Steady Ground Recovery Network

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Executive Summary

Steady Ground Recovery Network is a nonprofit in Pennsylvania that works on both ends of the substance use problem: helping young people never start down that road, and helping people who are already struggling find their way to recovery and stay there. We do this through school-based prevention for middle schoolers, free and confidential recovery coaching from certified peer recovery specialists who have lived experience of recovery themselves, a welcoming substance-free recovery center, support for families, and overdose education with free naloxone.

Substance use touches almost every family in our region. Too many young people hear about drugs and alcohol only from friends or the internet, and not from a trusted adult who can teach them real skills. Too many adults who are ready to change hit a wall: a long wait for treatment, no ride, no one to call at 9 p.m. and no one who understands what they are going through. Treatment programs do vital clinical work, but a person leaves a program or an appointment and goes home. Recovery happens in the days and weeks and years that follow. That is where we show up.

With this grant we will teach an evidence-based 10-session prevention series to about 450 sixth and seventh graders at three middle schools in Year 1, along with workshops for about 150 parents. Our peer recovery specialists will provide one-on-one coaching to about 120 people, and our recovery center will welcome about 3,000 visits from people in or seeking recovery and their families. We will hold about 40 overdose education and naloxone trainings for about 600 people. We do not provide medical treatment. We connect people to licensed providers, and we stay beside them while they get there and after.

Our Year 1 budget is about $310,500, growing to about $455,000 by Year 5 as we add schools and peer specialists. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 5 paid staff in Year 1 and 8 by Year 5, supported by trained volunteers. A county opioid settlement commitment and local donors add steady support, so grants fall from about 73% of our income in Year 1 to about 58% in Year 5.

We are asking the Keystone Community Health Foundation for $70,000 for our Prevention Specialist, naloxone kits and prevention materials, peer specialist certification and supervision, and a transportation and basic needs fund. Other grants, county funds and local donors cover the rest, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

I am Carla Mendez, the Executive Director and a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

Steady Ground Recovery Network is a nonprofit organization in Pennsylvania. 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 prevent substance misuse before it starts and to help every person who wants recovery find a path, stay on it and help others do the same.

What we believe. Substance use disorder is a health condition, not a moral failure, and people can and do recover. There are many paths to recovery, and the right one is the one that works for the person. People trust others who have walked the road. Hope is contagious. Families are harmed and families are part of the solution. Young people deserve honest information and real skills, not scare tactics. We use respectful, person-first language: a person is never defined by a diagnosis or a past.

How we started. Steady Ground began when a group of people in long-term recovery, a school nurse and a pastor started meeting in a church basement after a series of overdose deaths in our county. They began handing out naloxone and sitting with families. The school nurse asked whether someone could talk with seventh graders before they got to high school. People in the basement began asking if they could get a recovery coach. Over three years, volunteers supported more than 200 people and trained more than 400 community members to respond to an overdose. This proposal asks for support to turn that volunteer effort into a staffed, year-round network.

What we offer:
- School-based prevention. An evidence-based 10-session life skills and prevention series for sixth and seventh graders, delivered in school with the school's approval, plus workshops for parents and caregivers.
- Peer recovery coaching. One-on-one support from certified peer recovery specialists who have lived experience of recovery. Coaches help a person set recovery goals, get to treatment and appointments, find housing and work, and avoid isolation. Coaching is free, confidential and voluntary.
- A recovery center. A substance-free, drop-in space with a coffee bar, a kitchenette, a private room for meetings and a calm space to sit. Independent mutual-aid groups, such as 12-step and other peer groups, hold their own meetings in our space. We host them and do not run them.
- Family support. A weekly family group led by a trained facilitator, and a one-on-one family coach, because loved ones need support too.
- Overdose education and naloxone. Free trainings on recognizing and responding to an overdose, and free naloxone kits where state law allows.
- A transportation and basic needs fund. Bus passes, rides and small emergency help so a missing ride or a missed meal does not end someone's recovery.

What we do not do. We do not provide medical treatment, detoxification or medications. We do not run a syringe exchange. We are not a crisis line or an emergency service. We connect people to licensed providers, including providers who offer medications for opioid use disorder, and we respect each person's choices about their own care.

