Rising Tide Middle School Sports League

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

Executive Summary

Rising Tide Middle School Sports League is a nonprofit in Oklahoma that makes sure every middle school student can play on a team. We run free, no-cut, multi-sport seasons for students in grades 6 to 8 at public middle schools that have little or no athletics, with trained coaches, safe equipment, athletic training coverage, buses to games and a program built around character, belonging and school success. Every student who signs up plays.

Middle school is when many young people decide whether sports are for them, and for many it is when they quietly stop. School budgets have cut intramural and after-school sports. Club and travel teams cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. Many families cannot afford fees, uniforms and rides, and many students have never been asked to try out for anything, so they never find out what they are good at. Research on youth sports suggests that students who take part in organized athletics tend to be more connected to school and more active, and that girls and students from low-income families are the least likely to take part. Our league goes to the students, at their own school, after the last bell, at no cost.

With this grant we will serve about 1,000 students at 8 middle schools in Year 1, in three seasons: soccer and flag football in the fall, basketball in the winter, and volleyball and track and field in the spring. Each team has two trained coaches, practices two or three days a week and plays league games and a season-ending festival. We hold at least 40% of spots for girls, offer unified teams that include students with and without disabilities and never cut anyone. We take student safety very seriously: coaches complete background checks, concussion, heat and cardiac emergency training, a certified athletic trainer covers every game and each school site has an automated external defibrillator. We do not offer tackle football.

Our Year 1 budget is about $543,000, growing to about $769,500 by Year 5 as we grow to 14 schools and about 2,200 students. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 6 paid staff in Year 1 and 8 by Year 5. School district payments, a health system's sports medicine support and corporate sponsors add steady support, so grants fall from about 79% of our income in Year 1 to about 65% in Year 5.

We are asking the Sooner Youth Wellness Foundation for $100,000 for one Site Sports Coordinator, uniforms and equipment, coach stipends, game transportation, sports physicals and a student health fund, and healthy snacks. School districts, a health system, sponsors, other grants and donors cover the rest, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

I am Derrick Mills, the Executive Director and a former middle school coach. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

Rising Tide Middle School Sports League is a nonprofit organization in Oklahoma. 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 give every middle school student the chance to play, belong and grow through sports.

What we believe. Sports belong to everyone, not only to the students who are already good at them or can afford to pay. A good team is a place where young people feel they belong, learn to work hard and handle wins and losses, and build friendships with peers and adults. The best coaches teach more than the game. Safety is not optional: every child deserves adults who are trained, screened and ready. Girls deserve equal opportunity to play, and students with disabilities deserve a place on the team. Winning is a good thing, and it is never more important than the students.

How we started. Rising Tide began when a middle school coach, a pediatric nurse practitioner and a parent noticed that their school had cut all after-school sports and that students who had played in elementary school had simply stopped. They organized a volunteer flag football and basketball league for two schools, using borrowed gyms, donated balls and parent coaches. In two years, 340 students played, 41% of them girls, and the school counselors told us that attendance and mood on game days were better. Principals at six more schools and the district asked whether we could bring the league to them. This proposal asks for support to build a staffed, professionally run league.

What we offer:
- Free, no-cut sports seasons. Soccer and flag football in the fall, basketball in the winter, and volleyball and track and field in the spring. Every student who signs up gets a spot on a team, with a guaranteed minimum amount of playing time.
- Trained, screened coaches. Two coaches for each team, including teachers, community volunteers and part-time paid coaches, all of whom complete a background check and our Coach Training on positive coaching, child safety, concussion awareness, heat illness, sudden cardiac arrest, and respect and inclusion.
- Athletic training and medical coverage. A certified athletic trainer at every game, an emergency action plan for every site and an AED at every school site.
- Unified and inclusive teams. Teams that include students with and without disabilities, and adaptive equipment and coaches trained to include everyone.
- Girls first. A commitment that at least 40% of participants are girls, with girls-only and coed options and women coaches and role models.
- Character and school success. A short, weekly team talk on a character theme, a study hour before practice for students who need it, and communication with the school counselor.
- Transportation and snacks. Buses to games and a healthy snack and water after practice, because a missing ride or an empty stomach should never keep a child from playing.
- Family nights and league festivals. A season-ending festival for each sport where families, teachers and the community cheer on the students.
- Junior coaches and officials. High school students trained as assistant coaches and officials, who earn service hours and a first job.

