Billups Final

RunningHead:INCREASEEMPLOYMENT ANDCOLLEGE COMPLETION RATES FOR THE MILITARY
Grant Proposal for Increasing Employment and College Completion Rates for the Military and
their Family Members in 29 Palms, California

INCREASEEMPLOYMENT ANDCOLLEGE COMPLETION RATES FOR THE MILITARY 1

Table of Contents
Executive Summary: Keeping the Promise .................................................................................... 3
Problem Statement .......................................................................................................................... 4
Project Description.......................................................................................................................... 9
Goals ................................................................................................................................... 12
Objectives............................................................................................................................ 13
Methods............................................................................................................................... 14
Timeline .............................................................................................................................. 15
Plan for Measuring Results........................................................................................................... 17
Project Budget and Narrative........................................................................................................ 20
Key Staff and Qualifications......................................................................................................... 23
Organization History/Background ................................................................................................ 26
Appendixes.................................................................................................................................... 28
Appendix A. Letter of Board Support.................................................................................. 28
Appendix B. IRS Approval Letter ....................................................................................... 29
Appendix C. List of Board Members................................................................................... 30
Appendix D. Memorandum of Understanding .................................................................... 32
Appendix E. References....................................................................................................... 35

Executive Summary: Keeping the Promise
Description of the grant project:
This proposal requests a sponsor investment of $38,337.50, which represents 37% of the total
project costs for a one year investment impacting eight individuals. The goal of the programs is
to help military/veterans and their families complete paid internships.
Explanation of the project's purpose:
Although there are many job placement programs that are helpful and absolutely necessary, there
is no comprehensive program located in 29 Palms, CA that combines educational pursuit, career
skills enhancement, and real-world civilian work experience. Military veterans and their family
members are lost when it comes to connecting with Human Resource personnel who may not
have any experience with veterans or military service. It is a problem that exists in the
marketplace, one possible bridge available to veterans and their family members is by placing
relatable civilian job experiences on their resumes through internships.
Description of target population and geographic area where the work is being performed:
29 Palms, CA has a significant population of military veterans. The city is located near one of
the largest active duty military training bases in the country by land mass and has a military
population in excess of 10,000 service members and family (Crank, 2015). Of the city’s 25,902
citizens, 10 percent of that population is comprised of military veterans (US Census Bureau,
2010).
Description of activities and outcomes:
Outcomes include establishing paid internships for military/veterans and their families,
establishing a job training curriculum and courseware for military/veterans and their families,
and assigning individuals in a selected occupational field to provide professional guidance.
Description of non-profit organization:
Victory Village, Inc. (VV) is in its third year of serving veterans in the Central Sierra Nevada
Mountains of California. In 2013, they worked directly with 60 homeless and very low income
veterans and their family members at their Veterans Transitional housing program in Amador
County, CA.

Problem Statement
Military veterans are an important part of the fabric of America. Maintaining an all-
volunteer force in a democratic society ultimately places the burden of protecting this country on
the shoulders of very few men, women, and their families. For example, over two million people
served in Iraq and Afghanistan, which only accounts for less than 1% of Americans (Corbin,
2011) (See Appendix E for reference list). So it was surprising for the country to learn that
veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were finding it so difficult to find well-
paying jobs. According to a 2011 article in The Economist, 800,000 veterans are jobless and 1.4
million live below the poverty line. Corbin also stated in the article that one in every three
homeless adult men in America is a military veteran (2011). The 2013 Annual Homeless
Assessment Report to Congress reported that 610,042 people were homeless on a given night
(Henry, 2013) (See Appendix E for reference list). Of that number, 57,849 veterans were
homeless with 40 percent of them in unsheltered locations (2013). And even more troubling, the
current veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have an unemployment rate of 11.1%; Iraq
and Afghanistan veterans between the ages of 18 and 24 have a more striking 37.9%
unemployment rate (Corbin, 2011). It seems likely that these sobering numbers will swell in the
future as government budget cuts are due to shrink the size of the Army and Marine Corps by
roughly 100,000 troops (Youchi, 2012). These numbers are unacceptable to many in the general
American public and have caught the attention of the U.S. government and businesses across the
country. This begs the question then: why is veteran unemployment so high, and why are
military veterans having such a tough time finding work after serving their country?
The composition of the military does not help the situation because most military
members are male and lack a formal college education (Youchi, 2012) (See Appendix E for
reference list). Generally, the male jobless rate exceeds the jobless rate of women and not having

