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Executive Summary
Neighbors United Community Services is a nonprofit that helps people in the south side of our city by a weekly food pantry and cooking class for families. We exist because a real need in our community is not being met, and we are working with the people most affected to meet it.
Every good nonprofit starts with one clear problem and one clear way to help. Ours is this: Many families on the south side run out of food before the end of the month affects people in our community, and the help that exists does not reach everyone. Our program closes that gap. We have a plan, a team and partners, and we measure what we do so funders and neighbors can see the difference it makes.
In Year 1 we plan to serve about 150 people over the year. Our Year 1 budget is about $186,000, growing to about $291,000 by Year 5 as we grow from one program coordinator to three. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small amount set aside in savings.
We are asking the Lakeshore Community Trust for $50,000, as part of the $156,000 in grants and contracts we need for Year 1. The other $30,000 in Year 1 comes from individual donations, which we plan to grow to about $80,000 a year by Year 5. Grant money pays for staff who run the program, the costs of delivering it and the record-keeping funders require.
We will measure how many people we serve, what we do for them, and what changes for them afterward. We will use a few simple numbers that anyone can understand, and we will report them honestly, including what did not go as planned. We will report results to our funders every six months.
Company Description
Neighbors United Community Services is a nonprofit organization in Ohio. A 501(c)(3) public charity
Our mission. To help our neighbors thrive by providing practical help and connecting people to opportunity.
How we started and what we have done. We began in 2022 when a group of neighbors started a weekly program at a church to help families with one need they all shared. Since then we have served about 150 people, with 12 volunteers helping each month.
What we do:
- Run the main program described in this plan, on a regular schedule people can count on.
- Listen to the people we serve, and change the program when they tell us something is not working.
- Connect people to other help they need through partner organizations.
- Keep careful records, so we can show funders exactly what we did and what it cost.
- Train and support volunteers, who are a big part of how we do this.
Where we work. A church hall, Tuesdays and Thursdays 5 to 8 p.m.
Our partners. A church that donates space, a food bank, two schools that refer families and a community clinic.
Our approach. We start small, do a few things well, measure our results and grow only when we are ready.
How we are run. A volunteer Board of Directors (a small group of community members who oversee the organization) meets regularly, approves the budget, reviews the finances and oversees the Executive Director.
Problem & Opportunity
Why this program is needed.
People in the south side of our city face a problem that affects their health, safety, income or future. Some help exists, but it does not reach everyone, and many people do not know where to turn. The sections below explain the problem in plain words, with facts and with what we have seen ourselves.
Facts about our community. According to the U.S. According to the Census, many children in our county live below the poverty line.
Gaps in the help that exists now:
1. Reach. Existing help is not available to everyone who needs it, because of cost, location, hours or language.
2. Awareness. Many people do not know that help exists.
3. Fit. Some programs are not designed around what the people we serve say they need.
4. Follow-through. People often need support over time, not just a single visit.
5. Coordination. Different organizations work separately, and people fall through the cracks.
What we have seen ourselves. Several parents told us they skip meals so their children can eat, and many did not know where to get help.
Who we serve first. The people most affected by this problem and least able to get help elsewhere, in families with children in the south side neighborhoods who earn less than a living wage.
Products & Services
How the program works.
1. Welcome and listen. Every person starts with a friendly conversation about what they need and what they hope for.
2. Core services. We deliver a weekly food pantry and cooking class for families on a regular schedule, led by trained staff and volunteers.
3. Connect to other help. When someone needs something we do not provide, we connect them to a partner and follow up.
4. Follow-up. We check in with people after they receive services, to see whether things are better and to learn what to improve.
5. Learn and improve. We review our numbers and feedback regularly and make changes.
How we will measure results. We decide a few simple numbers to track before we start: how many people we serve, how often they take part and one or two results that show whether life is better (such as a job found, a skill gained or a need met). We record them from the first day. Our goals for Year 1: serve 150 people; have 80% attend at least half of the sessions; have 70% say they got what they came for; and connect 50 to another service they needed.
