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Executive Summary
Common Ground Recovery Center is a nonprofit that provides a safe, welcoming, substance-free place in our county and the nearby towns where people in recovery can meet, support each other and build community. We provide free meeting space for recovery groups, sober social events and low-cost room rentals, run by people who know what recovery takes.
Recovery meetings, whether twelve-step groups, peer support or other groups, are one of the most important supports for people trying to stay well. But they are often held in borrowed rooms that can be cold, hard to find, unavailable on short notice or shared with activities that are not safe for people in recovery. A dedicated, dependable space is a gift to a recovery community. Our place is open to every kind of recovery group and to anyone who needs a safe place to be.
In Year 1 we plan to serve about 150 people a week and 12 meetings a week. Our Year 1 budget is about $80,000, growing to about $85,000 by Year 5 as facility rental income and donations grow while grants gradually decline. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small amount set aside in savings.
We are asking the Hartwell Foundation for $40,000, as part of the $68,000 in grants and contracts we need for Year 1. The other $12,000 in Year 1 comes from facility rental income and donations, which we plan to grow to about $42,000 a year by Year 5. Grant money helps pay for the space, its upkeep and the coordinator who keeps it open. Over time, rental income from groups and donations pay for more of the costs.
We will measure how many meetings are held each week, how many people attend, how many different groups use the space and how many days a year the space is open, and what people tell us about how the space helps them. We will report results to our funders every six months.
Company Description
Common Ground Recovery Center is a nonprofit organization in Mississippi. A 501(c)(3) public charity
Our mission. To give people in recovery a safe, welcoming place to meet and build community.
How we started and what we have done. We began in 2022 when members of local recovery groups started sharing a donated room two evenings a week. Since then the groups have grown to 12 meetings a week, with about 150 people attending.
What we do:
- Provide a clean, safe, substance-free meeting space that is open evenings and weekends.
- Host recovery meetings of many kinds, free for peer-led recovery groups.
- Offer sober social events, like game nights and holiday gatherings, so people have fun without alcohol or drugs.
- Make the space available at low cost for classes, workshops and family support groups.
- Welcome anyone who needs a safe place to sit, have coffee and be around people who understand.
Where we work. A leased storefront on Main Street, open weeknights 5 to 10 p.m. and weekends 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Our partners. Four local recovery groups that meet in the space, a treatment center that refers people and a church that donates furniture.
Our approach. We are not a treatment program, and we do not provide clinical or medical services. We provide space and community, and we respect every path to recovery.
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.
Recovery meetings in our county and the nearby towns are held in churches, community centers and borrowed rooms, many of which are available only at certain times and may have to cancel meetings on short notice. Some do not have accessible entrances, safe parking or a welcoming feel. People in early recovery, especially, need a reliable place to go in the evenings and weekends, when the risk of relapse is highest.
Facts about our community. According to our state health department, overdose deaths in our county remain a serious and ongoing concern.
Gaps in the help that exists now:
1. Reliability. Meetings move or get cancelled when a borrowed room is needed for something else.
2. Safety. Some spaces are shared with activities where alcohol is present, or are in places that feel unsafe.
3. Access. Many spaces are hard to reach by bus, are not accessible for people with disabilities or are only open for an hour at a time.
4. Hours. Evenings and weekends are the hardest times, and many spaces are closed then.
5. Community. People need places to be together between meetings, not only during them.
What we have seen ourselves. Many people told us their meeting had been moved three times in a year, and some stopped going because they could not find it.
Who we serve first. People in early recovery, people in long-term recovery, and families of people with substance use problems, in people in early recovery who need a safe place in the evenings and weekends.
Products & Services
How the program works.
1. A dependable space. A leased, accessible space with a large meeting room, small rooms, a kitchen and a quiet corner, open evenings and weekends.
2. Free space for recovery groups. Peer-led recovery groups meet for free. We treat every recovery path with respect.
3. Sober social events. We host regular, low-cost events like game nights, movie nights, holiday meals and walks.
4. Community use at low cost. Other groups can rent rooms at low cost for classes, workshops and family groups, which helps pay for the space.
5. A safe place to be. Trained volunteer hosts welcome people and know how to respond in an emergency, including with naloxone.
How we will measure results. We keep a simple count of the meetings held, the number of people who attend and the number of different groups using the space. Twice a year, we ask people who use the space how it helps them. We do not record names or any health information. Our goals for Year 1: host 12 meetings a week; have 150 people attend regularly; be open 300 days a year; and have 85% of people say the space helps them stay in recovery.
Market Analysis
Where we work and who we serve.
We serve people in our county and the nearby towns who are in or seeking recovery, and their families, especially people in early recovery who need a safe place in the evenings and weekends.
How we know people need this. The groups that meet in our donated room are full, and four more groups have asked for space.
How many we will reach. In Year 1, about 150 people a week and 12 meetings a week. The number of recovery meetings held weekly in our area, the number of people who attend them and overdose and treatment data are common ways to size the need, and the guide for this plan shows where to find them.
How people find us. The recovery community, treatment centers, the hospital and local churches.
Competitive Landscape
Other help, and how we work with it.
- Churches and community centers host many meetings. We partner with them, and offer a dedicated space that is always available. Four recovery groups already meet in our space.
- Treatment centers provide clinical care and often host groups. We do not compete with them, and welcome their referrals.
- Recovery community organizations offer peer support and events. We partner with them and offer space.
- Meeting-hosting groups are largely volunteer-run. We offer them a home.
- Libraries and parks offer free public space. They are useful, but are not always set up for recovery groups.
What makes us different: a dedicated space open evenings and weekends, free space for peer-led groups and a strong volunteer host team
Marketing & Sales Strategy
How we reach people and build support.
