Level Ground Youth Peace Through Sports Alliance

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Executive Summary

Level Ground Youth Peace Through Sports Alliance is a nonprofit in California that uses sports, mentoring and skills for handling conflict to help young people in neighborhoods with high rates of violence stay safe, stay connected and stay on a good path. We run free, evening and weekend leagues and open gyms at neighborhood sites, led by coaches and Credible Messenger Mentors who come from the community and are trained in trauma-informed care. Each night includes a hot dinner, a short lesson on pausing before reacting, and a safe ride home. A licensed Youth Violence Prevention Specialist connects young people and families to counseling and other help, and we coordinate with school, hospital and community violence intervention partners.

Young people in neighborhoods affected by violence carry heavy burdens. Many have lost a friend or family member, have been hurt themselves or live with constant stress, and many have few safe places to go after school and in the evening, which are the hours when youth violence is most likely to occur. Research on programs that combine sports with mentoring and with cognitive behavioral skills, such as slowing down automatic reactions, has found promising reductions in violent-crime arrests and improvements in school engagement among participants in some cities, though results vary and not every program has shown a benefit. We build on these approaches and will measure and report our own results honestly. We do not promise that violence will decrease.

With this grant we will serve about 600 young people ages 11 to 19 in Year 1 at about 6 neighborhood sites, on evenings and weekends, with about 4 part-time Credible Messenger Mentors, 2 Site Coordinators and a licensed clinician. Everyone is welcome, and we invite referrals from schools, probation, hospitals, families and the young people themselves without labeling anyone. All activities end by 9 p.m., and a safe ride is provided to every young person who needs one. Weapons are never allowed. If one is seen, adults do not confront anyone, clear the area and call 911. We do not share information about any young person with law enforcement except as the law requires or when someone is in immediate danger.

Our Year 1 budget is about $587,500, growing to about $972,000 by Year 5, as we serve about 1,700 young people at about 14 sites. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 10 paid staff in Year 1, five full-time and five part-time, and 19 by Year 5. City, county and state violence prevention contracts, and support from health systems, corporate sponsors and donors, grow from about 20% of our income in Year 1 to about 35% in Year 5, so grants fall from about 80% to about 65%.

We are asking the Golden State Safe Communities Fund for $120,000 for one licensed Youth Violence Prevention Specialist, evening safe transportation home, healthy dinners, a trauma and grief support fund, staff training in de-escalation and trauma-informed care, youth leader stipends and gear. Contracts, sponsors, other grants and donors cover the rest, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

I am Darnell Brooks, the Executive Director, a former high school coach and violence interrupter who lost a brother to gun violence. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

Level Ground Youth Peace Through Sports Alliance is a nonprofit organization in California. We are a 501(c)(3) public charity (or a program of one, through a fiscal sponsor), governed by a volunteer board of directors. We will provide our IRS determination letter, board list and most recent financial statements with this proposal.

Our mission. To give young people in neighborhoods affected by violence safe places to play, adults who believe in them and the skills to choose a different path.

What we believe. Young people are not the problem. They are growing up in conditions that no child should have to face, and they deserve safety, belonging and chances. Sports give young people a reason to come, a team to count on and a place to practice handling pressure. The adults who reach young people best are often those who come from the same neighborhoods and have walked hard roads, and they must be trained, supported and held to high standards of safety. Healing and accountability go together. Programs should never label young people as dangerous, and young people's information must be protected. Violence is a public health problem, and the response must include families, schools, hospitals and neighbors.

How we started. Level Ground began when a high school coach who also worked as a violence interrupter opened a gym on Friday and Saturday evenings after a series of shootings in his neighborhood. Within a month, 80 young people were coming to play basketball and soccer, and he and three volunteers started cooking dinner for everyone. In two years, 520 young people took part at three sites. Staff and a licensed social worker noticed that many of the young people had lost someone, and they began weekly group sessions on handling anger and grief. School counselors, the county probation department and a hospital trauma center asked whether we could serve more neighborhoods. This proposal asks for support to build a staffed alliance.

