SafeStep Senior Home Repair

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Executive Summary

SafeStep Senior Home Repair is a nonprofit in Pennsylvania that makes free minor repairs and safety changes in the homes of low-income older adults, so they can stay in their own homes safely. Our crews install grab bars and handrails, fix loose steps and uneven flooring, add lighting and smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and build ramps. A licensed occupational therapist looks at each home first, so the changes fit the person who lives there. Everything is free to the homeowner.

Most older adults want to stay in their homes. Many cannot afford even a small repair, and a loose rug, a missing handrail or a dark stairway can lead to a fall. Falls are a leading cause of injury among older adults, and a serious one can end a person's ability to live independently. Contractors often will not take small jobs, and older homeowners are targets for scams. A trusted, free service closes a gap that neither the market nor existing programs fill.

With this grant we will make safety repairs in about 200 homes in Year 1, complete about 14 ramp and electrical projects with licensed contractors and get an occupational therapist's assessment in every home. Our goals are that at least 90% of homeowners say they feel safer at home, that every job is completed to a written checklist and that we serve homeowners in order of need and wait time. We do not claim that our repairs will prevent a fall. We measure what we do, what homeowners tell us and, where we can, what happens afterward.

Our Year 1 budget: about $564,000, growing to about $801,000 by Year 5. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus. We have 7 paid staff in Year 1 and 10 by Year 5. City housing and Area Agency on Aging contracts, utility program partnerships and volunteer sponsors add steady support, so grants fall from about 79% of our income in Year 1 to about 60% in Year 5.

We are asking the Healthy Homes and Aging Fund for $95,000 for one Repair Technician, materials for repairs and safety devices and occupational therapist home safety assessments. City contracts, other grants and gifts cover the rest.

I am Walter Greene, the Executive Director, a licensed contractor and former building inspector who spent 20 years in the trades. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

SafeStep Senior Home Repair is a nonprofit organization in Pennsylvania. 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 help older adults stay safe and independent in their own homes by making free repairs and safety changes.

What we believe. A safe home is a basic part of aging well. A small repair done early costs far less than an injury or a move. Homeowners know what they need in their own homes, so we listen first, and we explain every job in plain words and in writing. We serve homeowners of every race, faith and background, and we treat every home with respect.

How we started. SafeStep began when a retired building inspector fixed a neighbor's front steps after she fell, and then another neighbor's, and then a church asked for help for six members. Volunteers repaired 38 homes over two summers, and a hospital social worker asked how to refer patients who were being discharged to unsafe homes. This proposal asks for support to turn a volunteer effort into a staffed program.

What we offer:
- Home safety assessment. A licensed occupational therapist visits each home, looks at how the person moves through it, and writes a short list of changes that would help most.
- Minor repairs and safety devices. Grab bars, handrails, stair and threshold repairs, lighting, door levers, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, non-slip treads and similar work, done by our trained crew with materials we buy.
- Ramps and larger jobs. Wheelchair and walker ramps and electrical work, done by licensed contractors under written agreements.
- Volunteer days. Trained volunteers and corporate teams help with yard safety, painting and clean-up under crew supervision.
- Referral and follow-up. We refer homeowners to weatherization, energy assistance and legal help, and call after each job.

Who we serve. Homeowners age 60 and older with incomes at or below 80% of the area median income, in our county, with priority for people who have fallen, are leaving the hospital, have a disability or live alone. There is no charge.

What we do not do. We do not do major remodeling, roofing, plumbing replacement or structural repair beyond a set scope and cost per home. We do not make repairs to rental properties. We do not work in a home with a hazard we cannot safely address, such as active mold or asbestos, and we refer those homeowners to specialists. We do not promise that a repair will prevent a fall.

How we are run. A nine-member volunteer board of directors oversees the organization and approves the budget each year. The board includes two older homeowners we have served, a building contractor, an occupational therapist, an elder law attorney, a hospital social worker, a banker, a faith community leader and a certified public accountant. The Executive Director manages the organization, the Program Director manages crews and projects and an outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Where things stand today. We have letters of support from the county aging office, two hospitals, a faith community network and a lumber supplier. Before we begin, our attorney will review our homeowner consent and waiver form, volunteer policy and contractor agreements, and we will confirm any contractor registration Pennsylvania requires.

Problem & Opportunity

Older adults are the fastest growing part of the population, and most want to stay at home. National public health data show that about one in four adults over 65 falls each year, and falls are a leading cause of injury and injury-related death in this group. A broken hip often leads to a long hospital and rehabilitation stay, and many people do not return to living independently.

