Safe Waters Swim Program

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Executive Summary

Safe Waters Swim Program is a nonprofit in Virginia that teaches children to swim and stay safe around water, at no cost to families. We rent time at a community pool, hire certified swim instructors and lifeguards, bring children from schools and community centers on a bus and teach them in small groups over eight lessons. We also run water safety nights for parents, including a short adult CPR class.

Drowning is a serious risk for children, and learning to swim is one of the steps that helps keep them safe. Many children in our area have never had a lesson. Lessons can cost more than a family can afford, pools can be far away and some parents have never learned to swim themselves and feel unsure about water.

With this grant we will run six eight-lesson sessions in Year 1 and teach about 600 children ages 5 to 14. Every child takes a short swim check on the first day so that we place them in the right group, and every group has a certified instructor for about every five children, plus a lifeguard on duty. We do not promise that any child is drown-proof. Swim lessons reduce risk but do not remove it, and adults must always watch children near water.

Our Year 1 budget is about $239,000, growing to about $298,000 by Year 5 as we add pools and sessions. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 4 paid staff in Year 1 and 5 by Year 3, supported by volunteers.

We are asking the Tidewater Youth Foundation for $88,000 for our Program Director and for pool rental. The parks department, school partners, civic clubs and donors also give, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

I am Marcus Greene, the Executive Director. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

Safe Waters Swim Program is a small, independent nonprofit in Virginia, organized as a 501(c)(3) public charity. We serve children from schools, community centers and neighborhoods in our region, with a focus on children who have never had a swim lesson.

Our mission. To teach every child in our community how to swim and be safe in and around water.

What we believe. Water safety is a life skill, and cost and fear should not keep children out of the water. We teach in small groups, at each child's pace, with kindness and clear rules. Safety comes first in every lesson, and no child enters the water without a certified instructor and a lifeguard on duty.

What we offer:
- Swim lessons. Eight lessons per session in small groups, from first-time swimmers to children who are ready to swim a full length.
- Water safety classes. Lessons on safe behavior near pools, lakes, rivers and the ocean, how to wear a life jacket, how to call for help and how to reach or throw instead of going in.
- Parent water safety nights. Short sessions for adults, including an introduction to CPR and supervision tips.
- Transportation. A bus from partner schools and centers so that cost and distance do not keep a child out.

Who we serve. Children ages 5 to 14 and their parents, with priority for families with limited income and children who cannot swim.

What we do not do. We do not allow a child in the water without a parent's signed permission, teach alone, run lessons without a lifeguard, promise that a child will never be at risk or replace adult supervision.

How we are run. A volunteer board of seven governs the organization. I am the Executive Director. The Program Director manages the schedule, staff and safety. Swim instructors are part-time and hold nationally recognized water safety instructor and lifeguard certifications that we require for the job.

Where things stand today. We have a rental offer from a community pool for lane time, letters of support from two schools and a community center, interest from the parks department, a quote for safety equipment and an AED and a permission form and safety plan under review by an attorney. (Replace this with where you really are.)

Problem & Opportunity

Many children never learn to swim. Lessons can be costly, and a family that is struggling to pay for food and rent may not be able to spend money on swim classes. Public pools may be far from home, closed in the winter or have long waiting lists. Some parents do not swim and feel nervous, and so their children do not learn either.

Children who cannot swim may be more at risk around water at a family gathering, a pool party, a river or a beach. Even children who have had a lesson may not know how to wear a life jacket or what to do if they fall in.

Schools and community centers would like to help but rarely have a pool, trained instructors or the money to rent one. Camps that include swimming are often costly.

For a small nonprofit, the hard parts are the cost of pool time, hiring and keeping certified instructors and lifeguards, getting children to the pool and keeping every child safe in every lesson.

We want to be clear about what we know and do not know. Teaching children to swim is a well-known and valuable step in water safety, and we will use the most recent local numbers on children, pools and drowning prevention in our final plan. We do not know exactly how many children will sign up, so our plan uses a first-year goal and will report what really happens.

