Fresh Start Transitional Jobs Network

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Executive Summary

Fresh Start Transitional Jobs Network is a nonprofit in New Jersey that gives people returning home from prison or jail something that is hard to find in the first weeks after release: a paycheck for real work, starting right away. Participants join a work crew that earns money cleaning, landscaping and doing light maintenance for local government and businesses, are paid as employees every week, and get coaching, job readiness classes and help with the practical hurdles of coming home. When they are ready, our Employment Specialist helps each person move into a permanent job with an employer who is open to hiring people with a record.

The weeks after release are the most dangerous and the most important. People often come home with no ID, no income, no stable place to stay and conditions of supervision that require them to work. Many employers will not interview someone with a record, so the chance to prove oneself never comes. Without work, bills pile up, family tension grows and the pull of old habits is strong. Research on transitional jobs programs suggests that quick access to paid work can reduce returns to custody for some participants, though results vary by program, and we will measure and report our own honestly. For many people, a first steady paycheck, a work reference and a supervisor who believes in them are the start of a new path.

With this grant we will enroll about 48 participants in Year 1. Each works about 24 hours a week for about 10 weeks on a crew, paid $15 an hour, and spends the rest of their time in job readiness classes, with their coach and getting ID, benefits and other help from our Reentry Navigator. We expect about 38 participants to complete the transitional job, and our goal is that about 27 move into permanent jobs within 90 days. A legal aid partner helps people seal or expunge records where the law allows. We do not promise any participant a permanent job.

Our Year 1 budget is about $660,000, growing to about $1,024,500 by Year 5 as we add crews, staff and employer partners and serve about 90 participants a year. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 7 paid staff in Year 1 and 10 by Year 5. Our crews earn money by providing services, which, with government contracts, grows from about 29% of our income in Year 1 to about 44% in Year 5, so grants fall from about 67% to about 49%.

We are asking the Garden State Second Chance Fund for $110,000 for one Crew Supervisor and Job Coach, a share of participant wages, work gear and tools, ID documents, transportation and basic needs, and a legal aid contract for record sealing. Crew earnings, government contracts, other grants and donors cover the rest, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

I am Terrence Hall, the Executive Director, and I came home from prison after nine years and know what the first weeks are like. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

Fresh Start Transitional Jobs Network is a nonprofit organization in New Jersey. 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 people returning from incarceration earn, learn and lead, and to build a community that gives them a real second chance.

What we believe. A person is more than the worst thing they have done. Work is dignifying, and a paycheck is the quickest way to stability. Accountability and opportunity go together: we hold high expectations for attendance, effort and conduct, and we support each person in meeting them. People who have lived through incarceration are experts in what works, so they help lead our program. Public safety is best served when people returning home have a way to support themselves and their families.

How we started. Fresh Start began when a pastor, a landscaping company owner and a man who had recently come home from prison started a small weekend crew that picked up litter and cut grass for churches and small businesses, paying the crew members in cash and then by check as it grew. In two years, 61 men and women worked on the crew, 49 finished the first 10 weeks and 33 moved into permanent jobs with employers who were willing to hire them. City officials and employers asked us to do more, and the county's reentry coalition asked whether we could serve more people. This proposal asks for support to build a staffed, professionally managed transitional jobs program.

What we offer:
- Paid transitional jobs. Participants are hired as our employees and paid $15 an hour, weekly, for about 24 hours of work a week for about 10 weeks, on crews led by experienced supervisors. Crews do outdoor work, such as landscaping, litter removal and lot cleanup, and indoor work, such as janitorial and light maintenance, for government and business customers who pay for the service.
- Job coaching on the job. Crew Supervisors who are also trained job coaches give feedback every day and teach workplace skills.
- Job readiness classes. A short, practical series on communication, managing stress and anger, handling conflict, money, resumes and interviews, including how to talk about a record honestly, using cognitive behavioral approaches that research supports.
- Reentry navigation. A Reentry Navigator helps with getting ID and a birth certificate, a Social Security card, a driver's license restored, benefits, housing connections, child support questions and meeting the conditions of probation or parole.
- Legal help. A legal aid partner helps people with sealing or expunging records where the law allows, and with other legal barriers.
- Permanent job placement. An Employment Specialist and Employer Liaison builds a network of employers who are open to hiring people with a record, helps each participant apply and follows up for 12 months after hire.
- Employer support. We help employers understand fair chance practices, the Federal Bonding Program, which offers fidelity bonds at no cost for hiring people with records, and the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, which may give employers a tax credit for hiring certain people, including some people with felony convictions. Rules change, so we advise employers to confirm current rules with their advisors.

