Welcome Home Veterans Housing Alliance

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Executive Summary

Welcome Home Veterans Housing Alliance is a nonprofit in Florida that helps veterans who are homeless, or about to lose their housing, find a safe, stable home and keep it. Our team of housing case managers, a housing navigator who works with landlords and a veteran peer support specialist stays with each veteran from the first meeting until the person is settled, and we help pay the up-front costs that so often stand in the way: the security deposit, the first month's rent, a past-due utility bill. Rent and deposits are paid directly to the landlord, never as cash.

Our county has veterans who have served the country and now sleep in cars, in shelters, in the woods or on a friend's couch. Many are in this situation because of a chain of events, not a single choice: a job loss, an illness, an injury, a divorce, the strain of service, a lost lease or a missed benefit. Veterans are also more likely than others to be waiting on paperwork, or to have trouble finding a landlord who will say yes. The longer someone is without a home, the harder everything else becomes. We believe in a Housing First approach: a home comes first, and the other supports are offered once a person is safe and stable, with no preconditions.

With this grant we will serve about 90 veteran households in Year 1, about 130 people including family members. About 60 households will receive financial assistance averaging about $1,600 for deposits, short-term rent or utility arrears. We will work with about 40 landlords who agree to rent to our veterans, help each household move in with a household kit and basic furniture, and follow up for at least six months after move-in. We will connect every veteran to VA health care, benefits and community services, and we will refer to accredited Veterans Service Officers for benefit claims. Our goal is that at least 70% of veterans who are homeless when they enroll are in permanent housing within 90 days.

Our Year 1 budget is about $466,000, growing to about $727,000 by Year 5 as we add case managers, a second housing navigator and more households. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 6 paid staff in Year 1 and 9 by Year 5. Government housing and veteran services contracts and local donors add steady support, so grants fall from about 69% of our income in Year 1 to about 57% in Year 5.

We are asking the Patriot Housing Foundation for $95,000 for one Housing Case Manager, direct housing assistance, move-in essentials and a landlord partnership and risk mitigation fund. Government contracts, other grants and donors cover the rest, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

I am Denise Walker, the Executive Director and a Navy veteran. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

Welcome Home Veterans Housing Alliance is a nonprofit organization in Florida. 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 make sure no veteran in our community is without a safe place to call home.

What we believe. People who served deserve a place to live. Housing is the foundation for health, work, family and healing, and a person is more likely to take the next steps once they are in a safe home. A Housing First approach means we do not require sobriety, treatment, employment or a set of steps before a veteran can be housed. Veterans are the experts on their own lives, and the best help comes from people who understand military life and treat every person with respect. We serve women and men, people of every race, faith, sexual orientation and gender identity, and veterans with families.

How we started. Welcome Home began when a group of veterans and a church outreach team noticed the same faces at a winter warming shelter, night after night. A Navy veteran who had been through a period of homelessness herself started helping people with the paperwork, a ride to an appointment and a few hundred dollars for a deposit. In two years, the group helped more than 50 veterans move into housing with donated funds. Landlords began to call, asking for more tenants like them. The local Continuum of Care, the regional group that coordinates homeless services, and the VA medical center asked whether we could grow into a full program. This proposal asks for support to do that.

What we offer:
- Housing case management. A Housing Case Manager meets with each veteran, listens to their goals, writes a housing plan and helps with every step: finding a unit, applying, moving in and staying housed. Case management is voluntary and free.
- Financial assistance. Help with security deposits, first month's rent, short-term rent, utility deposits and past-due utility bills, paid directly to the landlord or utility company, never as cash to a veteran. Assistance is limited in amount and length, and tied to a housing plan.
- Landlord partnerships. A Housing Navigator who recruits and works with landlords, finds units that meet the program's housing quality and rent reasonableness rules, and is a single point of contact for the landlord. A landlord risk mitigation fund helps cover specific costs, such as a holding fee or damage beyond a deposit, to give landlords confidence.
- Move-in support. A household kit with bedding, kitchen basics and cleaning supplies, basic furniture from donations and help with the move itself.
- Peer support. A veteran Peer Support Specialist who has lived experience and offers friendship, encouragement and practical help.
- Connections. Warm handoffs to VA health care and benefits, mental health and substance use treatment, employment help, legal aid for eviction or discharge issues, and child care. We refer veterans to accredited Veterans Service Officers for VA benefit claims.
- Homelessness prevention. Mediation with landlords, emergency help with rent or utilities and legal aid referrals for veterans who are about to lose their housing.
- Aftercare. Regular check-ins for at least six months after move-in, and a call to us any time trouble starts.

