Native American & Tribal Services Nonprofit

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Executive Summary

Three Rivers Community Services is a nonprofit in eastern Oklahoma that works in partnership with a federally recognized tribe's government to run family and elder support programs guided by a cultural advisory council. Services include a program coordinator who connects families to benefits and transportation, cultural advisors who lead language and tradition sessions and a small emergency assistance fund. The program is led by Angela Brooks. Our program has a Year 1 budget of about $89,000. We are asking for $65,000 from the Union Grove Fund for a program coordinator, cultural advisor stipends and administration.

Company Description

Three Rivers Community Services is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a volunteer board that includes members of the partner tribal community. The program operates only with the written approval of the tribal government and a cultural advisory council of elders and community members, who guide what is offered and how. Services are designed with the tribe, not for it. Programs: a family and elder support coordinator, a small emergency assistance fund for utilities and transportation, a ride program for medical and benefits appointments and cultural sessions led by tribal advisors, such as language and craft gatherings.

Partnership first. The program was shaped through meetings with tribal leaders, the clinic and elders. It operates under a written agreement that says who decides what, how money is handled and how either side can change or end the partnership.

Problem & Opportunity

Families and elders in rural eastern Oklahoma often live far from services and rely on a few people for rides, paperwork and help in an emergency. Benefits applications are confusing, appointments are missed for lack of transportation and elders can feel cut off from younger relatives and traditions. Existing programs are spread among agencies, and families say they have to repeat their story at each one.

Products & Services

A single point of contact who helps families and elders get services and stay connected. The coordinator helps with applications, schedules rides and checks in on isolated elders. Cultural advisors choose and lead gatherings that keep language and traditions alive and bring generations together. All decisions about cultural content stay with the advisory council.

A typical week. The coordinator spends mornings on phone calls, benefit forms and ride scheduling, afternoons visiting elders and families and Fridays preparing for the next gathering with the advisors. The director meets weekly with the tribal liaison to review requests and concerns.

Market Analysis

The program serves tribal citizens and nearby families in the partner community, especially elders, families with young children and people without reliable transportation. Referrals come from the tribal health clinic, schools and word of mouth. The number of ride requests and benefits questions each month shows the need.

Competitive Landscape

The tribe's own departments, county agencies and other nonprofits offer parts of what families need. Three Rivers Community Services does not replace them. It coordinates with them, fills gaps in transportation and emergency help and defers to the tribe on cultural matters.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

Introduce the program at tribal events, the clinic, schools and churches, share information through the tribal newsletter with the tribe's permission and rely on referrals and word of mouth. Cultural gatherings bring families in and give the advisory council a chance to hear what is needed.

The first 90 days. Days 1 to 30: sign the written agreement with the tribal government, seat the advisory council and post the Program Director job. Days 31 to 60: hire staff, buy and insure the vehicle and set up the emergency fund policy. Days 61 to 90: hold the first cultural gathering and begin rides and benefits help.

Operations Plan

The program runs from a community room provided by the tribal partner. Families call or visit, tell the coordinator what they need and agree on a plan. Rides are scheduled by phone with a written log, and emergency assistance follows a written policy approved by the advisory council. Cultural sessions are planned by the advisors, who are paid a stipend. Records are private and shared only with the family's permission. Any use of cultural stories or images requires written permission from the advisory council.

Respect and permission. Every decision about cultural content, stories, images and gatherings belongs to the advisory council. The program does not photograph, record or share cultural material without written permission, and it follows the tribe's own research and data policies.

Risks and how we handle them:
- Cultural missteps. The advisory council reviews all cultural content, and staff receive training from tribal advisors before they work with families.
- Vehicle accidents. Drivers are screened, trained and insured, and the vehicle is serviced on a schedule.
- Privacy problems. Records are private, and we share information only with permission.
- Confusion about roles. A written agreement with the tribe sets out who decides and who is responsible.

Management & Organization

Angela Brooks, the executive director, leads the program and works closely with the tribal partner. A Program Director manages daily work, and a Program Coordinator helps families and manages rides. Cultural advisors are paid stipends and report to the advisory council.

The team. Pay figures include payroll taxes and workers' compensation insurance where staff are paid. The numbers in parentheses are how many people we plan to have in Years 1 through 5. A number with a half, such as 2.5, means a hire phased in during the year or one part-time person.
- Program Director: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 (Years 1 to 5), about $40,000 a year.
- Program Coordinator: 0.5, 1, 1, 1, 2 (Years 1 to 5), about $32,000 a year each.

Governance and money controls. A board that includes tribal community members reviews financials every month. The advisory council reviews cultural programs and the emergency fund policy. An outside accountant prepares the yearly return, and two people approve every payment. A written agreement with the tribal government describes roles, data and approvals.

Feedback and complaints. Families and elders can give feedback to any staff member, through the advisory council or at gatherings. Comments are reviewed each quarter and shared with the board and council. Anyone can ask that their story or image be removed at any time.

