Safe at Home Veterans Modification Alliance

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Executive Summary

Safe at Home Veterans Modification Alliance is a nonprofit in Michigan that makes the homes of disabled and aging veterans safe and accessible, so they can stay in the homes they love. Our team visits each veteran, an occupational therapist assesses what the veteran needs and a licensed Construction Project Manager writes the scope, gets bids from licensed and insured contractors, pulls permits, oversees the work and inspects it. We build ramps, install grab bars, widen doorways, convert tubs to roll-in showers, fix unsafe stairs and floors, add lighting and handrails, and install door and faucet hardware that a person with limited strength can use. The fund pays the contractor directly, never cash to a veteran, and there is no charge, loan or lien on the home.

For a veteran with a disability or the changes of age, an ordinary house can be a hazard: a step at the front door that cannot be crossed in a wheelchair, a bathroom too narrow for a walker, a tub that is impossible to enter, a staircase to the only bathroom. Falls are a leading cause of injury and loss of independence for older adults. Many veterans are on fixed incomes, cannot afford the work and do not know where to begin. Some live in homes that need basic repairs before a safe modification can be made. Some are tempted by door-to-door contractors who overcharge, do poor work or take a deposit and disappear.

With this grant we will assess about 60 veterans in Year 1, opening in about Month 3, and complete modifications for about 25 homes, at an average of about $6,000 per home, and about 75 assessments and 28 homes in Year 2. Our goal is that at least 90% of veterans who ask for help have a home visit within 30 days, that every completed job passes inspection and a final walkthrough with the veteran and that at least 90% of veterans tell us at 90 days that their home is safer and easier to use. We do not promise that any modification will prevent a fall or keep a veteran in the home.

Our Year 1 budget: about $579,500, growing to about $833,000 by Year 5. 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, aging and veteran contracts and local donors add steady support, so grants fall from about 78% of our income in Year 1 to about 59% in Year 5.

We are asking the Open Door Housing Foundation for $100,000 for one Veteran Home Modification Case Manager, a home modification fund paid directly to contractors and occupational therapy home assessments. Government contracts, other grants and donors cover the rest, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

I am Calvin Brooks, the Executive Director, a Marine Corps veteran and a licensed residential builder. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

Safe at Home Veterans Modification Alliance is a nonprofit organization in Michigan. 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 help every disabled and aging veteran in our community live safely and independently at home.

What we believe. A home should fit the person who lives in it. Veterans who gave much for their country should not be trapped in a room or fear a fall in their own bathroom. Staying at home is what most people want, it supports health and dignity and it often costs far less than a facility. Veterans are the experts on their own lives, and the best work is planned with the veteran and a trained assessor, done by people who are licensed and insured and finished with care. We serve women and men, people of every race, faith, sexual orientation and gender identity, and veterans of every era and discharge status when our funding allows.

How we started. Safe at Home Veterans Modification Alliance began when a group of veterans, a church men's group and a retired builder built a ramp for a Vietnam veteran who had lost a leg and could not leave his house. They built twelve more in two years, learned a great deal about permits, safe materials and doing it right, and were asked by the VA, the area agency on aging and the county to do more. They saw that a good ramp is not enough: a safe home needs an assessment, licensed work and a plan. This proposal asks for support to grow into a full program.

What we offer:
- Home visits and assessments. A Case Manager and an occupational therapist visit the veteran at home, watch how the veteran moves through the house, listen to what is hard and write a plan.
- Scope, bids and permits. The Construction Project Manager writes a scope of work, gets written bids from licensed and insured contractors, applies for permits and confirms that the plan meets accessibility and safety standards.
- Modifications. Ramps, grab bars, handrails, widened doorways, roll-in showers and walk-in tubs, raised toilets, accessible sinks, stair lifts, non-slip flooring, lighting, lever door hardware and other work that makes the home safer. Work stays within our scope: we do not do major structural repairs, roofs, heating and cooling replacement or additions.
- Oversight. Our Project Manager inspects the work during construction and at the end, and a final walkthrough with the veteran confirms that the work does what was needed before we pay the last installment.
- Equipment loan. A small loan closet of gently used equipment, such as shower chairs, walkers and portable ramps, for a veteran who needs something right away.
- Warm handoffs. Connections to VA programs, the area agency on aging, in-home care, food, utility help and weatherization, so the veteran has all the help they qualify for.
- Follow-up. A call at 30 and 90 days, and a free visit if something is not right.

