Full Plate Veterans Food Alliance

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Executive Summary

Full Plate Veterans Food Alliance is a nonprofit in Pennsylvania that makes sure no veteran in our community goes hungry. We run a choice-based food pantry for veterans and their families, deliver groceries from a refrigerated van to veterans who are disabled, older or live far from a store, and help veterans enroll in the food and nutrition benefits they have earned or qualify for. A Veteran Outreach and Benefits Navigator meets each veteran with respect, asks what the household needs and connects the veteran to everything from SNAP and VA health care to housing and employment help. A registered dietitian leads general nutrition classes and helps us stock food for veterans with diabetes, heart disease and other needs. There is no charge, and we do not ask for proof of income to get food.

Hunger among veterans is often hidden. A veteran may be proud, may be reluctant to take what others might need more or may not know that help exists. Many are on fixed incomes, waiting on a disability decision, between jobs or supporting a family. Veterans who are older, disabled or in rural areas may not be able to get to a store or a pantry at all. Skipping meals or choosing between food and medicine harms health, makes recovery harder and adds to isolation.

With this grant we will serve about 300 veteran households in Year 1, opening in about Month 3, and about 450 in Year 2, with about 3,600 food distributions (pantry visits and home deliveries) in Year 1. About a quarter of households will receive home delivery. Our goal is that at least 90% of veterans who ask for food receive it within two business days, that at least 100 veterans are helped to apply for food and nutrition benefits in Year 1 and that at least 70% of households we follow up with report less worry about running out of food at six months, measured with a short, standard screening. We do not promise any health result.

Our Year 1 budget: about $535,500, growing to about $728,000 by Year 5. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 7 paid staff in Year 1 and 10 by Year 5. Government food and nutrition contracts and community donors add steady support, so grants fall from about 79% of our income in Year 1 to about 62% in Year 5.

We are asking the Harvest for Heroes Foundation for $85,000 for one Veteran Outreach and Benefits Navigator, food purchases and refrigerated vehicle fuel and maintenance. Government contracts, other grants and donors cover the rest, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

I am Raymond Ellis, the Executive Director, a Navy veteran and a former food bank warehouse manager. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

Full Plate Veterans Food Alliance 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 make sure every veteran and veteran family in our community has enough good food, and the dignity of choosing it.

What we believe. People who served should not go hungry. Food is health, and a meal is also a chance to be seen and to connect. A pantry should feel like a store, where a person chooses what the family will eat, not a handout. Veterans are the experts on their own lives, and the best help comes from people who understand military life and treat each person with respect. We serve women and men, people of every race, faith, sexual orientation and gender identity, veterans of every era and discharge status, and their families.

How we started. Full Plate Veterans Food Alliance began when a group of veterans and a church noticed that many men and women at a weekly veterans' breakfast were taking food home in napkins. The group began setting out groceries from a church closet. In two years, the volunteers served more than 200 veteran households, and a local food bank helped with a regular supply. The food bank, the VA and the area agency on aging asked whether we could grow into a full program with a dedicated space, a delivery van and staff. This proposal asks for support to do that.

What we offer:
- A choice pantry for veterans. Open set hours each week, evenings and Saturdays included, where veterans choose their own food, including fresh produce, protein, dairy, shelf-stable food, baby items and hygiene and household supplies. Veterans may come as often as the pantry's rules allow.
- Home delivery. A refrigerated van and a driver bring groceries to veterans who are disabled, older, without transportation or in rural areas, on a regular schedule.
- Benefits help. A Veteran Outreach and Benefits Navigator screens each household and helps veterans apply for programs such as SNAP, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), senior nutrition programs, utility help and, through accredited Veterans Service Officers, VA benefits.
- Nutrition education. A registered dietitian, under contract, teaches general classes on shopping and cooking on a budget and on eating well with common conditions, and advises us on what to stock. The dietitian gives general education, not individual medical advice.
- Special needs. Diabetes-friendly, low-sodium, soft, gluten-free and culturally familiar food where we can, and ready-to-eat items for veterans without a kitchen or who are homeless.
- Connections. Warm handoffs to VA health care, housing, employment, legal aid and mental health care.
- Follow-up. A short, friendly screening at enrollment and at six months to see whether the household is less worried about food, and what else is needed.