What we offer:
- Evening and weekend leagues and open gyms. Free basketball, soccer and other sports at neighborhood sites, from the late afternoon until 9 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends, with coaches who know every player's name.
- Credible Messenger Mentors. Part-time mentors from the community, some with personal experience of violence or incarceration, who are carefully screened and trained, who mentor young people one-on-one and in groups and who are paid for their work.
- A skills curriculum. Short sessions each night built on cognitive behavioral approaches that research supports: noticing automatic reactions, slowing down, reading situations, handling conflict without violence and making decisions under pressure. Young people practice during games.
- Dinner and snacks. A hot, healthy dinner at every evening session.
- Safe passage and rides home. Rides home for any young person who needs one, and routes and adult presence that make coming and going safe.
- A licensed clinician. A Youth Violence Prevention Specialist, a licensed clinician, who provides support after crises, helps young people and families reach counseling, leads grief and trauma groups and trains staff.
- Trauma and grief support fund. Pays directly to licensed providers for counseling and for rides to appointments.
- Youth leaders. Older participants trained as junior coaches and peer leaders, with stipends, who help run sessions and serve as role models.
- Family engagement and peace events. Family nights, a neighborhood peace tournament and vigils held with the community.
- Connections. Referrals to school counselors, hospital-based violence intervention programs, community violence intervention groups, summer jobs programs, tutoring and housing and legal help.

What we do not do. We do not promise that violence will decrease. We do not mediate gang disputes ourselves: when staff become aware of a conflict that could become dangerous, they contact trained community violence intervention partners and, in an emergency, 911. We do not label young people as gang members or as dangerous. We do not share information about any young person with law enforcement except as the law requires or when someone is in immediate danger. We do not allow weapons at any site. We do not provide medical care or crisis services beyond first aid, and we refer to providers.

How we are run. A nine-member volunteer board of directors oversees the organization and approves the budget each year. The board includes a trauma surgeon, a high school coach, a licensed clinical social worker, a pastor, a parent who lost a child to violence, a young adult who grew up in the program, a school counselor, an attorney and a certified public accountant. The Executive Director manages the organization and partnerships, the Program Director oversees operations and safety, and an outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Where things stand today. Six schools, the county probation department, a hospital trauma center and two community violence intervention organizations have signed letters of support, and the city's office of violence prevention has invited us to apply for funding. We have a letter of intent for a small office and equipment storage space. Before we begin, an attorney will review our site and school agreements, consent, confidentiality, weapons and incident policies and insurance.

Problem & Opportunity

Why this program is needed.

Violence is a leading cause of death and injury among young people in the United States, and it is concentrated in a small number of neighborhoods that have faced decades of disinvestment, segregation and limited opportunity. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and from public health scholars finds that exposure to violence harms young people's health, learning and mental health, and that young people who live with violence are more likely to be hurt or to hurt others. Violence also tends to be concentrated at certain times, particularly after school and in the evening, and among small networks of young people. Before we submit, we will add the latest local data.

The gaps we see:
1. Few safe places. Many neighborhoods have few open gyms, parks or programs, and those that exist often close early. Young people have nowhere safe to be in the evening.
2. Exposure to trauma. Many young people have lost someone to violence, been hurt or witnessed violence, and live with fear and stress. Few have access to counseling, and many do not trust systems that have failed them.
3. Automatic reactions. In situations of conflict and threat, young people who have lived with danger may react quickly and without time to think. Skills that help them pause and choose can be taught and practiced.
4. Few trusted adults. Young people say that having an adult who knows them and believes in them is one of the most important protections. Many do not have one.
5. Programs that do not reach those who need them most. Some programs are built for young people who are already doing well, have fees or transportation barriers or stop at 5 p.m.
6. Stigma and labeling. Young people who are labeled as at risk or as gang members may be treated with suspicion by schools and police, and may avoid programs that label them.
7. Mistrust of law enforcement. Many young people and families fear that information they share will be used against them. Programs need clear rules about confidentiality.
8. Pathways out. Young people who want to move away from violence need alternatives: jobs, school support and counseling. They need these quickly, and the services are fragmented.
9. Grief and after-violence response. After a shooting, friends, siblings and neighbors may have no support, and unresolved grief and a desire for retaliation can cause further harm.
10. Inequity. Black, Latino and Native American young people are disproportionately affected by violence. Programs must be designed with and led by the communities they serve.

What the evidence says. Studies of programs that combine sports or recreation with mentoring and cognitive behavioral skills have found reductions in violent-crime arrests and improved school outcomes among participants in some cities, particularly programs that serve young people with the greatest need and that are of high quality. Evidence is strongest for certain structured cognitive behavioral programs and weaker for recreation alone, and results can differ by place and population. We will measure our own results and report them honestly, and we will not claim that sports alone prevent violence.

How we know people want this. In our pilot, 520 young people took part in two years at three sites, many of them came several times a week and brought friends, and school counselors told us that students who attended seemed calmer and more connected. Six schools, a probation department and a trauma center asked us to expand.

How we will show the need. Before we submit this proposal, we will add the numbers of homicides and shootings among young people in our service area from the police department and the county health department, the share of young people in our neighborhoods who report feeling unsafe from the California Healthy Kids Survey, the number and hours of open gyms and youth programs in our service area, the number of young people referred to us by schools, probation and the hospital and the number on our waiting list.