a college education hurts most job seekers, especially during a recession and periods of high
unemployment. Returning military members to the civilian population also tend to look for jobs
in the economically sensitive manufacturing and construction industries, which have – in recent
years - failed to offer increasing opportunities for employment. Another major factor making it
difficult for returning troops to find employment is that many civilian employers do not
understand or outright dismiss military training and experience. David Sutheland, a high-ranking
retired Army officer who was a special assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chief’s of Staff on
employment issues for veterans, stated that "Many civilians simply don't understand or respect
military certifications." He continued, “You can have a military truck driver who's driven
thousands of miles in Iraq being told to train alongside inexperienced 18-years-olds, or military
medics who have done advanced emergency-trauma training and are being told they need run-of-
the-mill first-aid training" (Youchi, 2012). Lack of understanding for military experience and the
demographic breakdown of returning troops are not the only challenges faced by returning
military veterans. Writing a resume, preparing for an interview, or searching for companies with
openings through today’s social media are all skills service members typically have not learned
or practiced with proficiency while serving in the military (Youchi, 2012).
Military spouses are faring no better than recently released military members.
Unemployment rates for military spouses is at a high of 26 percent, which is more than three
times the national average, while at the same time 85 percent of military spouses report wanting
or needing to work (O’Brien, 2013) (See Appendix E for reference list). A joint report released
by the Treasury Department and the Department of Defense on military spousal employment
dives deeper into the issue and states that, “Spouse employment plays a role in the financial and
personal well-being of military families and their job satisfaction is an important component of
the retention of service members. Without adequate support for military spouses and their career

objectives, the military could have trouble retaining service members” (Merica, 2012) (See
Appendix E for reference list). With more than 750,000 active duty spouses, the idea of these
spouses overcoming the many hurdles to employment without support is staggering (O’Brien,
2012). There is no doubt that military spouses’ and veterans’ unemployment is an issue worth
examining and addressing. Already, many different programs and organizations have blossomed
on the national stage to address this issue and provide solutions.
Current solutions with the stated goal of adding veterans and military spouses to the
employment rolls include educational benefits, tax breaks, and government/business
partnerships. The Post-9/11 GI Bill was passed in 2008 and assisted many veterans in going back
to school. The Post-9/11 Bill pays for education and training for any service member who served
longer than 90 days in the armed forces after September 11th 2001. Other programs from the
current presidential administration include the Council on Veterans Employment, the hiring of
70,000 veterans into federal civilian jobs in a two year period, and tax credits for businesses that
hire veterans. The First Lady, Michelle Obama, has launched a successful campaign called
“Joining Forces” to help companies find and hire veterans and their family members. The
“Joining Forces” campaign also focuses on decreasing credentialing road blocks so military
spouses can stay in the same occupation, with their same license to practice, upon moving to a
different states (O’Brien, 2012). The RAND corporation, a nonprofit think tank, underwent a
study titled: Why is Veteran Unemployment so High? The author of the study, David S.
Loughran, concluded that if policy makers and national leaders wanted to influence veteran
unemployment, they should focus on programs that make the job search for veterans more
efficient (2014) (See Appendix E for reference list). One government program the author studied
was the Transition Assistance Program or TAP. TAP was created to offer education and training
for all military members on subjects like: employment assistance, relocation, civilian education

and training, health and life insurance, finances, Reserve affiliation, disabled Veteran benefits,
and retirement. Before TAP, there was no mandatory separation training for all service members.
But according to the results of this extensive study from RAND and David Loughran, many of
these governmental programs similar to TAP have not definitively proven their ability to reduce
unemployment among veterans (Loughran, 2014). So the problem of reducing veteran
unemployment is gaining significant attention, however, there is still work that must be done.
Locally, 29 Palms has a significant population of military veterans. The city is located
near one of the largest military training bases in the country by land mass and has a military
population in excess of 10,000 military service members and family (Crank, 2015) (See
Appendix E for reference list). The military base has a total employment impact of 24,300 jobs at
an estimated payroll of $661 million (Crank, 2015). Of the city’s 25,902 citizens, 10 percent of
that population is a military veteran (US Census Bureau, 2010). The city has experienced a 3.4
percent population increase since 2010 and has only 20 percent of their population holding
bachelor’s degrees or higher, well below the CA average of 30.7 percent (US Census Bureau,
2010) (See Appendix E for reference list). The poverty level in the city is above the California
average at 16.6 percent (US Census Bureau, 2010). Current community programs and
partnerships for military family members and veterans employment include Marine Corps
Community Services, which provides the Career Resource Center. The center provide quality
transition assistance to Marines, Sailors, spouses, retirees, civil servants and other authorized
members to include federal resume workshops, pre-retirement seminars, local employment
workshops, free computer access and fax for job assistance. The San Bernardino County
Veterans Affairs office also assists veterans and their family members with navigating
educational benefits offered to veterans like the Post 9-11 GI Bill and the California College Fee
Waiver Program. Although these programs are helpful and absolutely necessary, there is no

comprehensive program located in the city that combines educational pursuit, career skills
enhancement, and real-world civilian work experience.