Who we serve. Any person who served in the U.S. armed forces, including National Guard and Reserve, regardless of discharge type, and their families, in our service area. Some government food funding has its own eligibility rules, which we confirm for each funding source. We do not charge veterans for any food or service, and we do not require proof of income, a referral or participation in any program or faith activity.

What we do not do. We do not give medical advice or treat any condition. We do not promise any health result. We do not prepare or charge for VA benefit claims, which only accredited representatives may do. We do not give cash.

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 registered dietitian, a food bank representative, a VA social worker, an attorney and a certified public accountant. The Executive Director manages the organization, the Program Director runs the program and an outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Where things stand today. We have letters of support from the regional food bank, the VA medical center, the area agency on aging, two churches, a grocery retailer and a veterans' organization. We have a letter of intent for a pantry and warehouse space with a loading dock. Before we begin, we will confirm the health department's food permit requirements, have an attorney review our volunteer, food donation, delivery and privacy policies and confirm any requirements of Pennsylvania.

Problem & Opportunity

Veterans are not immune to hunger. Surveys of veterans have found that a meaningful share live in households that are not always sure where the next meal will come from, and the risk is higher for younger veterans, women veterans, veterans with a disability, veterans who live alone and veterans with low incomes. Some are waiting months for a disability decision. Some work and still cannot cover rent and food. Some have lost a spouse's income, a job or a home. Food is often the flexible part of a budget, so it is the first thing cut when rent, medicine or a car repair comes due.

Veterans can be less likely to ask for help. Many were taught to take care of themselves and each other, and feel that taking food means someone else will go without. Some worry that using a pantry is a sign of failure. Some do not know they may qualify for benefits such as SNAP. Some have had a bad experience at an agency.

Getting to food is its own barrier. In our county, the nearest full grocery store may be many miles from a veteran who is disabled, older or without a working car, and the pantry hours that exist are often a weekday morning that conflicts with work or treatment. Fresh food is rarer still, and what is easiest to get is often high in sugar and sodium. For veterans with diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease or high blood pressure, the wrong food can make a health problem worse.

Hunger and health are linked. Skipping meals, rationing medication to buy food and eating poorly can raise the risk of hospital visits and make recovery harder. Isolation and shame worsen depression. For a veteran who is homeless or in unstable housing, the barrier is not only money but a place to store and cook food.

We want to be clear about what we know and do not know. Food assistance helps reduce hunger in the household, and we do not know that every veteran we serve will have better health because of it. We will measure what we can, such as food given, benefits enrollments and a short food worry screening, and will share results honestly. We will use local numbers from the VA, the state and the food bank in our final application and will not overstate them.

Our community has good food resources, including a regional food bank and churches with pantries, but few focus on veterans, few are open at times that work for veterans who work or have appointments and almost none deliver. We aim to fill that gap and connect veterans to the bigger system.

Products & Services

Full Plate Veterans Food Alliance will open a veterans food security center with a Program Director, a Veteran Outreach and Benefits Navigator, a Food Operations Coordinator, a Delivery Driver and Assistant and an Executive Director, and will offer a choice pantry, home delivery, benefits help, nutrition education and follow-up at no cost to veterans.

How it works, step by step:
1. First contact. A veteran or family member walks in, calls, texts or is referred by the VA, a clinic, a church or another veteran. We answer every message within one business day. Anyone in crisis is connected right away to the Veterans Crisis Line (dial 988 then press 1), or 911 when there is immediate danger.
2. A welcome, not a test. A short, private conversation about household size, dietary needs, kitchen and transportation, and what would help. We confirm military service in a simple way and accept alternatives to papers. We do not require proof of income.
3. Food the same day. A veteran who comes to the pantry shops with a volunteer or by themselves, choosing from fresh produce, protein, dairy, staples and household items. A veteran who needs delivery is scheduled within two business days.
4. Screening. A two-question food worry screening, kept private, to see how often the household worries about running out of food, and a few questions about benefits and needs.
5. Benefits help. The Navigator helps the veteran apply for SNAP, WIC, senior nutrition programs, utility help and other programs, and refers to accredited Veterans Service Officers for VA benefits.
6. Education. Cooking and budget classes, recipe cards, tasting events and a dietitian's general nutrition sessions, which are optional.
7. Warm handoffs. Calls and introductions to VA health care, housing, employment and mental health services.
8. Follow-up. A friendly check-in at six months, and the door stays open.

