Home | VAF Executive Board | About VAF | Services Available | VAF Locations | Program Eligibility and Admission Criteria | FAQ | Testimonials | Start A Homeless Veteran Program | Donate to VAF

               
             
 

VETERANS ASSISTANCE FOUNDATION

  
 

"Veterans Helping Veterans"

  
               
 

How to Start A Homeless Veteran Program

  
               
 

 

            
 

Determine need

 Gather data from:    
      · VA Medical Center and a homeless Coordinator near you.
· Homeless Coalition for city, county, or state.
· Local service providers.
· Police.
· Formerly homeless veterans.
· State homeless coordinator (usually appointed by Governor).		  
    Answer questions:  
      · How many homeless are there?
· How many of those are veterans?
· What services are currently available?
· What services are missing in order to break the cycle of homelessness?
· What is the short, medium and long range needs?
· What resources are available?
· What additional resources are needed?
· Who is involved now?
· Who could/should be involved?		  
      Visit or talk to the operators of other homeless veteran programs.  
 

 

            
  Involve Others   Select an organizing committee of individuals that might be interested in attacking this problem. At this stage it is wise to select individuals that can see the big picture and the long road. Individuals that are doers have a hard time during the development stage sitting around talking and planning. They want to be doing not talking!  
 

 

            
  Develop   · Mission
· Goals and objectives
· Business plan
· Resource plan
· (People, things, and that you will need)
· Budget
· Bylaws
· Program guidelines		  
 

 

            
 

Test

   · Is there enough commitment to making the plan work?
· Is there access to enough resources to make plan work?
· Is your plan meeting the needs of the homeless veterans within your community?		  
               
    Learn About Nonprofit Organization Management Board of Directors  
      · Risks, responsibilities, recruitment, demographics and client representation.
· Committee structure.
· Tenure.
· Executive committee.		  
               
    Financial Management  
      · Restricted funds versus unrestricted funds.
· IRS 990 filing requirements.
· Charitable solicitation requirements.
· Director and officer liability insurance.		  
               
    Annual Reports        
      Why and how?  
               
    Apply for 501(c)(3) IRS tax-exempt status  
          Obtaining a 501 (c)(3) status gives the organization access to grants from the federal and state governments, and from private and corporate foundations.
    The process takes 2-6 months from filling out application to receiving ruling from IRS. It will be necessary to have a mission, business plan, budget, bylaws, and a board of directors completed before applying.
    Each state has different requirements to become a nonprofit organization. Check with these requirements prior to completing IRS application.		  
               
    Participate in Local Homeless Coalitions  
         Develop partnerships that will assist meeting the needs of the homeless veteran population within the homeless community.
   Often local coalitions assign or influence the assignment of priorities for government funds. If you are not at the table you will be less likely to receive a share.		  
               
    Develop Public Education and Marketing Campaign  
          Brochures or one-piece information fact sheets' are helpful when educating or requesting investments from the community. Make sure they look professional and answer basic who, what, where, why, when, and how questions.
    Prepare several individuals to be speakers for the organization. Educating the community often happens at organization meetings and you need a representative that can face an audience and gain their support.		  
               
    Some Additional Resources  
     

National Center for Nonprofit Boards, call for catalog 800 883-6262.

National Council for Nonprofit Associations, most states have a nonprofit association that provide technical Assistance to nonprofit. Call for your nearest association, 202 833-5740.

Jossey-Bass Publishers has a wide variety of topics for nonprofit. Call 41 5433-1767 for catalog.

A.H. Wilder Foundation, Publishing Center has a wide variety of topics for nonprofits. Call 800 274-6024 for catalog.

Libraries and bookstores sometimes will have nonprofit topics.

There are hundreds of other resources.