Reaching people:
- Word of mouth within the recovery community, which is the strongest way to reach people.
- Referrals from treatment centers, hospitals, courts, shelters and churches.
- Meeting lists and information at recovery events, and on community websites.
- A friendly sign and welcoming entrance, so the space is easy to find.
Funding. Grants from health foundations, state and county behavioral health agencies and opioid settlement funds can help pay for the space, especially at the start. We plan for grants to decline over time as rental income and donations grow, so we can sustain the space without depending on any single funder.
Volunteers. People in long-term recovery, family members and church groups.
Raising money beyond grants. Facility rental income and donations are planned at about $12,000 in Year 1, growing to about $42,000 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 space runs:
1. Open evenings and weekends, with a volunteer host on every shift.
2. Peer-led recovery meetings run on a regular schedule.
3. Social events and community rentals fill other times.
4. Volunteers keep the space clean and stocked.
5. The coordinator schedules rooms, manages the budget and checks the building each week.
A typical evening. A volunteer host opens at 5. Two recovery meetings run in the large and small rooms, there is coffee in the kitchen, and the host closes at 10.
Safety and rules. No alcohol or drugs are allowed in the building. We follow fire, building and accessibility rules, carry liability insurance, and have a clear emergency plan. Volunteer hosts are trained in naloxone, first aid and how to handle conflict. We check zoning and our lease before signing, and keep the space accessible.
Privacy. We do not record who attends meetings, and we protect anonymity, which is a core value in many recovery groups. We share only counts with funders.
Equipment. In Year 1 we buy about $15,000 in equipment (furniture for the meeting rooms, a kitchen setup, accessibility improvements, a sound system and a laptop), then about $2,000 to $3,000 a year to replace worn items.
Staff. One paid Executive Director and Facility Coordinator runs the space in all five years. Trained volunteer meeting hosts open and close the space, welcome people and keep it clean and safe. We do not plan to add paid staff in the first five years.
Office work. Bookkeeping, insurance and reporting cost about $8,000 in Year 1.
Management & Organization
Who leads the organization.
Anthony Diaz, Executive Director and Facility Coordinator.
The Executive Director leads the organization, raises money and manages grants and contracts, builds partnerships, oversees the finances and reports to the Board. The Facility Coordinator part of the role manages the space, schedules groups and keeps the building safe. Planned salary: $42,000 a year.
Executive Director and Facility Coordinator. Runs the space, schedules groups, supervises volunteer hosts and keeps records. One position in all five years. Experience managing a building or community space, strong organizational skills and respect for every path to recovery
Volunteers. Volunteer meeting hosts open and close the space, welcome people, keep it clean and stay alert to safety. They complete training and a background check.
Board of Directors. A five-member board including Frank Patel, 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:
- Sign a lease and prepare the space, including accessibility improvements.
- Recruit and train our first volunteer hosts.
- Reach about 150 people a week and 12 meetings a week.
- Reach our Year 1 goals for meetings held, attendance and days open.
- Stay within a balanced budget of about $80,000.
Year 2: budget of about $81,000.
Year 3: budget of about $82,000.
Year 4: budget of about $84,000.
Year 5: budget of about $85,000.
Over the five years: add rental income from outside groups, build a base of donors, and reduce our reliance on grants. Facility costs grow about 3% a year and upkeep about 4%.
How we will check our results. We keep simple counts of meetings, attendance and groups. Twice a year, we ask people how the space helps them. Staff and the Board review results and share totals with funders. We do not collect names or health information.
Funding Request
What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $40,000 from the Hartwell Foundation for our lease, building upkeep and the Facility Coordinator's salary for the first year, for January through December 2027. Year 1 budget: about $80,000, planned to balance. Year 1 money coming in: - Grants and government contracts: $68,000 (this request plus other grants we are applying for). - Facility rental income and donations: $12,000. Year 1 costs: - Executive Director and Facility Coordinator: $42,000. - Facility lease and utilities: $22,000. - Maintenance and upkeep: $6,000. - Office costs (bookkeeping, insurance, reporting): $8,000. - That is about $78,000 in costs. The remaining $2,000 or so goes into savings. Equipment we buy once at the start (about $15,000) is paid from startup money, not from the yearly budget. The next five years. Our budget grows from about $80,000 in Year 1 to about $85,000 in Year 5 as rental income and donations grow while grant funding gradually declines. Grants and contracts are planned at $68,000 in Year 1, $63,000 in Year 2, $57,000 in Year 3, $51,000 in Year 4 and $43,000 in Year 5. Facility rental income and donations grow from $12,000 to $42,000, so grants become a smaller part of our budget over time. Savings. We start with about $12,000 of our own plus $45,000 in startup support, and we add to savings each year. Important for grants and the lease. A multi-year lease is a big commitment, so we read it carefully, get legal advice and plan for the first two years with grants and savings, while rental income grows. We keep a reserve in case a grant ends early. Help we receive that is not cash. Donated furniture, volunteer hours, donated coffee and supplies, and reduced rent are a real part of what we do and are not counted in the budget above. Donated furniture and kitchen items (about $4,000 in value), about 1,500 volunteer host hours a year and donated coffee and 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 or community center, offer a regular evening or weekend meeting space, and grow into your own space once the community shows it will use it. 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 recovery groups, treatment centers, churches and other partners.
- Your lease or letter of intent, and your building safety information.
- Your safety, anonymity and volunteer host policies.
- Your attendance numbers from the past year, if you have them.
- 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 and Facility Coordinator $42,000, one position in all five years.
- Facility lease and utilities about $22,000 in Year 1, rising about 3% a year; maintenance and upkeep about $6,000, rising about 4% a year
- Office costs about $8,000 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.