Who benefits first. Young people ages 11 to 19 in our service area who live in neighborhoods with high rates of violence, especially those who have lost someone, have been hurt, have been suspended or are disconnected from school, and their families and neighbors.

Products & Services

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

1. Open safe, welcoming sites. We partner with recreation centers, schools and churches to run evening and weekend programs at about 6 neighborhood sites in Year 1, chosen with local data and community input. Sites are open from the late afternoon until 9 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends, with at least three trained adults present at all times.

2. Welcome every young person. Young people ages 11 to 19 can come any time with no sign-up barrier. A short registration with a parent or guardian's consent is required for those under 18, with a young person's own consent where the law allows. We accept referrals from schools, probation, hospitals, families, community groups and young people themselves, and we do not label anyone. About 600 young people take part in Year 1.

3. Run leagues and open gyms. Basketball, soccer and other sports, with leagues, tournaments, skills clinics and open gym time, at each site. Coaches are trained and screened, and every young person plays.

4. Teach a skills curriculum. Short, practical sessions every night, led by coaches and Credible Messenger Mentors, built on cognitive behavioral approaches: noticing automatic reactions, pausing, reading situations, choosing a response, handling disrespect and conflict and thinking about consequences. Young people practice in games and role plays. Sessions are brief and are designed to be engaging, not like school.

5. Provide Credible Messenger Mentors. Part-time mentors, about 4 in Year 1, who come from the community and are chosen for their commitment, credibility and ability to listen. Each passes a background check and a careful screening. Where a mentor has a criminal record, we review it individually, and mentors are never alone with a young person in a private place. Mentors receive training and ongoing supervision, and are paid. They mentor in small groups and one-on-one in public places and at the site.

6. Feed everyone. A hot, healthy dinner and snacks at every evening session, without questions.

7. Get young people home safely. Every young person who needs a ride home receives one by a screened driver with a trained adult monitor, never alone with a single child. Sites are chosen and routes planned for safe coming and going. Evening safe transportation is a core part of the program.

8. Provide clinical support. A licensed Youth Violence Prevention Specialist provides group sessions on grief and trauma, helps young people and families reach counseling, supports staff after a crisis and trains the team. Young people who need counseling are connected to licensed providers, and the Trauma and Grief Support Fund pays directly to providers and for rides to appointments.

9. Respond to crises. If a young person is in danger, staff call 911. A young person in emotional crisis is offered the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and a staff member stays until help arrives. After a violent incident that affects our community, we hold a safe gathering, offer counseling and work with community violence intervention and hospital partners to prevent retaliation. We never encourage young people to intervene in dangerous situations.

10. Build leaders. Older participants are trained as junior coaches and peer leaders, with stipends, and help run sessions and events.

11. Connect to more help. Referrals to tutoring, school counselors, hospital-based violence intervention, summer jobs programs, housing and legal help, with warm handoffs wherever possible.

12. Involve families and neighbors. Family nights, a neighborhood peace tournament and vigils, hosted with churches and community groups, and a Community Advisory Council that includes parents and young people.

How we will measure results. We track young people who attend, how often and for how long, the share who come four or more times a month, the number who are new to a program, school attendance and discipline (with consent), counseling connections made, junior coaches and peer leaders, incidents at our sites and satisfaction. With consent, we work with partners to see whether participants' involvement with violence, such as arrests for violent crimes or injuries treated at the hospital, changes compared with similar young people, and we report the results, including any lack of effect. We break results out by age, race, gender and neighborhood so that we can find and fix gaps.

Our Year 1 goals:
- About 600 young people take part at about 6 sites, and at least 60% attend at least four times a month.
- At least 70% of participants say they have an adult at the program they trust.
- 100% of staff and mentors pass a background check and complete de-escalation and trauma-informed care training before starting.
- At least 90% of participants who need a ride home receive one, and there are no unsafe pickups or drop-offs.
- At least 80% of participants who ask for counseling are connected to a provider within two weeks.
- About 40 youth leaders and junior coaches are trained and paid stipends.
- No weapons incident at any site results in an injury, and every incident is reviewed.
- At least 90% of young people and families say the program is safe and respectful.
These are goals, and we will report our real results to the Fund, including where we fall short. We do not promise that violence will decrease.

Market Analysis

Who we serve and how many.

The young people. Ages 11 to 19 who live in our service area, with a parent or guardian's consent for those under 18. Anyone is welcome. We reach out especially to young people who have lost someone to violence, have been hurt or witnessed violence, have been suspended or are disconnected from school, are involved with probation or are not in school or working. We do not label young people or require anyone to say why they came.