Who we serve. Any person who served in the U.S. armed forces, regardless of discharge type, when our funding allows, and their families. Some government funding has its own eligibility rules, which we confirm for each funding source. We do not charge veterans for any service.

What we do not do. We are not a crisis service or an emergency shelter. We do not prepare or charge for VA benefit claims, which only accredited representatives may do. We do not promise any veteran housing. We do not provide medical or mental health treatment, and we refer to providers.

How we are run. A seven-member volunteer board of directors oversees the organization and approves the budget each year. The board includes two veterans, a property manager, a VA social worker, a housing attorney, a pastor and a certified public accountant. The Executive Director manages the organization, the case managers and navigator work with veterans and landlords and an outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Where things stand today. We have letters of support from the VA medical center's homeless program, the local Continuum of Care, two churches and 22 landlords who have already rented to veterans in our pilot. We have a letter of intent for a small office on a bus line. Before we begin, we will confirm our role in the Continuum of Care's coordinated entry system, enroll in the community's Homeless Management Information System and have an attorney review our lease, landlord agreements and assistance policies.

Problem & Opportunity

Why this program is needed.

Veterans make up a significant share of the people experiencing homelessness in many communities, and the federal government has set a national goal of ending veteran homelessness. Many communities have made real progress through dedicated federal programs, including rental vouchers paired with VA case management, grants to nonprofits for rapid rehousing and homelessness prevention and transitional housing programs. But the need continues, and many veterans fall through the cracks, especially those who are not eligible for certain VA programs, those with families, women veterans, those who were discharged under less than honorable conditions and those who live in places with little affordable housing.

The gaps we see:
1. The up-front costs. A veteran who is ready to move into an apartment may be stopped by a deposit, a first month's rent and a past-due utility bill that together can total several thousand dollars. A few hundred dollars can be the difference between a home and the street.
2. Landlords say no. Many landlords are wary of tenants with a past eviction, poor credit, a gap in rental history or a low or irregular income. Veterans who have been homeless often have all four.
3. The cost of rent. In many parts of Florida, rents have risen faster than wages or disability benefits. A veteran with a fixed income can have trouble finding a unit they can afford.
4. Waiting. Veterans may wait weeks or months for benefits, a rental voucher or a housing unit to become available. During that time, they are without a stable place to be.
5. A maze of programs. VA, HUD, county and state and nonprofit programs each have different rules, forms and offices. Many veterans do not know what they qualify for.
6. Health and trauma. Many homeless veterans are living with physical or mental health conditions, injury, trauma or substance use. These are harder to manage without a safe, stable home and consistent support.
7. Falling out of housing again. A veteran who moves in with no follow-up can lose the unit within months if a problem arises. Aftercare reduces this risk.
8. Not all veterans fit the programs. Women veterans, veterans with children, veterans with a discharge that limits VA eligibility and veterans in rural parts of our county can be missed by programs designed around other groups.

How we know people want this. In our pilot, we helped more than 50 veterans move into housing with donated funds, and 22 landlords agreed to rent to our veterans. The VA medical center told us it has a waiting list of veterans who are approved for assistance but cannot find a unit or cover the up-front costs.

How we will show the need. Before we submit this proposal, we will add the number of veterans counted as homeless in our county in the most recent annual Point-in-Time Count from our Continuum of Care, the number of veterans on the coordinated entry list, the typical rent for a one-bedroom apartment in our area from HUD's fair market rent data, the number of landlords who accept vouchers and the veteran population from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs. We will also add our pilot's results.