Who we serve. Veterans who live in our service area and have a disability, a mobility limitation or the changes of age, and who own their home, or rent with a landlord's written permission. Some government funding has its own eligibility rules, which we confirm for each funding source. We do not charge veterans, take a lien on a home or require repayment.

What we do not do. We do not give cash. We do not do work without a permit when one is required. We do not give legal, tax or real estate advice. We do not promise that any modification will prevent a fall or keep a veteran in a home. We do not prepare or charge for VA benefit claims, which only accredited representatives may do.

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, an occupational therapist, a licensed contractor, a housing code official, 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 VA medical center's social work program, the area agency on aging, the county housing office, two churches, a building supply company and a contractors' association. We have a letter of intent for a small office with a storage garage. Before we begin, we will confirm Michigan's contractor licensing and permit rules, have an attorney review our homeowner agreement, contractor agreement, lien waiver and privacy policies, and confirm any requirements of our funders.

Problem & Opportunity

Disabled and older veterans are among the people who most need a home that fits them, and the least able to pay for it. A veteran may have lost a limb, use a wheelchair, a walker or a cane, live with a spinal cord injury, a stroke, arthritis, severe pain, low vision or a brain injury, or simply be aging. Many live alone, live on fixed incomes and live in homes built decades ago, with steps at the door, narrow halls, a tub in the only bathroom and loose rugs on slippery floors.

The consequences are real. Falls are a leading cause of injury among older adults, and they can end a person's independence in an instant. A veteran who cannot get out of the house misses medical appointments, church and friends. A veteran who cannot safely bathe may stop trying. A veteran who cannot afford a ramp may spend months waiting for a family member or a volunteer. When a home cannot be made safe, the alternative may be a nursing facility, which most people do not want and which costs far more than a modest modification.

The money and the process are barriers. Even simple jobs can cost thousands of dollars, and a roll-in shower can cost many thousands. The VA offers grants for adapting homes for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities, and not every veteran qualifies, funds are limited and the process is complicated. Some programs fund only veterans with specific ratings. Other local programs are small and have long waits.

Many veterans do not know whom to trust. Door-to-door contractors target older and disabled people, sometimes with high prices, poor work or deposits that vanish. Unlicensed work can fail inspection, can be unsafe and can leave a veteran with a worse house than before. Many veterans do not know that a permit may be required or that homes built before 1978 may contain lead paint that needs to be handled safely.

We want to be clear about what we know and do not know. Studies of home modification show that it can reduce the difficulty of daily tasks and the fear of falling, and the evidence on preventing falls and delaying a move to a facility is mixed and depends on the person and the work. We do not know that every veteran we help will avoid a fall. We will measure what we can, such as jobs completed, inspections passed and veteran feedback, and share results honestly. We will use local numbers from the VA, the Census Bureau, the area agency on aging and the county in our final application and will not overstate them.

Our community has good programs for repairs and weatherization and a few for ramps, and few are built around veterans, include an occupational therapy assessment or oversee the work from bid to inspection. We aim to fill that gap.

Products & Services

Safe at Home Veterans Modification Alliance will run a veterans home modification program with a Program Director, a Veteran Home Modification Case Manager, a licensed Construction Project Manager, an Intake and Outreach Specialist and an Executive Director, with occupational therapy assessments under contract, and will provide assessed, permitted and inspected modifications at no cost to veterans.