How we are run. A seven-member volunteer board of directors oversees the organization and approves the budget each year. The board includes a physician who treats addiction, a school nurse, a pastor, a person in long-term recovery, a family member who lost a loved one, a county human services administrator and a certified public accountant. The Executive Director manages the organization, the Prevention Specialist and Peer Recovery Specialists run the programs, and an outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Where things stand today. We have signed letters from three middle school principals and a county commissioner who has invited us to apply for opioid settlement funds. We have a letter of intent for a ground-floor storefront on the bus line, and agreements in principle with two treatment providers and a hospital emergency department to accept referrals and share follow-up. Before we begin, we will confirm the state's peer certification rules, sign agreements with each school, and have an attorney review our lease and confidentiality policies.

Problem & Opportunity

Why this program is needed.

Substance use and overdose have taken a heavy toll on families in our region. Every community loses people it cannot afford to lose. Behind every statistic is a person who could have had a different path if help had come earlier, was easier to reach, or had been offered with respect.

The gaps we see:
1. Prevention starts too late or too little. Most people who develop a substance use problem begin using as teenagers. Many students get a single assembly or a pamphlet, which research suggests does little. Programs that teach skills, such as resisting pressure, managing stress and making decisions, delivered over several sessions, have a stronger record. Few schools in our county have the staff or money to offer one.
2. Waiting lists and gaps in treatment. Many people who are ready for treatment wait weeks or travel far. Some quit trying. Others finish treatment and return to the same neighborhood with no support.
3. The first days and months are the most fragile. People leaving treatment, jail or a hospital need someone to call, a ride to appointments, a safe place to be during the day and people who understand. Without that, many return to use.
4. Stigma keeps people away. Many people are afraid of being judged by an employer, neighbor or even health care provider. They do not ask for help until a crisis.
5. Families are left alone. Parents, partners and children often carry fear, shame and exhaustion, and have few places to turn.
6. Overdose is preventable, but only when someone is ready. Naloxone can reverse an opioid overdose, but only if someone nearby has it and knows what to do.
7. Basic needs get in the way. A missing bus pass, a lost phone or no place to sleep can undo weeks of effort.

Why peer support. People in recovery who are trained and certified as peer recovery specialists offer something clinical staff cannot: they have lived it, and they can say "I have been where you are." Peer recovery support is recognized by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as an important part of the recovery system. Pennsylvania certifies peer specialists, and we confirm the current rules before we hire.

How we will show the need. Before we submit this proposal, we will add the number of overdose deaths and emergency department visits for overdose in our county from the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the county coroner, the number of people who entered publicly funded treatment, the number of treatment providers and the typical wait time (which we will check by calling local providers), and the results of the Pennsylvania Youth Survey for our school districts, which reports the share of students who report using substances. We will also add the number of people who have asked us for help and had nowhere to go.

Who benefits first. Sixth and seventh graders at our three partner middle schools, and their parents and caregivers. Adults and young adults in our county who are seeking recovery or in early recovery, with an emphasis on people leaving treatment, jail or a hospital, and families affected by someone else's substance use.

Products & Services

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

1. Teach prevention in middle school. Our Prevention Specialist delivers a 10-session, evidence-based life skills and substance use prevention series to sixth and seventh graders during the school day. The series teaches how to resist peer pressure, manage stress and strong feelings, make decisions, communicate clearly and understand the real facts about substances. We choose a program that has been reviewed by independent groups and is listed in SAMHSA's Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center, and we are trained and licensed to deliver it as designed, because changing a program can weaken it. Parents receive notice and may opt their child out under school rules. About 450 students at three schools take part in Year 1.

2. Equip parents. Two workshops a year at each school for parents and caregivers, covering how to talk with a child about substances, warning signs, safe storage of medications and alcohol, and where to turn for help. About 150 parents attend in Year 1.

3. Provide peer recovery coaching. Two Peer Recovery Specialists meet one-on-one with people who ask for help, at the center, in the community and by phone. A coach helps the person set goals in their own words, make and keep appointments, apply for benefits and housing, find work, and build a sober social network. Coaching is voluntary, free and confidential. About 120 people receive coaching in Year 1, with about 25 to 30 active at a time for each coach.