Many of the changes that make a home safer are small and inexpensive: a handrail, better lighting, a grab bar, a repaired step. But low-income older homeowners often cannot pay for them. They may be on fixed incomes, behind on bills or unable to do the work themselves. Contractors may not want small jobs. Homeowners worry about scams and about letting strangers in.

Programs that fund repairs exist, such as weatherization, community development block grants and Area Agency on Aging programs, and they usually have long waiting lists and strict rules. They often focus on major systems like heating or roofing, not on small fixes that prevent a fall. Many older adults do not know the programs exist.

Hospitals and doctors see the result. A patient leaves the hospital for a home with steep stairs and no rails, and has no one to fix it. Case managers tell us they have no good place to send these referrals.

We want to be clear about what we know and do not know. We know that home hazards are common and that fall risk is real. Research on home modification programs shows promising results, particularly when an occupational therapist assesses the home, but results vary and no program can eliminate falls. We will use the most recent numbers from the CDC, the Census Bureau and the state for our county in our final application and will not overstate them. Our own pilot repaired 38 homes and had a waiting list of 61.

Products & Services

SafeStep will make free safety repairs and changes in older adults' homes, guided by a licensed occupational therapist, with a trained crew, licensed contractors for larger jobs and careful follow-up.

How it works, step by step:
1. Referral. Homeowners, family members, hospitals, doctors and aging agencies call or send a referral. We answer the same day.
2. Eligibility. We confirm age, homeownership and income with a short form and we do not ask for more than we need. We ask for the homeowner's permission in writing before any work.
3. Home safety assessment. An occupational therapist visits, talks with the homeowner about how they move through the home and writes a short, ranked list of changes.
4. Work plan and consent. The Program Director turns the list into a work plan with materials and cost, explains it in plain words and gets the homeowner's signature.
5. The work. Our crew does the repairs, usually in one or two visits. For ramps, electrical work and anything beyond our scope, we hire a licensed contractor under a written agreement and supervise the job. In homes built before 1978 we follow lead-safe work practices.
6. Inspection and follow-up. The Program Director checks each job against a written checklist, and we call the homeowner after two weeks and again after six months.
7. Referrals. We refer homeowners to weatherization, energy assistance, legal help and other programs they may qualify for.
8. Volunteers. Trained volunteers and corporate teams do simple work such as yard clean-up and painting under crew supervision.
9. Quality and safety. We track jobs, costs per home, wait times, rework and homeowner satisfaction, and review any incident.

What this grant will pay for. One Repair Technician, materials for repairs and safety devices and occupational therapist home safety assessments. The rest of the budget comes from city and Area Agency on Aging contracts, utility partnerships, other grants and gifts.

Market Analysis

Who benefits: low-income older homeowners in our county, their families, and the hospitals and agencies that need a safe place to send patients.

Our primary group is homeowners age 60 and older with incomes at or below 80% of area median income. We will use the most recent numbers from the Census Bureau, the county aging office and the state in our final application. Our referral sources are hospitals, doctors, Area Agency on Aging staff, faith communities, senior centers, home health agencies and families.

How we sized our plan. We plan to repair about 200 homes in Year 1, with 2 technicians, 220 in Year 2, 330 in Year 3 with a third technician, 360 in Year 4 and 480 in Year 5 with a fourth. In Year 1 that is about $190 in materials per home on average ($38,000), about 14 ramp and electrical projects at an average of about $4,300 ($60,000) and an occupational therapist assessment for every home at about $100 each ($20,000).

Demand data. Our volunteer pilot repaired 38 homes and has a waiting list of 61. We expect demand to exceed capacity for several years.

We do not take every request. We do not do jobs beyond our scope or in homes with hazards we cannot safely address, and we tell homeowners when we cannot help and where else to turn.

Competitive Landscape

Other choices for older homeowners, and what makes us different.

- Private contractors and handymen. They do good work when homeowners can afford them. Many will not take small jobs, and older homeowners worry about cost and scams. We offer free service, with a written plan and an assessment.
- Habitat for Humanity repair programs and similar groups. They do important work and often focus on larger repairs. We focus on small, fast safety changes and coordinate with them for bigger needs.
- Weatherization and city repair programs. They fund major systems and have eligibility rules and waiting lists. We fill the gap for small jobs and refer homeowners to them.
- Area Agency on Aging programs. They provide services, referrals and sometimes minor repairs. We are a partner and a contractor to them.
- Faith community and volunteer groups. They help many people. We offer training, an occupational therapist's guidance and licensed contractors for larger jobs.
- Family members. Many older adults depend on family. We help families who live far away or cannot do the work.

