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Executive Summary
New Ground Recovery Community is a nonprofit that supports people in our county and the two nearby counties who are in or seeking recovery from substance use. We provide one-on-one peer support, recovery meetings, and help with housing and work, led by certified peer recovery specialists who have lived experience of recovery themselves.
Treatment helps, but recovery is built in everyday life, in the weeks and months after treatment and in between. People need housing, work, family, transportation and someone who understands what they are going through. Peer support, which is non-clinical help from someone in recovery, can fill that gap. We do not provide treatment. We walk beside people as they build a life they want.
In Year 1 we plan to serve about 100 people over the year. Our Year 1 budget is about $127,000, growing to about $288,000 by Year 5 as we grow from one certified peer recovery specialist to five. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small amount set aside in savings.
We are asking the Meridian Community Fund for $50,000, as part of the $112,000 in grants and contracts we need for Year 1. The other $15,000 in Year 1 comes from donations, which we plan to grow to about $48,000 a year by Year 5. Grant money pays for peer recovery specialist time, practical recovery supports, and the record-keeping funders require.
We will measure how many people we serve, how many connect to treatment or other services, how many get housing, work or training, and how many report being in recovery after 6 and 12 months. We will report results to our funders every six months.
Company Description
New Ground Recovery Community is a nonprofit organization in Virginia. A 501(c)(3) public charity
Our mission. To support people in recovery by offering peer support, community and a path back to stable lives.
How we started and what we have done. We began in 2023 when a group of people in recovery started holding drug- and alcohol-free gatherings at a church. Since then we have supported about 80 people, with 12 volunteers helping each month.
What we do:
- Match people with a certified peer recovery specialist for one-on-one support.
- Offer recovery meetings and activities that are drug- and alcohol-free.
- Help people connect to treatment, health care, housing, work and legal help.
- Provide small practical support, like bus passes and ID fees, paid directly to the vendor.
- Train people in naloxone (Narcan) use, and share the SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) and 988 for crisis support.
Where we work. A donated room at a community center, weekdays 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and meetings on Saturdays.
Our partners. A treatment center that refers people, the county drug court, a hospital's emergency department, and a church that donates space.
Our approach. We support many paths to recovery. We do not require any one method, and we meet people where they are.
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.
Substance use affects families across our county and the two nearby counties. People who stop using often face long waits for treatment, little help afterward, and a hard road back to stable work and housing. Many relapse not because they do not want to recover, but because they have no support when they need it most.
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. Support after treatment. The weeks after leaving treatment are high-risk, and many people have no one to turn to.
2. Peers. Many people trust those who have been through it, but there are not enough trained peers.
3. Basics. Housing, transportation and work are often the real obstacles.
4. Waiting. Treatment slots may have long waits, and people need help in the meantime.
5. Stigma. Many people avoid asking for help because they fear being judged.
What we have seen ourselves. Many people say the first month after treatment was when they felt most alone and nearly gave up.
Who we serve first. People leaving treatment or jail, people who have recently overdosed, and people who have no recovery support, in people leaving treatment or jail, and people who have recently overdosed.
Products & Services
How the program works.
1. Peer support. Each participant works with a certified peer recovery specialist who helps them set their own recovery goals, and keeps in touch regularly, including during setbacks.
2. Recovery community. We host drug- and alcohol-free meetings, meals and events, so people can build friendships that support recovery.
3. Connections to care. We help people reach treatment, medical care, mental health services and legal help. We do not provide treatment or medical advice.
4. Practical help. About $15,000 in Year 1 pays for recovery supplies, transportation, training and events. We pay the vendor directly and keep a record.
5. Safety. Staff and volunteers are trained in naloxone and in how to respond to a crisis.
How we will measure results. We count participants, meetings, connections to treatment or other services and outcomes like housing and work. We follow up with participants at 6 and 12 months, with their permission, and we ask what is working. Our goals for Year 1: serve 100 people; connect 60 to treatment, housing or work help; hold 100 recovery meetings; and have 70% of participants still in contact and in recovery after 6 months.
Market Analysis
Where we work and who we serve.
We serve people in our county and the two nearby counties who are in or seeking recovery, especially people leaving treatment or jail, and people who have recently overdosed.
How we know people need this. Last year we supported 45 people with volunteers alone, and the hospital, court and two treatment programs now send us referrals every week.
How many we will reach. In Year 1, about 100 people over the year. Overdose and treatment data from your state and county are common ways to size the need, and the guide for this plan shows where to find them. As we grow from one certified peer recovery specialist to five, we expect to serve more people each year.
How people reach us. Two treatment centers, the emergency department, the county jail, drug court and local churches.
Competitive Landscape
Other help, and how we work with it.
- Treatment programs provide clinical care. We support people before, during and after treatment, and refer to them.
- Twelve-step and other mutual aid groups are free and valuable. We support these groups and offer other options too.
- Other recovery community organizations offer similar support. We share referrals and work together. We are part of our state's network of recovery community organizations.
- Hospitals, jails and courts increasingly use peers. We can partner with them to connect people to us.
- Housing and job programs help with the basics. We help participants use them.
What makes us different: peers who have lived experience, evening and weekend meetings, and quick rides to treatment
Marketing & Sales Strategy
How we reach people and build support.
Reaching people:
- Referrals from treatment programs, hospitals, emergency departments, courts, jails and probation, and shelters.