4. Open a recovery center. A substance-free, drop-in recovery center open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday afternoons, with a coffee bar, a calm room, a private meeting room, a computer for job applications and a kitchenette. Independent mutual-aid groups meet in the space. Staff or trained volunteers are always present. We expect about 3,000 visits in Year 1.

5. Support families. A weekly family support group led by a trained facilitator, and one-on-one coaching for family members. About 60 family members take part in Year 1.

6. Prevent overdose deaths. About 40 overdose education trainings a year for community groups, workplaces, faith communities and families, reaching about 600 people. Each person trained can receive a free naloxone kit where state law allows, supplied through state and county programs and donations. We confirm Pennsylvania's current naloxone and Good Samaritan laws and teach them in every training.

7. Connect people to treatment and care. We have referral agreements with licensed treatment providers, a hospital and primary care clinics. A coach can accompany a person to an intake appointment, help with paperwork and check in afterward. We respect each person's choices about their own care.

8. Meet basic needs. Bus passes, rides and small emergency help for a person in recovery, paid directly to a provider, transit agency or store, never as cash.

How we will measure results. For prevention, we give students a short survey before and after the series about their knowledge, skills and attitudes (not about their own use), and we track attendance and parent workshops. For recovery, we count people coached, goals set and met, referrals completed, and the number who report being in recovery 3, 6 and 12 months after they begin coaching, using the person's own report and with their consent. For the center, we count visits and groups hosted. For overdose education, we count people trained, kits given and, when people choose to tell us, how many times a kit was used.

Our Year 1 goals:
- About 450 students complete the prevention series, with at least 85% attending 8 or more of 10 sessions.
- At least 70% of students show higher scores on knowledge and refusal skills after the series than before.
- About 150 parents attend a workshop.
- About 120 people receive peer recovery coaching, and at least 60% remain engaged for 3 months or more.
- At least 70% of people who ask for help getting into treatment are connected to a provider or a first appointment within 14 days.
- About 3,000 visits to the recovery center.
- About 40 overdose trainings and about 600 people trained.
These are goals, and we will report our real results to the Foundation, including where we fall short. Recovery is not a straight line, and we do not promise that every person will stay in recovery.

Market Analysis

Who we serve and how many.

The people. We serve three groups. First, sixth and seventh grade students at our partner middle schools, and their parents and caregivers. Second, adults and young adults who are seeking recovery or are in early recovery from alcohol and drug use, especially people leaving treatment, jail or a hospital. Third, family members and friends of someone with a substance use problem. We welcome people of every background, faith and path to recovery, and we serve people whether or not they are in treatment.

Where we work. Three partner middle schools in Year 1, all in our county. The recovery center is in a ground-floor storefront on the bus line. Coaches also meet people in libraries, parks and homes, and by phone, to reach people who cannot travel.

How many we will reach:
- Year 1: about 450 students in three schools, 150 parents, 120 people in peer coaching, 3,000 recovery center visits, 40 trainings and 600 people trained in overdose response.
- Year 2: about 600 students in four schools, 200 parents, 120 people in coaching and 3,600 center visits.
- Year 3: about 600 students, a third Peer Recovery Specialist, about 180 people in coaching and 4,800 center visits.
- Year 4: a second Prevention Specialist, about 1,050 students in seven schools, 180 people in coaching and 5,500 center visits.
- Year 5: about 1,200 students in eight schools, a fourth Peer Recovery Specialist, about 240 people in coaching and 7,000 center visits.
Over five years we expect to reach about 3,900 students in the prevention series and about 840 people in peer coaching. Some people return or take part in more than one program.

Who else benefits:
- Families and children. When a parent gets well, children are safer and more secure.
- Schools. Teachers and counselors gain a trusted partner and a program they do not have to build.
- Treatment providers and hospitals. They gain a partner who helps patients get to appointments and stay connected afterward.
- Employers. People in recovery become reliable employees, and employers can learn how to be a good partner.
- The community. Fewer overdose deaths and stronger recovery networks make everyone safer.