Where we work. About 6 neighborhood sites in Year 1, such as recreation centers, school gyms and churches, in neighborhoods with the highest rates of violence in the city and county, chosen with the police department's and the county health department's data and with residents. Sites are on transit routes, and rides are provided home in the evening.

How many we will reach:
- Year 1: about 600 young people at about 6 sites, about 4 part-time Credible Messenger Mentors and 10 paid staff.
- Year 2: about 800 young people at about 8 sites and about 5 mentors.
- Year 3: about 1,050 young people at about 10 sites, about 6 mentors, with a third Site Coordinator.
- Year 4: about 1,350 young people at about 12 sites, about 8 mentors, with a second licensed clinician.
- Year 5: about 1,700 young people at about 14 sites, about 10 mentors, with a fourth Site Coordinator.
Over five years we expect to serve about 5,500 young person-years. Many young people take part for several years and are counted more than once.

Who else benefits:
- Families. Parents know where their children are and that adults care for them, and they have a place to get help.
- Schools. Counselors and teachers gain a partner that keeps young people connected and supported after school.
- Neighbors. Safe, busy, supervised sites make blocks calmer, and neighbors have a stake in the program through the advisory council.
- Hospitals and public health. Fewer young people injured and a stronger connection to services can reduce trauma and costs.
- Mentors and youth leaders. Credible Messenger Mentors and youth leaders gain paid work, training and leadership roles.
- The community. Young people who are safe, supported and busy contribute to stronger neighborhoods.

How we will size the need before we submit. We will add the number of young people ages 11 to 19 in our neighborhoods, the rates of homicides, shootings and assaults among young people, the share of young people who feel unsafe, the number of programs and open gym hours and the referrals and waiting list from our pilot. These come from the police department, the county health department, the California Healthy Kids Survey, the U.S. Census Bureau and our own records.

Competitive Landscape

Other options young people have, and how we fit.

- Recreation centers and parks. Public centers provide space and some programs, often with limited hours and staff. We partner with them and bring evening coverage, coaches, mentors and a skills curriculum.
- Boys and girls clubs, YMCAs and youth organizations. They offer many valuable programs, often with fees or closing at 6 p.m. We partner with them and focus on evening hours, sports, credible messengers and clinical support in the neighborhoods with the highest violence.
- School sports. School teams offer coaching, with tryouts and cuts, and many young people with the greatest need are not on them. We serve those who are cut, suspended or disconnected and encourage them to join school teams.
- Community violence intervention organizations. Groups of trained violence interrupters and outreach workers work directly to prevent shootings and retaliation. This is specialized and dangerous work, and we do not do it ourselves. We partner with them and refer to them.
- Hospital-based violence intervention programs. They work with young people injured by violence at the bedside and afterward. We partner and accept referrals.
- Probation and juvenile justice programs. They provide supervision and some services. We are not a part of the justice system, we do not report on young people and we welcome referrals only with consent.
- Mental health services. Counselors and clinics provide treatment, often with long waits and few evening appointments. We provide on-site support and warm referrals.
- Street and informal groups. Where there are no safe places, young people turn to peers and groups that may offer belonging and also danger. We offer another place to belong.

The gap we fill. In our neighborhoods, no program combines free evening and weekend sports at neighborhood sites, community-based Credible Messenger Mentors, a cognitive behavioral skills curriculum, dinner and safe rides home, a licensed clinician and a trauma and grief support fund, with a firm commitment to protect young people's information and not label them.

Our partners:
- Six schools, which refer students, share information with consent and host sites.
- The county probation department, which accepts our invitation to refer young people, without sharing information with us except with consent.
- A hospital trauma center and hospital-based violence intervention program, which refer young people and provide medical and counseling advice.
- Two community violence intervention organizations, which provide outreach, mediation and rapid response for dangerous conflicts.
- The city's office of violence prevention and the county health department, which provide data, contracts and coordination.
- Churches, recreation centers and neighborhood groups, which host sites and volunteer.
- A university research partner, which will help us evaluate results.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

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

Reaching young people:
- Word of mouth. Young people trust each other. Our youth leaders and participants bring friends, cousins and teammates.
- Credible Messenger Mentors. Mentors walk neighborhoods, talk to young people and families in public places and invite them to come.
- Schools. Counselors, teachers and coaches tell students about the program.
- Social media. Short posts that young people help design, with only signed permission to show anyone's image.
- Community partners. Churches, barbershops, recreation centers and neighborhood groups share flyers and host events.
- Events. Open nights, a neighborhood peace tournament and block parties that draw young people and families.