How it works, step by step:
1. First contact. A veteran, family member, clinician or partner calls, texts or uses our website. We return every message within one business day, and the same day when a veteran cannot get in or out of the home. 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. Intake and eligibility. A short, respectful conversation to confirm military service, the veteran's needs and ownership or the landlord's permission, and to ask about other help the veteran has applied for, such as VA home adaptation grants, which we help the veteran pursue first when they may apply.
3. Home visit within 30 days. The Case Manager and an occupational therapist visit, observe how the veteran moves through the home, measure, photograph with permission and write recommendations. A quick fix, such as a grab bar or a portable ramp, can be done sooner.
4. Scope and bids. The Construction Project Manager writes a scope of work and gets at least three written bids for any job over $2,500 from licensed and insured contractors on our approved list. We choose on price, quality and references, not on friendship.
5. Agreements and permits. The veteran signs a plain-language agreement that says we are paying the contractor, there is no lien or repayment, who is responsible for what and what the veteran can do if something goes wrong. The contractor signs a contract with a one-year workmanship warranty and a lien waiver. We apply for permits and, for homes built before 1978, follow lead-safe work practices and test for lead and asbestos when needed. For a rental, the landlord signs a written consent, agrees not to raise the rent because of the work and agrees to the changes staying in place.
6. Construction and oversight. The Project Manager visits during the work and checks safety, quality and cleanliness. The veteran can call us at any time with a concern.
7. Inspection and walkthrough. The local building inspector inspects the work where required, and the Project Manager and the veteran do a walkthrough. The last payment is made to the contractor only after the work passes inspection and the veteran signs off.
8. Follow-up. A call at 30 and 90 days, and a free visit if something is not right.

What the grant will pay for. Part of one Veteran Home Modification Case Manager's salary, the home modification fund paid directly to licensed, insured contractors and occupational therapy home assessments. The rest of the budget comes from government housing, aging and veteran contracts, other grants and donors.

Limits. The average cost of a modification in our plan is about $6,000. Jobs that cost more are done in phases, shared with other funders or referred to a program that can do the full project. We keep a fair written method for deciding whose home is first, based on safety need, such as veterans who cannot get in or out or who have fallen, not on who applied first or who we know.

Why this approach is strong. A veteran gets a trained assessment, licensed work, permits and inspections and our oversight, from one team. We do not promise that a modification will solve every problem, but we know that a safe way in and out of the house, and a bathroom a person can use, can change a life.

Market Analysis

Who benefits: disabled and aging veterans in our Michigan service area who need their homes made safer and more accessible, and the family members and caregivers who help them.

Our primary group is veterans of every era who have a disability, a mobility limitation or the changes of age, who own their home or rent with permission and who cannot afford the work. We expect to serve many older veterans who live alone, veterans with amputations or spinal cord injuries, veterans who use wheelchairs and walkers, veterans with vision loss or brain injury and women veterans. We will give priority to veterans who cannot get in or out of the home, who have fallen or who have been discharged from a hospital to a home that is not safe.

We will not serve a veteran whose home is unsafe for reasons that a modification cannot fix, such as serious structural damage, and we will help the veteran find a repair program or other housing. We will not do work on a home where the owner does not agree, or where the veteran does not live. We explain this up front, and we refer the veteran to other help.

Local data. We will use the most recent numbers from the VA, the Census Bureau, the area agency on aging and the county in our final application and will not overstate them. Our own experience shows demand: in two years of volunteer ramp building, we completed 13 ramps and had more than 40 veterans on a waiting list. We plan for about 60 assessments and 25 completed homes in Year 1 and about 75 assessments and 28 homes in Year 2, growing to about 140 assessments and 37 homes by Year 5.

Our secondary groups are family caregivers, who gain safety and relief; the VA and health care providers, who gain fewer fall-related visits and a safe discharge option; contractors, who gain steady, fairly paid work; and the county and area agency on aging, which gain a partner for a population they struggle to reach.

We do not guarantee a modification to anyone, and when funds are limited we say so, give priority by need, keep a fair waiting list and refer to other programs. We do not accept payment in exchange for referrals.

Competitive Landscape

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

- The VA. The VA offers grants for adapting homes for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities and a smaller grant for home improvements and structural alterations, along with other benefits. Eligibility rules and limits apply, and the process can be slow. We help veterans apply, and fill the gaps for those who do not qualify or need work the grants do not cover.
- Area agency on aging and county home repair programs. They offer repairs and sometimes ramps for older adults and low-income households. Funds are limited, waits are long and few focus on veterans or include an occupational therapy assessment.
- Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together affiliates. They repair homes with volunteers and donated materials, and they do excellent work. We work with them, refer to them and share lists of veterans and contractors.
- Private contractors. Many are good, and some are costly or unreliable, and a veteran on a fixed income may not be able to afford the work or know whom to trust. We hire only licensed and insured contractors on our approved list and oversee the work.
- Volunteer ramp groups. They build ramps quickly and kindly. Some do not pull permits or follow accessibility standards. We work with them and offer inspections and training.
- Family and friends. Many veterans rely on them, and we give them professional help and a plan.