Project Description
The goal of the programs is help military/veterans and their family’s successfully
complete college while becoming more prepared for the civilian workforce. To accomplish this,
the current project will seek to aid military members, veterans, and spouses with paid internships
at a local community organization which, in our first case, the location has already been secured
at the Joshua Tree National Park Association (JNTPA). JNTPA serves the local community and
guests from around the world visiting the Joshua Tree National Park. It also provides class and
instruction on ecology, desert science, and art.
The paid internship position will have a direct correlation with a degree program that the
participant is already pursuing or plans to pursue. Ties with the local community college and
technical training programs, along with the local Chamber of Commerce and military transition
office, will assist the program in building a broad-based partnership among public and private
resources to increase likely employment choices. The project will also closely monitor
participants’ progress and provide the detailed and comprehensive job searching skills and
mentoring necessary to attain successful full-time employment or credentialing. Combining a
paid internship with educational opportunity and career counseling will help individuals
overcome typical challenges veterans and military spouses face while searching for a job.
Overall, the paid internships will increase the likelihood of full-time employment for the
participants, increase community involvement, and decrease negative stigmas about veterans in
the labor force through real-world work interactions between the internship population and
civilian employers.
Criteria for the internships are that one must be an active duty military member/veteran or
spouse or child of either. One must also be pursuing a degree or certification in the following

fields: science, art, history, engineering, social services, business management, veterinarian care,
office worker, forestry, teaching, or child care and development. If a participant’s degree
program does not fit with these categories, exceptions can be made on a limited basis. The
interns will work no more than twenty hours a week for one six month period or a one year
period.
Posts will be made online with job posting sites and online message boards for recruiting
efforts. Also, there will be posters printed and located in high traffic areas around the Morongo
Basin and in buildings where private and public partners are located: Copper Mountain College,
military career resource center, veteran hiring offices, and at the JTNPA. The project will also
release media requests through the local city newspaper, military base newspaper, and the
National Park Association newsletter. Completing these items before the first orientation is vital
to attract prospective candidates for admission in the program. There will be a rolling admission
criteria for participation in the internship. Upon learning about the internship, those meeting the
criteria can apply. The program director and the JNTPA staff will review and approve
individuals for admission after completing required physicals, drug screening, employment
verification, license verification, and background checks. Participating companies and
organizations are allowed and encouraged to hire interns full-time after their intern duties are
completed. However, by participating in this program, an organization is not obligated to offer
full-time position to interns and interns should not expect offers of full-time employment from
participating organizations.
The intern must enroll according to their degree program and complete their class with a
C or better. The person will also receive a stipend upon initial acceptance to the program and
completion of orientation and the first 20 hours of their internship. The next stipend will come at

the end of their first six months of the internship. The stipend amount will cover fuel costs,
incidentals, professional clothing, and any necessary child care costs incurred due to
participation in the internship.

Goals
The goal of the program is to help military/veterans and their families successfully
complete college while becoming more prepared for the civilian workforce.

Objectives
1. Establish paid internships for military/veterans and their families.
2. Establish a job training curriculum and courseware for military/veterans and their families.
3. Assign individuals in a selected occupational field to mentor and provide professional
guidance to each intern.

Methods
The methods used to accomplish the objectives are as follows.
- Secure Partnerships: Working with other private and public organizations is very important to
the viability of this project. The following partnerships will need to be completed and maintained
to offer career counseling and mentorship for internship participants. The primary partnerships
include the Copper Mountain Community College and the Joshua Tree National Park
Association (See Appendix D for sample Memorandum of Understating). Secondary
partnerships and assistance may come from the local military installation career resource center,
the local Department of Labor military transition office, Military Officers Spouse Club of 29
Palms, the 29 Palms Chamber of Commerce, and local chapters of military veteran organizations
like the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Purple Heart Association.
-Internship: All interns will be given a mentor and assigned to a program area within the
National Park Association organization that closely fits their career aspirations, degree program,
and goals. Also, five hours of training with the career center will be conducted each month
through the local Marine Corps base’s career center, the veteran’s career center or individual
online training. The mandatory five hours can cover interviewing skills, appropriate dress,
attendance at a career fair, or completion of a skills and interest assessment. They will also be
required to attend an industry roundtable to discuss career options with individuals already in
their career field. All participants in the internship program will complete a formal resume as a
program completion requirement.
-Evaluations: Evaluations with the interns will be conducted at the 6 month point and the 12
month point of the internship. The evaluation will focus on collecting qualitative and quantitative
data on the internship to prepare for rewriting the current grant proposal.