What we do not do. We do not promise any participant a permanent job. We do not charge participants for any part of the program. We are not a probation or law enforcement agency, and we do not supervise or report on participants' compliance except where the law or a participant's written agreement requires it. We do not provide medical or mental health treatment, and we refer to providers.

How we are run. A seven-member volunteer board of directors oversees the organization and approves the budget each year. The board includes a landscaping company owner, a human resources director who hires people with records, a returning citizen, a public defender, a pastor, a county reentry coalition coordinator and a certified public accountant. The Executive Director manages the organization and partnerships, the Program Director oversees the crews and classes, and an outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Where things stand today. The city and two county agencies have signed letters of intent to buy crew services, nine employers have signed letters offering interviews and committing to fair chance practices, and the state's reentry office has invited us to apply for workforce funds. We have a letter of intent for a small office and a fenced storage yard. Before we begin, an attorney will review our employment, contract and privacy policies, and we will set up payroll and workers' compensation insurance.

Problem & Opportunity

Why this program is needed.

Every year, thousands of people return to New Jersey communities from state prison and county jails. Research consistently shows that finding steady work is one of the strongest factors in a successful return, yet people with a record face some of the biggest barriers to employment. Employers worry about risk, many background checks turn up old or minor records, and a gap in work history is hard to explain. The first weeks after release are a critical window, when a stable income can help a person pay for housing, transportation and food and meet the conditions of supervision.

The gaps we see:
1. No income right away. People often leave custody with little money and wait weeks or months for a first paycheck. In that gap, people face hard choices and risks.
2. Employers say no. Many employers do not hire people with records, or screen them out early. People who might be excellent employees never get a chance to prove it.
3. No recent work history or references. Years in custody can leave a person with no recent references, outdated skills and no experience with workplace technology.
4. Documents and logistics. Many people have no ID, birth certificate, Social Security card or driver's license, which employers require. Fees and lines make this hard without help.
5. Conditions of supervision. People on probation or parole must report, attend programs, pay fines and often hold a job. A missed appointment or a late payment can lead to a violation, even for a person who is trying.
6. Debt and family obligations. Fines, fees, restitution and child support arrears can take a large share of a paycheck and push people toward informal work.
7. Stigma and records that never go away. Even old, minor or dismissed records can appear on background checks. Many people do not know whether they qualify to seal or expunge their record.
8. Inequity. Black and Latino residents are overrepresented among people in custody in many places, so these barriers fall hardest on the same communities that already face the greatest disadvantages. Programs need to be open and accountable to them.

What the evidence says. Transitional jobs programs that provide immediate paid work, job coaching, and help with permanent placement have shown positive effects on employment and, in some studies, on recidivism for some groups of participants, particularly those who have just been released. Results vary by program, population and local economy. We will measure and report our own results, including whether participants return to custody, and we will not claim more than the data show.

How we know people want this. In our pilot, 61 people worked on the crew, 49 completed the first 10 weeks and 33 moved into permanent jobs. The county's reentry coalition told us it has a waiting list of people leaving custody who are looking for work. Nine employers said they would interview more of our participants.

How we will show the need. Before we submit this proposal, we will add the number of people released from state prison and county jails to our county each year from the New Jersey Department of Corrections and the county, the unemployment rate for people with records where available, our county's racial disparities in incarceration from state data, the number of people on the coordinated entry and workforce waiting lists, the typical wage for entry-level jobs in the target industries and the number of employers who have committed to fair chance practices.

Who benefits first. Adults 18 and older returning from state prison or county jail to our service area, especially in the first year after release, including people on probation or parole, people with limited work history and people who do not yet have ID documents. Also the employers who gain reliable workers and the communities that benefit from fewer people returning to custody.