- Outreach at community events, harm reduction programs and recovery meetings.
- Word of mouth from people in recovery.
- Clear, non-judgmental information about what we offer and that it is free.
Peer certification. Peer recovery specialists are certified through the state, and the rules differ from state to state. We make sure our staff meet the requirements for the funders and payers we plan to work with.
Volunteers. People in long-term recovery, faith communities and local colleges.
Raising money beyond grants. Donations are planned at about $15,000 in Year 1, growing to about $48,000 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 a participant moves through the program:
1. A call, referral or walk-in, and a first meeting to listen.
2. A recovery plan the person writes with their peer, including what they want help with.
3. Regular check-ins with the peer, plus access to meetings and events.
4. Help with housing, work, health care and other needs.
5. Ongoing support, including support after a setback, without judgment.
A first meeting. We listen and do not judge. We ask what the person wants, explain our services and agree on a first step, such as a ride to a meeting or an appointment.
What we do not do. We do not diagnose or treat, give medical advice or handle medications. We do not shame or punish people who relapse; we help them reconnect to support and treatment.
Privacy. Participant information is private. Records about substance use are protected by strict privacy laws in many settings (for example, federal rules known as 42 CFR Part 2 apply to some programs), and we ask a lawyer which rules apply to us. We share information only with signed permission or when the law requires it, and funders get totals only.
Equipment. In Year 1 we buy about $4,000 in equipment (laptops, phones, a printer and office furniture), then about $1,500 to $2,000 a year to replace worn items.
Staff. One certified peer recovery specialist in Year 1, then two in Year 2, three in Year 3, four in Year 4 and five in Year 5. Peer specialists receive regular supervision and support, because supporting others can be hard.
Office work. Bookkeeping, insurance and reporting cost about $13,000 in Year 1.
Management & Organization
Who leads the organization.
Elena Thompson, 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.
Certified peer recovery specialists. Meet one-on-one with participants, lead meetings, help with plans and connect people to services. One position in Year 1, growing to five by Year 5, at a planned salary of $38,000 each. Qualifications we look for: certified in our state, at least two years in recovery, and strong skills in listening and boundaries.
Volunteers. Volunteers help with events, rides, meals and community outreach, and are trained before they work with participants.
Board of Directors. A five-member board including Monique Johnson, 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:
- Hire a certified peer recovery specialist, and set up supervision and training.
- Build referral partnerships with treatment programs, hospitals and courts.
- Serve about 100 people over the year.
- Reach our Year 1 goals for connections to care and recovery outcomes.
- Stay within a balanced budget of about $127,000.
Year 2: two certified peer recovery specialists; budget of about $167,000.
Year 3: three certified peer recovery specialists; budget of about $207,000.
Year 4: four certified peer recovery specialists; budget of about $247,000.
Year 5: five certified peer recovery specialists; budget of about $288,000.
Over the five years: grow to five peer specialists, add evening and weekend hours, add a recovery housing or work partner and explore billing for peer services, where allowed. Program costs grow about 5% a year.
How we will check our results. For each participant we record services, connections and outcomes, with their permission. We follow up at 6 and 12 months. Staff and the Board review the results and share them with funders. We are honest that recovery is not a straight line, and we track engagement as well as outcomes.
Funding Request
What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $50,000 from the Meridian Community Fund for our first peer recovery specialist's salary, practical supports for participants, and recovery events, for January through December 2027. Year 1 budget: about $127,000, planned to balance. Year 1 money coming in: - Grants and government contracts: $112,000 (this request plus other grants we are applying for). - Donations: $15,000. Year 1 costs: - Executive Director: $58,000. - Certified peer recovery specialists: $38,000. - Program costs (recovery supplies, transportation, training, sober events): $15,000. - Office costs (bookkeeping, insurance, reporting): $13,000. - That is about $124,000 in costs. The remaining $3,000 or so goes into savings. Equipment we buy once at the start (about $4,000) is paid from startup money, not from the yearly budget. The next five years. Our budget grows from about $127,000 in Year 1 to about $288,000 in Year 5 as we grow to five certified peer recovery specialists. Grants and contracts are planned at $112,000 in Year 1, $145,000 in Year 2, $177,000 in Year 3, $208,000 in Year 4 and $240,000 in Year 5. Donations grow from $15,000 to $48,000, so grants become a smaller part of our budget over time. Savings. We start with about $16,000 of our own plus $55,000 in startup support, and we add to savings each year. Important for government and contract funds. Many opioid-related and behavioral health funds, including opioid settlement dollars that many states and counties are distributing, pay you back after you spend the money and require careful reporting. We plan for the wait and keep good records. Help we receive that is not cash. Donated space, volunteer hours, donated food and supplies are a real part of what we do and are not counted in the budget above. Free use of a church hall (about $4,800 a year in rent value), about 1,000 volunteer hours a year, and donated food for events 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, community center or existing recovery group, start with a small meeting and one certified peer, and track your results carefully. 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 treatment programs, courts, hospitals or other partners.
- Your peer specialist certification and your supervision plan.
- Your privacy policy and crisis response plan.
- Your participant 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 $58,000; each certified peer recovery specialist $38,000, growing from 1 to 5.
- Program costs about $15,000 in Year 1, rising about 5% a year
- Office costs about $13,000 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.