Timeline
Work Plan for January 1, 2016 through January 1, 2017
Goal: to help military/veterans and their families successfully complete college while
becoming more prepared for the civilian workforce.
Activity Begin Date End Date Responsibility
Objective #1: Establish paid
internships for military/veterans
and their families.
Jan 2016 Jan 2017 Program Director
Activity 1.1: Buy outside
advertisements on the military base
and advertisements in the local
military paper.
Jan 2016 Apr 2016
Program Director and
Military Career
Office
Activity 1.2: Recruit participants Jan 2016 Jun 2016
Program Director and
Military Career
Office
Activity 1.3: Conduct Orientation Jan 2016 Jan 2016 Program Director
Activity 1.4: Conduct Orientation Apr 2016 Apr 2016 Program Director
Activity 1.5: Conduct Orientation Jun 2016 Jun 2016 Program Director

Objective #2: Establish a job
training curriculum and
courseware for military/veterans
and their families.
Jan 2016 Feb 2016 Program Director
Activity 1.1: Develop standard
curriculum and information for job
placement
Jan 2016 Feb 2016 Program Director and
Military Career
Office
Activity 1.2: Participants finish
resumes and conduct mock
Interviews
Aug 2016 Aug 2016 Program Director and
Military Career
Office
Objective #3: Assign individuals in
a selected occupational field to
mentor and provide professional
guidance to each intern.
Jan 2016 Oct 2016 Program Director
Activity 1.1: Conduct Industry
Roundtable
May 2016 May 2016 Program Director

Plan for Measuring Results
Working with a local and respected outside organization will be the most effective approach to
officially evaluating this program. EMT Associates serves San Bernardino County, where the
project is located, and three Southern California counties. The organization is experienced in
mixed methods evaluation, research and helps programs design various data collection tools
including online surveys, client satisfaction surveys, interviews, focus groups, and protocols for
observational measures (EMT, 2015) (See Appendix E for reference list). EMT Associates is
also a member of the American Evaluation Association, a national professional organization that
exists to promote growth in the effective use of evaluation as a means for enhancement of the
public good (AEA) (See Appendix E for reference list).
After one year from start of the grant, the project is expecting development in helping
military/veterans and their families successfully complete college while becoming more prepared
for the civilian workforce. EMT Associates will evaluate benchmarks tied to the project’s three
objectives: establish paid internships for military/veterans and their families, establish a job
training curriculum and courseware for military/veterans and their families, assign individuals in
a selected occupational field to mentor and provide professional guidance to each intern. Below
is a discussion of the program’s three objectives and the methods and components of evaluating
each.
Establish paid internships for military/veterans and their families: The summative
method or portion of the evaluation of this objective will express, in humanistic terms, the
improved career and life satisfaction for participants, client satisfaction measured through
attitude scales, and the accomplishment of the project’s overall goal to establish paid internships
for participants. Qualitative and quantitative measures and collection efforts will need to be used
through surveys and group discussions with the participants and the organizations hosting the

internships. To determine the strength of the effect of the project, a side-by-side quantitative
comparison of the program’s participants with non-program participants should be conducted.
Measures of academic productivity is also important to collect, which includes grade point
averages, rates of retention, graduation, and job placement (Miner, 2013) (See Appendix E for
reference list). The EMT evaluators can receive this information by request from the local
community college (this can only happen with a signed release from participants), local
education office aboard the military installation in 29 Palms, CA, and from the participants
themselves. An evaluation of this objective is due thirty days after the grant’s twelve month
mark.
Establish a job training curriculum and courseware for military/veterans and their
family: Formative methods will be used to reveal the benefits of the program along with
recommendations to change internal organizational processes in accordance with achieving the
one year benchmark (Miner). The formative methods evaluation will occur at the three month
portion of the grant project to offer suggestions for improvements to the courseware and
instructional methods used. The Project Coordinator will oversee this data collection and review
process working with their partners at the military installation career and job placement office;
the surveys will encompass both qualitative and quantitative data collection components. The
summative portion of the evaluation of this objective will express academic productivity:
employer feedback, rates of retention, graduation, job placement (Miner, 2013). Qualitative and
Quantitative measures and collection efforts will need to be used through surveys, group
discussion, and administering a career skills test to determine understanding of pre-determined
learning objectives. The EMT evaluators can receive this information from the participants
themselves. The summative evaluations of this objective is due thirty days after the grant’s
twelve month mark.