Products & Services

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

1. Recruit and enroll people at the point of release. We recruit through the state parole office, county probation, the county jail's reentry team, the reentry coalition, churches and word of mouth, and we hold information sessions inside the jail and in the community. Applicants complete a short interview and an application. We welcome people with any type of conviction, and we are honest about legal restrictions that may limit certain jobs and locations, and about the rules of each participant's supervision. About 8 participants join each crew cycle, with about 48 in Year 1.

2. Hire participants as employees. Each participant completes an application and employment paperwork, is paid $15 an hour through our payroll, with taxes withheld, and is covered by workers' compensation insurance. Participants work about 24 hours a week for about 10 weeks. They are paid weekly, and the first paycheck arrives in the first week, because a quick paycheck keeps people engaged. Wages and payroll costs are about $4,000 per participant, or about $192,000 in Year 1.

3. Put crews to work. Crews of about 8, led by a Crew Supervisor, do work our customers buy: outdoor work such as landscaping and litter removal, and indoor work such as janitorial and light maintenance. Customers include the city, county agencies, property owners and businesses, and they pay a fair price for the service. Crew work is meaningful, visible and teaches real skills.

4. Coach on the job and in class. Supervisors give feedback every day, using a simple scorecard on attendance, effort, safety and teamwork. In the remaining hours of the week, participants attend job readiness classes: communication, managing stress and conflict, money and credit, resumes and interviews, and how to talk about a record. Classes use cognitive behavioral techniques that research supports.

5. Remove practical barriers. The Reentry Navigator helps each participant get the ID documents they need, restore a driver's license where possible, apply for benefits, find housing connections, understand child support and meet the conditions of supervision. We pay for documents, fees, bus passes, work boots and clothes, directly to agencies and vendors whenever possible. The navigator also coordinates with probation and parole officers, with the participant's permission, so that the program schedule supports rather than conflicts with supervision.

6. Provide legal help. A legal aid partner screens each participant for record sealing or expungement eligibility and other legal issues, helps with petitions where the law allows and advises on fines and fees.

7. Move people into permanent jobs. After the first weeks, the Employment Specialist and Employer Liaison helps each participant apply for permanent jobs, arranges interviews with fair chance employers, helps with the Federal Bonding Program and explains the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to employers. We do not promise any participant a permanent job. Participants who are not yet ready stay on the crew longer when possible, up to a limit of about 14 weeks.

8. Support after hire. The Employment Specialist and Reentry Navigator check in at 30, 90, 180 and 365 days after hire, help with problems before they become reasons to quit and offer a return to the crew for a short time if a job ends.

9. Learn from participants. A Participant Advisory Council of current and past participants reviews our rules, classes and results and is paid a stipend.

How we will measure results. We track enrollment, attendance, hours worked, crew scorecards, completion of the transitional job, permanent job placement within 90 days, wages and hours, employment retention at 90, 180 and 365 days, documents obtained, benefits obtained, records sealed and, with the participant's consent, returns to custody for a new conviction or technical violation at 12 and 24 months. We compare our results with county or state data when we can, and we report them honestly.

Our Year 1 goals:
- About 48 participants enroll, with at least 80% completing the transitional job, about 38 completers.
- At least 70% of completers move into a permanent job within 90 days, about 27.
- At least 75% of those hired are still employed at 6 months.
- At least 90% of participants who need ID documents obtain them within 30 days.
- At least 80% of participants who are eligible to seal or expunge a record are helped to file.
- At least 90% of participants say they were treated with respect.
- At least 9 employers commit to fair chance practices, with at least 5 interviewing or hiring participants.
These are goals, and we will report our real results to the Fund, including where we fall short. We do not promise any participant a permanent job.

Market Analysis

Who we serve and how many.

The people. Adults 18 and older who are returning to our service area from state prison or county jail, especially in the first year after release. We welcome people with any type of conviction and any length of sentence, and we reach out especially to people on probation or parole, people with limited work history, people who do not have ID documents, young adults and older workers. Participants must be authorized to work in the United States, as employers and funders require. Some restrictions on certain jobs or locations apply to some people because of the law or the terms of their supervision, and we are honest about them.

Where we work. Our office and storage yard are near a bus line, and our crews work at customer sites throughout the city and county. Information sessions are held in the county jail, at the parole office, in churches and in libraries.