What we do not do. We do not offer tackle football. We do not charge students or families to play. We do not cut students. We do not run recruiting or elite travel teams. We do not provide medical care beyond first aid and athletic training, and we refer students to doctors.

How we are run. A seven-member volunteer board of directors oversees the organization and approves the budget each year. The board includes a pediatrician, a middle school principal, a former college coach, a school counselor, a parent, a young adult who played in our first league 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 and the district's athletic director have signed letters of support, a health system has indicated interest in supporting athletic training and several local companies have offered sponsorships. We have a letter of intent for a small office and equipment storage space. Before we begin, an attorney will review our school agreements, participant waivers and conduct, background check and insurance policies.

Problem & Opportunity

Why this program is needed.

Participation in organized sports has many benefits for young people, including physical activity, friendships, adult mentors and a stronger connection to school. But access to sports is uneven. The cost of playing has risen sharply, school athletic programs have been cut in many districts, and many middle schools offer few or no after-school sports. The students who lose out are most often girls, students from families with limited income, students with disabilities, students whose parents work evenings and students in neighborhoods with fewer parks and clubs.

The gaps we see:
1. No opportunity. Many middle schools in our area have no after-school sports, or offer only a few teams with tryouts that cut most students. Students who are cut often do not try again.
2. Cost. Club and travel teams can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars a year in fees, uniforms and travel. Many families cannot afford it, and the students who most need an outlet are left out.
3. Transportation. Without a bus, a student who lives far from a field or whose parents cannot pick them up cannot play, even when the team is free.
4. Inactivity. Many young people are not getting enough physical activity, and physical activity tends to decline in the middle school years, particularly among girls.
5. Safety gaps. In informal and underfunded programs, coaches may not have background checks or training in concussion, heat or cardiac emergencies, and many fields have no AED or trained medical coverage.
6. Girls and students with disabilities. Girls drop out of sports at higher rates than boys in the teen years, and students with disabilities often have no place on a team.
7. Coaches. Many volunteer coaches want to do right by young people but have never been trained in positive coaching and child safety.
8. School connection. Students who are not connected to an adult or a group at school are at higher risk of disengaging, missing class and making risky choices. Sports can be one of those connections.

What the evidence says. Studies of youth sports have found associations between participation and better physical health, school engagement and self-esteem, and these benefits depend on a positive, well-coached environment. A poorly run program can have the opposite effect. We will measure our own results and report them honestly, and we do not claim that sports alone will change a young person's grades or behavior.

How we know people want this. In our pilot, 340 students played, with 41% girls, and more than 200 students were on waiting lists at the two schools. Principals at six more schools asked to join. Coaches reported that students who had never played before stayed through the season.

How we will show the need. Before we submit this proposal, we will add each partner school's enrollment, the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals and its current athletic offerings from the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the district, the rates of physical inactivity and obesity among youth in our county from the county health department and the state's youth survey, local youth sports fees from the clubs in our area, and the number of students on our waiting lists.

Who benefits first. Students in grades 6 to 8 at our partner middle schools, with a focus on girls, students from families with limited income, students with disabilities and students who have never played on a team, plus their families, teachers and coaches.

Products & Services

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

1. Partner with middle schools. We sign an agreement with each school and district covering space, schedules, student safety, communication with the school counselor and how we share information. Each school names a staff liaison. About 8 schools take part in Year 1.

2. Recruit every student. Our Site Sports Coordinators visit lunch rooms and advisory classes, hold sign-up nights with families and work with counselors to invite students who have never played. A student signs up with a parent or guardian's written consent and a health form. No student is turned away or cut. If there are too many for a team, we add a team.

3. Run three seasons. Each season has about 8 weeks of practices (two or three days a week after school), league games against other schools in the league and a season-ending festival.
- Fall: soccer and flag football.
- Winter: basketball.
- Spring: volleyball and track and field.
Teams practice and play at school fields and gyms, with weekly schedules shared with families. We follow a league rule that every player plays at least half of every game. We do not offer tackle football.