Products & Services

Safe Waters Swim Program will give children a safe, friendly place to learn to swim and understand water safety.

How it works, step by step:
1. Sign up. A parent or school signs up a child and signs a permission and medical information form in English or Spanish.
2. Swim check. On the first day, a certified instructor checks each child in shallow water to see what the child can do and places the child in a small group.
3. Lessons. Each group meets for eight lessons, with about five children for each instructor, a lifeguard on duty and a warm-up on the deck.
4. Water safety. Each lesson also includes one safety topic, such as reaching and throwing, wearing a life jacket or what to do in an emergency.
5. Rules and rest. Children follow simple rules, rest often and stay within the area their group is using.
6. Progress. Instructors record each child's progress, and children who finish earn a certificate and may join a second level.
7. Parents. Parents watch from the deck, receive a short report and are invited to a water safety night.
8. Review. After each session, staff review safety logs and parent feedback and adjust.

Why this approach is strong. Small groups, certified staff and a lifeguard on duty keep lessons safe. Children learn skills and confidence, and parents learn how to keep watch.

Market Analysis

Who we serve: children ages 5 to 14, and their parents, from partner schools, community centers and neighborhoods in our region.

Our primary group is children who cannot swim or swim poorly and whose families cannot easily pay for lessons. Our secondary group is any child at a partner school or center, and parents who want to learn about water safety. We will use the most recent local numbers on children, pools and water safety in our final plan.

How we sized our plan. We plan six sessions of about 100 children each in Year 1, or about 600 children. We grow to about 800 children in Year 2 with a second pool, about 1,000 in Year 3, about 1,200 in Year 4 and about 1,200 children a year in Year 5 with stronger level-two classes. Our Year 1 budget is about $239,000 and our Year 5 budget is about $298,000.

Demand data. Letters of support from two schools and a community center, an offer of pool time and requests from parents and teachers show clear demand. We do not count on any single partner.

We do not serve everyone. We refer children with medical needs we are not trained to manage to a program with specialized staff, and we refer older teens and adults to community recreation programs.

Competitive Landscape

Other choices for families, and what makes us different.

- Parks and recreation swim lessons. They are affordable but often fill quickly. We coordinate with them and serve children they cannot.
- Private swim schools and clubs. They offer excellent instruction at higher prices. We offer free lessons for families who cannot afford them.
- Camps and school programs. Some include swimming. We offer focused instruction in small groups.
- Family and friends. Many children learn from a relative. We offer certified instructors and a safe environment.
- No lessons at all. Many children go without. We aim to close that gap.

What makes us different.
- Free lessons, with transportation.
- Certified instructors, a lifeguard on duty and about five children for each instructor.
- Water safety lessons in every session, not only swimming.
- Parent water safety nights and an introduction to CPR.

What we do not claim. We are new. Larger programs have more pools and a longer record. We plan to earn trust one child and one family at a time.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How we will reach the people we serve.

Schools and community centers. We will meet principals, physical education teachers and community center directors, explain how the program works and sign agreements before each session. Staff help parents fill out forms.

Parents. A flyer and sign-up form go home in English and Spanish, with a phone number for questions. We hold a table at back-to-school nights and community events.

Parks department and pools. We will work with the parks department and community pools on schedules, and we will ask pool staff to share information.

Health providers. We will ask pediatric clinics and family doctors to hand out flyers.

Civic clubs and businesses. We will invite clubs and businesses to sponsor a session, a bus or a scholarship for a child who needs a lifejacket or a swimsuit.

Cost to the family. Free. We provide a swimsuit, goggles and a towel when needed.

Reminders and follow-up. We will send a text reminder the day before each lesson and call a family after a missed lesson, so that children do not drop out because of a small barrier such as a ride or a lost towel.