What the grant will pay for. Part of one Veteran Outreach and Benefits Navigator's salary, food purchases and refrigerated vehicle fuel and maintenance. The rest of the budget comes from government food and nutrition contracts, other grants and donors.

Dignity and choice. Veterans pick their own food, in a clean, bright space, without being asked to prove need. We do not ask veterans to listen to a presentation, pray or take part in any activity to get food.

Food from many sources. We buy fresh produce, protein and staples, receive donated and rescued food from grocery stores and farms and receive food from the regional food bank, including food provided through federal programs. Food is tracked by source.

Why this approach is strong. A veteran gets good food, a choice, a ride when needed and a person who can help with benefits, all in one place, and a hungry household gets help the same day. We do not promise that food solves every problem, but we know that going hungry makes every other problem worse.

Market Analysis

Who benefits: veterans and veteran families in our Pennsylvania service area who are hungry or worried about running out of food, and the neighbors, clinics and employers who depend on healthy, stable households.

Our primary group is veterans of every era and their families who are food insecure. We expect to serve veterans on fixed incomes, veterans with a disability, older veterans who live alone, younger veterans who are newly out of the service, women veterans, veterans with children, rural veterans, veterans who are homeless or in unstable housing and veterans who work but cannot cover basic costs. About a quarter will need home delivery.

We will not serve a person who needs emergency medical care at the moment of the visit, and we will help them reach the right place by calling 911. We refer veterans whose needs are outside our scope, such as those who need medical nutrition therapy or in-home care, and we stay in touch while the referral is made.

Local data. We will use the most recent numbers from the VA, the Census Bureau, the state and the regional food bank in our final application and will not overstate them. Our own experience shows demand: in two years of a church closet, more than 200 veteran households came for food, and many asked for deliveries and evening hours we could not offer. We plan for about 300 households in Year 1 and about 450 in Year 2, growing to about 900 by Year 5, with about 10,800 food distributions in Year 5.

Our secondary groups are VA clinics and primary care providers, who gain a place to send patients who screen positive for food insecurity; the regional food bank, which gains a partner that reaches veterans; grocery stores and farms, which gain a place to donate surplus food; and churches and civic groups, which gain a way to serve.

We do not guarantee a particular food item to anyone, and when stock is low we say so, share what we have fairly and refer to other pantries. We do not accept payment in exchange for referrals.

Competitive Landscape

Other choices veterans have in our area, and what makes us different.

- The regional food bank and neighborhood pantries. They are essential, and we work closely with them, receive food from them and refer to them. Most are open on weekday mornings, serve everyone and do not deliver. Few have veteran-specific staff.
- SNAP, WIC and senior nutrition programs. They provide benefits to eligible households, and we help veterans apply. Applications can be confusing, and benefits can take weeks. We help with the application and bridge the wait.
- The VA. The VA screens many veterans for food insecurity and can connect them to resources, and it is not a food provider. We take referrals from the VA and work with its social workers.
- Churches and community meals. They offer food and fellowship, and we are grateful for them. We offer a larger, regular supply with benefits help.
- Meal delivery programs for seniors. Some veterans qualify, and many do not or are on a waiting list. We refer when a veteran qualifies and fill the gap when they do not.
- Food rescue and community fridges. They help neighbors and cannot be counted on for regular fresh food or for veterans who cannot travel.

What makes us different.
- Veteran-led and veteran-focused, with staff who understand military life.
- Choice, evening and Saturday hours and no proof of income.
- Home delivery from a refrigerated van.
- A Navigator who helps with benefits in the same visit.
- A registered dietitian who helps us stock food for veterans with health conditions.
- Honest results. We measure and share our results, whether they are good or not.

What we do not claim. We are new. Our track record is small, built on volunteers and donated space, and the regional food bank and others have decades of experience. We plan to learn from them, share results openly and ask for advice from our partners.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How we will reach the veterans, partners and supporters we need once the project is funded.