What makes us different.
- A veteran-focused team that combines an occupational therapy assessment, a licensed Project Manager and licensed contractors.
- Permits, inspections and a final walkthrough before the last payment.
- Direct payment to the contractor, no cash, no lien and no repayment.
- Fair, written rules for choosing whose home is next.
- A loan closet for urgent needs.
- 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 Habitat, Rebuilding Together and the VA 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, primary care teams and rehabilitation clinics, hospital discharge planners, home health agencies, the area agency on aging, senior centers, American Legion and VFW posts, veterans' service organizations, churches and food pantries. 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 on a refrigerator. Veterans whose homes we have modified, with their written permission, will be our best messengers.

Contractors and suppliers. We will recruit licensed, insured contractors through the contractors' association and building supply companies, ask each to apply, check licenses, insurance, references and complaints and sign an agreement that sets out fair prices, a warranty and respect for the veteran's home. We will ask suppliers for discounts and donated materials, which we record separately and do not count as cash in this plan. We never accept gifts or payments from contractors in exchange for work.

Government and partners. We will work with the VA, the area agency on aging, the county housing office and the state to find contracts and grants that can pay for modifications, including federal housing funds that local governments administer. These sources are competitive and slow, so the plan counts on them only as shown in the funding section.

Volunteers. We will recruit veterans, tradespeople, students and church groups to help with small jobs under the Project Manager's supervision, with training, safety rules and background checks. Volunteers do not do electrical, structural or plumbing work.

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 a completed home with the veteran's written permission.

Donors and community. We will invite individuals, businesses, banks, churches, civic clubs and veterans' organizations to sponsor a ramp, a bathroom or a veteran's modification. Gifts are tracked separately and acknowledged with thanks.

How we talk about veterans and disability. We use plain, respectful words. We do not use stories or photographs of veterans or their homes 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 the homeowner agreement, contractor agreement, lien waiver, landlord consent and privacy policies, sign the lease, buy the work truck, hire the Program Director, the Case Manager, the Construction Project Manager and the Intake and Outreach Specialist, sign the occupational therapy contract, choose a secure data system and recruit and approve the first contractors.
- Month 3: Staff training in accessibility standards, lead-safe work practices, trauma-informed practice, military culture, crisis response, fraud awareness, confidentiality and the data system. Open to veterans. First home visits.
- Months 4 to 8: First scopes, bids and permits. First modifications begin around Month 5. Quick fixes and equipment loans.
- Months 9 to 12: First inspections and walkthroughs, 30-day and 90-day follow-up begins. Review of results, wait times and costs, a year-end report to funders and planning for Year 2.

Space. A small leased office with a storage garage for the loan closet and supplies. Office and storage rent and utilities are about $24,000 a year in Year 1. Paint, flooring and a private interview room are a one-time cost of $3,500, with a deposit and first month of rent of $4,500.

Equipment. We buy about $31,000 of equipment once at the start: a used work truck ($20,000), laptops, tablets, laser measures and phones ($6,500), office furniture and a private interview room ($3,500), and locking cabinets and a storage cage ($1,000). After Year 1, we set aside about $3,000 to $4,000 a year to replace and add equipment. Work truck fuel and maintenance are about $8,000 a year in Year 1.

Staffing. In Year 1: an Executive Director, a Home Modification Program Director, a Veteran Home Modification Case Manager, a licensed Construction Project Manager, an Intake and Outreach Specialist and a part-time Program Coordinator and Data Specialist. A second Case Manager joins in Year 3, a second Intake and Outreach Specialist in Year 4 and a second Project Manager in Year 5.