4. Train and screen coaches. Each team has two coaches. Every coach, whether a teacher, a community volunteer or a part-time paid coach, passes a background check and completes our Coach Training before the season: positive coaching and building character, child safety and abuse prevention, how to recognize and respond to concussion, heat illness and sudden cardiac arrest, the emergency action plan, inclusion of girls and students with disabilities and how to handle conflict. Coaches receive a stipend of about $700 a season if they are part-time paid coaches. About 60 coaches take part in Year 1.

5. Provide medical coverage. A certified athletic trainer is present at every game and available for practices by schedule. Every school site has an emergency action plan and an automated external defibrillator (AED), and coaches and site staff are trained in first aid, CPR and AED use. We follow the state's youth concussion law, which we confirm each year: a student who shows signs of a concussion is removed from play immediately and may return only with written clearance from a qualified health care professional.

6. Check health before play. Students need a pre-participation sports physical, and a school nurse or partner clinic provides it. A student health fund pays for sports physicals for students who do not have insurance or a doctor, paid directly to providers.

7. Remove barriers. Buses take teams to games, so that no one is left out for lack of a ride. Each practice includes water and a healthy snack. Uniforms and equipment are free to every student.

8. Build character and school success. A short weekly team talk, led by coaches, on themes such as effort, respect, teamwork and resilience. A study hour before practice offers homework help. We never remove a student from a team for grades. Students who need help get tutoring and a check-in with their counselor.

9. Make sports inclusive. At least 40% of participants are girls, and we recruit women coaches. Unified teams combine students with and without disabilities, with adapted rules and equipment and coaches trained to include everyone.

10. Grow leaders. High school students trained as assistant coaches and officials earn service hours and a first job, and they model positive behavior.

How we will measure results. We track enrollment, attendance at practice, share of girls and of students with disabilities, share of students who never played before, retention across seasons, injuries and concussions, coach training completion, sportsmanship incidents and satisfaction. Students complete a short survey at the start and end of each year on belonging, enjoyment and confidence. With school permission, we look at attendance and discipline for participants compared with the school as a whole. We break results out by gender, race and family income so that we can find and fix gaps.

Our Year 1 goals:
- About 1,000 students play at about 8 schools, with at least 40% girls.
- At least 30% of players have never been on an organized team before.
- At least 80% of players who start a season finish it, and at least 60% return for another season.
- 100% of coaches pass a background check and complete Coach Training before the first practice.
- Every school site has an AED and an emergency action plan, and a certified athletic trainer covers every game.
- At least 80% of students say they feel more connected to their school and their teammates at the end of the year.
- At least 90% of families say the league was safe and respectful.
These are goals, and we will report our real results to the Foundation, including where we fall short. We do not promise that any student will improve their grades or behavior.

Market Analysis

Who we serve and how many.

The students. Students in grades 6 to 8 (about ages 11 to 14) at our partner public middle schools. Every student who signs up is welcome, with a parent or guardian's consent. We reach out especially to girls, students from families with limited income, students with disabilities, students who have never played on a team, students who are new to the school or the country and students whose attendance or engagement is slipping.

Where we work. Eight partner middle schools in Year 1, in two school districts. Teams practice and play at school fields and gyms. League games and festivals are held at school sites and a partner park.

How many we will reach:
- Year 1: about 8 schools and about 1,000 students, about 60 coaches.
- Year 2: about 10 schools and about 1,300 students, about 69 coaches.
- Year 3: about 12 schools and about 1,600 students, about 79 coaches, with a third Site Sports Coordinator.
- Year 4: about 13 schools and about 1,900 students, about 91 coaches.
- Year 5: about 14 schools and about 2,200 students, about 105 coaches, with a fourth Site Sports Coordinator.
Over five years we expect about 8,000 student-years of participation. Many students play several seasons and return in the following years, so they are counted more than once.

Who else benefits:
- Families. Parents see their children active, connected and cared for, and gain a place to meet other families.
- Schools. Teachers and counselors gain a partner who keeps students engaged after school, and game days build school spirit.
- Coaches and teens. Volunteer and paid coaches get training and support, and high school junior coaches get service hours and a first job.
- Health systems. Increased physical activity and safe coverage advance their community health goals.
- The community. Youth who are busy, active and mentored contribute to safer, healthier neighborhoods.