Veterans. Most veterans will find us through a person they trust. We will work with the VA medical center's social workers and primary care teams (including their food insecurity screening), community clinics, American Legion and VFW posts, veterans' service organizations, churches, barber shops, libraries, community colleges, the area agency on aging, WIC offices and homeless shelters. We will attend Stand Down events and veterans' resource fairs. We will keep a toll-free number, a text line, a simple website and a printed card that fits in a wallet. Veterans who have used the pantry, with their written permission, will be our best messengers. We will use plain, respectful words and never describe veterans as needy.

Food partners. We will work with the regional food bank, grocery stores, farms, farmers' markets, restaurants and schools to rescue and receive food, and we will follow safe food handling rules for every donation. We will not accept food that is unsafe, expired or recalled.

Government and partners. We will work with the county, the state, the area agency on aging and the food bank to find funds, including state and local food programs and federal food commodities provided through the food bank, and to enroll veterans in benefits. These sources are competitive and slow, so the plan counts on them only as shown in the funding section.

Volunteers. We will recruit veterans, students and community members to sort, stock, shop with veterans and pack deliveries. Volunteers pass a background check where they work with veterans in homes, are trained in food safety and confidentiality and never have access to records.

Funders. We will report results as totals, never with a veteran's name, to funders and government partners twice a year and in a short annual report. We will invite funders to visit with notice, while respecting privacy.

Donors and community. We will invite individuals, businesses, grocery stores, churches, civic clubs and veterans' organizations to hold food drives, sponsor a month of deliveries or adopt a shelf. Gifts are tracked separately and acknowledged with thanks.

How we talk about veterans and hunger. We use plain, respectful words. We do not use stories or photographs of veterans without clear, written, informed permission.

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1:
- Months 1 to 2: Attorney review of volunteer, food donation, delivery and privacy policies, sign the lease, build out the cold storage and pantry, buy the refrigerated van, hire the Program Director, two Veteran Outreach and Benefits Navigators, the Food Operations Coordinator and the Delivery Driver, and choose a secure data system.
- Month 3: Staff and volunteer training in food safety, trauma-informed practice, military culture, crisis response, confidentiality and the data system. Health department inspection. Open the pantry and begin deliveries.
- Months 4 to 8: First distributions, first benefits applications and first nutrition classes. Volunteer program grows.
- Months 9 to 12: Six-month follow-up screening begins. Review of results, wait times and costs, a year-end report to funders and planning for Year 2.

Space. A leased pantry and warehouse space with a loading dock, a client area arranged like a small store, cold storage, a private room for benefits help and an office. Rent and utilities are about $30,000 a year in Year 1. Cold storage electrical work, a hand sink, flooring and paint are a one-time cost of $8,000, with a deposit and first month of rent of $6,000.

Equipment. We buy about $61,000 of equipment once at the start: a used refrigerated delivery van ($38,000), commercial refrigerator and freezer units ($14,000), shelving, a pallet jack and a scale ($5,000), and laptops, tablets and phones ($4,000). After Year 1, we set aside about $4,000 to $6,000 a year to replace and add equipment. An opening stock of shelf-stable food, bags and hygiene items is a one-time cost of $10,000.

Staffing. In Year 1: an Executive Director, a Food Security Program Director, two Veteran Outreach and Benefits Navigators, a Food Operations Coordinator, a Delivery Driver and Assistant and a part-time Volunteer Coordinator and Data Specialist. A second Food Operations Coordinator joins in Year 3, a third Navigator and a second Driver in Year 4.

Food safety. Our food safety plan follows the health department's rules and the FDA Food Code. At least two staff members hold a recognized food protection manager certificate, and all staff and volunteers are trained in safe handling. We keep refrigerators at or below 41 degrees Fahrenheit and freezers at or below 0 degrees, record temperatures twice a day, rotate stock first in, first out, check dates, never distribute expired, damaged or recalled food, follow allergen rules and keep a written recall plan. The delivery van is kept at safe temperatures and cleaned after every route, and deliveries are logged. Packaging, cold storage upkeep and food safety supplies are about $12,000 a year in Year 1.