Modification fund rules and controls. Work is tied to an occupational therapy assessment and a written scope and is paid directly to the contractor, never as cash to a veteran. The average modification is about $6,000, and any job over that amount is approved by the Executive Director and often phased or shared with another funder. Jobs over $2,500 require at least three written bids, and we choose on price, quality and references. The contractor must hold a current license and insurance, provide a W-9 and sign our agreement, with a one-year workmanship warranty and a lien waiver for each payment. Payments are made in installments tied to progress, and the last installment is made only after the work passes inspection and the veteran signs off. The board reviews a list of all payments each quarter. The fund is about $150,000 a year in Year 1, or about 25 homes, and grows about 10% a year to about 37 homes in Year 5. Donated materials and volunteer labor are tracked separately and not counted as cash.

Occupational therapy assessments. Licensed occupational therapists, under contract at about $20,000 a year in Year 1, assess each veteran and review each scope. We do not diagnose or treat, and the therapist gives recommendations about the home, not medical care.

Permits, inspections and safe work. We pull permits where required, schedule inspections and keep records. We follow lead-safe work practices for homes built before 1978 and test for lead and asbestos when needed. These costs are about $10,000 a year in Year 1. We follow the local building code and accessibility standards, and our Project Manager is licensed.

Ownership, rentals and liens. We confirm ownership with a deed or tax record. We place no lien, mortgage or repayment on any home. For a rental, the landlord signs written consent, agrees not to raise the rent because of the work and agrees that the modification may stay or be removed at the veteran's choice, as set out in the agreement.

Fraud protection. We teach veterans how to spot a scam, and we tell every veteran that we never ask for money or a deposit. Staff wear identification, and we call a veteran before any visit.

Safety. Staff and contractors follow a written safety plan for home visits and construction, including fall protection, electrical safety and keeping the home clean. Veterans are protected from dust, debris and hazards. If anyone is in immediate danger, 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.

Fairness. We follow federal, state and local fair housing and anti-discrimination laws and make reasonable accommodations. We choose homes by safety need and a written method, not by a protected characteristic.

Privacy. Veterans' information and photographs are 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.

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, professional liability, builder's risk where needed, commercial auto and non-owned auto liability insurance, and workers' compensation once we hire. Insurance is about $14,000 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.

Calvin Brooks, Executive Director. A Marine Corps veteran and a licensed residential builder with more than fifteen years of experience in construction, who built the first ramps for the group. 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.)

Home Modification Program Director (full time, hired in Months 1 to 2). Runs the program day to day, supervises the staff, manages the waiting list and relationships with the VA and the area agency on aging. We will seek a person with experience in housing or aging services and a commitment to dignity.

Veteran Home Modification Case Managers (one in Years 1 and 2, two from Year 3). Meet with each veteran, coordinate the assessment, explain the agreement and stay with the veteran through the work and follow-up. We will hire veterans where we can.

Construction Project Manager (one in Years 1 to 4, two in Year 5). A licensed contractor or building inspector who writes scopes, gets bids, pulls permits, oversees the work and inspects it.

Intake and Outreach Specialist (one in Years 1 to 3, two from Year 4). Answers the phone, completes intake, builds relationships with referral partners and manages the loan closet.

Program Coordinator and Data Specialist (part-time). Keeps the records, manages the data system, tracks results and prepares reports.

Board of directors. Seven volunteers who meet every quarter: two veterans, an occupational therapist, a licensed contractor, a housing code official, an attorney and a certified public accountant. The board approves the budget and policies, reviews payments and results each quarter and does not receive pay. A board member who is a contractor may not bid on our work.

Veteran advisory group. Veterans whose homes we have modified, and a caregiver, meet quarterly and tell us what is working and what is not. Their advice shapes our rules.