How we will size the need before we submit. We will add the number of students in each partner school and in our county, overdose deaths and emergency department visits, the number of people in treatment and on waiting lists, and the results of the Pennsylvania Youth Survey. These come from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, the county coroner and the school district.

Competitive Landscape

Other resources, and how we fit.

- Treatment providers. Outpatient and residential programs, hospitals and doctors who prescribe medications for opioid use disorder do essential clinical work. We do not compete with them. We help people get to them and stay connected after, and we send people back to them when they need more care.
- School counselors and student assistance programs. They are our closest partners in schools. They have many duties and little time for a full prevention curriculum, so we deliver the series and refer students who need more support to the counselor.
- Mutual-aid groups. 12-step and other peer groups are free and have helped many. We host them and invite them to our center. We do not run them or require anyone to attend.
- Other recovery programs and recovery community organizations. Some focus on housing, some on one group or one town. We coordinate with them and refer people to each other.
- County drug and alcohol offices. They fund and oversee treatment and prevention. We work with them closely and report results to them.
- Faith communities. Many congregations offer support, and we partner with them as hosts and volunteers.

The gap we fill. In our county, no other organization combines evidence-based middle school prevention, certified peer recovery coaching, a substance-free drop-in center, family support and overdose education in one place, with a single team that people can trust.

Our partners:
- Three partner middle schools, which host the prevention series and parent workshops.
- Two treatment providers and a hospital emergency department, which accept our referrals.
- The county drug and alcohol office and the commissioners, which oversee opioid settlement funds.
- A community health center that provides primary care and medications for people in recovery.
- Local churches, which host groups, trainings and meals.
- Employers who are willing to hire people in recovery.
- A university social work program, which places student interns with us in later years.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How people will find us and how we keep them engaged.

Reaching students and parents:
- Through the school. The prevention series is taught during the school day, so every student in the grade takes part. Schools tell parents about the series and workshops, and parents may opt out.
- Parent workshops are held at the school in the evening with a meal and childcare, and promoted by school newsletters and text messages in English and Spanish.

Reaching people who want recovery and their families:
- Referrals from treatment providers, hospitals, primary care, the county jail, probation, the county drug and alcohol office, churches and schools. A one-page referral form and a direct phone number for professionals.
- Hospital and jail outreach. Peer Recovery Specialists meet people at the hospital or before release, when the offer of help can matter most.
- Word of mouth. People in recovery are our best advertisement.
- The recovery center's storefront window, hours and welcome sign on a busy street. A person can walk in at any time.
- A simple website and a text number with clear information, in English and Spanish, and flyers in clinics, libraries, laundromats and food pantries.
- Events such as Recovery Month in September, with a community walk, a family picnic and a remembrance for people lost to overdose.

Making it easy to say yes:
- No insurance, ID or commitment is required to walk in or ask for a coach.
- Coaching is voluntary. We never require a person to attend a group or follow a particular path.
- We follow up kindly and without judgment when someone goes quiet, and we make it easy to come back.
- Everything we collect is confidential and is shared only with the person's permission, except where the law requires otherwise.

Keeping people engaged:
- Each person works with the same coach whenever possible.
- Recovery milestones are celebrated at the center, with the person's permission.
- People in recovery can become volunteers and, in time, peer specialists, which gives them purpose and gives us a growing, trained team.

Reaching supporters. Employers, churches and local businesses are invited to sponsor Recovery Month, a prevention series at a school or the naloxone program. We share results twice a year with funders and partners, using totals and never names.

Outreach budget. Family support, events and Recovery Month are about $6,000 a year in Year 1, growing about 4% a year. The sign, brochures and website are paid for once from startup money ($2,500).

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1:
- Months 1 to 3: Attorney review of the lease and confidentiality policies, sign the lease, prepare the storefront, hire the Prevention Specialist and two Peer Recovery Specialists (confirming the state's peer certification rules), sign agreements with schools and treatment partners, and buy the prevention curriculum and training.
- Month 4: Staff and volunteer training on overdose response, confidentiality, crisis response and the prevention curriculum. Soft opening of the recovery center for referral partners.
- Months 5 to 8: Recovery center opens to the public. Peer coaching begins. Fall prevention series start at three schools. First parent workshops and overdose trainings.
- Months 9 to 12: Spring prevention series. Family support group and Recovery Month events. Year-end review of results, a report to funders and planning for Year 2.