Making it easy to come:
- Free, with dinner, and no sign-up barrier on the first visit. A short form is completed on the second visit, and a parent or guardian's consent is collected for those under 18.
- Open from late afternoon until 9 p.m. and on weekends, and walkable from neighborhoods, with rides home for anyone who needs one.
- Clear rules posted at each site: respect, no weapons and no violence on site.
- No one is asked why they came or whether they are in a group.
- Interpretation and materials in Spanish and other languages used in our area.

Keeping young people engaged:
- Coaches and mentors who know every young person by name and who show up every night.
- A mix of sports, food, music and leadership roles that give young people reasons to come and to stay.
- Stipends and responsibility for older youth who become junior coaches and peer leaders.
- A consistent schedule, so young people know where to be.
- If a young person stops coming, a mentor reaches out kindly, without pressure.

Reaching families and neighbors:
- Family nights with a meal, in English and Spanish, and a parent advisory group.
- Home visits by mentors when invited by a family.
- A Community Advisory Council of parents, young people, neighbors and partners that reviews our work.

Reaching supporters. The city, the county, health systems, businesses and individuals are invited to sponsor a site, a team or the dinner program. We share results twice a year with funders and partners as totals, without any identifying details.

Outreach budget. Family engagement and community peace events are about $10,000 a year in Year 1, growing about 8% a year. A program logo designed with young people, banners and a simple website are paid for once from startup money ($5,000).

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1:
- Months 1 to 3: Attorney review of site and school agreements, consent, confidentiality, weapons and incident policies and insurance, sign the lease, hire the Program Director, two Site Coordinators, the licensed Youth Violence Prevention Specialist and four part-time Credible Messenger Mentors, buy equipment and AEDs and set up the data system.
- Month 4: Staff and mentor training in de-escalation, trauma-informed care, safe messaging, confidentiality, first aid and the emergency plan. Meetings with partners, including community violence intervention organizations and the hospital. Open houses at each site.
- Months 5 to 8: Evening and weekend programs open at the first sites, with leagues, dinners, rides home and the skills curriculum. First group sessions with the clinician.
- Months 9 to 12: All six sites open. First youth leaders trained. Neighborhood peace tournament. Review of results, a year-end report to funders and partners and planning for Year 2.

Space. Programs are held in recreation centers, school gyms and churches under written agreements. Gym, field and league costs are about $24,000 a year in Year 1. We lease a small office with equipment storage, about $18,000 a year in Year 1. Paint, shelving and a private meeting room are a one-time cost of $3,000, with a deposit and first month of rent of $4,000.

Equipment. We buy about $33,000 of equipment once at the start: portable adjustable basketball hoops, soccer goals, nets and field equipment ($14,000), four AEDs with cabinets ($6,000), tablets and a secure data system ($5,000), first aid and ice kits and emergency radios ($2,000), four laptops ($4,000) and locking cabinets ($2,000). An opening supply of balls, jerseys, training equipment and curriculum workbooks is a one-time cost of $10,000. After Year 1, we set aside about $5,000 to $8,000 a year to replace and add equipment. Gear, uniforms and equipment are about $20,000 a year in Year 1.

Staffing. In Year 1: an Executive Director, a Program Director, two Site Coordinators, a Youth Violence Prevention Specialist who is a licensed clinician, four part-time Credible Messenger Mentors and a part-time Program Coordinator and Data Specialist, ten paid staff in all. A third Site Coordinator and a fifth and sixth mentor join in Year 3, a second clinician and more mentors in Year 4 and a fourth Site Coordinator in Year 5. Staff and mentors are paid fair wages, and mentors receive supervision every week.

Safety at sites. At least three trained adults are present at every session, and no adult is ever alone with a young person in a private place. Weapons are never allowed. We post this rule, and adults do not search young people. If an adult sees or hears of a weapon, they do not confront anyone, they calmly clear the area, keep young people safe and call 911. Sites have emergency radios, AEDs, first aid kits and a written plan that is practiced each season. All activities end by 9 p.m., and young people are not left alone at closing. Staff and mentors are trained in de-escalation and do not physically restrain young people except to prevent immediate harm, as the law allows.

Credible Messenger Mentors. Each mentor passes a fingerprint background check and a personal interview. Where a mentor has a criminal record, a review panel considers the record, the time that has passed and the person's work since, in line with fair chance hiring rules, and rejects anyone with a record of violence against a child or sexual offense. Mentors sign a code of conduct, receive training and meet young people only in public settings or at our sites, with other adults nearby. They do not carry weapons and do not engage in street mediation or conflicts. When mentors learn of a dangerous conflict, they inform their supervisor, who contacts our community violence intervention partners and 911 if needed.