Outside professionals. Occupational therapists under contract assess homes. An attorney reviews our agreements and policies. An outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Staff screening and training. Every staff member and volunteer passes a criminal background check, since they enter veterans' homes, 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 $62,000, Program Director $54,000, Case Manager $46,000, Construction Project Manager $62,000, Intake and Outreach Specialist $42,000 and part-time Program 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 program by about Month 3, assess about 60 veterans, complete modifications for about 25 homes, give a home visit within 30 days to at least 90% of veterans and pass inspection on every completed job. A balanced budget of about $579,500, with a small surplus of about $14,300. 6 paid staff.
- Year 2: Assess about 75 veterans and complete about 28 homes. Apply for government housing, aging and veteran contracts. Begin 90-day follow-up. A balanced budget of about $601,500, with a small surplus of about $14,200. 6 paid staff.
- Year 3: Add a second Case Manager, assess about 95 veterans and complete about 30 homes. Contracts cover more of our budget. A balanced budget of about $672,500, with a small surplus of about $15,000. 7 paid staff.
- Year 4: Add a second Intake and Outreach Specialist, assess about 115 veterans and complete about 33 homes. A balanced budget of about $741,000, with a small surplus of about $15,400. 8 paid staff.
- Year 5: Add a second Construction Project Manager, assess about 140 veterans and complete about 37 homes, with government contracts covering about 28% of our budget. A balanced budget of about $833,000, with a small surplus of about $16,800. 9 paid staff.

What we measure:
- Veterans assessed and homes completed, by type of modification, era of service, age and disability.
- Days from first contact to a home visit, and from the visit to completed work.
- Average cost per home, and share of jobs with three bids.
- Jobs that pass inspection, jobs with a callback under the warranty and complaints.
- Veteran-reported ease and safety at home at 90 days, and any falls reported, in totals.
- Contractors on our list, and the share of money paid to local, licensed contractors.
- Cost per veteran assessed and per home completed.
- Veteran satisfaction and whether veterans felt respected, collected anonymously.

How we review results. The Program Director and staff review the waiting list, schedule and active jobs 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 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: $100,000 from the Open Door Housing Foundation for one Veteran Home Modification Case Manager, a home modification fund paid directly to licensed contractors and occupational therapy home assessments, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Veteran Home Modification Case Manager salary, $46,000.
- Construction: Home modification fund (paid directly to licensed, insured contractors, never as cash), $40,000 (other funds add $110,000).
- Contractual: Occupational therapy home assessments (contract), $14,000 (other funds add $6,000).

Other money in the program. Government housing, aging and veteran contracts, other grants and local donors pay the other $116,000 of those lines, plus the Executive Director's salary ($62,000), the Program Director ($54,000), the Construction Project Manager ($62,000), the Intake and Outreach Specialist ($42,000), the part-time Program Coordinator ($26,000), permits, inspections and lead and asbestos testing ($10,000), work truck fuel and maintenance ($8,000), office and storage rent and utilities ($24,000), technology and data system ($8,000), outreach and community events ($8,000), insurance ($14,000), staff training and certifications ($5,000), evaluation and reporting ($6,000) and administration and accounting ($14,000).

Year 1 budget: about $579,500, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $14,300 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $449,500 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), government housing, aging and veteran contracts $80,000 and donations and local sponsors $50,000. Year 1 costs: Executive Director $62,000; Home Modification Program Director $54,000; Veteran Home Modification Case Manager $46,000; Construction Project Manager $62,000; Intake and Outreach Specialist $42,000; Program Coordinator and Data Specialist $26,000; home modification fund about $150,000; occupational therapy home assessments about $20,000; permits, inspections and lead and asbestos testing about $10,000; work truck fuel and maintenance about $8,000; office and storage rent and utilities about $24,000; technology and data system about $8,000; outreach and community events about $8,000; insurance about $14,000; staff training and certifications about $5,000; evaluation and reporting about $6,000; administration and accounting about $14,000; and about $9,000 a year for the wear on equipment.

How we planned the fund. The modification fund is about $150,000 in Year 1, which pays about $6,000 on average for about 25 homes. It grows about 10% a year, to about $219,600 in Year 5, or about 37 homes at the same planning average. Construction costs may rise faster than that, so if costs rise we will do fewer homes or phase larger jobs with other funders rather than lower our standards. Donated materials and volunteer labor are not counted as money in the plan.