Assign individuals in a selected occupational field to mentor and provide professional
guidance to each intern: Similar to objective two, formative methods will be used to reveal ways
to improve the effectiveness of this portion of the project during the granting period. The
formative methods evaluation will occur at the three month portion of the grant project to offer
suggestions for improvements to selecting mentors in selected occupational fields. The Project
Coordinator will oversee this data collection and review process working with their partners at
the military installation career and job placement office and the local Chamber of Commerce and
other veteran organizations; the surveys will encompass both qualitative and quantitative data
collection components. EMT will complete the summative portion of the evaluation of this
objective. The summative evaluations of this objective is due 30 days after the grant’s 12 month
mark. Qualitative and Quantitative measures and collection efforts will need to be used through
surveys and group discussion with program participants, internal employees working with the
project, and individuals selected as mentors (Miner, 2013).
The program coordinator is responsible for submitting the full report from EMT
Associates to the grant funders. It will include all surveys, evaluations, description of collection
methods, and any challenges in collecting data. Finally, the report to the funders should discuss
how the program will use the findings of the evaluations and how the program’s participants and
community are better served because of the program. All results and analysis will be provided to
the funding source 60 days after the end of the twelve month grant period.

Project Budget and Narrative
12 Month Funding Period
BUDGET ITEM REQUESTED
FROM
SPONSOR
COST SHARED BY
APPLICANT
TOTAL
PERSONNEL
Intern Stipend
($350 a month/intern)(8
interns in a 12 month
period)
$16,800 $0 $16,800
Program Director
$ 50,000/ yr × 1yr × 10%
effort
(No Fringe
Benefits/Benefits and the
rest of total salary is
already covered from the
supporting NPO)
$5,000 $45,000 $50,000
Program Assistant
Director
$ 50,000/ yr × 1yr × 10%
effort
(No Fringe
Benefits/Benefits and the
rest of total salary is
already covered from the
supporting NPO)
$5,000 $45,000 $50,000
Evaluation Consultant $2,500 flat fee $0 $2,500
Accounting/Financial
Audit In-kind
contribution ($1000)/
(No Fringe Benefits)
$0 $1000 $1000
NON-PERSONNEL
Career Training Books
and Materials
(In-kind contribution
from the Military Career
Center)
$0 $1000 $1000
Advertising
(Flyers, Signs, Circular
Advertisements, Website
Banners, Ad Design, etc.
)
$3,500 $0 $3,500
Recruiting Costs $5,000 $0 $5,000
Special Events: $250.00 $0 $250.00

Industry Roundtable
(Food, rent tables, rent
chairs, print
announcements, etc.)
Local Travel
.575 per mile (60 miles
local travel from city to
city/500 total miles) (500
miles X .575 cents per
mile)
$287.50 $0 $287.50
Rent payments $0 In-kind contribution
($5000)
$5000
Utilities: gas, electricity,
water
$0 In-kind contribution
($1500)
$1500
Telecommunications:
phones, fax, Internet
($500)
$500
Furnishings $0 In-kind contribution
($500)
$500
Maintenance and
cleaning supplies
($150)
$150
Office equipment $0 In-kind
contribution($500)
$500
Computers, software $0 In-kind contribution
($500)
$500
Postage, shipping,
delivery, courier
($100)
$100
Staff training, technical
assistance
($250)
$250
Total Project Costs
(Personnel + Non-
Personnel Related)
$38,337.50 $101,000 $139,337.50
Narrative
This proposal requests a sponsor investment of $ 38,337, which represents 37% of the
total project costs. The remaining portion of the project will be cost shared by the applicant and
other project partners as evidence of its commitment to the project. The requested funds will be
used to supplement, not replace, existing operating funds (Miner, 2013). The following
comments further clarify the basis for calculation of budget items. Internship stipends were
calculated on the basis of providing participants with funds to pay for hourly child care,

professional clothing, and transportation costs. Calculations for these items were obtained from
the current price of regular gas at $2.55 per gallon according to the website
californiagasprice.com. The rate of hourly child care in the city was obtained from calling three
child care providers and averaging their costs (choosing a child care provider for their children
will be up to the intern). The Program Director works for the applying organization and his pay
is based on the expected percentage time devoted to carrying out this program in relation to their
current salary. All fringe benefits are covered through the applying organization that employs the
Program Director. Advertising cost are from actual quotes from the local military installation
advertising office that sells advertising to prompting organizations to the 10,000 plus military
members and their families that conduct business on the installation. Office supplies are based
on best reasonable estimates and will be an in-kind contribution from the applying organization.
Local travel costs are based on U.S. General Services Administration allowable mileage rates.
The Industry Roundtable event will bring the participants together with industry leaders for a
discussion. The results of this project will directly impact eight military families a year and
increase the interaction of disparate community groups serving military/veterans and their
families in a significantly large military community.