Training and conduct. Every staff member and volunteer completes an orientation, signs a code of conduct and receives a refresher each year. Anyone who sees a problem can tell a supervisor or a board member directly.

Milestones Narrative

Goals for each of the first five years. These are goals, not promises.
- Before the grant starts: sign the partnership agreement with the tribal government, seat the advisory council, hire the Program Director and buy the vehicle.
- Year 1: serve about 90 families, provide about 400 rides and hold 10 cultural gatherings. Budget about $89,000.
- Year 2: serve about 130 families, add a second coordinator and start a monthly elder visit program. Budget about $117,100.
- Year 3: add a youth language mentoring session with the advisory council's approval. Budget about $145,200.
- Year 4: add transportation to more clinic and school appointments. Budget about $173,300.
- Year 5: publish a plain results report and plan for ongoing tribal and local support. Budget about $201,400.

How we will measure results: families served, rides provided, emergency requests met, elders who say they feel connected and cultural gatherings held, all reported with the advisory council's approval. We report to funders twice a year.

Funding Request

What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $65,000 from the Union Grove Fund for program staffing, cultural advisor stipends and administration, for a 2-year period.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Program staffing, $46,000.
- Contractual: Cultural advisor stipends, $10,000.
- Indirect Charges: Administration, $9,000.

Other money in the program. This request is about 87% of our Year 1 grant income. Other grants and the income lines below pay for everything it does not cover.

Year 1 budget: about $89,000, planned to end the first year with a small deficit of about $5,200, covered by startup money. Year 1 money coming in: grant Revenue $75,000; donations and Tribal Partner Support $14,000. Year 1 costs: program Director $40,000; program Coordinator $16,000; cultural advisor stipends $10,000; family emergency assistance fund $7,000; transportation and community events $6,000; administration and insurance $9,000; program supplies $3,000.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $27,400 are paid once from startup funds: $3,800 for computers and a secure record system, $9,500 for vehicle for family and elder transportation (used), $2,600 for community room furniture and supplies, $2,000 for legal and policy review with the tribal partner, $1,500 for brochures, signs and outreach materials, and $8,000 set aside as working capital.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($27,400), the cash the program uses before it balances (about $5,600) and a cash cushion of about $22,800, which is about 3 months of Year 1 costs. In all, that comes to $56,000. We start with $12,000 of our own savings and $44,000 from a regional foundation and the board, $56,000 in all, which covers that amount.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $89,000 in Year 1 to about $201,400 in Year 5. Grant revenue is planned at $75,000, $97,500, $120,000, $142,500 and $165,000 in Years 1 to 5. Other income grows as sponsors and donors join. The program plans small deficits in the early years, covered by startup money, and surpluses once grants grow, about $5,200, $3,800, $28,600, $53,000 and $45,200 in Years 1 to 5, which we put into savings. The lowest year-end cash in the plan is about $34,500.

After the grant. After the grant period, the program plans to continue with tribal support where offered, county and foundation grants and individual donors. The vehicle and equipment remain in use. We do not expect to need this specific funding indefinitely, and the advisory council decides what the program should keep doing.

Using the money well. We collect at least three quotes for any purchase over $1,000, pay vendors only against invoices and keep a written record of how each grant dollar was spent. We report to each funder on its schedule, share a plain results summary with the board and the community and tell funders early if something is not going as planned. A review each quarter compares the budget to real spending and decides what to change.

Risks:
- Grants may end. We seek tribal, county and foundation support and keep costs modest.
- Staff turnover. We write procedures down and train a backup coordinator.
- Demand may exceed funds. We use a written policy for the emergency fund and keep a waiting list.
- Weather and distance can limit rides. We schedule ahead and coordinate with the clinic.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach before you send this proposal:

- Your IRS determination letter showing 501(c)(3) status, or your fiscal sponsor agreement.
- Your board list and board minutes approving the application.
- Your most recent budget and financial statements.
- A list of other funders and what each has given or been asked to give.
- Written partnership agreement with the tribal government.
- Letters of support from the tribal health clinic and school.
- Advisory council list and charter.
- Emergency assistance policy.
- Vehicle quote and insurance quote.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.

The assumptions behind our numbers:
- Grant Revenue: $75,000 in Year 1, growing to $165,000 in Year 5.
- Donations and Tribal Partner Support: $14,000 in Year 1, growing to $36,400 in Year 5.
- Staff pay is shown in the management section and includes payroll taxes and workers' compensation where staff are paid.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: cultural advisor stipends $10,000, family emergency assistance fund $7,000, transportation and community events $6,000, administration and insurance $9,000, program supplies $3,000.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate.

Plain words used in this proposal:
- Tribal government: the governing body of a federally recognized tribe.
- Advisory council: a group of elders and community members who guide the program.
- Emergency assistance fund: money for urgent needs such as a utility bill.
- Stipend: a small payment for time and knowledge.
- Partnership agreement: a written agreement about roles, approvals and money.
- 501(c)(3): the tax status that lets a nonprofit receive tax-deductible gifts and many grants.

Startup Costs