Who benefits first. Veterans, and their families, who are homeless or are about to lose their housing in our county, including women veterans, veterans with children, older veterans and veterans who may not be eligible for other housing programs.

Products & Services

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

1. Reach veterans where they are. Our Peer Support Specialist and case managers meet veterans at the VA medical center, the winter shelter, food pantries, libraries, parks, jails at release and on the street. We take referrals from the Continuum of Care's coordinated entry system, the VA, churches, hospitals and other veterans. We confirm each person's veteran status and the funding they qualify for.

2. Enroll without preconditions. We follow a Housing First approach. A veteran is not required to be sober, working, in treatment or to meet any other condition before we help. Participation in case management is voluntary.

3. Write a housing plan together. In the first week, the Housing Case Manager sits down with the veteran and writes a simple plan: what kind of home they want, what they can afford, what barriers need to be solved and who will do what. The plan changes as life changes.

4. Find a home. The Housing Navigator keeps a current list of available units and landlords. Together with the veteran, the case manager helps with applications, credit and rental history questions, explaining past evictions to landlords, and negotiating. Each unit must pass a housing quality inspection and a rent reasonableness check, as our funding sources require, and must follow federal and state fair housing law. We never steer a veteran to a unit based on any protected characteristic. About 40 landlords take part in Year 1.

5. Pay up-front costs directly. When the plan calls for it, we pay a deposit, first month's rent, short-term rent or past-due utilities directly to the landlord or utility company, never to the veteran in cash. Assistance averages about $1,600 for about 60 households in Year 1. Assistance is limited to what a veteran needs to get and keep housing, and a case manager reviews it with the veteran.

6. Help with the move. A household kit with bedding, kitchen basics, cleaning supplies and hygiene items, basic furniture from donations and help moving, so the first night in a new home is a good night.

7. Build the network. A veteran peer helps the veteran get to appointments, connect with neighbors and other veterans, and feel less alone. We make warm handoffs to VA health care, benefits and community resources, and we refer veterans to accredited Veterans Service Officers for VA benefit claims. Veterans who are in crisis are connected to the Veterans Crisis Line (dial 988 then press 1) or emergency services.

8. Prevent homelessness. A veteran who is about to be evicted is connected to legal aid, helped with landlord mediation and, if appropriate, given emergency assistance paid directly to the landlord.

9. Follow up. After move-in, the case manager and peer check in at least monthly for six months or longer, and a veteran can call at any time. We help with a landlord concern, a late payment or a new problem early, before it grows.

10. Care for the landlord relationship. The Housing Navigator is a single contact for landlords, responds quickly to concerns and gives landlords a stable partner. A small risk mitigation fund covers specific costs, such as a holding fee or damage beyond the deposit, under written rules.

How we will measure results. For every veteran household we record, in the community's Homeless Management Information System as required, when they enrolled, their housing status, the services they received, when they moved into permanent housing and whether they remain housed at 6 and 12 months. We track the average days from enrollment to move-in, the average cost per household, landlords recruited and retained and veteran feedback.

Our Year 1 goals:
- About 90 veteran households enroll, about 130 people including family members, and about 60 receive financial assistance averaging about $1,600.
- At least 70% of households who are homeless when they enroll are in permanent housing within 90 days.
- At least 85% of households who move into permanent housing are still housed 6 months later.
- About 40 landlords take part, with at least 50% renting to a second veteran.
- At least 90% of veterans are connected to VA health care or a community clinic, if they want it.
- At least 90% of veterans say they were treated with respect.
These are goals, and we will report our real results to the Foundation, including where we fall short. We do not promise any veteran housing.

Market Analysis

Who we serve and how many.

The people. Veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of losing their housing, and their families, in our county. We serve any person who served in the U.S. armed forces, regardless of discharge type, when our funding allows. Some government funding has its own eligibility rules, which we confirm for each funding source. We welcome women veterans, older veterans, veterans with children, veterans with disabilities, veterans of every race, faith, sexual orientation and gender identity, and veterans in rural parts of the county. We prioritize veterans who are the most vulnerable and who have been homeless the longest, in line with the Continuum of Care's coordinated entry priorities.