Key Staff and Qualifications
Project Director – Jason Mulford
The project director is responsible for meeting all the projected objectives for the project
and managing the personnel selection and reporting requirements as described in the proposal.
The Director will also make the final decision on selection of all participants while also
developing and maintaining relationships with all program partners. The project director
candidate for this position is Jason Mulford, Victory Village founder and Chief Executive
Officer. Jason Mulford is a disabled Iraq/Gulf War veteran and leads a management team thar
works tirelessly for veterans throughout California. Jason served in the Marine Corps and
participated in Operation(s) Southern Watch, Desert Fox, Sudden Storm and Desert Anvill II
from November 1998 to March 1999. Jason serves on the California Governor’s Interagency
Council for Veterans as the Co-Chair of the Affordable Housing subcommittee. He also
facilitates the ACT (Amador, Calaveras and Tuolumne) Veterans Collaborative, which is part of
the California Statewide Collaborative for our Military and Families.
Program Assistant Director – Nicole Mulford
The Assistant Director will oversee the scheduling of all interns and present any
problems or issues with the program to the Program Director. The Assistant Director will also
plan and coordinate the Industry Roundtable, provide and follow all operational guidelines,
directly supervise all individuals involved in the program, and speak on behalf of the program to
any outside entities. The program assistant must have nonprofit leadership experience in a
managerial role of three or more years. The candidate for Program Assistant Director is Nicole
Mulford. Nicole Mulford is the co-founder of Victory Village, a nonprofit for veterans in the
state of California. Victory Village is the only California Nonprofit Veterans Service Agency in

the state and supports homeless veterans with housing, employment training, and many other
services.
Mentor
Mentors will assist the Program Director in creating guidelines, procedures, and methods
for the program while mainly mentoring program interns in their departmental and organizational
procedures. Mentors will challenge their assigned interns with assignments and projects related
to the individual intern’s field of study and general career enhancement activities. Mentors are
role models for his or her intern and must act with high moral and ethical character. A mentor
must have demonstrated industry experience in their field of more than three years or the
equivalent educational experience of a two or four year college degree or technical certification.
Mentor Responsibilities
All Mentors are volunteers and must:
-Commit to a one year relationship with Keeping the Promise.
-When assigned, spend at least 20 hours a week engaged in a mutually agreed-upon project or
activity with their intern.
-Communicate with their intern and report any issues or concerns to the Program Assistant
Director.
-Be respectful of the intern’s time, opinions, and ability.
-Serve as a positive role model by modeling desirable behaviors and professional standards and
etiquette.

-Be encouraging and supportive of the intern.
-Assist the intern in finishing their completed resume and answer their questions about career
opportunities in your industry.
-Check in with program staff once a month and attend all required training.
-Complete surveys as required.
Mentor Qualifications
-Industry experience in their field of more than three years or the equivalent educational
experience of a two or four year college degree or technical certification.
-Pass a criminal background check
-Complete an interview successfully with Keeping the Promise staff.

Organization History/Background
Victory Village, Inc. (VV) is in its fourth year of serving veterans in Central Sierra
Nevada Mountains of California. In 2013, VV worked directly with 60 homeless and very low
income veterans and their family members at program’s Veterans Emergency/Transitional
housing program located in Amador County. VV also provides California Association of
Addiction Recovery Resources (CAARR) certified Sober Living Environment home for veterans
and their families.
In 2011 this organization was started in Volcano, CA. It now has two service centers in
California that serves a rural region of six counties that includes 35,000 veterans. Services and
fundraising events are staffed by fifty volunteers, two contractors and seven employees on an
annual budget of more than $840,000 serving 75 veteran families annually. VV uses a case
management structure of evaluation and assessment of all life domain areas for a veteran. The
VV staff creates an individualized service plan collaboratively with each veteran that helps to
identify barriers and strategies to mitigate each barrier. The ultimate goal of this system is for the
veteran to have an independent and permanently housed living arrangement. This organization
believes and has proven that dividing needs into life domain areas, along with connectivity to the
community, can quickly match a veteran with needed local services.
Victory Village has demonstrated the ability to successfully meet goals and address the
needs of veterans and their families with a grassroots program that was awarded a highly
competitive Supportive Services for Veterans and Families (SSVF) grant in 2015. In the first
month of administering the SSVF grant, this organization provided street outreach, emergency
shelter, rapid re-housing, and homeless prevention programs to twenty veteran families.
VV’s collaboration with The California Veterans Legal Task Force, Veterans Affairs
Justice Outreach Program, Amador County Agencies, helped to establish an alternative Veterans

Treatment Court in Amador County. Three veterans have been adjudicated and sent to Victory
Village and one has completely finished the program.
A Board of Directors governs the organization and meets once a month. The Board of
Directors consists of seven members. The day to day operation of VV is conducted through their
Corporate Officers: Chief Executive Officer and Founder Jason A. Mulford, the Executive
Director and Board Secretary, Nichole Mulford, and Leland Meyer, Vice President and Board
Treasurer. A two member Advisory Board has also been established for outside advice and
assistance.
(All information in this section was pulled from http://www.victoryvillageamador.org/about_us)