How many we will reach:
- Year 1: about 48 participants and two crews, about 38 completers and about 27 in permanent jobs within 90 days.
- Year 2: about 56 participants, about 45 completers and about 31 in permanent jobs.
- Year 3: about 66 participants, with a third Crew Supervisor and crew, about 53 completers and about 37 in permanent jobs.
- Year 4: about 77 participants, with a second Employment Specialist and Employer Liaison, about 62 completers and about 43 in permanent jobs.
- Year 5: about 90 participants, with a second Reentry Navigator, about 72 completers and about 50 in permanent jobs.
Over five years we expect to enroll about 340 participants and about 270 to complete the transitional job.

Who else benefits:
- Families and children. A parent with a steady paycheck can support children, pay child support and rebuild trust.
- Employers. They gain reliable, motivated workers with a work reference, a bond and possibly a tax credit, and a partner who helps them retain staff.
- Customers. Government and business customers get quality work at a fair price while supporting a good cause.
- Neighborhoods. Residents see clean lots and parks and neighbors with jobs.
- Taxpayers and public safety. If more people stay out of custody, public costs fall and communities are safer, though we do not promise a particular result.

How we will size the need before we submit. We will add the number of people released to our county each year, the unemployment rate and the share of people on probation and parole, the racial breakdown of our county's incarcerated population from state data, the number of people on the reentry coalition's waiting list and the number of employers committed to fair chance practices. These come from the New Jersey Department of Corrections, the state parole board, the county, the U.S. Census Bureau and the reentry coalition.

Competitive Landscape

Other help people returning home can get, and how we fit.

- Parole, probation and reentry offices. They provide supervision and some referrals, and have large caseloads. We are not an enforcement agency, and we work with them so that our program supports participants' compliance.
- General workforce programs. The workforce board's career centers help many people find jobs. Many people with records struggle in these programs without a quick paycheck or an employer who is open to them. We partner with them and add paid work and a network of fair chance employers.
- Other reentry organizations. Some provide housing, mentoring, counseling and case management. We coordinate with them and refer participants to each other, and we focus on employment.
- Staffing agencies. They provide quick work, often without training, benefits or a path to permanent jobs. We encourage participants to move into direct-hire jobs where possible.
- Vocational training programs. They teach skills that open some doors, but they usually do not pay participants or help with the practical barriers. We refer participants to training after the transitional job when it fits.
- Government public works programs. Some cities hire short-term workers directly. We partner and sell crew services to them.
- Legal aid and clinics. They help with sealing and expungement. We fund a contract so that participants are seen quickly.

The gap we fill. In our service area, no program combines immediate paid work on real crews, daily coaching, job readiness classes, help with documents and legal barriers, a network of fair chance employers and 12 months of follow-up, led in part by people with lived experience.

Our partners:
- The state parole office, county probation and the county jail's reentry team, which refer participants and coordinate schedules, with participants' permission.
- The city and two county agencies, which buy crew services.
- Nine employers who have committed to fair chance practices and interviews.
- A legal aid organization, which helps with record sealing and expungement.
- The county reentry coalition, which provides referrals and community support.
- The workforce board, which provides referrals and may sponsor participants.
- Churches and community groups, which host information sessions and provide volunteers.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How participants, customers, employers and supporters will find us and how we keep them engaged.

Reaching participants:
- At the point of release. We hold information sessions in the county jail and work with the parole office and probation so that people hear about us before or right after release, when a paycheck matters most.
- Reentry partners. The reentry coalition, churches, shelters, libraries and legal aid refer people.
- Graduates. Our best recruiters are participants who moved into permanent jobs. They speak at information sessions and in the jail, with their permission.
- A simple website and a text number, with information about how to join and what to expect.
- Community events. Open houses and neighborhood cleanups, where the public can meet crews.

Making it easy to join:
- People can start work within about a week of enrolling.
- The first paycheck arrives in the first week.
- We explain every rule in plain words, including attendance, conduct, safety and what happens if a participant misses work.
- We help applicants who need it with the application and paperwork.
- We coordinate schedules with probation and parole, with the participant's permission, so that work does not conflict with reporting.

Keeping participants engaged:
- Daily feedback and a simple scorecard, so that participants see progress.
- Pride in visible, useful work, and recognition for good effort.
- A clear next step: a permanent job with an employer we know.
- If a participant misses work, the supervisor calls the same day to solve the problem. Repeated absences lead to a conversation about what is not working, and the participant can return to the crew when ready.