Where we work. Our office is on a bus line, and our staff meet veterans at the VA medical center, shelters, libraries and in their homes after move-in, throughout the county. Landlords are recruited countywide.

How many we will reach:
- Year 1: about 90 households (about 130 people), with about 60 receiving financial assistance.
- Year 2: about 106 households, with about 71 receiving financial assistance.
- Year 3: about 125 households, with about 83 receiving financial assistance, with a third Housing Case Manager.
- Year 4: about 147 households, with about 98 receiving financial assistance, with a second Housing Navigator.
- Year 5: about 174 households, with about 116 receiving financial assistance, with a fourth Housing Case Manager.
Over five years we expect to serve about 640 veteran households, and to provide financial assistance to about 430 of them.

Who else benefits:
- Families and children. Children in veteran households gain a stable home and school.
- Landlords. They gain a reliable partner who answers the phone and helps solve problems early.
- The VA and community agencies. They gain a partner who can find units and cover costs that their own programs cannot.
- Employers. Veterans who are housed are better able to work.
- The community. Fewer veterans on the street means safer, healthier neighborhoods and less use of emergency services, though we do not promise this.

How we will size the need before we submit. We will add the veterans counted in our most recent Point-in-Time Count, the number on the coordinated entry list, the typical rent and the vacancy rate in our area, and the number of veterans in our county from the U.S. Census Bureau. These come from our Continuum of Care, HUD, the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs and the VA.

Competitive Landscape

Other help veterans can get, and how we fit.

- VA homeless programs. The VA offers several programs, including rental vouchers paired with case management, transitional housing grants to nonprofits and funds for rapid rehousing and homelessness prevention. These are the backbone of the system, and we work with them closely. But they have eligibility rules, waiting lists and limited funds for up-front costs, and not every veteran qualifies. We fill gaps and help veterans use the programs they are eligible for.
- The Continuum of Care and general homeless services. Shelters, rapid rehousing and permanent housing programs serve people of all backgrounds. We coordinate with them through coordinated entry, and we bring a veteran-specific focus and peer support.
- Public housing authorities. They administer vouchers and housing, often with long waiting lists. We help veterans apply and keep their paperwork current.
- Churches and charities. Many provide emergency help with a motel night or a rent payment. We work with them, and we offer a plan and follow-up so that a one-time help turns into lasting housing.
- Legal aid. Provides eviction defense and help with other legal problems. We refer and work with them.
- Veterans Service Organizations and county veterans service officers. They help with benefits claims, and we refer veterans to their accredited representatives.
- Other veterans' nonprofits. Some focus on benefits, employment or mental health. We coordinate and refer to each other.

The gap we fill. In our county, no program combines Housing First case management, direct payment of up-front costs, landlord recruitment and risk mitigation, move-in essentials, veteran peer support and months of aftercare, designed for veterans, including those who may not qualify for other programs.

Our partners:
- The VA medical center's homeless program, which refers veterans and shares information with permission.
- The local Continuum of Care, which coordinates referrals and data.
- Twenty-two landlords and a property management association.
- Two churches and a veterans' service organization, which provide volunteers, donations and meeting space.
- A legal aid organization, which handles eviction and discharge upgrade help.
- A community health center and a behavioral health clinic, which accept referrals.
- A local workforce board and employers that hire veterans.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How veterans, landlords and supporters will find us and how we keep them engaged.

Reaching veterans:
- Coordinated entry and the VA. The Continuum of Care's coordinated entry and the VA medical center's homeless program send us veterans.
- Outreach. Our Peer Support Specialist and case managers visit shelters, food pantries, libraries, parks, the VA, jails at release and encampments, and talk with veterans one on one, with respect and no pressure.
- Veterans' organizations. Veterans of Foreign Wars posts, American Legion posts, churches and county veterans service officers tell veterans about us.
- Word of mouth. Veterans who have been housed are our best advocates.
- A simple website, a toll-free number and a text line, with clear information and a short form.
- Stand Down events. We take part in local events that bring services together for veterans in one place.