Food purchases. About $90,000 a year in Year 1 buys fresh produce, protein and staples, which grows about 10% a year to about $131,800 in Year 5. We receive additional donated and rescued food, which is tracked separately and not counted as cash in this plan. We choose food with the dietitian's help, with attention to lower sodium and sugar and to what veterans ask for.

Nutrition education. A registered dietitian under contract, about $10,000 a year in Year 1, teaches general classes, advises on what to stock and trains volunteers. The dietitian gives general education and does not give individual medical advice or treat any condition. We tell veterans to ask their own doctor about their medical needs.

Delivery. Deliveries are made by a trained driver and an assistant, who have passed background checks and a driving record check, in pairs when entering a home. Veterans choose a delivery window, and we call ahead. We leave food only with the veteran or a person the veteran names, and drivers do not give medical care, handle medication or accept tips. Vehicle fuel and maintenance are about $14,000 a year in Year 1. The van is inspected before every route and serviced on schedule.

Fairness and dignity. We follow federal, state and local anti-discrimination laws and make reasonable accommodations for disability. We do not require proof of income, and we do not ask a veteran to take part in any religious or other activity. We do not give cash.

Crisis and safety. If a veteran is in immediate danger or has a medical emergency, staff call 911. Anyone who is in crisis or thinking of harming themselves is 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. Staff follow a written safety plan for the pantry and for home deliveries.

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. We report results to funders only as totals, and we never share a veteran's name with a donor or the press without written permission.

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.

Insurance and records. We carry general liability, product liability, property, commercial auto and non-owned auto liability insurance, and workers' compensation once we hire. Insurance is about $10,000 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

The people who will carry out the project.

Raymond Ellis, Executive Director. A Navy veteran and a former food bank warehouse manager with more than ten years of experience in food distribution and veteran outreach. He leads fundraising, partnerships, finance and hiring, reports to the board and is the main contact for funders. (Replace this paragraph with your own director's background.)

Food Security Program Director (full time, hired in Months 1 to 2). Runs the program day to day, supervises the staff and volunteers, manages food safety and relationships with the food bank and retailers. We will seek a person with experience in food distribution or social services and a commitment to dignity.

Veteran Outreach and Benefits Navigators (two in Years 1 to 3, three from Year 4). Welcome veterans, help them enroll in SNAP, WIC and other programs, make warm handoffs and follow up. We will hire veterans where we can, and train every navigator in benefits rules.

Food Operations Coordinators (one in Years 1 and 2, two from Year 3). Receive, store and stock food, keep temperature and inventory records, supervise volunteers in the warehouse and pack deliveries. At least one holds a food protection manager certificate.

Delivery Drivers and Assistants (one in Years 1 to 3, two from Year 4). Drive the refrigerated van, deliver groceries and check on veterans at home.

Volunteer Coordinator and Data Specialist (part-time). Recruits, screens and trains volunteers, keeps the records, manages the data system, tracks results and prepares reports.

Board of directors. Seven volunteers who meet every quarter: two veterans, a registered dietitian, a food bank representative, a VA social worker, an attorney and a certified public accountant. The board approves the budget and policies, reviews results each quarter and does not receive pay.

Veteran advisory group. Veterans and family members who use the pantry meet quarterly and tell us what is working and what is not. Their advice shapes what we stock, our hours and our rules.

Outside professionals. A registered dietitian under contract advises on food and teaches. An attorney reviews our volunteer, food donation, delivery and privacy policies. An outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Staff screening and training. Every staff member and volunteer passes a criminal background check where required, and staff are trained before they work with veterans. Volunteers do not have access to records.