What makes us different.
- An occupational therapist assessment in every home.
- A trained crew and licensed contractors, with a written plan and a checklist.
- Priority for people who have fallen or are leaving the hospital.
- Follow-up calls after each job.
- Honest reporting: we publish how many homes we served, what it cost and what homeowners told us.

What we do not claim. We are new. Our pilot was small, and established agencies have longer histories. We plan to earn trust one home at a time.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How we will reach homeowners and referral partners.

Referral partners. We will visit hospital case managers, discharge planners, primary care offices, home health agencies and the county aging office, bring a one-page referral form and a sample work plan and ask what slows them down. We do not pay for referrals.

Homeowners. We will work through senior centers, faith communities, meals programs, libraries and neighborhood groups, and keep a simple website, a phone line that is answered and printed flyers. Trusted neighbors and faith leaders are our best messengers.

Scam awareness. We will tell homeowners clearly that we never ask for money, never come without an appointment, and that every worker wears a badge and carries a letter from us.

Volunteers and sponsors. We will invite local businesses, building trades unions, supply stores and civic groups to sponsor a home, supply materials or send a volunteer team, and give them a simple, safe task.

City and county partners. We will meet the housing department and the Area Agency on Aging each quarter, share our data and apply for the contracts and grants that fund home safety.

Funders. We will report results as totals twice a year and in a short annual report, and invite funders to a work day. We will not use photographs or stories of homeowners without clear, written permission.

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1:
- Months 1 to 2: Attorney review of the homeowner consent and waiver form, volunteer policy and contractor agreements, hire the Program Director, the Repair Technicians and the Intake Coordinator, buy the truck and tools, sign the occupational therapist agreement and stock materials.
- Month 3: Train the crew in home safety, fall hazards, lead-safe work practices and working with older adults, begin accepting referrals and complete the first repairs.
- Months 4 to 8: Steady work: about 4 homes a week, ramp projects with contractors, volunteer work days and the first six-month follow-up calls.
- Months 9 to 12: Fall and winter work, year-end data collection, report to funders and planning for Year 2.

The crew and the work. Each crew has a Repair Technician and, when helpful, a volunteer. A typical home gets one or two visits and about $190 in materials. Technicians do work within a written scope, such as installing grab bars, handrails and lighting, fixing steps and thresholds and installing alarms. Anything beyond that, including ramps, electrical work and structural repairs, goes to a licensed contractor.

Contractors. We use licensed, insured contractors selected by competitive quotes under written agreements, pay them directly after the Program Director inspects the work, and require them to name us as additional insured. We register with the state where required for home improvement work.

Homes built before 1978. We follow the federal lead-safe work rule for renovation, repair and painting, with certified renovators and safe work practices, and we do not disturb painted surfaces we cannot safely handle.

Homeowner protections. We get written consent before any work, show our badges and a letter on arrival, never accept money or gifts, and never go into a home when the homeowner is not present or has not agreed. Every worker and volunteer passes a criminal background check.

Staffing. In Year 1: an Executive Director, a Program Director and Construction Manager, two Repair Technicians, an Intake and Care Coordinator, a Volunteer Coordinator and a part-time Program Assistant. We add a third Repair Technician in Year 3, a second Intake and Care Coordinator in Year 4 and a fourth Repair Technician in Year 5.

Privacy. Homeowner information is kept in a secure system and shared only with permission, except where the law requires. We report results to funders only as totals.

Insurance. We carry general liability, commercial auto, workers' compensation, builders risk for ramp projects and volunteer accident insurance. Insurance is about $16,000 a year in Year 1.

Management & Organization

The people who will carry out the program.

Walter Greene, Executive Director. A licensed contractor and former building inspector with 20 years in the trades, and a volunteer with the pilot for three years. He leads fundraising, partnerships, finance and hiring, reports to the board and is the main contact for funders and the city. (Replace this paragraph with your own background.)

Program Director and Construction Manager. Plans jobs, supervises crews and contractors, inspects every job and manages materials and safety. We will seek a person with building trades and project management experience and lead-safe renovator certification.

Repair Technicians. Do repairs and safety installations to a written scope, and follow safe work practices.

Intake and Care Coordinator. Takes referrals, confirms eligibility, schedules assessments and visits and makes follow-up calls. A social worker or case manager is ideal.

Volunteer Coordinator. Recruits, trains and supervises volunteers and sponsors.

Program Assistant (part-time). Keeps records, orders materials and prepares reports.

Occupational therapist. Works under a written agreement and assesses each home.