Space. A leased ground-floor storefront of about 1,800 square feet on the bus line, with a main room, a private meeting room, a small office, a kitchenette and an accessible restroom. Rent and utilities are about $30,000 a year in Year 1. The center has security cameras at the entrance and a locked storage area for records and naloxone.

Equipment. We buy about $12,000 of equipment once at the start: furniture for the recovery center, a private meeting room and a kitchenette ($6,200), five laptops and a projector for groups, trainings and school sessions ($3,600), and locking cabinets for confidential records and naloxone supplies with a security camera system ($2,200). After Year 1, we set aside about $2,000 to $3,000 a year to replace and add equipment. Paint, flooring and sound dampening for the storefront are a one-time cost of $10,000.

Staffing. In Year 1: an Executive Director, one Prevention Specialist, two Peer Recovery Specialists and one part-time Program Coordinator. A third Peer Recovery Specialist joins in Year 3, a second Prevention Specialist in Year 4 and a fourth Peer Recovery Specialist in Year 5.

Training and supervision. Peer Recovery Specialists complete the state's required training and certification, and receive weekly supervision from an experienced supervisor and regular training on boundaries, confidentiality, crisis response and self-care. Peer certification, training and supervision are about $9,000 a year in Year 1. The Prevention Specialist completes the curriculum's required training before teaching.

Safety in the center. The center is substance-free. No one may use, sell or bring drugs or alcohol. Staff are trained in overdose response, de-escalation and first aid, and naloxone is stored in an easy-to-reach, marked place. We have a written policy for weapons, disruptive behavior and visitor safety, and we call 911 when someone is in danger.

Crisis plan. We are not a crisis service, but we are ready. If a person may be in immediate danger, staff stay with the person and call 911, give naloxone and begin rescue breathing if a person is not breathing, and notify the Executive Director. For a person in emotional crisis, staff offer the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and for help finding treatment, staff can offer the SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357), which is free and confidential. We follow up after any crisis contact.

Safety with students. Every staff member and volunteer who works with students completes a background check and the school's required clearances before entering a school. Prevention sessions follow school policies, and students are never asked to share their own use. Staff are trained to follow the school's reporting rules.

Confidentiality and privacy. A person's recovery is private. We share information only with the person's written permission, except where the law requires otherwise, such as reporting suspected abuse of a child or an imminent danger. Federal rules protect the privacy of records from many substance use disorder programs. We confirm with an attorney whether those rules (42 CFR Part 2) apply to our services and follow them, or stricter rules, in any case, in addition to HIPAA when it applies. Records are kept in a locked cabinet and a secure, password-protected system, and we report results to funders only as totals.

Naloxone and basic needs controls. Naloxone is stored securely and each kit given is logged by number only, without a name. Basic needs payments are paid directly to a provider, transit agency or store, never as cash, are approved by the Executive Director and recorded, and the board reviews a list each quarter.

Insurance and records. We carry general liability, property, professional and abuse and molestation liability insurance, and workers' compensation once we hire. Insurance is about $6,000 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.

Carla Mendez, Executive Director. Carla leads the organization, raises money, manages grants and the county and school partnerships, supervises staff and reports to the board. She is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist who has been in long-term recovery for 14 years and spent 8 years as a recovery coach and program coordinator before founding Steady Ground. Planned salary: $62,000 a year.

Prevention Specialist. Teaches the prevention series in schools, leads parent workshops and coordinates with school staff. This role requires experience in teaching, youth work or health education, the curriculum training and school clearances. One in Years 1 to 3 and two from Year 4, at a planned salary of $46,000 each. The Keystone Community Health Foundation grant would support the first Prevention Specialist.

Peer Recovery Specialist. Provides one-on-one recovery coaching, staffs the recovery center, connects people to treatment and services, and leads trainings. Must hold or earn Pennsylvania peer certification and have lived experience of recovery. Two in Years 1 and 2, three in Years 3 and 4 and four in Year 5, at a planned salary of $40,000 each.

Program Coordinator (part-time). Handles scheduling, records, bus passes, volunteer coordination and data entry, about 25 hours a week. Planned pay: $24,000 a year.