Staff pay in this plan includes payroll taxes and workers' compensation. Salaries are Executive Director $60,000, Program Director $52,000, Veteran Outreach and Benefits Navigator $44,000, Food Operations Coordinator $40,000, Delivery Driver and Assistant $36,000 and part-time Volunteer Coordinator $26,000. 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: Open the pantry by about Month 3, serve about 300 veteran households with about 3,600 food distributions, help at least 100 veterans apply for food and nutrition benefits and give food within two business days to at least 90% of veterans who ask. A balanced budget of about $535,500, with a small surplus of about $14,300. 7 paid staff.
- Year 2: Serve about 450 households with about 5,400 distributions and begin six-month follow-up screening. Apply for government food and nutrition contracts. A balanced budget of about $551,000, with a small surplus of about $13,900. 7 paid staff.
- Year 3: Add a second Food Operations Coordinator and serve about 600 households with about 7,200 distributions. Contracts cover more of our budget. A balanced budget of about $608,500, with a small surplus of about $13,800. 8 paid staff.
- Year 4: Add a third Navigator and a second Driver and serve about 750 households with about 9,000 distributions, with more rural delivery routes. A balanced budget of about $708,500, with a small surplus of about $15,300. 10 paid staff.
- Year 5: Serve about 900 households with about 10,800 distributions, with government contracts covering about 23% of our budget. A balanced budget of about $728,000, with a small surplus of about $14,600. 10 paid staff.

What we measure:
- Veteran households served, by era of service, age, disability and whether they receive home delivery.
- Food distributions, pounds of food and the share that is fresh produce.
- Days from first contact to first food.
- Benefits applications helped and approved.
- Food worry, using a short standard screening, at enrollment and at six months.
- Connections to VA care, housing, employment and other services.
- Food safety: temperature logs, inspections and any recall or complaint, reported in totals.
- Cost per household served and per distribution.
- Veteran satisfaction and whether veterans felt respected, collected anonymously.

How we review results. The Program Director and staff review the schedule, stock and food safety records every week, and the whole team reviews outcomes monthly. Each semester, staff, the veteran 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 food bank and the VA as totals. Every number in this plan is a goal, and we will report what really happens, including when we fall short.

Funding Request

What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $85,000 from the Harvest for Heroes Foundation for one Veteran Outreach and Benefits Navigator, food purchases and refrigerated vehicle fuel and maintenance, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Veteran Outreach and Benefits Navigator salary, $44,000 (other funds add $44,000).
- Supplies: Food purchases (fresh produce, protein and staples), $30,000 (other funds add $60,000).
- Other: Refrigerated vehicle fuel and maintenance, $11,000 (other funds add $3,000).

Other money in the program. Government food and nutrition contracts, other grants and community donors pay the other $107,000 of those lines, plus the Executive Director's salary ($60,000), the Program Director ($52,000), the second Navigator ($44,000), the Food Operations Coordinator ($40,000), the Delivery Driver ($36,000), the part-time Volunteer Coordinator ($26,000), pantry and warehouse rent and utilities ($30,000), packaging, cold storage upkeep and food safety supplies ($12,000), the dietitian contract ($10,000), technology and data system ($8,000), outreach and community events ($8,000), insurance ($10,000), staff and volunteer training ($5,000), evaluation and reporting ($6,000) and administration and accounting ($14,000).

Year 1 budget: about $535,500, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $14,300 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $425,500 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), government food and nutrition contracts $60,000 and food drives, donations and local sponsors $50,000. Year 1 costs: Executive Director $60,000; Food Security Program Director $52,000; two Veteran Outreach and Benefits Navigators $88,000; Food Operations Coordinator $40,000; Delivery Driver and Assistant $36,000; Volunteer Coordinator and Data Specialist $26,000; food purchases about $90,000; refrigerated vehicle fuel and maintenance about $14,000; pantry and warehouse rent and utilities about $30,000; packaging, cold storage upkeep and food safety supplies about $12,000; nutrition education about $10,000; technology and data system about $8,000; outreach and community events about $8,000; insurance about $10,000; staff and volunteer training about $5,000; evaluation and reporting about $6,000; administration and accounting about $14,000; and about $16,000 a year for the wear on equipment.

How we planned the food. Food purchases are about $90,000 in Year 1, and grow about 10% a year to about $131,800 in Year 5. Donated and rescued food adds to this and is not counted as money in the plan, so if donations fall we will buy more or serve fewer distributions. We plan for about 3,600 distributions in Year 1 because the pantry opens in about Month 3, and about 5,400 in Year 2, growing to about 10,800 in Year 5.