Reaching landlords:
- The Housing Navigator meets property managers, owners and associations, explains the program and the support landlords receive, and offers a single point of contact and a risk mitigation fund.
- A short, plain guide for landlords on how to work with us, our rules and what we pay.
- Thank-you notes and public recognition for landlords who rent to veterans, with their permission.
- Regular check-ins so that concerns are solved early.

Making it easy to say yes:
- No appointment is needed to call or walk in, and we help no matter a veteran's discharge or benefit status when our funding allows.
- We do not require sobriety, treatment or employment before helping.
- We explain every step in plain words and the veteran stays in charge of the plan.
- We meet people where they are, in the community, at the VA or at home.

Keeping veterans engaged:
- The same case manager works with the same veteran from start to finish, with a veteran peer by their side.
- Contact is regular and respectful, and we do not give up when someone is hard to reach.
- We celebrate move-in days, and many veterans become volunteers and peer mentors.

Reaching supporters. Property owners, banks, churches, veterans' groups and local businesses are invited to sponsor a household kit, a deposit or a move-in day. We share results twice a year with funders and partners, using totals and never names.

Outreach budget. Training, data system and evaluation are about $8,000 a year in Year 1. The sign, outreach brochures for veterans and landlords and the 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, landlord agreements and assistance policies, sign the lease, hire two Housing Case Managers, the Housing Navigator and the Peer Support Specialist, enroll in the Homeless Management Information System, confirm our role in coordinated entry and set up the secure records system.
- Month 4: Staff training on Housing First, trauma-informed care, crisis response, fair housing, landlord relationships and the data system. Recruit the first landlords.
- Months 5 to 8: Open to veterans. First enrollments, first move-ins and first household kits. Peer support begins.
- Months 9 to 12: Aftercare check-ins begin. Review of results, wait times and costs, a year-end report to funders and the Continuum of Care, and planning for Year 2.

Space. A small leased office on a bus line, with a reception area, a private interview room and workspace for staff. Staff do most of their work in the community. Office rent and utilities are about $24,000 a year in Year 1. Paint, flooring and an accessible, private meeting room are a one-time cost of $4,000, with a deposit and first month of rent of $4,500.

Equipment. We buy about $12,500 of equipment once at the start: six laptops, secure tablets for field visits and mobile hotspots ($6,500), office and meeting room furniture ($4,500), and locking cabinets for confidential records and a secure storage cage for donated household goods ($1,500). After Year 1, we set aside about $2,000 to $3,000 a year to replace and add equipment. An opening stock of household kits is a one-time cost of $6,000.

Staffing. In Year 1: an Executive Director, two Housing Case Managers, a Housing Navigator and Landlord Engagement Specialist, a Veteran Peer Support Specialist and a part-time Program Coordinator and Data Specialist. A third Housing Case Manager joins in Year 3, a second Housing Navigator in Year 4 and a fourth Housing Case Manager in Year 5. Each Housing Case Manager carries about 30 households at a time.

Housing First and trauma-informed care. Staff are trained to listen, to avoid judgment, to work at the veteran's pace and to recognize the effects of trauma and military service. We do not require any condition before we help, and we do not end services because a veteran does not follow a plan.

Assistance rules and controls. Assistance is tied to a housing plan, limited in amount and duration, and paid directly to a landlord or utility company, never as cash to a veteran. The unit must meet housing quality and rent reasonableness standards, and the landlord must sign an agreement and a W-9. Each payment is approved by the Executive Director or a designee and recorded, and the board reviews a list of all payments each quarter. Direct housing assistance is about $96,000 a year in Year 1, and move-in essentials are about $12,000.

Fair housing. We follow federal, state and local fair housing laws. We do not steer veterans to or away from any unit or neighborhood because of a protected characteristic, and we do not work with landlords who discriminate.

Landlord risk mitigation fund. A small fund, about $8,000 in Year 1, pays specific costs under written rules, such as a holding fee or damage beyond a deposit, to encourage landlords to rent to veterans. Each claim is documented and approved.