How we will size the need before we submit. We will add each school's enrollment, the share of students in free or reduced-price meals, the current number of athletic teams and participants, youth physical inactivity rates and the waiting lists from our pilot. These come from the Oklahoma State Department of Education, the school districts, the county health department and our own records.

Competitive Landscape

Other options students have, and how we fit.

- School athletic programs. Some middle schools have a few teams with tryouts and fees, limited seasons and no transportation. We partner with them, take care not to compete with a school team where one exists and focus on schools with little or none.
- Parks and recreation leagues. City leagues offer low-cost sports, but they usually charge fees, are not at the student's school and have no transportation. We coordinate schedules and share fields and referees.
- Club and travel teams. They offer high-level competition for a high price. We are not an elite program, and students who want to play at that level are encouraged to try out.
- Boys and girls clubs and youth organizations. Some run sports, often with limited slots and times. We partner and refer students to each other.
- Churches and community leagues. Often volunteer-run, with varying training. We invite their coaches to our coach training.
- Special Olympics and adaptive sports organizations. They serve students with disabilities, and are valuable partners. Our unified teams add inclusion at the school level and refer interested students to them.
- Informal play. Pickup games can be fun but do not provide coaching, safety coverage or inclusion.

The gap we fill. In our partner schools, no program offers free, no-cut, multi-sport seasons with trained and screened coaches, athletic trainer coverage and AEDs, buses and snacks, unified teams and a goal of at least 40% girls.

Our partners:
- Eight partner middle schools and two school districts, which provide fields, gyms, liaisons and referrals.
- A health system, which provides athletic trainers and sports physicals.
- A parks department and a high school athletic association, which provide fields, officials and training.
- Local colleges, which provide student volunteers and speakers.
- A disability sports organization, which advises on inclusion.
- Corporate sponsors and community foundations.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

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

Reaching students and families:
- At school. Coordinators visit advisory classes and lunch rooms, announce sign-ups on morning announcements and talk with counselors and teachers who know which students would benefit.
- Sign-up nights. Family nights at each school with a meal, interpretation and a simple form, where students try drills and meet coaches.
- Word of mouth. Players are our best recruiters, especially girls who are excited to play.
- Flyers, text messages and a simple website in English and Spanish and other languages used in our area, with schedules, forms and a way to ask questions.
- Community partners. Churches, libraries, parks and community centers share flyers.
- Social media with photos of games and festivals, shared only with signed photo permission.

Making it easy to join:
- It is free, including uniforms, equipment, snacks and rides to games.
- No tryouts, no experience and no cuts. A student who signs up plays.
- Sign-up forms are short, and staff help families who need it with consent and health forms.
- We hold practices right after school at the student's own school.
- We provide interpretation for families and accommodations for students with disabilities.

Keeping students engaged:
- Small teams with two coaches who know every player's name.
- A guaranteed amount of playing time and clear roles for every student.
- Weekly team talks, small celebrations and end-of-season festivals.
- If a student 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:
- Teachers, community volunteers, college students and high school students are recruited through schools, churches and colleges.
- Coach training is free, and part-time coaches receive stipends and support from a Site Sports Coordinator.

Reaching supporters. School districts, health systems, businesses and individuals are invited to sponsor a team, a school, a season or the student health fund. We share results twice a year with funders and partners as totals.

Outreach budget. League festivals and family nights are about $8,000 a year in Year 1, growing about 8% a year. The league 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 school and district agreements, participant waivers and conduct, background check and insurance policies, sign the lease for the office and storage space, hire the Program Director, two Site Sports Coordinators and the Coach Education and Safety Manager, buy equipment and AEDs, sign agreements with schools and the athletic training partner and set up the registration platform.
- Month 4: Recruit and screen coaches, run Coach Training and emergency drills, hold sign-up nights at each school.
- Months 5 to 7: Fall season: soccer and flag football. Season-ending festival.
- Months 8 to 10: Winter season: basketball. Season-ending festival.
- Months 10 to 12: Spring season: volleyball and track and field. Season-ending festival, year-end review, report to funders and schools and planning for Year 2.

Space. A small leased office with equipment storage near the schools. Office and equipment storage space is about $24,000 a year in Year 1. Shelving, security and drainage improvements are a one-time cost of $3,000, with a deposit and first month of rent of $4,000. Practices and games are held at partner school fields and gyms at no cost under our agreements.