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1 (April to March):
- Months 1 and 2 (spring): Sign the pool agreement and partner agreements, buy equipment, hire and train instructors and lifeguards and finalize the permission form and safety plan.
- Month 3 (late spring): Run the first eight-lesson session at the pool.
- Months 4 to 6 (summer): Run two summer sessions, with a water safety night for parents.
- Months 7 to 9 (fall): Run a fall session and follow up with families.
- Months 10 to 12 (winter): Run a winter indoor session if pool time allows, survey families, report to funders and plan Year 2.

Space. We rent lane time at a community pool. The pool provides the building and cleaning. Our small office is shared space in a community center. Pool rental is $42,000 a year in Year 1.

Equipment. We buy about $14,000 of equipment once at the start: lane lines, flotation aids and rescue equipment ($6,200), an automated external defibrillator and first aid kits ($2,800), a locking storage cart, signage and a tablet for check-in ($1,800) and swim teaching tools, mats and a portable sound system ($3,200). Later years replace or add a few items.

Staffing. In Year 1, I serve as Executive Director. The Program Director, paid $46,000 a year, runs the schedule and safety. Part-time swim instructors, about one and a half full-time equivalents at $26,000 a year each, teach. The number grows to three full-time equivalents by Year 4.

Safety. Every instructor holds a current certification in water safety instruction, CPR and first aid. A certified lifeguard is on duty at every lesson under our contract. We keep a ratio of about five children for each instructor in the water, call off lessons in unsafe weather, keep an AED on the deck and a written emergency plan that includes calling 911. Every adult passes a background check and no adult is alone with a child.

Transportation. Children ride in a bus operated by a licensed driver, with an adult monitor, a head count at every stop and a list of authorized pick-ups.

Costs. The lifeguard contract is about $12,000 in Year 1, swim supplies about $8,000, transportation about $12,000 and administration and insurance about $14,000.

Management & Organization

The people who will carry out the project.

Marcus Greene, Executive Director. Thirteen years of work in youth and aquatics programs, including seven years running a community pool and learn-to-swim program. He oversees the program, partnerships, fundraising and finances. (Replace this paragraph with your own background.)

Program Director (from Year 1). Manages the schedule, staff, safety logs and partners.

Swim instructors (part-time, from Year 1). Certified water safety instructors who teach lessons and keep records.

Lifeguards (contract). Certified lifeguards provided under a contract with the pool.

Board and advisors. Seven volunteer board members, including a pediatric nurse, a school principal and a parks department staff member, who meet every quarter. An attorney reviews our permission and safety forms.

Staff pay in this plan is a full year per person: Executive Director $54,000, Program Director $46,000 and swim instructor $26,000 per full-time equivalent. Replace them with the pay you can offer where you live.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals for each year and how we will measure them.

- Year 1: Run six eight-lesson sessions at one pool and teach about 600 children. A balanced budget of about $239,000, with a small surplus of about $9,200. About 4 paid staff.
- Year 2: Add a second pool and teach about 800 children, with water safety nights for parents. A balanced budget of about $256,500, with a small surplus of about $9,000. About 4 paid staff.
- Year 3: Add a half-time instructor and teach about 1,000 children, with a level-two class. A balanced budget of about $274,500, with a small surplus of about $9,200. About 5 paid staff.
- Year 4: Teach about 1,200 children and offer older children a water rescue skills class. A balanced budget of about $293,000, with a small surplus of about $9,400. About 5 paid staff.
- Year 5: Teach about 1,200 children a year and share our curriculum and safety plan with other programs. A balanced budget of about $298,000, with a small surplus of about $9,100. About 5 paid staff.

What we measure:
- Children enrolled and children who finished all eight lessons.
- Children who improved at least one skill level.
- Children who can float, move through water and get to the wall at the end.
- Parents who attended a water safety night.
- Safety incidents and what we did about them.
- Parent and child feedback.

How we review results. The Program Director reviews numbers and safety logs after every session. Twice a year, staff and the board review all results and share them with funders and partners. If a session has low attendance or a safety issue, we change the schedule or the staffing before the next one. 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: $88,000 from the Tidewater Youth Foundation for a Program Director and pool time for free swim lessons, for April 2027 through March 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Program Director salary, $46,000.
- Other: Pool rental and lane time, $42,000 (other funds add $8,000).