Reaching customers:
- The Executive Director and Program Director meet city and county officials, property managers and business owners, explain the program and offer a quote for crew services.
- Customers receive a reliable crew, quality work, an annual summary of work done and what it meant for participants.

Reaching employers:
- The Employment Specialist and Employer Liaison visits employers, explains fair chance practices, the Federal Bonding Program and the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, and invites them to meet participants and watch a crew at work.
- We follow up after every hire and offer support to the employer and the worker.

Reaching supporters. Businesses, banks, congregations and individuals are invited to sponsor a crew member's first 10 weeks or the work gear fund. We share results twice a year with funders and partners as totals.

Outreach budget. Employer engagement and outreach are about $6,000 a year in Year 1, growing about 5% a year. Crew uniforms, vehicle lettering, brochures and the website are paid for once from startup money ($3,000).

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1:
- Months 1 to 3: Attorney review of employment, contract and privacy policies, set up payroll and workers' compensation, sign the lease for the office and yard, hire the Program Director, two Crew Supervisors, the Employment Specialist and the Reentry Navigator, buy equipment, sign customer contracts and sign the legal aid contract.
- Month 4: Staff training in supervision, job coaching, trauma-informed care, safety, and working with probation and parole. Information sessions at the jail and in the community. First crew members hired.
- Months 5 to 8: First crew cycles run. First job readiness classes and first record sealing referrals. First permanent placements begin.
- Months 9 to 12: More crew cycles. First 6-month results. Review of results, a year-end report to funders and customers and planning for Year 2.

Space. A small leased office near a bus line with a classroom, a private meeting room and workspace for staff, and a fenced storage yard for tools and a trailer. Office and training space is about $24,000 a year in Year 1. Paint, flooring, lighting and a private meeting room are a one-time cost of $8,000, with a deposit and first month of rent of $6,000.

Equipment. We buy about $38,000 of equipment once at the start: a used enclosed trailer, mowers, trimmers, blowers and hand tools for outdoor crews ($22,000), janitorial and light cleaning equipment ($4,000), safety equipment ($3,000), eight laptops, a projector and classroom furniture ($7,000), and locking cabinets and secure tool storage ($2,000). After Year 1, we set aside about $5,000 to $8,000 a year to replace and add equipment. The crew vehicle lease, fuel, vehicle insurance and supplies are about $36,000 a year in Year 1.

Staffing. In Year 1: an Executive Director, a Program Director, two Crew Supervisors and Job Coaches, an Employment Specialist and Employer Liaison, a Reentry Navigator and a part-time Program Coordinator and Data Specialist. A third Crew Supervisor joins in Year 3, a second Employment Specialist in Year 4 and a second Reentry Navigator in Year 5. Crew Supervisors have trade or supervisory experience and are trained in coaching.

Participants as employees. Participants are our employees. We pay wages through payroll with taxes withheld, carry workers' compensation insurance, follow wage and hour laws and give each participant a pay stub and a written job description. Wages and payroll costs are about $192,000 in Year 1. An attorney and our accountant review our employment setup before we begin. Participants who receive public benefits or who owe child support or fines are helped to understand how wages affect them, and to talk with the agencies involved. We do not charge participants for gear or training.

Safety. Safety comes first. Every participant receives safety training in the first week and personal protective equipment, such as eye and ear protection, gloves, boots and high-visibility vests. Equipment is used only after training and with a supervisor present. Crews follow heat and weather safety rules, with water, breaks and shade. Vehicles are driven only by licensed, trained staff with proper insurance. We carry first aid kits, supervisors are trained in first aid and CPR, and in an emergency, staff call 911. We record and review every incident and near miss.

Supervision conditions. Many participants are on probation or parole. We coordinate with their officers, with the participant's permission, so the schedule supports reporting and other conditions. We do not supervise participants for the criminal justice system, and we report on a participant's work only with the participant's written permission or as the law requires. We are honest with participants about legal restrictions that may limit certain jobs and locations, and we do not place anyone in a job or at a site that would violate their conditions.