About government contracts. The VA, HUD funds administered by local governments, state and county housing programs and area agencies on aging fund home modifications and repairs. These funds are competitive, are awarded for set periods and have strict rules about eligibility, income, lead safety, bidding, 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 $53,300 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $31,000 for equipment, $3,500 for leasehold improvements, $4,500 for deposits, $800 for licenses and permits, $7,000 for legal and professional help, $3,000 for signage, brochures and a website, $3,500 for background checks, training and first insurance.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($53,300), the cash we need to cover the wait for the first payments (about $20,100) and a cash cushion of about $139,800, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. That comes to $213,500. We start with $25,000 of our own savings and $190,000 in startup support from a veterans' foundation, a building supply company's community gift and our board, $215,000 in all, which covers that amount.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $579,500 in Year 1 to about $833,000 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $449,500, $429,500, $451,500, $464,000, $493,000 in Years 1 to 5. Government contracts grow from $80,000 to $230,000, and donations and local sponsors grow from $50,000 to $110,000. We add a second Case Manager in Year 3, a second Intake and Outreach Specialist in Year 4 and a second Project Manager in Year 5. Grants fall from about 78% of our income in Year 1 to about 59% in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $163,900, 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 $40,565 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 building supply companies, banks, churches, civic clubs and veterans' groups to sponsor modifications and to grow individual donors. Because a veteran who stays safe at home avoids costly falls and facility care, success lowers costs for the community and strengthens our case for public funding.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- A contractor does poor work or does not finish. We check licenses and references, pay in installments, hold the last payment until inspection and sign-off, require a warranty and remove the contractor from our list.
- Costs rise or a job turns out larger than planned. We write a clear scope, get three bids, phase work, share costs with other funders and refer jobs we cannot do safely.
- Lead paint, asbestos or hidden damage is found. We test, follow lead-safe practices and stop or refer if the work cannot be done safely.
- A veteran is hurt or in crisis. We use a written safety plan, train every staff member and connect to 911 and the Veterans Crisis Line.
- Fraud, or a scammer who uses our name. We tell veterans we never ask for money and wear identification.
- 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 home 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 project manager, a few licensed contractors and a small fund, completing 8 to 12 ramps and bathrooms 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 Construction Project Manager, a copy of the Project Manager's license and job descriptions for the Case Manager and Intake Specialist.
- Letters of support from the VA medical center's social work program, the area agency on aging, the county housing office and a contractors' association.
- Your homeowner agreement, contractor agreement, lien waiver, landlord consent and warranty.
- Your approved contractor application and screening checklist.
- Your assessment form and the contract with your occupational therapists.
- Your bidding, payment and inspection procedures, and your lead-safe work plan.
- Your safety plan, crisis plan and fraud protection policy.
- Photos and results from your volunteer ramp program, with permission, shown as totals.
- Proof of liability and builder's risk 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: $449,500 in Year 1, then $429,500, $451,500, $464,000, $493,000.
- Government Housing, Aging and Veteran Contracts: $80,000 in Year 1, growing to $230,000.
- Donations and Local Sponsors: $50,000 in Year 1, growing to $110,000.
- Veterans and homes: about 60 assessments and 25 homes in Year 1 (the program opens about Month 3), then 75, 95, 115, 140 assessments and 28, 30, 33, 37 homes in Years 2 to 5, at an average of about $6,000 per home.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): Executive Director $62,000, Program Director $54,000, Case Manager $46,000 (one in Years 1 and 2, two from Year 3), Construction Project Manager $62,000 (one in Years 1 to 4, two in Year 5), Intake and Outreach Specialist $42,000 (one in Years 1 to 3, two from Year 4), Program Coordinator and Data Specialist (part-time) $26,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: Home Modification Fund (Paid Directly to Licensed Contractors) $150,000, Occupational Therapy Home Assessments (Contract) $20,000, Permits, Inspections and Lead and Asbestos Testing $10,000, Work Truck Fuel and Maintenance $8,000, Office and Storage Rent and Utilities $24,000, Technology and Data System $8,000, Outreach and Community Events $8,000, Insurance $14,000, Staff Training and Certifications $5,000, Evaluation and Reporting $6,000, Administration and Accounting $14,000. The other costs grow between 4% and 10% a year.
- Equipment: $31,000 at the start (including a used work truck), then $3,000 to $4,000 a year.
- Startup costs: $53,300, paid once from $215,000 in startup money.
- About 7% 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