Safety. Staff follow a written safety plan for home and field visits, including pairing for visits when needed and checking in. For veterans who are survivors of domestic violence, we take extra steps to protect location and information, in line with federal protections. If a veteran is in immediate danger, staff call 911. Veterans who are in crisis or thinking of harming themselves are connected right away to the Veterans Crisis Line (dial 988 then press 1) or text 838255, and staff stay with the person until help is on the way.

Privacy. Veterans' information is kept in a locked cabinet and a secure, password-protected system, and shared only with the veteran's written permission, except where the law or our funders require it. Federal rules require some data to be entered into the community's Homeless Management Information System, and we explain this to each veteran and follow its privacy rules. Survivors of domestic violence are served outside shared systems where the law requires it. We report results to funders only as totals, never with a veteran's name.

VA benefits claims. Only people accredited by the VA may prepare, present and prosecute claims for VA benefits, and they may not charge fees for initial claims. We do not prepare or charge for VA claims. We refer veterans to accredited Veterans Service Officers and help them get to appointments.

Insurance and records. We carry general liability, property, professional and non-owned auto liability insurance, and workers' compensation once we hire. Insurance is about $8,000 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.

Denise Walker, Executive Director. Denise leads the organization, raises money, manages grants and contracts and relationships with the VA, the Continuum of Care and landlords, supervises staff and reports to the board. She is a Navy veteran who served 8 years, spent 3 years as a case manager in a homeless services agency and began the pilot that grew into this program. Planned salary: $64,000 a year.

Housing Case Manager. Works one on one with veterans, writes housing plans, manages assistance, coordinates with providers and follows up after move-in. This role requires experience in social work, housing services or veterans services, training in Housing First and trauma-informed care, and a background check. Veterans and military family members are encouraged to apply. Two in Years 1 and 2, three in Years 3 and 4 and four in Year 5, at a planned salary of $48,000 each. The Patriot Housing Foundation grant would support the first Housing Case Manager.

Housing Navigator and Landlord Engagement Specialist. Recruits and supports landlords, finds units, checks housing quality and rent reasonableness, and negotiates for veterans. One in Years 1 to 3 and two from Year 4, at a planned salary of $46,000 each.

Veteran Peer Support Specialist. A veteran with lived experience who offers peer support, helps with appointments and connections, and leads a weekly veteran meet-up. Planned salary: $40,000 a year.

Program Coordinator and Data Specialist (part-time). Handles scheduling, assistance payments, the data system 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: 6 paid staff in Years 1 and 2 (five full-time and one part-time), 7 in Year 3, 8 in Year 4 and 9 in Year 5.

Volunteers. About 40 trained volunteers in Year 1, including veterans, who help with move-ins, furniture, rides and the veteran meet-up. Volunteers complete a background check and orientation. Volunteers do not handle confidential records or money.

The board. A seven-member volunteer board approves the budget, reviews results twice a year and helps raise money. Board members serve three-year terms. The board's certified public accountant chairs the finance committee. At least two members are veterans.

People who help us. An outside accountant who reviews our books every year, a housing attorney who reviews our lease, landlord agreements and assistance policies, an insurance agent who understands housing programs, and an advisory group of veterans who have been homeless, landlords and a VA social worker, who meet each semester to tell us what is working.

Training. All staff and volunteers complete training in Housing First, trauma-informed care, crisis response, fair housing, privacy and cultural humility before starting, and again each year.

Money management. Grant money is tracked separately for each funder. The Executive Director and a board member must both approve any payment over $2,500.