Other money in the program. This request is about 48% of our Year 1 grant income. Other grants and the income lines below pay for everything it does not cover.

Year 1 budget: about $239,000, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $9,200 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $183,000 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), parks department and school partner support $26,000, civic clubs, businesses and individual donations $30,000. Year 1 costs: executive director $54,000; program director $46,000; swim instructors $39,000; pool rental and lane time about $42,000; lifeguard contract about $12,000; swim supplies (goggles, suits, towels, kickboards) about $8,000; transportation from schools and centers about $12,000; administration and insurance about $14,000; about $4,600 a year for the wear on equipment.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $24,800 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $6,200 for lane lines, flotation aids and rescue equipment; $2,800 for automated external defibrillator, first aid and oxygen-free emergency kit; $1,800 for locking storage cart, signage and a tablet for check-in; $3,200 for swim teaching tools, mats and a portable sound system; $3,500 for opening stock of goggles, suits and towels; $3,000 for attorney review of the pool agreement, parent waiver and safety plan; $1,500 for banners, flyers in two languages and a simple website; $2,800 for instructor certification fees, background checks and first insurance payment.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($24,800), the cash the program uses before it balances (about $0) and a cash cushion of about $56,800, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. The cash used before it balances and the cushion come to about $56,800. In all, that comes to $82,000. We start with $16,000 of our own savings and $69,000 in startup support from a local youth foundation and our board, $85,000 in all, which covers that amount with room to spare.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $239,000 in Year 1 to about $298,000 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $183,000, $188,500, $194,500, $201,000 and $194,000 in Years 1 to 5. Other income grows: parks department and school partner support from $26,000 to $50,000 and civic clubs, businesses and individual donations from $30,000 to $54,000. We add a second pool in Year 2 and more instructors as the program grows. Grants fall from about 77% 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 $73,400, at the end of Year 1. Some grant payments and partner payments arrive after we bill, so we plan for about $9,560 owed to us at the end of Year 1.

After the grant. The parks department, schools, civic clubs, businesses and individual donors grow every year, so grants become a smaller share of our budget. Families and teachers share their stories, and sponsors can underwrite a session or a bus by name.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- A safety incident. We follow a written plan, keep ratios, check certifications and train staff each year.
- Pool access changes. We keep agreements with more than one pool and book early.
- Bad weather. We schedule indoor pools when we can and plan make-up lessons.
- Instructor turnover. We keep a pool of trained substitutes and pay a fair wage.
- A grant ends. We keep savings and grow partner and donor support 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 pool, two instructors and one session at a time, 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.
- Signed letters of support from each school and community center.
- Your pool rental agreement and lifeguard contract.
- Your parent permission and medical information form in English and Spanish.
- Your written safety and emergency plan.
- Copies of staff certifications and your background check policy.
- Quotes for safety equipment and an AED.
- Resumes for your Executive Director and key staff.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.

The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Grant Revenue: $183,000 in Year 1, then $188,500, $194,500, $201,000 and $194,000.
- Parks Department and School Partner Support: $26,000 in Year 1, growing to $50,000.
- Civic Clubs, Businesses and Individual Donations: $30,000 in Year 1, growing to $54,000.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): executive director $54,000, program director $46,000, swim instructors (part-time) $26,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: pool rental and lane time $42,000, lifeguard contract $12,000, swim supplies (goggles, suits, towels, kickboards) $8,000, transportation from schools and centers $12,000, administration and insurance $14,000. These grow between 4% and 5% a year.
- Equipment: $14,000 at the start, then $2,000 to $3,000 a year.
- Startup costs: $24,800, paid once from $85,000 in startup money.
- Children taught: about 600 in Year 1, growing to about 1,200 in Year 5. Pool rental is about 700 hours in Year 1.
- About 4% 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