Emergency Shelters Business Plan

Amy Rand received her undergraduate degree in sociology from Case Western Reserve. While at Case Amy was the chairperson of the Volunteer Student Organization. Amy’s duties for this organization include leadership and member motivation, fundraising, and  marketing within the school environment as well as the local community. Following Case, Amy applied and was accepted to The University or Pittsburgh’s Masters in Nonprofit Management. This two year Masters program had an emphasis on management skills, and also encouraged students to undertake practical, one-on-one clinical work, to gain experience managing and being managed in a work environment. Amy’s time in the practicum program was spent working with women victims of domestic abuse.

After graduation, Amy went to work for the largest service provider for survivors of domestic abuse in Pennsylvania. This was a relief agency that offered daytime training and counseling. When she entered the organization as a program manager, they offered some counseling which was geared toward making the person feel better, a reactive approach. Over the three years that Amy spent there she steered the program so that it became more proactive, empowering the women to effect positive change in their life. While this was rewarding, she longed to have more control and ability to effect change within the organization. Amy began discussions with local community leaders to determine the level of support for a new social service organization. She found that there was money/funds to be had for a well run, efficient social service organization that would offer transitional housing and a comprehensive empowerment program, services that were absent from the market. Before she even began the business plan she was informally assembling the Board of Trustees and arranging sources of funds.

7.1 Personnel Plan

• Executive Director- Nonprofit management, fundraising, marketing, and other activities.
• Associate DIrector- Supervise the clinical staff.
• Chemical Dependency Counselor- In-house dependency counselor to assist clients manage their chemical and alcohol dependencies.
• AIDS Counselor- Part-time counselor to assist clients manage their HIV positive status.
• Family Reunification Counselor- Responsible for the strategic, concerted efforts to assist clients to gain custody of their children
• Administration Staff (2)- Responsible for administrative duties.

Board of Trustees- This board will be composed of 15 different influential community leaders. The board will be used as a resource for business decisions and management as well as a source of fundraising. Transitional Housing recognizes the significant value that a board can offer.