Milestones Narrative

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

- Year 1: Open the program, enroll about 90 veteran households, provide financial assistance to about 60, recruit about 40 landlords and house at least 70% of households who are homeless at enrollment within 90 days. A balanced budget of about $466,000, with a small surplus of about $11,500. 6 paid staff.
- Year 2: Enroll about 106 households, provide financial assistance to about 71 and begin 12-month follow-up. Apply for government housing and veteran services contracts. A balanced budget of about $489,000, with a small surplus of about $11,500. 6 paid staff.
- Year 3: Add a third Housing Case Manager and enroll about 125 households, with about 83 receiving financial assistance. A balanced budget of about $564,500, with a small surplus of about $12,400. 7 paid staff.
- Year 4: Add a second Housing Navigator and enroll about 147 households, with about 98 receiving financial assistance. A balanced budget of about $642,000, with a small surplus of about $13,300. 8 paid staff.
- Year 5: Add a fourth Housing Case Manager and enroll about 174 households, with about 116 receiving financial assistance, with government contracts covering about 33% of our budget. A balanced budget of about $727,000, with a small surplus of about $14,600. 9 paid staff.

What we measure:
- Households enrolled, by housing status at enrollment.
- Days from enrollment to move-in, and the share housed within 90 days.
- Share still housed at 6 and 12 months.
- Cost per household and the average amount of financial assistance.
- Landlords recruited and retained, and landlord satisfaction.
- Connections to VA health care and other services.
- Veteran satisfaction and whether veterans felt respected.

How we review results. The Executive Director and case managers review caseloads and timelines every week, and the whole team reviews outcomes monthly. Each semester, staff, the advisory group and our partners review results together, and we change what is not working. Twice a year, the board reviews results and we share them with funders, the Continuum of Care and the VA 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: $95,000 from the Patriot Housing Foundation for one Housing Case Manager, direct housing assistance, move-in essentials and a landlord partnership and risk mitigation fund, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Housing Case Manager salary, $48,000.
- Other: Direct housing assistance (deposits, short-term rent and utilities, paid directly to landlords and utility companies), $36,000 (other funds add $60,000).
- Other: Move-in essentials (furniture and household kits), $6,000 (other funds add $6,000).
- Other: Landlord partnership and risk mitigation fund, $5,000 (other funds add $3,000).

Other money in the program. Government housing and veteran services contracts, other grants and local donors pay the other $69,000 of those lines, plus the Executive Director's salary ($64,000), the second Housing Case Manager ($48,000), the Housing Navigator ($46,000), the Peer Support Specialist ($40,000), the part-time Program Coordinator ($26,000), transportation, phones and basic needs ($10,000), office rent and utilities ($24,000), insurance ($8,000), training, data system and evaluation ($8,000) and administration and accounting ($14,000).

Year 1 budget: about $466,000, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $11,500 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $321,000 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), government housing and veteran services contracts $110,000 and donations and local sponsors $35,000. Year 1 costs: Executive Director $64,000; two Housing Case Managers $96,000; Housing Navigator $46,000; Peer Support Specialist $40,000; Program Coordinator $26,000; direct housing assistance about $96,000; move-in essentials about $12,000; transportation, phones and basic needs about $10,000; landlord partnership and risk mitigation fund about $8,000; office rent and utilities about $24,000; insurance about $8,000; training, data system and evaluation about $8,000; administration and accounting about $14,000; and about $4,500 a year for the wear on equipment.

How we planned direct assistance. Direct housing assistance averages about $1,600 per household for about 60 households in Year 1 ($96,000). It grows about 18% a year, to about $186,000 in Year 5, as we serve about 116 households with assistance. We pay each amount directly to a landlord or utility company.

About government contracts. The VA, HUD, the state and the county fund housing programs for veterans, including grants to nonprofits for rapid rehousing and homelessness prevention. These funds are competitive, are awarded for set periods and have strict rules about eligibility, documentation and reporting. We plan to apply once we have a track record. The amounts in this plan are our planning estimates, not promises, and agencies can change their budgets, rules and awards. We plan for grants and donors to cover the gap if they do.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $39,800 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $12,500 of equipment (laptops and tablets, furniture and locking storage), $4,000 for paint, flooring and an accessible meeting room, $4,500 for the office deposit and first month of rent, $6,000 for the opening stock of household kits, $800 for the business license and permits, $6,000 for an attorney's review of the lease, landlord agreements, assistance and privacy policies, data system enrollment and accounting setup, $2,500 for the sign, brochures and website, and $3,500 for background checks, staff training and the first insurance payment.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($39,800), the cash we need to cover the wait for the first payments (about $14,000) and a cash cushion of about $113,000, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. That comes to $167,000. We start with $25,000 of our own savings and $145,000 in startup support from a veterans' foundation, a hospital community benefit gift and our board, $170,000 in all, which covers that amount.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $466,000 in Year 1 to about $727,000 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $321,000, $317,000, $342,500, $370,000 and $415,000 in Years 1 to 5. Government housing and veteran services contracts grow from $110,000 to $240,000, and donations and local sponsors grow from $35,000 to $72,000. We add a third Housing Case Manager in Year 3, a second Housing Navigator in Year 4 and a fourth Housing Case Manager in Year 5. Grants fall from about 69% of our income in Year 1 to about 57% in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $143,500, at the end of Year 1. Government and grant payments often arrive after we bill or after we submit documents, so we plan for about $27,960 owed to us at the end of Year 1.