Confidentiality and information sharing. A young person's information is kept in a locked cabinet and a secure, password-protected system, shared only with the family's or young person's permission, except where the law requires, such as to report suspected abuse or neglect of a child, or when someone is in immediate danger of serious harm. We do not share information about any young person with law enforcement except as the law requires or when someone is in immediate danger. We do not keep lists of young people's affiliations. We report results to funders only as totals, never with a name. Photos are shared only with written permission.

Clinical standards. The licensed clinician works within the limits of the license, uses evidence-based approaches and keeps clinical records separate. Counseling happens with parent or guardian consent as California law requires, and an attorney confirms how rules on minor consent apply. We follow safe messaging guidelines in all communications. Staff training in de-escalation and trauma-informed care is about $10,000 a year in Year 1, and the trauma and grief support fund is about $14,000 a year, paid directly to licensed providers.

Transportation. Rides home are provided by screened drivers with a trained adult monitor, never a single adult alone with a single child, in licensed and insured vehicles. Evening safe transportation home is about $18,000 a year in Year 1.

Evaluation and ethics. A university partner reviews our evaluation plan, and we collect data only with consent. We never use data to punish or label a young person, and we report results honestly.

Insurance and records. We carry general liability, abuse and molestation liability, non-owned auto liability, professional liability for the clinician and workers' compensation. Insurance is about $14,000 a year in Year 1. 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.

Darnell Brooks, Executive Director. Darnell leads the organization, raises money, manages grants and city, county and school partnerships, supervises staff and reports to the board. He coached high school basketball for 14 years, worked for four years as a violence interrupter, lost a brother to gun violence and started our pilot gym. Planned salary: $62,000 a year.

Program Director. Oversees operations, safety, scheduling and the Site Coordinators and Credible Messenger Mentors, and works with partners. Must have experience in youth programs, violence prevention or social services, and training in trauma-informed care. Planned salary: $54,000 a year.

Site Coordinator. Manages one to three sites: scheduling, coaches, safety, dinner, rides and relationships with families and neighbors. Two in Years 1 and 2, three in Years 3 and 4 and four in Year 5, at a planned salary of $44,000 each.

Youth Violence Prevention Specialist (licensed clinician). Provides group and individual support, leads grief and trauma groups, connects young people and families to counseling, supports staff after crises and trains the team. Must hold a current California license, such as a licensed clinical social worker or marriage and family therapist, with experience with youth and trauma. One in Years 1 to 3 and two from Year 4, at a planned salary of $58,000 each. The Golden State Safe Communities Fund grant would support the first Youth Violence Prevention Specialist.

Credible Messenger Mentor (part-time). Mentors young people one-on-one and in groups, helps lead the curriculum and builds relationships with families. Must come from or have deep ties to the community, pass the background check and review and complete training. Four in Year 1, five in Year 2, six in Year 3, eight in Year 4 and ten in Year 5, at a planned part-time pay of $24,000 each.

Program Coordinator and Data Specialist (part-time). Handles registration, consent forms, rides, 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: 10 paid staff in Year 1 (five full-time and five part-time), 11 in Year 2, 13 in Year 3, 16 in Year 4 and 19 in Year 5.

Volunteers. About 30 volunteers in Year 1, including coaches, tutors and cooks. Volunteers pass a background check, receive training, are never alone with a young person and do not handle confidential records.

The board. A nine-member volunteer board approves the budget, reviews results and safety reports 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 three board members have lived experience of violence or of the programs we serve.

People who help us. An outside accountant who reviews our books every year, an attorney who reviews our site agreements, consent, confidentiality and weapons policies, an insurance agent who understands youth programs, a university evaluation partner and a Youth Advisory Council and a Community Advisory Council that meet each season.

Training. All staff, mentors and volunteers complete training in de-escalation, trauma-informed care, safe messaging, confidentiality, child protection, first aid 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 alliance at about 6 sites, serve about 600 young people with 10 paid staff, with at least 60% attending four or more times a month, 100% of staff and mentors screened and trained and safe rides home for everyone who needs one. A balanced budget of about $587,500, with a small surplus of about $16,900.
- Year 2: Serve about 800 young people at about 8 sites. Begin the evaluation with a university partner. A balanced budget of about $630,500, with a small surplus of about $16,700. 11 paid staff.
- Year 3: Add a third Site Coordinator and serve about 1,050 young people at about 10 sites. A balanced budget of about $720,500, with a small surplus of about $16,700. 13 paid staff.
- Year 4: Add a second licensed clinician and serve about 1,350 young people at about 12 sites. Share first outcome findings with partners and funders. A balanced budget of about $852,000, with a small surplus of about $18,400. 16 paid staff.
- Year 5: Add a fourth Site Coordinator and serve about 1,700 young people at about 14 sites, with contracts and sponsors covering about 35% of our budget. Report five years of results, including what did and did not work, and share our approach with other cities. A balanced budget of about $972,000, with a small surplus of about $19,500. 19 paid staff.