Pay figures include payroll taxes and workers' compensation insurance.

Staff in each year: 5 paid staff in Years 1 and 2, 6 in Year 3, 7 in Year 4 and 8 in Year 5.

Volunteers. About 30 trained volunteers in Year 1 who staff the center's evening hours, help at Recovery Month events and lead naloxone trainings. Volunteers complete a background check and orientation, and do not provide coaching.

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. The board's physician and the person in recovery advise on clinical safety and respect.

People who help us. An outside accountant who reviews our books every year, an attorney who reviews our lease, agreements and confidentiality policies, an insurance agent who understands recovery programs, a clinical supervisor for our peer staff, and an advisory group of people in recovery, family members, a school counselor and a treatment provider, who meet each semester to tell us what is working.

Training. All staff and volunteers complete training in overdose response, confidentiality, boundaries, trauma-informed care 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 recovery center, deliver the prevention series to about 450 students at three schools, coach about 120 people and train about 600 people in overdose response. A balanced budget of about $310,500, with a small surplus of about $8,100. 5 paid staff.
- Year 2: Reach about 600 students at four schools and about 3,600 center visits, and start the weekly family group. A balanced budget of about $314,500, with a small surplus of about $8,000. 5 paid staff.
- Year 3: Add a third Peer Recovery Specialist, coaching about 180 people with about 4,800 center visits. A balanced budget of about $359,000, with a small surplus of about $8,100. 6 paid staff.
- Year 4: Add a second Prevention Specialist and reach about 1,050 students at seven schools. A balanced budget of about $410,000, with a small surplus of about $8,800. 7 paid staff.
- Year 5: Reach about 1,200 students at eight schools, add a fourth Peer Recovery Specialist and coach about 240 people, with about 7,000 center visits. A balanced budget of about $455,000, with a small surplus of about $9,000. 8 paid staff.

What we measure:
- Students and parents in prevention, attendance and pre and post survey results.
- People coached, goals set and met, and how long people stay engaged.
- Referrals to treatment and primary care and whether the person reached their first appointment.
- Self-reported recovery at 3, 6 and 12 months, with consent.
- Recovery center visits and groups hosted.
- Overdose trainings, people trained, naloxone kits given and reported uses.
- Family group attendance.

How we review results. The Executive Director reviews the numbers monthly, and the team reviews cases and outcomes weekly, without names, to improve what we do. Each semester, staff, the schools and our advisory group review results together. Twice a year, the board reviews results and we share them with funders and the county 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: $70,000 from the Keystone Community Health Foundation for our Prevention Specialist, naloxone kits and prevention materials, peer specialist certification and supervision, and a transportation and basic needs fund, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Prevention Specialist salary, $46,000.
- Supplies: Naloxone kits, overdose education and prevention materials, $10,000 (other funds add $5,000).
- Contractual: Peer certification, training and clinical supervision, $9,000.
- Other: Transportation and basic needs fund, $5,000 (other funds add $3,000).

Other money in the program. Other grants, county opioid settlement funds and local donors pay the other $8,000 of those lines, plus the Executive Director's salary ($62,000), two Peer Recovery Specialists ($80,000), the part-time Program Coordinator ($24,000), recovery center rent and utilities ($30,000), family support, events and Recovery Month ($6,000), insurance ($6,000) and evaluation, accounting and administration ($14,000).

Year 1 budget: about $310,500, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $8,100 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $225,500 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), county opioid settlement funds and contracts $60,000 and donations and local sponsors $25,000. Year 1 costs: Executive Director $62,000; Prevention Specialist $46,000; two Peer Recovery Specialists $80,000; Program Coordinator $24,000; recovery center rent and utilities about $30,000; naloxone, overdose education and training about $8,000; prevention curricula and school materials about $7,000; family support, events and Recovery Month about $6,000; peer certification, training and supervision about $9,000; transportation and basic needs fund about $8,000; insurance about $6,000; evaluation, accounting and administration about $14,000; and about $4,400 a year for the wear on equipment.