Board of directors. Nine volunteers who meet quarterly: two older homeowners we have served, a building contractor, an occupational therapist, an elder law attorney, a hospital social worker, a banker, a faith community leader and a certified public accountant. The board approves the budget and policies and does not receive pay.

Staff pay in this plan includes payroll taxes and workers' compensation. Salaries are Executive Director $64,000, Program Director and Construction Manager $58,000, Repair Technician $46,000 each, Intake and Care Coordinator $46,000, Volunteer Coordinator $44,000 and part-time Program Assistant $24,000. Replace them with the pay you can offer where you live.

Milestones Narrative

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

- Before opening: get at least 3 letters of support from hospitals, the county aging office and faith communities, confirm contractor registration requirements, get insurance quotes, sign the occupational therapist agreement and open a bank account. Do not enter a home until the consent form and background checks are in place.
- Year 1: Repair about 200 homes, complete about 14 ramp and electrical projects and complete an occupational therapist assessment in every home. A balanced budget of about $564,000, with a small surplus of about $14,860. 7 paid staff.
- Year 2: Repair about 220 homes and begin six-month follow-up on every home. A balanced budget of about $584,000, with a small surplus of about $14,100. 7 paid staff.
- Year 3: Add a third Repair Technician and repair about 330 homes. A balanced budget of about $654,000, with a small surplus of about $15,169. 8 paid staff.
- Year 4: Repair about 360 homes and add a second Intake and Care Coordinator. A balanced budget of about $726,000, with a small surplus of about $15,815. 9 paid staff.
- Year 5: Add a fourth Repair Technician and repair about 480 homes. A balanced budget of about $801,000, with a small surplus of about $16,753. 10 paid staff.

What we measure:
- Homes repaired, by type of work and by homeowner age and income, and the wait from referral to first visit.
- Assessments completed and the share of recommended changes completed.
- Ramp and electrical projects completed and cost per project.
- Materials and total cost per home.
- Homeowner satisfaction and whether homeowners feel safer, from a call after two weeks and again after six months.
- Falls reported by homeowners in the six months after repairs, collected by phone and reported as totals. We will not claim that our work caused any change.
- Volunteer hours and sponsors.

How we review results. The Program Director reviews jobs and costs every week, and the full team reviews outcomes monthly. Each season, staff, homeowners and our partners review results together and we change what is not working. Twice a year the board reviews results and we share them with funders as totals. Every number in this plan is a goal, and we will report what really happens, including when we fall short.

Funding Request

What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $95,000 from the Healthy Homes and Aging Fund for one Repair Technician, materials for repairs and safety devices and occupational therapist home safety assessments, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Repair Technician salary (one of two technicians), $46,000 (other funds add $46,000).
- Supplies: Materials for repairs and safety devices, purchased from vendors: grab bars, rails, lighting, alarms and lumber, $29,000 (other funds add $9,000).
- Contractual: Occupational therapist home safety assessments, paid to contractors under written agreements, $20,000 (other funds add $0).

Other money in the program. Other grants, contracts, earned income and gifts pay the other $456,940 of Year 1 costs, including the matching amounts above. All Year 1 costs are listed below.

Year 1 budget: about $564,000, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $14,860 after spreading startup and equipment costs over five years). Year 1 money coming in: grants $444,000 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), city Housing and Area Agency on Aging Contracts $70,000, utility and Energy Program Partnerships $20,000, donations and Corporate Volunteer Sponsors $30,000. Year 1 costs: executive Director $64,000; program Director and Construction Manager $58,000; repair Technician (2 positions) $92,000; intake and Care Coordinator $46,000; volunteer Coordinator $44,000; program Assistant (part-time) $24,000; materials for Repairs and Safety Devices (Paid to Vendors) $38,000; licensed Contractors for Ramps and Electrical Work (Paid to Contractors) $60,000; occupational Therapist Home Safety Assessments (Paid to Contractors) $20,000; truck and Tool Operations $18,000; insurance $16,000; storage and Shop Rent and Utilities $20,000; job Tracking and Technology $5,000; staff and Volunteer Training $5,000; outreach to Older Adults and Referral Partners $8,000; evaluation and Reporting $6,000; administration and Accounting $12,000; and about $15,940 a year for spreading startup and equipment costs over five years. These add up to $551,940.

How we planned costs. Materials average about $190 per home for about 200 homes in Year 1 ($38,000). Ramp and electrical work averages about $4,300 for about 14 projects ($60,000), paid to licensed contractors after inspection. Occupational therapist assessments average about $100 per home ($20,000). We will get at least two quotes for materials and for every contractor job.

