Foster Adoption Agency - Assignment Example

Foster Adoption Agency of Cover Letter Funder’s California Community Foundation Directed The Director, California Community Foundation Organization’s Overview: The organization intends to help the unfortunate children in the society to cope with the demands of life. Due to the huge capital needed, the organization has underscored the need to request for grant from California Community Foundation, to help finance the gap in its budget. Executive Summary Adoption of children has in the recent past has been growing tremendously inmost parts of the world. Indeed, there are many problems that those who would like to adopt the children encounter. As well, the needy children looking for such opportunities are not able to reach the organizations or, individual offering the services. The intention of starting the organization was to offer a coordinating body that would link the needy children to the adopting firms or the personalities. Concerning the organization’s qualification to handle the work, the founder has relevant educational qualification and experience in child protection. In addition, the management staff consists of people with impeccable knowledge and dedication to serve the purpose. Therefore, they are at a position to carry out the activities relating to adoption more effectively. The founder of the organization together with other co-founders noticed that there was a vacuum between the needy children and the firms and personalities adopting children. Thus, the decision to start the organization was based on the desire to fill this vacuum, and offer the necessary vacuum to those seeking such services. However, due to financial limitations, the company opted to request for grant from California Community Foundation, to facilitate its activities. The founder had contributed $ 6,000, received grants amounting to $ 2,000 from the government. Therefore, in order to fill the budget deficit, the organization has requested $ 12, 000 from California Community Foundation, which was started with the sole objective of enhancing development for the whole community. The Organization’s Qualification Foster Adoption Agency is an organization that will be managed by experts in child health, and those who are knowledgeable in laws governing child protection. The founder has a Master’s Degree in child rights and protection, thus best placed to mange such a sensitive organization. Moreover, the people to manage the task of child transfers and coordinate the activities of the organization have proved that they have passion for children and would do everything to make sure that they are safe wherever they are taken (Zimmerman, 1994). Sometimes, the organization would request the involvement of the Christian bodies to assist such children realize their dreams and aspirations. In addition, the organization has obtained working permit and other credibility licenses from the government, indicating that the management has abided by the regulations governing such operations (Zimmerman, 1994). Therefore, the organization is legally acknowledged to coordinate the processes involved in adopting the children. Definitely, the government would not interfere with organization’s activities, thereby assuring the funding organization that the process of recruitment and other actions would be free from interruptions. Other than facilitating the adoption of needy children with other organizations, Foster Adoption Agency will also engage in adopting children, and provide them with the basic needs that they require. Indeed, the initiative would give such children the opportunity to realize most of their potentials in life. Notably, adopting children is not easy because it comes with huge financial expenditure that most organizations might not have (Zimmerman, 1994). Therefore, they seek for financial aid from non-profit making organization and other funding institutions to enable them carry out the task effectively (Townsend, 1974). Problem Statement There are many children who, in one way or another, are disadvantaged from getting the basic necessities in their life. Notably, the children are forced into such circumstances due to the death or inability of the parents, separation from the parents arising from disasters such as tsunami and war and other issues beyond the children’s contemplation. Indeed, they depend on whatever might come forth in their life to save them from extreme hunger, inadequate or lack of parental love, inability to get education among other social needs. As children grow, they need proper support and care and lack of such would interfere with their physical, mental, social and spiritual development. Literally, the problems prompted the need for starting an adoption agency that would help such children get the best out of their life. The problems are real and affect a number of children in the society, implying that the people should be actively involved, in reducing the impacts or eliminating them. The organization would focus most on the Therefore, the youth from Orange County in California State made a decision to open an organization, which would offer solution to the children facing such problems. Program Goals and Objectives The agency was formed with specific objectives and had to accomplish certain goals within a given timeframe. In addition, it intends to achieve the behavioral, performance, process and product objectives (Townsend, 1974). For example, some of the objectives that the organization intends to accomplish include the following; 1. At least eighty of the one hundred and fifty children would be able to learn the basic computer knowledge. 2. At least eighty of the one hundred and fifty children will learn the basic computer packages and will pass the national examinations on the fundamental computer application skills. 3. To be able to document all the teaching methods used, identify those with the greatest talents and interests in learning computers and the level of success they achieve. 4. To be able to create a training manual, used in teaching computer skills, to the children and those in future. 