Records and privacy. A person's criminal record and personal history are confidential. Participants' information is kept in a locked cabinet and a secure, password-protected system, and shared with employers, partners or funders only with the participant's written permission, except where the law requires. We report results to funders only as totals, never with a participant's name.

Customer contracts. Crew services are sold under written contracts at fair prices, with clear scopes of work, insurance certificates and quality checks. Government contracts follow procurement rules. An attorney reviews our contract template.

Employer relationships. We never ask an employer to pay for a hire. We advise employers about fair chance practices, the Federal Bonding Program and the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, and we tell them that rules change and that they should confirm with their own advisors.

Support controls. ID documents, fees, transportation and work clothing are paid directly to agencies, transit providers or vendors whenever possible. Each payment is approved by the Program Director and recorded, and the board reviews a list each quarter.

Insurance and records. We carry general liability, commercial auto, workers' compensation, property and professional liability insurance. Insurance is about $10,000 a year in Year 1, in addition to vehicle insurance and workers' compensation costs included in payroll. 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.

Terrence Hall, Executive Director. Terrence leads the organization, raises money, manages grants and contracts and relationships with the city, the county, employers and the parole office, supervises staff and reports to the board. He returned home after nine years in prison, worked as a crew supervisor for a landscaping company, completed a nonprofit management certificate and started our pilot crew. Planned salary: $60,000 a year.

Program Director. Oversees the crews, classes and safety, manages customer contracts and quality, supervises Crew Supervisors and builds relationships with probation and parole. Must have experience in operations or supervision and in working with people returning from incarceration. Planned salary: $52,000 a year.

Crew Supervisor and Job Coach. Leads a crew of about 8, teaches work skills, gives daily feedback, runs job readiness classes and supports participants. Must have trade or supervisory experience and a clean driving record, and complete training in job coaching. Lived experience is valued. Two in Years 1 and 2 and three from Year 3, at a planned salary of $44,000 each. The Garden State Second Chance Fund grant would support the first Crew Supervisor.

Employment Specialist and Employer Liaison. Builds relationships with fair chance employers, helps participants apply for jobs, arranges interviews and follows up after hire. One in Years 1 to 3 and two from Year 4, at a planned salary of $44,000 each.

Reentry Navigator. Helps with ID documents, benefits, housing connections, child support questions and supervision conditions. One in Years 1 to 4 and two in Year 5, at a planned salary of $42,000 each.

Program Coordinator and Data Specialist (part-time). Handles scheduling, payroll support, records, data and reports, about 25 hours a week. Planned pay: $26,000 a year.

Pay figures include payroll taxes and workers' compensation insurance.

Staff in each year: 7 paid staff in Years 1 and 2 (six full-time and one part-time), 8 in Year 3, 9 in Year 4 and 10 in Year 5. Participants employed on crews are counted separately and paid from the transitional wage budget.

Volunteers and mentors. About 20 volunteers, including mentors who have come home from prison and employers who coach interview skills. Volunteers do not handle confidential records or money.

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. At least two board members have personal experience with incarceration.

People who help us. An outside accountant who reviews our books every year, an attorney who reviews our employment policies, contracts and privacy policies, an insurance agent who understands transitional job programs, and a Participant Advisory Council that meets quarterly.

Training. All staff and volunteers complete training in trauma-informed care, de-escalation, safety, job coaching, confidentiality and cultural humility before starting, 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 program, run two crews, enroll about 48 participants, with about 38 completers and at least 70% of completers moving into permanent jobs within 90 days. A balanced budget of about $660,000, with a small surplus of about $18,400. 7 paid staff.
- Year 2: Enroll about 56 participants and grow customer contracts. Begin 12-month follow-up, including returns to custody, with Year 1 participants. A balanced budget of about $706,000, with a small surplus of about $18,500. 7 paid staff.
- Year 3: Add a third Crew Supervisor and crew, enrolling about 66 participants. A balanced budget of about $804,000, with a small surplus of about $18,800. 8 paid staff.
- Year 4: Add a second Employment Specialist and enroll about 77 participants. Invite graduates to mentor new participants. A balanced budget of about $910,500, with a small surplus of about $19,800. 9 paid staff.
- Year 5: Add a second Reentry Navigator and enroll about 90 participants, with crew service contracts and government contracts covering about 44% of our budget. Report five years of results, including returns to custody compared with county data. A balanced budget of about $1,024,500, with a small surplus of about $20,100. 10 paid staff.