About government contracts. State and local governments, the area agency on aging and food banks that receive federal food commodities fund food and nutrition services for veterans, seniors and low-income households. These funds are competitive, are awarded for set periods and have strict rules about eligibility, food safety, 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 $100,500 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $61,000 for equipment, $8,000 for leasehold improvements, $6,000 for deposits, $10,000 for opening supplies and inventory, $1,500 for licenses and permits, $6,000 for legal and professional help, $3,000 for signage, brochures and a website, $5,000 for background checks, training and first insurance.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($100,500), the cash we need to cover the wait for the first payments (about $5,600) and a cash cushion of about $127,300, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. That comes to $233,500. We start with $25,000 of our own savings and $215,000 in startup support from a veterans' foundation, a grocery retailer's community gift and our board, $240,000 in all, which covers that amount.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $535,500 in Year 1 to about $728,000 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $425,500, $409,000, $427,500, $481,500, $453,000 in Years 1 to 5. Government contracts grow from $60,000 to $165,000, and food drives, donations and local sponsors grow from $50,000 to $110,000. We add a second Food Operations Coordinator in Year 3, a third Navigator and a second Driver in Year 4. Grants fall from about 79% of our income in Year 1 to about 62% in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $173,400, 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 $32,130 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 grocery stores, businesses, churches, civic clubs and veterans' groups to sponsor food and deliveries and to grow individual donors. Because a veteran who has enough food and benefits is healthier and more stable, success lowers costs for the community and strengthens our case for public funding.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- A food safety problem. We follow the food code, keep temperature and recall logs, train every person and discard anything doubtful.
- Donated food falls or food prices rise. We buy more with the food fund, share fairly and adjust the number of distributions before we reduce choice.
- The van breaks down. We keep a maintenance plan, a small repair budget and a back-up arrangement with a church van or the food bank.
- Demand is higher than we can serve. We keep a fair written method, refer to other pantries and deliver first to veterans who cannot travel.
- 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 grant ends. We keep savings, grow contracts and donors and keep our cost 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: a weekly pantry in a donated room with the food bank's supply and a volunteer driver, serving 60 to 100 veteran households 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 Program Director, Navigators, Food Operations Coordinator and Driver.
- Letters of support from the regional food bank, the VA medical center, the area agency on aging, churches and a retailer.
- Your health department food permit, or the application, and your food safety plan, including temperature logs and recall procedures.
- Your food partner agreement with the regional food bank.
- Your volunteer policy, delivery safety plan and privacy policy.
- Your plan for measuring results, including the food worry screening.
- Your crisis plan and safety plan.
- Results from your church pantry, shown as totals.
- Proof of liability, product liability and auto 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: $425,500 in Year 1, then $409,000, $427,500, $481,500, $453,000.
- Government Food and Nutrition Contracts: $60,000 in Year 1, growing to $165,000.
- Food Drives, Donations and Local Sponsors: $50,000 in Year 1, growing to $110,000.
- Households: about 300 in Year 1 (the pantry opens about Month 3), 450 in Year 2, 600, 750 and 900 in Years 3 to 5, with about 12 distributions per household a year.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): Executive Director $60,000, Program Director $52,000, Veteran Outreach and Benefits Navigator $44,000 (two in Years 1 to 3, three from Year 4), Food Operations Coordinator $40,000 (one in Years 1 and 2, two from Year 3), Delivery Driver and Assistant $36,000 (one in Years 1 to 3, two from Year 4), Volunteer Coordinator and Data Specialist (part-time) $26,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: Food Purchases (Fresh Produce, Protein and Staples) $90,000, Refrigerated Vehicle Fuel and Maintenance $14,000, Pantry and Warehouse Rent and Utilities $30,000, Packaging, Cold Storage Upkeep and Food Safety Supplies $12,000, Nutrition Education (Registered Dietitian Contract) $10,000, Technology and Data System $8,000, Outreach and Community Events $8,000, Insurance $10,000, Staff and Volunteer Training $5,000, Evaluation and Reporting $6,000, Administration and Accounting $14,000. The other costs grow between 4% and 10% a year.
- Equipment: $61,000 at the start (including a used refrigerated van), then $4,000 to $6,000 a year.
- Startup costs: $100,500, paid once from $240,000 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