5. To provide parental love for the children, because it would guarantee the society that the children growing have mental, physical, social or, physical capability to enhance community development. Notably, the goals the organization would like to achieve should be in measurable terms to prove its worthiness, and convince the funding institution that the organization has the capacity to fulfill the duty (Townsend, 1974). As well, clearly pelt objectives might encourage the donors to continue supporting the organization. Strategy/Methodology Strategy Activities Registration of Children i. Identifying the child with specific needs. ii. Establishing the background of their problems. iii. Determining if the problem(s) that warrant(s) the child to be adopted by the organization. iv. Registering the needy children with the organization. Use of structures in modern organizations. i. Identifying the relevant structures that can work well with such organization. ii. Working out modalities of enlarging the organization. For example, increasing the scope of the activities that the organization carries out. iii. Make sure that the communication channel used in the organization serves the purpose and accessible to the majority. Effective use of the proceeds. i. Making sure that the children’s needs are met, including food, clothing, shelter, education and social life. ii. Giving the participants allowances /wages. iii. Giving special allowances for exemplary performance. iv. Making proper records of financial transactions to enhance accountability. Use of local materials and labor. i. Identifying the locally available materials/ resources. ii. Identifying the talented individuals to head sections. iii. Identifying the locally made tools to help reduce the cost of operation. Use of trained and skilled work force. i. Identifying those skilled in specific areas. ii. Training further those involved in the operations. iii. Initiating exchange programs, both intra and inter organizations. Internal Evaluation. i. Identifying emerging issues to solve in the organization. ii. Initiating programs, which enable the organization’s employees, come up with new ideas. iii. Providing extension services on the challenges that do affect organization activities. iv. Assessing the progress to avoid mixing up programs. Monitoring and Evaluation For the success of the activities, which the organization intends to implement, all the undertakings that are carried out would be consistently monitored and assessed during the operation. This would be done using an evaluation check list (Kiritz, 1979). Notably, each step, beginning with the children’s registration to all the core activities of the organization would be thoroughly monitored to make sure that any irregularity doest not occur. In addition, monitoring would be on monthly basis, and arrived at by continually measuring the discrepancies between the objectives, expected outcomes and what has so far been achieved in the field (Kiritz, 1979). The activities will be monitored by the experts from within and outside the organization. Indeed, regular monitoring allows modification incase of any problem or can lead to an early overhaul of the activities, depending on the feedback. The organization activities will finally be evaluated to access the original objectives against the outcomes. This will justify the prompt use of the donor funds, because clear record would show that the funds were used in varies activities, which support the children’s needs (Kiritz, 1979). As well, there will be both internal and external evaluators to assess and comment on the activities. The use of external evaluators will show that the organization’s activities are carried out in a transparent, accountable and objective manner (Kiritz, 1979). Future Funding To ensure that the organization’s activities are sustainable, part of the funds donated would be invested in an income generating activity. From the proceeds of the investment, there will be a particular amount of money that would be remitted back to the organization’s savings kitty. This amount will only be 80 percent of the total monthly income, while 20 percent will be used in funding the activities normally. The savings will be used after the donor funding period is over. In addition, the amount will help the organization acquire other business premises to let, thereby enabling them to generate more income. Other than the income from the projects, the organization expects future funding from Japan International Corporation Agency, central and local government institutions in the area. In addition, the donations from other interested funding agencies will be highly welcome and their support appreciated (Center for Nonprofit Management, 2011). The prosperity of the organization activities will lead to many positive changes in the lives of the young people involved in the area covered. According to the Center for Nonprofit Management, (2011), the guideline for preparing a proposal budget is as shown bellow; Budget Income Expenses Description Amount Description Amount Founder’s Contribution 6,000 Preparation Government Grant 2,000 Home Study 750-2,500 Amount of Grant Requested 12, 000 Birth and Marriage Certificates (Certified) 25-100 Clinical Records 10-50 Medication Fees and Vaccination 100-200 Postage, Telephone 200-500 Documents’ Notarization/Certification 0-150 Adoption Fees Attorney Fee 3,000-6,000 Attorney for Birth and family 1,000-2,000 Advertising/Networking 0-5,000 Application Fee 0-200 Parent’s Expenses 0-5,000 Birth Family Counseling 700-2,500 Finalization Fees 500-1,500 Travel Expenses Travel/Food/Lodging 0-5,000 Post-Placement Expenses Post-Placement Services 300-1,500 Total 20,000 Total 6,585-32,200 References Center for Nonprofit Management (2011). Guidelines for Proposal Preparation. Los Angeles, CA: Center for Nonprofit Management. Kiritz, N. J. (1979). Proposal Checklist and Evaluation Form. Los Angeles, CA: The Grantsmanship Center. Townsend, T. H. (1974). Criteria Grantors Use In Assessing Proposals. Foundation News. Zimmerman, R. M. (1994). Grant Seeking: A Step-by-Step Approach. San Francisco: Zimmerman, Lehman & Associates; 1994. Appendices Program Goals and Objectives The agency was formed with specific objectives and had to accomplish certain goals within a given timeframe. In addition, it intends to achieve the behavioral, performance, process and product objectives. For example, some of the objectives that the organization intends to accomplish include the following; 1. At least eighty of the one hundred and fifty children would be able to learn the basic computer knowledge. 2. At least eighty of the one hundred and fifty children will learn the basic computer packages and will pass the national examinations on the fundamental computer application skills. 3. To be able to document all the teaching methods used, identify those with the greatest talents and interests in learning computers and the level of success they achieve. 4. To be able to create a training manual, used in teaching computer skills, to the children and those in future. 5. To provide parental love for the children, because it would guarantee the society that the children growing have mental, physical, social or, physical capability to enhance community development. Read More