What we measure:
- Enrollment, attendance, hours worked and crew scorecards.
- Completion of the transitional job and permanent placement within 90 days.
- Employment, wages and retention at 90, 180 and 365 days.
- ID documents, benefits and records sealed or expunged.
- Returns to custody for a new conviction or technical violation at 12 and 24 months, with participants' consent, compared with county or state data when available.
- Participant, employer and customer satisfaction.
- Crew revenue, the share of wages covered by crew revenue and the cost per participant and per placement.
- Results by race, age and background so that we can find and fix gaps.

How we review results. The Program Director reviews attendance, safety and scorecards every week. Each quarter, staff, supervisors and our Participant Advisory Council review 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: $110,000 from the Garden State Second Chance Fund for one Crew Supervisor and Job Coach, a share of participant wages, work gear and tools, ID documents, transportation and basic needs, and a legal aid contract for record sealing, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Crew Supervisor and Job Coach salary, $44,000.
- Other: Transitional wages and payroll costs for participants, $50,000 (other funds add $142,000).
- Other: Work gear, uniforms and tools, $5,000 (other funds add $3,000).
- Other: ID documents, transportation and basic needs, $6,000 (other funds add $8,000).
- Contractual: Legal aid contract for record sealing and expungement, $5,000 (other funds add $5,000).

Other money in the program. Crew service contracts, government contracts, other grants and local donors pay the other $158,000 of those lines, plus the Executive Director's salary ($60,000), the Program Director ($52,000), the second Crew Supervisor ($44,000), the Employment Specialist ($44,000), the Reentry Navigator ($42,000), the part-time Program Coordinator ($26,000), crew vehicle lease, fuel and supplies ($36,000), office and training space ($24,000), insurance ($10,000), employer engagement and outreach ($6,000), training, data and evaluation ($8,000) and administration and accounting ($14,000).

Year 1 budget: about $660,000, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $18,400 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $440,000 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), crew service contracts $90,000, government reentry and workforce contracts $100,000 and donations and local sponsors $30,000. Year 1 costs: Executive Director $60,000; Program Director $52,000; two Crew Supervisors $88,000; Employment Specialist $44,000; Reentry Navigator $42,000; Program Coordinator $26,000; transitional wages and payroll costs about $192,000 (about $4,000 for each of 48 participants); crew vehicle lease, fuel, vehicle insurance and supplies about $36,000; work gear, uniforms and tools about $8,000; ID documents, transportation and basic needs about $14,000; legal aid contract about $10,000; office and training space about $24,000; insurance about $10,000; employer engagement and outreach about $6,000; training, data and evaluation about $8,000; administration and accounting about $14,000; and about $13,000 a year for the wear on equipment.

How we planned wages and crew income. Each participant works about 24 hours a week for about 10 weeks at $15 an hour, or about $3,600 in wages plus about $400 for payroll taxes and workers' compensation, about $4,000 in all. Crews earn money by selling services, about $90,000 in Year 1, which covers about 47% of wages, growing to about $240,000 in Year 5 as we add customers and crews. Customer payments and government contracts are often paid after we bill, so we plan for about $52,800 owed to us at the end of Year 1. The amounts are planning estimates, not promises.

About government contracts. The state and federal governments fund reentry and transitional employment, including through federal reentry employment grants, state workforce funds and local contracts. These funds are competitive, awarded for set periods and have strict reporting rules. The state's reentry office has invited us to apply. We plan for grants and donors to cover the gap if contracts are delayed or reduced.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $75,000 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $38,000 of equipment (a used trailer and outdoor tools, janitorial equipment, safety gear, laptops and a projector, and locking storage), $8,000 for paint, flooring, lighting and a meeting room, $6,000 for the deposit and first month of rent, $5,000 for the opening supply of uniforms and consumables, $3,000 for the business license, contractor and bonding fees and permits, $7,000 for an attorney's review of employment, contract and privacy policies and for payroll, workers' compensation and accounting setup, $3,000 for uniforms with logo, vehicle lettering and the website, and $5,000 for background checks for staff, supervisor training and the first insurance payment.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($75,000), the cash we need to cover the wait for the first payments (about $26,800) and a cash cushion of about $158,500, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. That comes to $260,500. We start with $30,000 of our own savings and $240,000 in startup support from a community foundation, a landscaping company and our board, $270,000 in all, which covers that amount.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $660,000 in Year 1 to about $1,024,500 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $440,000, $428,000, $453,000, $479,500 and $504,500 in Years 1 to 5. Crew service contracts grow from $90,000 to $240,000, government reentry and workforce contracts grow from $100,000 to $210,000 and donations and local sponsors grow from $30,000 to $70,000. We add a third Crew Supervisor in Year 3, a second Employment Specialist in Year 4 and a second Reentry Navigator in Year 5. Grants fall from about 67% of our income in Year 1 to about 49% in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $205,200, at the end of Year 1.

