College Dreams is a non-profit organization that seeks to offer grant writing services for low-income communities. The eligibility and enrollment criteria are based on the integral values of equity, justice, and community. Firstly, the latter corresponds to Standard 1 of the Ethical Standards for Human Services Professionals, designed by the National Organization of Human Services (NOHS). It states that “human service professionals recognize and build on client and community strengths” (National Organization of Human Services, 2015, para. 5). The value of community is further substantiated by the Saint Leo Core Value: “mutual trust and respect as the bedrock of our relationships, we foster a spirit of belonging, unity, and interdependence” (Saint Leo University, n.d., para. 3). Since the clients are primarily communities, the emphases on eligibility and enrollment are them as well.
Secondly, justice is critical for College Dreams since the organization seeks to help low-income communities. According to Standard 16, “human service professionals advocate for social justice and seek to eliminate oppression. They raise awareness of the underserved population in their communities and with the legislative system” (National Organization of Human Services, 2015, para. 21). In other words, justice is brought and delivered by helping those who need it the most, which include the underserved and disadvantaged.
Thirdly, equity is essential for the organization, which is manifested in complete zero-tolerance toward any form of discrimination or preference. According to Standard 10, “human service professionals provide services without discrimination or preference in regards to age, ethnicity, culture, race, ability, gender, language preference, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, nationality, or other historically oppressed groups” (National Organization of Human Services, 2015, para. 15). In order to achieve a significant level of equity and non-discrimination, respect is vital. College Dreams’ “strength depends on the unity and diversity of our people, on the free exchange of ideas, and on learning, living, and working harmoniously” (Saint Leo University, n.d., para. 4). It is important for the agency to have these type of guidelines and values in order to properly reflect what the organization stands for and seeks to achieve.
The staffing proposal is based on community strengthening in order to provide opportunities to the underserved. The staffing schedule will adhere to the standard templates of staffing for such agencies, which include people with experience in grant writing. These can be business consultants, professional grant writers, university professors, people with government experience, project managers, and non-profit leaders (Grant Management Associates, 2021). The location will be selected after the assessment concludes the most accessible spot for the community member. For the equipment, regular office space and supplies will be needed.
In sum, it is important to note that the potential clients are members of low-income communities who are struggling to acquire funds and grants due to their low socioeconomic statuses. The enrollment will be conducted at the office after it is selected, but the online option is always available through the official webpage. The key qualification requirements include socioeconomic status proof and evidence for needing the grant. In other words, a person or group must have low socioeconomic status where income is evaluated in accordance with the organizational standards and local legislation. In addition, the interested parties must provide evidence of why they need a grant, where the core element is how they are planning to utilize the funds.
References
Grant Management Associates. (2021). Our team. Web.
National Organization of Human Services. (2015). Ethical standards for human services professionals. Web.
Saint Leo University. (n.d.). Mission, values, and identity. Web.