What we measure:
- Young people served, attendance and frequency, first-time participants and referrals by source.
- Trusted adult connections, sense of safety and belonging, and counseling connections made and kept.
- School attendance and discipline for participants, with consent.
- Youth leaders and junior coaches trained.
- Safety incidents at sites, weapons incidents and how they were resolved.
- With consent, indicators of involvement in violence, such as arrests for violent crimes and hospital visits for injuries, compared with similar young people, reported honestly.
- Participant, family and partner satisfaction.
- Cost per young person and contract and sponsor income.
- Results by age, race, gender and neighborhood so that we can find and fix gaps.

How we review results. The Program Director reviews attendance, incidents and safety every week. After each season, staff, mentors, our Youth Advisory Council and our Community Advisory Council review results and change what is not working, and our university partner reviews outcomes. 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: $120,000 from the Golden State Safe Communities Fund for one licensed Youth Violence Prevention Specialist, evening safe transportation home, healthy dinners, a trauma and grief support fund, staff training in de-escalation and trauma-informed care, youth leader stipends and gear, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Youth Violence Prevention Specialist (licensed clinician) salary, $58,000.
- Other: Evening safe transportation home, $14,000 (other funds add $4,000).
- Other: Healthy dinners and snacks, $12,000 (other funds add $8,000).
- Other: Trauma and grief support fund (counseling paid directly to licensed providers), $10,000 (other funds add $4,000).
- Other: Staff training in de-escalation and trauma-informed care, $6,000 (other funds add $4,000).
- Other: Youth leader and junior coach stipends, $10,000 (other funds add $6,000).
- Other: Gear, uniforms and equipment, $10,000 (other funds add $10,000).

Other money in the program. City, county and state violence prevention contracts, health system and corporate sponsors, other grants and donors pay the other $36,000 of those lines, plus the Executive Director's salary ($62,000), the Program Director ($54,000), the two Site Coordinators ($88,000), the four part-time Credible Messenger Mentors ($96,000), the part-time Program Coordinator and Data Specialist ($26,000), gym, field and league costs ($24,000), family engagement and community peace events ($10,000), insurance ($14,000), office and equipment storage space ($18,000) and evaluation, data and administration ($16,000).

Year 1 budget: about $587,500, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $16,900 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $467,500 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), city, county and state violence prevention contracts $80,000 and health system and corporate sponsors and donations $40,000. Year 1 costs: Executive Director $62,000; Program Director $54,000; two Site Coordinators $88,000; Youth Violence Prevention Specialist $58,000; four part-time Credible Messenger Mentors $96,000; Program Coordinator and Data Specialist $26,000; youth leader and junior coach stipends about $16,000; evening safe transportation home about $18,000; gear, uniforms and equipment about $20,000; gym, field and league costs about $24,000; healthy dinners and snacks about $20,000; trauma and grief support fund about $14,000; staff training about $10,000; family engagement and community peace events about $10,000; insurance about $14,000; office and equipment storage space about $18,000; evaluation, data and administration about $16,000; and about $11,600 a year for the wear on equipment.

About contracts and sponsors. Cities, counties and the state fund violence prevention and community violence intervention, including through state grants and federal funds for community safety, and these funds are competitive, awarded for set periods and change with budgets and politics. The city's office of violence prevention has invited us to apply. Health systems and corporate sponsors may support sites and the dinner program. These amounts are planning estimates, not promises. Payments often arrive after we bill, and public contracts can be reimbursement-based, so we plan for about $47,000 owed to us at the end of Year 1. We plan for grants and donors to cover the gap if contracts are delayed or reduced.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $72,500 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $33,000 of equipment (portable hoops and goals, four AEDs, tablets and a data system, first aid kits and radios, laptops and locking cabinets), $3,000 for paint, shelving and a private meeting room, $4,000 for the lease deposit and first month of rent, $10,000 for the opening supply of balls, jerseys, equipment and workbooks, $2,000 for facility use and event permits, $8,000 for an attorney's review of site and school agreements, consent, confidentiality, weapons and incident policies and insurance and for accounting setup, $5,000 for the logo, banners and website, and $7,500 for background checks, de-escalation training for staff and mentors and the first insurance payment.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($72,500), the cash we need to cover the wait for the first payments (about $23,500) and a cash cushion of about $141,000, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. That comes to $237,000. We start with $25,000 of our own savings and $220,000 in startup support from a community foundation, a hospital and our board, $245,000 in all, which covers that amount.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $587,500 in Year 1 to about $972,000 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $467,500, $463,500, $499,500, $570,000 and $632,000 in Years 1 to 5. City, county and state contracts grow from $80,000 to $240,000, and health system and corporate sponsors and donations grow from $40,000 to $100,000. We add a third Site Coordinator and more mentors in Year 3, a second licensed clinician in Year 4 and a fourth Site Coordinator in Year 5. Grants fall from about 80% of our income in Year 1 to about 65% in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $188,500, at the end of Year 1.