After the grant. Our plan is for crew contracts and government contracts to cover a growing share of the cost, as crews earn revenue and agencies see results, and for employers, banks, congregations and individuals to sponsor crew members. We will also apply to state and federal reentry and workforce funds and explore opportunities to win larger public works contracts.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- A participant is hurt on a crew. We train every participant, supervise all equipment use, require protective equipment, carry workers' compensation and review every incident.
- Customer contracts are slow to start. We begin with a small number of reliable customers, build the pipeline early and keep a cash cushion.
- Participants miss work or leave. Supervisors call the same day, solve problems with the participant and make it easy to return.
- Employers do not hire graduates. We recruit more employers than we need, offer bonding and tax credit information, follow up after each hire and keep working with employers who give a first chance. We do not promise jobs.
- A participant is arrested or violates conditions. We follow written rules, coordinate with supervision officers with permission and support the participant's return where possible.
- Government funding is delayed or reduced. We plan with a cash cushion, stage hiring so costs follow funding and apply to other funders.
- A grant ends. We keep savings, grow crew revenue 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 crew of 6 people working two days a week for a few customers, with a part-time supervisor and a legal aid partner, 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 and Program Director and job descriptions for the Crew Supervisors, Employment Specialist and Reentry Navigator.
- Letters of intent or contracts from customers who will buy crew services.
- Letters from employers about interviews and fair chance practices, and from the parole office, probation and the reentry coalition.
- A letter from the state reentry office about funding, or proof you have applied.
- The letter of intent for the lease, or a letter from the landlord.
- Results from your pilot crew, shown as totals.
- Your participant application, employment policies, attendance policy, safety policy, incident report form and confidentiality policy.
- Proof of workers' compensation, general liability 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):
- Grant Revenue: $440,000 in Year 1, then $428,000, $453,000, $479,500 and $504,500.
- Crew Service Contracts (Earned Revenue): $90,000 in Year 1, then $120,000, $155,000, $195,000 and $240,000.
- Government Reentry and Workforce Contracts: $100,000 in Year 1, then $120,000, $150,000, $180,000 and $210,000.
- Donations and Local Sponsors: $30,000 in Year 1, growing to $70,000.
- Participants: 48 in Year 1 (about 8 per crew cycle), then 56, 66, 77 and 90, with about 80% completing. Each is paid $15 an hour for about 24 hours a week for about 10 weeks, about $4,000 with payroll taxes and workers' compensation.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): Executive Director $60,000, Program Director $52,000, Crew Supervisor and Job Coach $44,000 (two in Years 1 and 2, three from Year 3), Employment Specialist and Employer Liaison $44,000 (one in Years 1 to 3, two from Year 4), Reentry Navigator $42,000 (one in Years 1 to 4, two in Year 5), Program Coordinator and Data Specialist (part-time) $26,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: Transitional Wages and Payroll Costs $192,000 (growing about 17% a year), Crew Vehicle Lease, Fuel, Vehicle Insurance and Supplies $36,000, Work Gear, Uniforms and Tools $8,000, ID Documents, Transportation and Basic Needs $14,000, Legal Aid Contract $10,000, Office and Training Space $24,000, Insurance $10,000, Employer Engagement and Outreach $6,000, Training, Data and Evaluation $8,000, Administration and Accounting $14,000. The other costs grow between 4% and 17% a year.
- Equipment: $38,000 at the start, then $5,000 to $8,000 a year.
- Startup costs: $75,000, paid once from $270,000 in startup money.
- About 8% 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