Market Analysis
Where we work and who we serve.
We serve people in the south side of our city, especially families with children in the south side neighborhoods who earn less than a living wage.
How we know people need this. Our weekly program has a waiting list of 40, and two schools and a clinic refer people every month.
How many we will reach. In Year 1, about 150 people over the year. Facts from public sources (such as the U.S. Census) and what we hear from the community are the best ways to size the need, and the guide for this plan shows where to find them. As we grow from one program coordinator to three, we expect to serve more people each year.
How people reach us. Schools, clinics, churches, 211 and word of mouth.
Competitive Landscape
Other help, and how we work with it.
- Government agencies provide many services. We help people use them and fill gaps they leave.
- Other nonprofits serve similar or nearby needs. We share referrals and avoid duplicating work. We share referrals with the food bank and the community center.
- Faith communities and civic groups often help neighbors. We partner with them.
- Businesses may provide similar services for a fee. We serve people who cannot pay.
- Informal help from family and friends is the most common help of all. We support it when we can.
What makes us different: a schedule people can count on, volunteers who live in the neighborhood and follow-up with every participant
Marketing & Sales Strategy
How we reach people and build support.
Reaching people:
- Referrals from schools, clinics, churches, social service agencies and other nonprofits.
- Flyers, social media and community events in the places people already go.
- Word of mouth from people we have helped.
- A clear, friendly way to get started, by phone, text or in person.
Funding. We apply for grants from foundations, government agencies and companies that care about the problem we address, and we ask neighbors and businesses to give. Each funder gets reports that match what they asked for.
Volunteers. Church groups, school service clubs, retired people and local employers.
Raising money beyond grants. Individual donations are planned at about $30,000 in Year 1, growing to about $80,000 by Year 5, through a yearly giving campaign, business and community partners, a community event and online giving. Raising more of our own money means we depend less on any one grant or contract.
Operations Plan
How the program runs.
How the program runs:
1. A person learns about us and makes contact.
2. A first meeting to understand their situation and goals.
3. Services delivered on a regular schedule.
4. Connections to other help as needed.
5. Follow-up, and a short check on how things are going.
A first meeting. A volunteer greets the person, asks what they need today, explains what we offer and helps with one thing before they leave.
Good practice. We write simple policies for safety, privacy, handling money and conflicts of interest, and the Board reviews them each year. Anyone who works with children, older adults or other vulnerable people passes a background check and training.
Privacy. Information about the people we serve is kept private. We share it only with permission or when the law requires it, and funders get totals, never names.
Equipment. In Year 1 we buy about $3,000 in equipment (laptops, a printer, basic program supplies and office furniture), then about $1,000 to $2,000 a year to replace worn items.
Staff. One program coordinator in Year 1, then two in Year 2, two in Year 3, three in Year 4 and three in Year 5. Program coordinators spend most of their time with participants and volunteers.
Office work. Bookkeeping, insurance and reporting cost about $14,000 in Year 1.
Management & Organization
Who leads the organization.
Michael Williams, Executive Director.
The Executive Director leads the organization, raises money and manages grants and contracts, builds partnerships, oversees the finances and reports to the Board. Planned salary: $58,000 a year.
Program coordinators. Run the daily program, train and schedule volunteers, work with partners and keep records. One position in Year 1, growing to three by Year 5, at a planned salary of $38,000 each. Qualifications we look for: experience in social services, education or community work, strong organizational skills and a warm, respectful manner.
Volunteers. Volunteers help with the program, events and outreach. They are screened and trained before they work with participants.
Board of Directors. A five-member board including Patricia Russell, who brings nonprofit finance experience.
Money management. Grant and contract money is tracked separately so we can show each funder exactly how their money was spent. An outside accountant reviews our books every year.