Equipment. We buy about $50,000 of equipment once at the start: portable soccer and flag football goals, nets and field marking equipment ($9,000), portable basketball and volleyball standards, nets and scoreboards ($8,000), eight AEDs with cabinets, one for each school site ($12,000), first aid and ice kits and tablets for concussion baseline testing and injury tracking ($6,000), a used equipment trailer ($10,000), and five laptops and a registration system ($5,000). An opening supply of balls, pinnies, training equipment and protective gear is a one-time cost of $14,000. After Year 1, we set aside about $6,000 to $10,000 a year to replace and add equipment. Uniforms, balls and sports equipment are about $40,000 a year in Year 1.

Staffing. In Year 1: an Executive Director, a Program Director, two Site Sports Coordinators, a Coach Education and Safety Manager and a part-time Program Coordinator. A third Site Sports Coordinator joins in Year 3 and a fourth in Year 5. Each Site Sports Coordinator oversees about four schools. Part-time paid coaches receive stipends, about $42,000 in Year 1.

Child safety. Every coach, official, volunteer and staff member working with students passes a background check and completes training on child safety and abuse prevention before the first practice. We follow a written policy: two adults are always present at practices and games, no adult is alone with a student, no private messaging between adults and students, and no contact outside program hours except through families. Adults are mandated reporters, and we report suspected abuse or neglect as the law requires. A hotline gives students and families a safe way to report any concern, and we act on every report.

Medical safety. A certified athletic trainer covers every game and is on call for practices, under a contract with a health system partner (about $28,000 a year in Year 1). Every 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 student has a serious injury or a medical emergency, staff call 911 right away and follow the plan. Students showing signs of a concussion are removed from play at once and may return only with written clearance from a qualified health care professional, as state law requires, which we confirm each year. We follow heat safety guidelines, with water breaks, shade, adjusted practice schedules and monitoring in hot weather, and we cancel or move practices when the weather is dangerous. Every student must have a sports physical before play.

Equipment and rules. We use equipment that meets current safety standards, replace worn equipment, follow league rules that protect younger athletes, limit contact and do not offer tackle football.

Insurance. We carry accident insurance for participants, general liability, abuse and molestation liability, non-owned auto liability and workers' compensation once we hire. Accident and liability insurance is about $18,000 a year in Year 1. Participants' families are told how the accident coverage works, and that it does not replace family health insurance.

Transportation. Buses are contracted from the school district or licensed providers with trained, background-checked drivers. Every trip has two adults for each bus and a roster. Game transportation is about $36,000 a year in Year 1.

Equal opportunity. We follow civil rights laws and the spirit of Title IX: girls and boys have equal access to seasons, coaches, facilities and equipment. We make reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities.

Privacy. Student and family 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 student's name. Photos are shared only with written permission.

Health fund controls. The Student Health Fund pays sports physicals directly to providers, never as cash. Each payment is approved by the Program Director and recorded, and the board reviews a list each quarter.

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.

Derrick Mills, Executive Director. Derrick leads the organization, raises money, manages grants and school and district partnerships, supervises staff and reports to the board. He coached middle school basketball and track for 14 years and co-founded our pilot league. Planned salary: $60,000 a year.

Program Director. Oversees operations, scheduling, safety and the Site Sports Coordinators. Must have experience in youth sports, education or recreation and training in child safety. Planned salary: $52,000 a year.

Site Sports Coordinator. Manages the league at about four schools: recruiting students, scheduling, supporting coaches, communicating with families and school 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 $44,000 each. The Sooner Youth Wellness Foundation grant would support the first Site Sports Coordinator.

Coach Education and Safety Manager. Recruits and screens coaches, runs Coach Training, oversees emergency action plans, concussion and heat protocols and the athletic training contract. Must have experience in coaching education or sports safety. Planned salary: $48,000 a year.

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: 6 paid staff in Years 1 and 2 (five full-time and one part-time), 7 in Years 3 and 4 and 8 in Year 5.

Coaches. About 60 coaches in Year 1, including teachers, community volunteers, college students and part-time paid coaches who receive stipends. High school junior coaches and officials are trained and supervised and are not alone with students.

