Coordinator ($26,000), field and gym rental ($26,000), athletic training and injury prevention ($14,000), college athlete mentor stipends ($8,000), parent workshops, interpretation and family outreach ($6,000), insurance ($12,000), office and equipment storage space ($18,000) and evaluation, data and administration ($14,000).

Year 1 budget: about $548,000, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $17,000 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $438,000 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), school district, parks and health department contracts $50,000, corporate and athletic brand sponsors $45,000 and individual donors and family contributions $15,000. Year 1 costs: Executive Director $58,000; Program Director $50,000; two Girls Sports Program Coordinators $84,000; Women Coaches Pipeline Manager $46,000; Girls Wellness and Mentoring Coordinator $42,000; Program Coordinator $26,000; Girls Gear Fund about $36,000; women coach stipends and training scholarships about $40,000 (about 60 coaches at about $650); field and gym rental about $26,000; transportation about $14,000; Try-It Days, clinics and the Girls Sports Festival about $18,000; athletic training and injury prevention about $14,000; menstrual products, hygiene supplies and healthy snacks about $10,000; college athlete mentor stipends about $8,000; parent workshops, interpretation and family outreach about $6,000; insurance about $12,000; office and equipment storage space about $18,000; evaluation, data and administration about $14,000; and about $14,800 a year for the wear on equipment.

About contracts, sponsors and contributions. School districts, parks and health departments may pay for programs that engage girls in physical activity, using funds that change from year to year. Sponsors and athletic brands support teams and the festival. Families give what they can, which is never required. These amounts are planning estimates, not promises. Payments often arrive after we bill, so we plan for about $32,880 owed to us at the end of Year 1. We plan for grants and donors to cover the gap if payers are delayed or reduce support.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $90,000 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $45,000 of equipment (goals, nets and bases, four AEDs, first aid kits, tablets and a video system, an equipment trailer, laptops and a private fitting room), $4,000 for shelving, security and storage improvements, $4,000 for the lease deposit and first month of rent, $16,000 for the opening supply of new gear in girls' sizes, $2,000 for facility use permits and local registration, $7,000 for an attorney's review of facility and school agreements, waivers and policies and insurance, $6,000 for the logo, banners, website and online registration platform, and $6,000 for background checks, coach safety training and the first insurance payment.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($90,000), the cash we need to cover the wait for the first payments (about $6,900) and a cash cushion of about $130,500, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. That comes to $227,500. We start with $25,000 of our own savings and $215,000 in startup support from a women's foundation, a health system and our board, $240,000 in all, which covers that amount with room to spare.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $548,000 in Year 1 to about $788,000 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $438,000, $421,000, $446,000, $467,000 and $488,000 in Years 1 to 5. School district, parks and health department contracts grow from $50,000 to $140,000, corporate and athletic brand sponsors grow from $45,000 to $120,000 and individual donors and family contributions grow from $15,000 to $40,000. We add a third Girls Sports Program Coordinator in Year 3, a second Girls Wellness and Mentoring Coordinator in Year 4 and a fourth Girls Sports Program Coordinator in Year 5. Grants fall from about 80% of our income in Year 1 to about 62% in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $188,100, at the end of Year 1.

After the grant. Our plan is for school districts, parks and health departments and sponsors to carry a growing share of the cost, because every site that joins gains a program that engages girls, and because girls' participation is a priority for many funders and brands. We will also apply to state and federal physical activity and youth development funds and invite athletic brands and local businesses to sponsor teams and the gear fund.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- A girl is seriously injured. Every main site has trained coaches, an AED, an emergency plan, medical coverage at games and accident insurance, and staff call 911.
- A concussion or heat illness. Coaches are trained, girls showing signs are removed immediately, return requires written clearance and we adjust or cancel play in dangerous heat.
- A child safety concern about an adult. All adults are screened and trained, two adults are always present, there is a hotline, and we report and act on every concern.
- A girl struggles with body image or disordered eating. Coaches never comment on bodies, we never weigh girls, coaches are trained to recognize warning signs and refer privately, and a dietitian provides general education.
- Too few women coaches. We recruit early from colleges and communities, pay stipends, offer training scholarships and pair new coaches with mentors.
- A school or site drops out. We keep written agreements, have backup sites and keep a waiting list of schools and centers.
- Sponsors or contracts fall. We plan with a cash cushion, apply to other funders and set final team numbers after funding is confirmed.
- A grant ends. We keep savings, grow sponsor and contract income and donors 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 girls-only soccer or softball clinic at two schools for a season, with screened and trained women coaches, borrowed fields and a volunteer first aid provider, 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.
- Resumes for your Executive Director, Program Director and Women Coaches Pipeline Manager.
- Letters of support and agreements from each school, the parks department and each site.
- Your agreement or letter from the health system for medical coverage and from the registered dietitian.
- Your Coach Training outline, background check policy and child safety and abuse prevention policy.
- Your emergency action plan, cardiac emergency response plan, concussion and heat policies, and proof of AEDs.
- Your body image and health policy, and your eligibility for competition policy as reviewed by your attorney.
- Your participant consent and health forms, waiver and photo permission form.
- Results from your pilot clinics, shown as totals.
- Proof of accident, general liability, abuse liability and workers' compensation insurance, or quotes.
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: $438,000 in Year 1, then $421,000, $446,000, $467,000 and $488,000.
- School District, Parks and Health Department Contracts: $50,000 in Year 1, then $70,000, $90,000, $115,000 and $140,000.
- Corporate and Athletic Brand Sponsors: $45,000 in Year 1, growing to $120,000.
- Individual Donors and Family Contributions (Pay What You Can): $15,000 in Year 1, growing to $40,000. Never required.
- Girls: about 900 in Year 1, then 1,150, 1,450, 1,800 and 2,200. Coaches: about 60 in Year 1 at about $650 each plus training scholarships, growing to about 105.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): Executive Director $58,000, Program Director $50,000, Girls Sports Program Coordinator $42,000 (two in Years 1 and 2, three in Years 3 and 4, four in Year 5), Women Coaches Pipeline Manager $46,000, Girls Wellness and Mentoring Coordinator $42,000 (one in Years 1 to 3, two from Year 4), Program Coordinator (part-time) $26,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: Girls Gear Fund $36,000, Women Coach Stipends and Training Scholarships $40,000, Field and Gym Rental $26,000, Transportation $14,000, Try-It Days, Clinics and the Girls Sports Festival $18,000, Athletic Training and Injury Prevention $14,000, Menstrual Products, Hygiene Supplies and Healthy Snacks $10,000, College Athlete Mentor Stipends $8,000, Parent Workshops, Interpretation and Family Outreach $6,000, Insurance $12,000, Office and Equipment Storage Space $18,000, Evaluation, Data and Administration $14,000. These grow between 4% and 15% a year.
- Equipment: $45,000 at the start, then $6,000 to $9,000 a year.
- Startup costs: $90,000, paid once from $240,000 in startup money.
- About 6% 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