Milestones Narrative
Our goals and how we will measure them.
Year 1:
- Set up our program, space and basic policies.
- Hire our first program coordinator and recruit volunteers.
- Serve about 150 people over the year.
- Reach our Year 1 goals for people served and the results we chose to measure.
- Stay within a balanced budget of about $186,000.
Year 2: two program coordinators; budget of about $231,000.
Year 3: two program coordinators; budget of about $238,000.
Year 4: three program coordinators; budget of about $284,000.
Year 5: three program coordinators; budget of about $291,000.
Over the five years: grow to three program coordinators, add days, places or services, and build a steadier base of donors. Program delivery costs grow about 8% a year, and fundraising costs about 6% a year.
How we will check our results. We record the numbers we chose from the start and review them with staff and the Board each quarter. Twice a year we ask the people we serve for feedback. We share results with funders, including what did not work and what we changed.
Funding Request
What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $50,000 from the Lakeshore Community Trust for our first program coordinator's salary, program supplies and the costs of reporting results, for January through December 2027. Year 1 budget: about $186,000, planned to balance. Year 1 money coming in: - Grants and government contracts: $156,000 (this request plus other grants we are applying for). - Individual donations: $30,000. Year 1 costs: - Executive Director: $58,000. - Program coordinators: $38,000. - Program delivery (supplies, space, activities and the direct costs of running your program): $60,000. - Fundraising and development (donor tools, events, help with grant writing): $12,000. - Office costs (bookkeeping, insurance, reporting): $14,000. - That is about $182,000 in costs. The remaining $4,000 or so goes into savings. Equipment we buy once at the start (about $3,000) is paid from startup money, not from the yearly budget. The next five years. Our budget grows from about $186,000 in Year 1 to about $291,000 in Year 5 as we grow to three program coordinators. Grants and contracts are planned at $156,000 in Year 1, $189,000 in Year 2, $183,000 in Year 3, $216,000 in Year 4 and $211,000 in Year 5. Individual donations grow from $30,000 to $80,000, so grants become a smaller part of our budget over time. Savings. We start with about $15,000 of our own plus $40,000 in startup support, and we add to savings each year. Important for grants. Many grants pay in installments or after a report, and some require matching funds. We plan for that wait, keep careful records and avoid depending on any one funder. Help we receive that is not cash. Donated space, volunteer hours, donated goods and professional help are a real part of what we do and are not counted in the budget above. Free use of a church hall (about $5,000 a year in rent value), about 1,000 volunteer hours a year and donated supplies If we are just starting. A new organization can begin before it has its own 501(c)(3) status. One way is a fiscal sponsor: an established nonprofit that agrees to receive grants for you and pass them to your program, usually for a fee (commonly around 5% to 10% of the grant, sometimes more; ask before you agree). Many funders accept this. Another way is to start smaller: partner with a church, school or community center, start with a small group and a few volunteers, and track results carefully. A small program with good records is the best way to earn bigger grants. Strong results from a small start make larger grants and contracts easier to win.
Appendix Notes
Documents to attach with this proposal:
- Your IRS 501(c)(3) letter, or your fiscal sponsor agreement.
- Your most recent financial statements and your current budget.
- A list of your Board members and what they do.
- Letters of support from partners, schools, community leaders or people you serve.
- Your simple policies: safety, privacy, handling money and conflict of interest.
- Your numbers from the past year, if you have them.
- A one-page description of your program: who it serves, what you do and what you hope will change.
- Resumes for your Executive Director and key staff. If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.
The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Staff pay: Executive Director $58,000; each program coordinator $38,000, growing from 1 to 3.
- Program delivery about $60,000 in Year 1, rising about 8% a year; fundraising and development about $12,000, rising about 6% a year
- Office costs about $14,000 in Year 1, rising about 4% a year.
- Grants and contracts set so each year's budget balances with a small amount saved.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your organization's real budget.