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, principal and school counselor help keep the program grounded in what students and schools 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 from our health system partner and a Student Advisory Council of players that meets each season.

Training. All staff, coaches and officials complete training in child safety, positive coaching, concussion, heat and cardiac emergencies 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 league at about 8 schools with about 1,000 students in three seasons, with at least 40% girls and 100% of coaches screened and trained. A balanced budget of about $543,000, with a small surplus of about $17,000. 6 paid staff.
- Year 2: Grow to about 10 schools and about 1,300 students. Begin tracking attendance and engagement for participants compared with their schools. A balanced budget of about $571,000, with a small surplus of about $16,200. 6 paid staff.
- Year 3: Add a third Site Sports Coordinator and grow to about 12 schools and about 1,600 students. A balanced budget of about $648,000, with a small surplus of about $15,900. 7 paid staff.
- Year 4: Grow to about 13 schools and about 1,900 students. Expand junior coaches and officials. A balanced budget of about $684,000, with a small surplus of about $15,400. 7 paid staff.
- Year 5: Add a fourth Site Sports Coordinator and grow to about 14 schools and about 2,200 students, with school district payments, health system support and sponsors covering about 35% of our budget. Report five years of results and share our toolkit with other districts. A balanced budget of about $769,500, with a small surplus of about $15,200. 8 paid staff.

What we measure:
- Students enrolled, by school, grade, gender, disability status and whether they had played before.
- Attendance at practice, season completion and return in later seasons.
- Injuries, concussions and emergency responses, and how they were handled.
- Coach background checks and training completion.
- Sportsmanship incidents and any safety or conduct concerns reported, and how they were resolved.
- Student and family satisfaction, belonging and school connection.
- With school permission, attendance and discipline for participants compared with the school.
- Cost per student and funding from districts, the health system and sponsors.

How we review results. Site Sports Coordinators review attendance and safety after every game week. After each season, staff, coaches, school liaisons and our Student 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: $100,000 from the Sooner Youth Wellness Foundation for one Site Sports Coordinator, uniforms and equipment, coach stipends, game transportation, sports physicals and a student health fund, and healthy snacks, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Site Sports Coordinator salary, $44,000.
- Other: Uniforms, balls and sports equipment, $20,000 (other funds add $20,000).
- Other: Part-time coach stipends, $12,000 (other funds add $30,000).
- Other: Game transportation, $14,000 (other funds add $22,000).
- Other: Sports physicals and student health fund (paid directly to providers), $6,000 (other funds add $2,000).
- Other: Healthy snacks and hydration, $4,000 (other funds add $6,000).

Other money in the program. School district payments, health system support, corporate sponsors, other grants and local donors pay the other $80,000 of those lines, plus the Executive Director's salary ($60,000), the Program Director ($52,000), the second Site Sports Coordinator ($44,000), the Coach Education and Safety Manager ($48,000), the part-time Program Coordinator ($26,000), the athletic training and medical coverage contract ($28,000), officials, fields and game costs ($14,000), accident and liability insurance ($18,000), league festivals and family nights ($8,000), office and equipment storage space ($24,000) and evaluation, data and administration ($14,000).

Year 1 budget: about $543,000, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $17,000 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $427,000 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), school district partnership payments $48,000 (eight schools at $6,000 each), health system sports medicine partner support $28,000 and corporate sponsors and donations $40,000. Year 1 costs: Executive Director $60,000; Program Director $52,000; two Site Sports Coordinators $88,000; Coach Education and Safety Manager $48,000; Program Coordinator $26,000; uniforms, balls and sports equipment about $40,000; game transportation about $36,000; part-time coach stipends about $42,000 (about 60 coaches at about $700); athletic training and medical coverage contract about $28,000; officials, fields and game costs about $14,000; accident and liability insurance about $18,000; sports physicals and student health fund about $8,000; healthy snacks and hydration about $10,000; league festivals and family nights about $8,000; office and equipment storage space about $24,000; evaluation, data and administration about $14,000; and about $16,000 a year for the wear on equipment.