Appendixes
Appendix A. Letter of Board Support

Appendix B. IRS Approval Letter

Appendix C. List of Board Members
Jason Mulford, President of the Board
Leland Meyer, Vice-President of the Board
Nichole Mulford, Secretary/Treasurer
Eric Almquist, Director
Ken Shoemake, Director
Richard Judd, Director
Barry Franks, Director
JasonMulford
President,VictoryVillage
Experience
Facilitator atACT VeteransCollaborative
May 2013 - Present (11 months)
Founded and Sponsored by Victory Village, Inc.. Established to identify and address the serious lack of
Veteran Services in these rural counties. ACT Veterans Collaborative includes the tri-county area of Amador, Calaveras, and
Tuolumne County and meets every 6th Thursday year round.
We are part of the CA Statewide Collaborative for our Military and Families. Our Collaborative is a strong voice advocating for a
holistic, compassionate continuum of services, treatment and care for our service members, veterans, families, care givers and
care providers.
President &CEO atVictory Village Amador
January 2012 - Present (2 years 3 months)
Jason and his wife, Nichole, founded the 2nd and only active California Non-profit Veterans Service Agency
(NVSA) to create Housing, Education, Life Skills and Physical & Mental Wellness for Veterans in Amador
County. Victory Village Amador operates a 20 bed transitional living center for Veterans. Jason and his
team of volunteers have dedicated nearly 10,000 hours to the start-up and growth of Victory Village, Inc.
Honors and Awards

The President's Call toService Award
President Barrack Obama December 2013
Presidential Volunteer Service Award Criteria
4,000+ hours or more of volunteer service as the President of Victory Village, Inc.
Education
Northwest Nazarene University
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), School of Theology, Christian Ministry, 2014 - 2016
Syracuse University
Certificate of Completion, Business Administration, Management and Operations, 2012 - 2012
USSmall BusinessAdministration
Training Certificates, Small Business Administration/Management, 2010 - 2012
NicholeMulford
General Manager, Victory Village Amador
Summary
Nichole moved to Amador County in 1995, attending Sutter Creek Elementary, Jackson Junior High, and graduating from
Amador High School. She pursued a nursing career but decided to change her career path when she met her husband, Jason, a
Marine Corps Veteran. In January 2012, four months after their wedding, Jason and Nichole founded Victory Village Amador,
a non-profit for veterans. It was incorporated in the state of California in March 2012. Nichole (a DAV spouse) has created a
spousal support group for veteran and active duty spouses. Nichol collaborates resources for spouses and veterans for the
assistance with marital and familial difficulties due to the effects of battle. A military/veteran spouse and/or family membe r is
the number one person who can offer the most direct support for our veterans.
Experience/Education
GeneralManageratVictory VillageAmador March 2012 - Present (2 years 1 month)
A Non-Profit Veterans Service Agency. Providing housing, counseling, on the job training, job placement, and claims
assistance for veterans and veteran dependents.
Los RiosCommunity College District Bachelor's degree, Music Education, 2011 - 2013

Appendix D. Memorandum of Understanding
[Sample Letter. Will submit once all signatures from participating organizations are secured.]
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
Between
Victory Village, Inc.
And
Joshua Tree National Park Association
And
Copper Mountain Community College
ThisMemorandumof Understanding(MOU) ismade and enteredintobyandbetweenVictory
Village,Inc.,JoshuaTree National ParkAssociation,andCopperMountainCommunityCollege.The
entitieslistedabovemaycollectivelybe referredtoasthe partiesto thisMOU.
I. Purpose:
The purpose of thisMOU is to documentaframeworkof cooperationtoaddressthe effectsof
unemploymentandcollegedropoutratesof veteransandtheirfamiliesin29 Palms,CA by establishing
“Keepingthe Promise”in accordance withthisMOU.
II. Scope ofWork
All partieswill agree toparticipate inthe proposedprojectthatissetforthin the AT&T Foundationgrant
applicationandconductactivitiesandcarryout responsibilitiesasmaybe identifiedinthatapplication.
To accomplishthisproject,the followingactivitiesmustbe undertaken:
1) Provide namesof interestedstudentstoVictoryVillage,Inc.anddesignate applicable coursesor
programsthat may be eligibletocollege throughinternships(CopperMountainCommunityCollege)
2) Oversee the executionof the grantto include advertising,evaluation,conductingthe industry
roundtable,andbuildingpartnershipswithinthe communitytoincrease internshipopportunities
(VictoryVillage).
3) As the pilotinternlocation,provide internshipandmentorstostudentsintheirchosencareerfield.
Also,ensure identifiedmentorsmeetare trainingrequirementsforthisprogram.
III. Lead Applicant and Fiscal Agent
VictoryVillage,Inc. will serveasthe leadapplicant. Asthe leadapplicant, VictoryVillage will applyfor
the grant on behalf of the groupand will serve asthe fiscal agentforthe group inthe eventa grant is
awarded. Asfiscal agent, VictoryVillageunderstandsthatitisresponsible forthe receipt of all grant
fundsand for ensuringthat the projectiscarriedout by the group inaccordance with AT&TFoundation
requirements.
IV. Joint ResponsibilitiesforCommunicationsandDevelopmentofTimelines
Each memberof the group agreesto the followingjointresponsibilities:

1) Each memberof the groupwill appointa keycontact personforthe grant to serve ona Steering
Committee.
2) These keycontactswill maintain monthly communicationtofacilitate cooperationunderthisMOU.
3) These keycontactswill worktogetherto follow appropriate timelines outlinedinthe grant
application forprojectupdatesandstatusreportsthroughoutthe whole grantprojectperiod.
4) Modificationswithinthe scope of thisMOUshall be made by mutual consentof the parties,bythe
issuance of a writtenmodification,signedanddatedbyall parties,priortoany changesbeing
performed.
5) Participate withanyevaluationsorsurveys.
V. Assurances
Each memberof the group herebyassuresandrepresentsthatit:
1) Agreestobe boundto everystatementandassurance made bythe leadapplicantinthe application;
2) Has all requisite powerandauthoritytoexecute thisMOU;
3) Is familiarwiththe “Keepingthe Promise”grant applicationandiscommittedtoworking
collaborativelytomeetthe responsibilitiesspecifiedinthisMOUin orderto ensure the project's
success;
4) Will complywithall the termsof the grant and all applicable Federal andState lawsandregulations,
includinglawsandregulationsapplicabletothe project.ThisMOU in no wayrestrictsthe parties
fromparticipatinginsimilaractivitieswithotherpublic orprivate agencies,organizations,and
individuals.
VI. Effective Date/Duration/Termination
ThisMOU shall take effectupon VictoryVillage’s receiptof anotice of grant award of fundsfromthe
AT&T Foundation. ThisMOU shall be effective beginningwiththe date of the lastsignature hereon,and,
if the grant is received,endinguponthe expirationof the grantprojectperiod of one year.
In witnesswhereof,the partiesheretohave executedthisMOUas of the lastdate writtenbelow:
[NAME], [title]
[Location]
DATE
[NAME], [title]
[Location]
DATE

[NAME], [title]
[Location]
DATE
[NAME], [title]
[Location]
DATE
[NAME], [title]
[Location]
DATE
[NAME], [title]
[Location]
DATE
[NAME], [title]
[Location]
DATE
[Assistance from the following websites from the Department of Justice and the Department of
Education: http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/ovw/legacy/2008/10/21/sample-mou.pdf,
www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherincentive/samplemou.doc]

Appendix E. References
American Evaluation Association. (2015). About us. Retrieved from www.eval.org.
Corbin, Kentucky. United States: A hard homecoming; American veterans. Economist, (8764),
39. Retrieved from http://elibrary.bigchalk.com
Crank, Kathryn. (2015). Marine Corps Community Services 29 Palms Marketing Plan 2014-
2015. Marine Corps Community Services. Retrieved from
http://www.mccs29palms.com/29Palms/assets/File/Marketing%20Plan%202014.pdf.
EMT, Inc. (2015). Service Capabilities. Retrieved from www.emt.org/servicecapabilities.
Henry, M. (2013). The 2013 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress. Part 1 Point-in-
Time Estimates of Homelessness. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development. Retrieved from
https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/AHAR-2013-Part1.pdf.
Loughran, David S. (2014). Why is veteran unemployment so high? RAND Corporation.
Retrieved from www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports //rr284.
Merica, Dan. (2012, February 15). Report highlights employment burdens on military spouses.
CNN. Retrieved from www.cnn.com.
Miner, J., Miner, L. (2013). Proposal Planning & Writing: Fifth Edition (Kindle Locations 49-
50). ABC-CLIO. Kindle Edition.
O’Brien, K. (2013, June 15). The unemployment rate for military spouses is unacceptable.
Huffington Post. Retrieved from www.huffington post.com.
U.S. Census Bureau: State and county Quick Facts. (2010). Data derived from Population
Estimates, American Community Survey, Census of Population and Housing, County
Business Patterns, Economic Census, Survey of Business Owners, Building Permits,

Census of Governments. Retrieved from
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0680994.html.
Victory Village, Inc. (2013). About us. Retrieved from www.victoryvillageamador.org.
Yochi, Dreazen. (2012, May 26). From the front line to the jobless line. National Journal.
Retrieved from http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/76620229/from-front-line-
jobless-line.

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