Program Financial Overview

Hughes & Foster Fund

Family Stability & Shelter Expansion Initiative 

1. Executive Summary

Marshall’s Dream presents this financial overview to outline the resource allocation strategy for the Family Stability & Shelter Expansion Initiative. This program is designed to address the root causes of homelessness among families with children through a three-pronged approach: immediate bill relief, transitional housing support, and long-term shelter infrastructure development.

We are requesting funding from the Hughes and Foster Fund to bridge the gap between emergency crisis intervention and sustainable family independence.

2. Budget Priorities & Allocation

Our financial strategy prioritizes direct aid and capital improvement over administrative overhead. We aim for a Direct Service Ratio of 85%, ensuring the majority of the Hughes and Foster Fund contribution goes directly to families in need and shelter construction.

Core Funding Pillars

A. Housing Support (Rapid Re-housing)

• Objective: To move families from cars, motels, or the street into stable leases.

• Cost Drivers: First/last month rent deposits, security deposits, and short-term rental subsidies (declining balance over 6 months).

B. Shelter Development (Capital Project)

• Objective: Renovation and expansion of the "Marshall’s Haven" emergency facility to increase capacity by 15 family units.

• Cost Drivers: Construction materials, contractor labor, permitting fees, HVAC upgrades for child health safety, and furnishings for family suites.

C. Family Bill Vouchers (Prevention)

• Objective: To prevent at-risk families from falling into homelessness due to arrears.

• Cost Drivers: Direct payments to utility companies (water, gas, electric), internet vouchers (essential for student homework and parental employment), and emergency grocery stipends.

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4. Budget Narrative & Justification

Personnel to ensure the success of the housing placements, we require two full-time Family Case Managers. These staff members identify eligible families, negotiate with landlords, and administer the bill vouchers. The Construction Project Manager is a temporary contract role specifically to oversee the Shelter Development phase to ensure code compliance and safety.

Shelter Development Strategy

The bulk of the capital request ($200,000) is allocated to retrofitting the existing annex into family-safe suites. Current facilities are congregate-style; this funding will allow us to build walls for privacy, crucial for families with children, and install a commercial-grade kitchen for meal preparation.

Voucher Administration

The Family Bill Voucher program operates on a "direct-to-vendor" model. Marshall's Dream does not distribute cash to clients. Instead, funds are paid directly to utility companies or landlords to ensure financial integrity and immediate debt relief.

5. Financial Management & Oversight

Fiscal Controls Marshall’s Dream employs a rigorous system of internal controls to manage grant funds:

• Segregation of Funds: Hughes and Foster funds will be tracked via a restricted class code in our accounting software (QuickBooks Online).

• Approval Workflow: All voucher distributions require dual signature approval (Case Manager + Program Director).

• Reporting: Quarterly financial variance reports will be generated to track actual spend against the proposed budget.

Audit & Compliance We undergo an annual independent financial audit. Our most recent audit (FY 2023) resulted in an unqualified opinion with no material weaknesses.

6. Sustainability Plan

This financial request is designed to build capacity (Shelter Development) and stabilize families (Housing/Vouchers).

1. Shelter: Once built, the ongoing maintenance costs will be covered by our standard operating fund, supported by individual donors.

2. Housing: As families stabilize via the voucher program, they transition to self-sufficiency. We anticipate 70% of enrolled families will assume full financial responsibility for their bills within 9 months.