About district and sponsor support. School districts may pay a partnership fee of about $6,000 to $7,000 per school, using state and federal funds for student engagement and out-of-school time, which change from year to year. A health system may support athletic trainers as part of its community health commitment. Corporate sponsors support teams and schools. These amounts are planning estimates, not promises. Payments often arrive after we bill, so we plan for about $32,580 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 $92,000 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $50,000 of equipment (goals and field equipment, basketball and volleyball standards, eight AEDs, first aid and concussion testing equipment, an equipment trailer and laptops), $3,000 for shelving, security and drainage in the storage space, $4,000 for the lease deposit and first month of rent, $14,000 for the opening supply of balls, pinnies and protective gear, $2,000 for field use and event permits, $7,000 for an attorney's review of school and district agreements, waivers and policies and insurance, $6,000 for the league logo, banners, website and online registration platform, and $6,000 for background checks, coach and safety training and the first insurance payment.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($92,000), the cash we need to cover the wait for the first payments (about $5,600) and a cash cushion of about $129,000, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. That comes to $227,000. We start with $25,000 of our own savings and $225,000 in startup support from a community foundation, a health system and our board, $250,000 in all, which covers that amount with room to spare.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $543,000 in Year 1 to about $769,500 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $427,000, $426,000, $464,000, $458,000 and $499,500 in Years 1 to 5. School district payments grow from $48,000 to $98,000, health system support grows from $28,000 to $42,000 and corporate sponsors and donations grow from $40,000 to $130,000. We add a third Site Sports Coordinator in Year 3 and a fourth in Year 5. Grants fall from about 79% of our income in Year 1 to about 65% in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $194,400, at the end of Year 1.

After the grant. Our plan is for school districts, a health system and corporate sponsors to carry a growing share of the cost, since every school that joins gains a safe, free after-school program and the community benefits from healthier, more engaged students. We will also apply to state and federal out-of-school time and community health funds, and invite local businesses to sponsor teams, with their name on the shirt and no say in how the team is run.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- A student is seriously injured. Every site has a trained coach, an AED, an emergency plan, a certified athletic trainer at games and accident insurance, and staff call 911.
- A concussion or heat illness. Coaches are trained, students showing signs are removed immediately, return requires written clearance, and we adjust or cancel practices 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.
- Too few coaches. We recruit early from schools, colleges and communities, pay stipends and train junior coaches.
- A school or district drops out. We keep a waiting list of schools, share results and keep agreements in writing.
- Bus or weather problems. We contract with reliable providers, have backup plans and reschedule when needed.
- Sponsors or districts cut support. 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 district, health system and sponsor 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 sport at two schools for one season, with parent coaches who are screened and trained, borrowed gyms and a volunteer athletic trainer, 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 Coach Education and Safety Manager.
- Letters of support and agreements from each partner school and the district.
- Your agreement or letter from the health system for athletic training coverage.
- 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 participant consent and health forms, waiver and photo permission form.
- Results from your pilot league, 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: $427,000 in Year 1, then $426,000, $464,000, $458,000 and $499,500.
- School District Partnership Payments: about $6,000 to $7,000 per school each year; $48,000 in Year 1 (eight schools), then $60,000, $75,000, $88,000 and $98,000 (14 schools).
- Health System Sports Medicine Partner Support: $28,000 in Year 1, growing to $42,000.
- Corporate Sponsors and Donations: $40,000 in Year 1, growing to $130,000.
- Students: about 1,000 in Year 1, then 1,300, 1,600, 1,900 and 2,200. Coaches: about 60 in Year 1 at about $700 each, growing to about 105.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): Executive Director $60,000, Program Director $52,000, Site Sports Coordinator $44,000 (two in Years 1 and 2, three in Years 3 and 4, four in Year 5), Coach Education and Safety Manager $48,000, Program Coordinator (part-time) $26,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: Uniforms, Balls and Sports Equipment $40,000, Game Transportation $36,000, Part-Time Coach Stipends $42,000, Athletic Training and Medical Coverage Contract $28,000, Officials, Fields and Game Costs $14,000, Accident and Liability Insurance $18,000, Sports Physicals and Student Health Fund $8,000, Healthy Snacks and Hydration $10,000, League Festivals and Family Nights $8,000, Office and Equipment Storage Space $24,000, Evaluation, Data and Administration $14,000. These grow between 4% and 15% a year.
- Equipment: $50,000 at the start, then $6,000 to $10,000 a year.
- Startup costs: $92,000, paid once from $250,000 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