About the county funds. Counties receive money from national settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors and decide how to spend it within the uses the settlements allow, which include prevention, recovery support and overdose response. The county has invited us to apply. The amounts in this plan are our planning estimates, not promises, and county spending decisions can change. We plan for grants to cover the gap if they do.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $43,000 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $12,000 of equipment (furniture, laptops and a projector, locking cabinets and a camera system), $10,000 for paint, flooring and sound dampening, $6,000 for the lease deposit and first month of rent, $4,000 for the opening supply of naloxone kits, training materials and snacks, $800 for the business license and permits, $4,500 for an attorney's review of the lease and confidentiality policies and for accounting setup, $2,500 for the sign, brochures and website, and $3,200 for background checks, peer certification fees and the first insurance payment.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($43,000), the cash we need to cover the wait for the first payments (about $8,100) and a cash cushion of about $75,000, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. That comes to $126,500. We start with $20,000 of our own savings and $110,000 in startup support from a local health foundation, a hospital community benefit gift and our board, $130,000 in all, which covers that amount with room to spare.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $310,500 in Year 1 to about $455,000 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $225,500, $202,500, $217,000, $243,000 and $263,000 in Years 1 to 5. County opioid settlement funds and contracts grow from $60,000 to $130,000, and donations and local sponsors grow from $25,000 to $62,000. We add a third Peer Recovery Specialist in Year 3, a second Prevention Specialist in Year 4 and a fourth Peer Recovery Specialist in Year 5. Grants fall from about 73% of our income in Year 1 to about 58% in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $109,900, at the end of Year 1. Government and grant payments often arrive after we bill, so we plan for about $18,630 owed to us at the end of Year 1.

After the grant. Our plan is to grow county contracts as the county sees results, to explore Medicaid payment for peer recovery support where the state allows it, to invite employers and faith communities to sponsor parts of the program, and to grow individual donors, including families who have been helped. Training people in recovery to become peer specialists also grows our team at a low cost.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- A person has an overdose at the center. Staff and volunteers are trained, naloxone is on site and we call 911.
- County settlement funds are delayed or reduced. We plan with a cash cushion, apply to other funders and stage hiring so that costs follow funding.
- A peer specialist has a setback. Peer specialists receive supervision and support, and we have a written plan to protect both the person and our clients.
- Schools decide not to continue. We keep a waiting list of schools, share results and offer the series after school and in community settings.
- Neighbors or businesses object to the center. We meet with neighbors, the police and business owners before we open, and keep the center clean, safe and welcoming.
- A grant ends. We keep savings and grow funders 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: a weekly recovery coaching and naloxone training night in a donated church room with one certified peer specialist and volunteers, 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 and certifications for your Executive Director, Prevention Specialist and Peer Recovery Specialists.
- Letters of support and agreements from each partner school.
- Referral agreements with treatment providers, a hospital and primary care clinics.
- A letter from the county about opioid settlement funds, or proof you have applied.
- The letter of intent for the lease, or a letter from the landlord.
- Your prevention curriculum information and license, with the independent review that supports it.
- Your confidentiality policy, crisis plan, naloxone policy and center safety rules.
- Proof of liability insurance, or a quote.
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: $225,500 in Year 1, then $202,500, $217,000, $243,000 and $263,000.
- County Opioid Settlement Funds and Contracts: $60,000 in Year 1, growing to $130,000.
- Donations and Local Sponsors: $25,000 in Year 1, growing to $62,000.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): Executive Director $62,000, Prevention Specialist $46,000 (one in Years 1 to 3, two from Year 4), Peer Recovery Specialist $40,000 (two in Years 1 and 2, three in Years 3 and 4, four in Year 5), Program Coordinator (part-time) $24,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: Recovery Center Rent and Utilities $30,000, Naloxone, Overdose Education and Training $8,000, Prevention Curricula and School Program Materials $7,000, Family Support, Events and Recovery Month $6,000, Peer Certification, Training and Supervision $9,000, Transportation and Basic Needs Fund $8,000, Insurance $6,000, Evaluation, Accounting and Administration $14,000. These grow between 4% and 5% a year.
- Equipment: $12,000 at the start, then $2,000 to $3,000 a year.
- Startup costs: $43,000, paid once from $130,000 in startup money.
- About 6% 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