After the grant. Our plan is to grow government contracts as agencies see results, to invite landlords, banks, churches, veterans' groups and employers to sponsor households, and to grow individual donors. Because a veteran who is housed no longer needs emergency help, success lowers the long-term cost to the community and strengthens our case for public funding.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- Rents rise or no units are available. The Housing Navigator keeps a wide landlord network, watches rents and looks at shared housing and nearby areas where a veteran chooses.
- A landlord has a problem with a tenant. We respond fast, help solve it and use the risk mitigation fund under written rules.
- A veteran loses housing again. Aftercare helps early, and we do not give up on a veteran who needs another try.
- Government contracts are delayed or not awarded. We plan with a cash cushion, stage hiring so costs follow funding and apply to other funders.
- A staff member is hurt or a veteran is in crisis. We use a written safety plan, train every staff member and connect to the Veterans Crisis Line and 911.
- A grant ends. We keep savings, grow contracts and donors and keep our costs per household low.

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 part-time case manager and a small deposit fund in partnership with the VA and a church, helping 10 to 15 veterans in the first year, tracked carefully. Strong results from a small start make larger grants easier to win.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach with this proposal:

- Your IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter, or your fiscal sponsor agreement.
- Your most recent financial statements and your current year budget.
- A list of your board members and what each one does.
- Resumes for your Executive Director and job descriptions for the Housing Case Managers, Navigator and Peer Support Specialist.
- Letters of support from the VA medical center's homeless program, the Continuum of Care, landlords and churches.
- A list of landlords who have already agreed to rent to veterans, shown as totals.
- Your assistance policy, rent reasonableness and housing quality checklist, landlord agreement and risk mitigation fund rules.
- Your confidentiality policy, safety plan and crisis plan.
- Proof of enrollment in the Homeless Management Information System, or proof of application.
- Results from your pilot, shown as totals.
- 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: $321,000 in Year 1, then $317,000, $342,500, $370,000 and $415,000.
- Government Housing and Veteran Services Contracts: $110,000 in Year 1, growing to $240,000.
- Donations and Local Sponsors: $35,000 in Year 1, growing to $72,000.
- Households: about 90 enrolled in Year 1 with about 60 receiving financial assistance averaging about $1,600, growing to about 174 enrolled and 116 receiving assistance in Year 5.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): Executive Director $64,000, Housing Case Manager $48,000 (two in Years 1 and 2, three in Years 3 and 4, four in Year 5), Housing Navigator and Landlord Engagement Specialist $46,000 (one in Years 1 to 3, two from Year 4), Veteran Peer Support Specialist $40,000, Program Coordinator and Data Specialist (part-time) $26,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: Direct Housing Assistance $96,000 (growing about 18% a year), Move-In Essentials $12,000, Transportation, Phones and Basic Needs $10,000, Landlord Partnership and Risk Mitigation Fund $8,000, Office Rent and Utilities $24,000, Insurance $8,000, Training, Data System and Evaluation $8,000, Administration and Accounting $14,000. The other costs grow between 4% and 12% a year.
- Equipment: $12,500 at the start, then $2,000 to $3,000 a year.
- Startup costs: $39,800, paid once from $170,000 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