Business Plan

Overview:   

Foundations For Life is a non-profit 501c3 ministry focused on the youth of our community.  The basis of this ministry is to provide a safe family-oriented environment.  The goal is to create an atmosphere of space for youth to receive support and encouragement from our staff/volunteers, as they enjoy playing basketball and learning basic skills of the sport.   Focusing on a ministry that will encourage and promote Christ-like characteristics as a way of living.  Our focus being youth age four to thirteen believing that this time of life is most influential.  Hoping to build a strong foundation in the lives of community youth to instill self-confidence, love and respect for Jesus Christ, themselves and others. Concentrating on building relationship skills, and aligning their thinking with positive affirmation. Foundations for life intends to “IMPACT” youth through:

·         I – Inspiring youth to avoid the negative influence of peer pressure, drugs, alcohol, etc.…

·         M – Mastering the ability to engage in healthy, positive relationships as demonstrated by Jesus Christ.

·         P – Purposefully living life enriched by biblical principles such as honesty, selflessness, love, and self-control.

·         A – Aligned thoughts that will equip community youth with the ability to navigate difficult life situations by maintaining their focus on God and his plan for their lives.

·         C – Chosen for making a change to the typical paradigm of societal normalcy.

·         T – Trust.  The organization will provide an environment that nurtures trust between the participants, leaders, volunteers, and other participants.

Leadership

Foundations for Life is led by an advisory board consisting of (7) members.  Two of these members are to be the founders, and the remaining (5) members are to be chosen from the served community, and surrounding communities. These members must exhibit qualities of trustworthiness, financial responsibility, and a genuine concern for supporting the youth of this region. The primary task of the advisory board is to steer the organization towards a sustainable future by adopting sound, ethical, and legal governance, and financial management policies.  As well as making sure that the organization has adequate resources to advance the mission. The organization will initially rely on volunteers to perform the day-to-day operations of the organization.

With the understanding that leaders and volunteers are the face of our organization, we encourage them to be passionate about the following successful standards.  We have found ethical and moral standards that have been implemented by other ministries that have helped them excel.  We would like to model our ministry around the following six principles as the ground work for the ministries success and stability concerning leadership.

        *Present - stand with the ministry and the founders through thick and thin.

        *Principles - live what the ministry encourages for our community youth.

        *Encouragers - positive thought, actions and words.

        *Integrity - be honest and trustworthy.

        *Excellence - go above and beyond (not perfection) just giving a little more than required.

        *Strife free - for this ministry to succeed and make the difference that God has planned, our staff and volunteers must exhibit good communication skills along with the ability to discuss freely and rationally any concerns within the ministry.

Activities

Foundations for Life aspires to come along side parents, schools and churches to reinforce good healthy principles into their lives.  The main purpose of this program is to discourage participation in the negative activities of society including the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other legal, and illegal drugs. The ministry plans to focus on youth that participate in home school programs. Providing a place for engagement in building social skills along with physical activity.   The ministry is not limited to a certain gender, ethical background or status of where the youth obtain their educational growth. Foundations for Life has a passion for our community youth with great expectations to provide an environment enriched with the following.

·         Spiritual growth will be enriched through prayer, and positive affirmation through bible reading to teach the participants the benefit of relying on God in each circumstance of their lives. Additionally, spiritual growth will be promoted through the presence of positive, affirming, contemporary Christian music playing in the facility at all times.

·         Mental growth will be enriched through love, kindness, and building self-confidence to allow them to be all that God has called them to be.

·         Physical growth will be enriched through the teaching of skills, and the enjoyment of the sport of basketball.

·         Emotional growth will be enriched through promoting healthy ways to deal with anger, frustration, and disappointment.

In addition, “camps” will be offered though out the summer.  These “camps” are intended to be a more intensified focus on the physical development of the participants, and the refinement, and enhancement of their skills in the sport of basketball. The camps will begin in June and end in August with a rotation organized to provide for gender and age specific camps. The camps will be the only part of the ministry that will include a fee for the provided service. The cost for this service to be determined.

The camp days would be Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm.  The day would be broken down into different activities and skills relating to basketball. There will be a total of 12 camp weeks allowing for 15 youth in each camp.  The camp can be repeated, for example, week one Sam (age 6) attends the camp, so week 10, Sam would be able to participate again. A nutritious lunch will be provided at the camp as well as times set aside for prayer and devotional.  The art of music and the inspiration of Christian influence will be a constant presence in the environment.

Revenue Streams:

1. Grants and Donations: Seek funding from private donors, foundations, and government grants.

2. Camp Fees: Charge affordable fees for participation in summer basketball camps.

3. Fundraising Events: Organize events such as sports tournaments, charity dinners, and community fairs.

Budget Allocation:

1. Personnel: Staff salaries, including coaches, mentors, and administrative staff.

2. Program Supplies: Sports equipment, arts and crafts materials, and educational resources.

3. Marketing and Outreach: Printing promotional materials, website maintenance, and advertising costs.

4. Insurance and Safety: Liability insurance, background checks for staff, and safety equipment.

Long-Term Goals:

1. Expansion: Expand programs to serve more youth in the community.

2. Partnerships: Form partnerships with other organizations to offer additional services such as tutoring, career counseling, and mental health support.

3. Sustainability: Develop strategies for long-term financial sustainability through diversified funding sources and community support.

Structure

Foundations for Life will center around a large gymnasium structure in the town of Jackson, Missouri. Amenities of FFL ministries will be the following.

     *Kitchen- large area with seating. Resembling a school cafeteria.  We will not function as a cafeteria; the goal is to have simple healthy snacks and drinks available for the youth. 

      * The structure will be arranged just as any gymnasium, having shower/bathrooms available for youth for encouragement of healthy hygiene. 

     * There will also be an area that will provide the availability to do laundry.

Foundations For Life aims to not only provide a safe and nurturing environment for youth but also to instill in them the values of teamwork, leadership, and Christian faith that will guide them throughout their lives.

Inspiration

FFL is a ministry that God placed on my heart in the fall of 2022. It was inspired from a small group of young boys age 6-7 that I had the privilege of coaching their basketball team. One of the young boys is my grandson, Bradley. This is not only a ministry, it is a legacy.  Thank you for considering this ministry and finding it valuable to the community of Jackson, Mo.  May we all aspire together to bring hope, change and goodness to our most valued assets, (our children).