After the grant. Our plan is for cities, counties and the state to carry a growing share of the cost, as the evidence of results builds, and for health systems, which treat the consequences of violence, and businesses to sponsor sites and dinners. We will also apply to state and federal violence prevention and community safety funds and invite local businesses to sponsor teams and sites.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- A violent incident at or near a site. We keep at least three trained adults at every session, post a no-weapons rule, practice emergency plans, work with our community violence intervention partners and call 911.
- A mentor or staff member harms a young person. All adults pass a background check and review, are never alone with a young person in private, are mandated reporters, sign a code of conduct and are supervised every week.
- A breach of confidentiality. Records are locked and secure, only the minimum is shared and staff are trained on when the law requires sharing.
- Young people are labeled or stigmatized by our program. We welcome everyone, do not label, do not share information with law enforcement except as the law requires and let young people shape our messaging.
- Results are not as strong as hoped. We use evidence-based approaches, work with a university partner, report honestly and change what is not working.
- Staff burnout and vicarious trauma. We provide supervision, a clinician, paid time to recover and reasonable caseloads.
- Public contracts are delayed or cut. We plan with a cash cushion, stage hiring so costs follow funding and apply to other funders.
- A grant ends. We keep savings, grow contract and sponsor income and diversify 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: an evening open gym two nights a week at one recreation center with three screened and trained adults, a hot meal and a volunteer licensed clinician, tracked carefully. Strong results from a small start make larger grants easier to win.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach with this proposal:

- Your IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter, or your fiscal sponsor agreement.
- Your most recent financial statements and your current year budget.
- A list of your board members and what each one does.
- Resumes for your Executive Director, Program Director and licensed clinician, with the clinician's California license.
- Letters of support and agreements from schools, the probation department, the hospital trauma center, community violence intervention organizations, the city's office of violence prevention and each site.
- Your mentor screening and review policy and code of conduct.
- Your skills curriculum outline and the research it draws on.
- Your emergency plan, weapons policy, incident report form, confidentiality and information sharing policy, and consent forms.
- Your evaluation plan and a letter from the university partner.
- Results from your pilot, shown as totals.
- Proof of general liability, abuse liability, professional liability and workers' compensation insurance, or quotes.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.

The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Grant Revenue: $467,500 in Year 1, then $463,500, $499,500, $570,000 and $632,000.
- City, County and State Violence Prevention Contracts: $80,000 in Year 1, then $115,000, $155,000, $200,000 and $240,000.
- Health System and Corporate Sponsors and Donations: $40,000 in Year 1, growing to $100,000.
- Young people: about 600 in Year 1, then 800, 1,050, 1,350 and 1,700. Sites: about 6 in Year 1, growing to about 14.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): Executive Director $62,000, Program Director $54,000, Site Coordinator $44,000 (two in Years 1 and 2, three in Years 3 and 4, four in Year 5), Youth Violence Prevention Specialist $58,000 (one in Years 1 to 3, two from Year 4), Credible Messenger Mentor (part-time) $24,000 (four in Year 1, then five, six, eight and ten), Program Coordinator and Data Specialist (part-time) $26,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: Youth Leader and Junior Coach Stipends $16,000, Evening Safe Transportation Home $18,000, Gear, Uniforms and Equipment $20,000, Gym, Field and League Costs $24,000, Healthy Dinners and Snacks $20,000, Trauma and Grief Support Fund $14,000, Staff Training $10,000, Family Engagement and Community Peace Events $10,000, Insurance $14,000, Office and Equipment Storage Space $18,000, Evaluation, Data and Administration $16,000. These grow between 4% and 15% a year.
- Equipment: $33,000 at the start, then $5,000 to $8,000 a year.
- Startup costs: $72,500, paid once from $245,000 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