About government funding. Cities receive federal community development block grant funds, and Area Agencies on Aging receive federal and state funds under the Older Americans Act, and both contract with local organizations for home repair and safety. These funds are competitive, awarded for set periods and subject to appropriations and agency rules. Utility companies sometimes fund home safety and energy programs. The amounts in this plan are our planning estimates, not promises, and agencies can change their budgets, rules and awards.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $65,700 are paid once from startup money and are listed item by item in the Startup Costs section.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($65,700), the cash the budget uses before it levels out (about $11,480) and a cash cushion of about $134,000, which is three months of Year 1 operating costs. That comes to about $211,180, rounded up to the nearest $500: $211,500. We start with $20,000 of our own savings and $195,000 in startup support from a community foundation, a utility program and our board, $215,000 in all, which covers that amount.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $564,000 in Year 1 to about $801,000 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $444,000, $414,000, $434,000, $456,000, $481,000 in Years 1 to 5, and city Housing and Area Agency on Aging Contracts grow from $70,000 to $190,000; utility and Energy Program Partnerships grow from $20,000 to $60,000; donations and Corporate Volunteer Sponsors grow from $30,000 to $70,000. Grants fall from about 79% of our income in Year 1 to about 60% in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $137,800, at the end of Year 1. City and agency payments often arrive after we bill or after we submit reports. We plan for about $39,480 owed to us at the end of Year 1.

After the grant. Our plan is to grow city and Area Agency on Aging contracts as our data accumulates, to expand utility and corporate partnerships and to invite individuals and civic groups to sponsor a home. Because a small repair can prevent a costly injury, success strengthens our case for public funding.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- A repair goes wrong or a worker is hurt. We train the crew, keep a written scope, use licensed contractors for larger work and carry liability and workers' compensation insurance.
- We find lead paint or asbestos. We follow lead-safe rules, stop work when we cannot safely continue and refer the homeowner to a specialist.
- A scam artist uses our name. We tell homeowners we never ask for money, issue badges and letters and register our crews with the local police.
- Material prices rise. We buy in bulk, get at least two quotes and change the scope, not the safety standard.
- City or Area Agency contracts are delayed. We plan with a cash cushion, stage hiring so costs follow funding and apply to other funders.
- A grant ends. We keep savings, grow sponsors and contracts and keep our cost per home low.

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 trained crew, one volunteer day a month and one occupational therapist partner, tracked carefully for six months. A waiting list and a few homeowner stories are the best evidence you can bring to your first grant application.

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 and Program Director, with contractor and lead-safe renovator credentials.
- Letters of support from the county aging office, hospitals, faith communities and a supplier.
- Your homeowner consent and waiver form, volunteer policy and contractor agreement, reviewed by an attorney.
- Your scope of work for crews and the criteria for a licensed contractor job.
- Your occupational therapist agreement and sample assessment.
- Results from your volunteer pilot, shown as totals.
- Proof of general liability, workers' compensation and commercial auto 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):
- Income: Grant Revenue: $444,000 in Year 1, growing to $481,000 by Year 5; City Housing and Area Agency on Aging Contracts: $70,000 in Year 1, growing to $190,000 by Year 5; Utility and Energy Program Partnerships: $20,000 in Year 1, growing to $60,000 by Year 5; Donations and Corporate Volunteer Sponsors: $30,000 in Year 1, growing to $70,000 by Year 5.
- Homes: about 200 in Year 1, then 220, 330, 360 and 480, with 2, 2, 3, 3 and 4 Repair Technicians.
- Materials: about $190 per home in Year 1 ($38,000); ramp and electrical contractors: about $4,300 for 14 projects ($60,000); occupational therapist assessments about $100 per home ($20,000).
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): executive director $64,000; program director and construction manager $58,000; repair technician $46,000; intake and care coordinator $46,000; volunteer coordinator $44,000; program assistant (part-time) $24,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: materials for Repairs and Safety Devices (Paid to Vendors) $38,000, licensed Contractors for Ramps and Electrical Work (Paid to Contractors) $60,000, occupational Therapist Home Safety Assessments (Paid to Contractors) $20,000, truck and Tool Operations $18,000, insurance $16,000, storage and Shop Rent and Utilities $20,000, job Tracking and Technology $5,000, staff and Volunteer Training $5,000, outreach to Older Adults and Referral Partners $8,000, evaluation and Reporting $6,000, administration and Accounting $12,000. These grow between 4% and 14% a year, and negative growth means a cost that is highest in Year 1.
- Startup costs ($65,700) and later equipment are spread evenly over five years in the plan's books, about $15,940 a year.
- About 7% 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