Paralyzed Veterans of America, Buckeye Chapter | Application Preview
The Paralyzed Veterans of America, Buckeye Chapter seeks government grant funding to support its annual Buckeye Wheelchair Games in Northeast Ohio, an event that gathers over 100 paralyzed veterans to engage in various adaptive sports. This event is crucial not only for promoting physical activity but also for fostering camaraderie among participants, which plays a significant role in their mental well-being. The grant would help cover hotel and meal expenses for the athletes during the weekend of the games.
The organization aims to enhance its visibility and distinguish itself from other veterans service organizations by engaging more with the public through social media, marketing, and local events. Paralyzed Veterans of America, Buckeye Chapter focuses exclusively on honorably discharged veterans suffering from spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, or ALS and has a membership of over 500 in Ohio. Membership is free, and the organization relies heavily on corporate and private donations for funding, as it does not receive government support.
Their operational approach involves close collaboration with recreation therapists at five Ohio VA hospitals, catering to the holistic needs of their members. The chapter aims to maintain low overhead costs to maximize funds available for their mission, earning a Platinum rating on GuideStar as recognition of their financial stewardship. They differentiate themselves from similar organizations, like Wounded Warriors and Disabled Vets, by serving a niche population. Their competitive advantage lies in their specific focus on veterans with particular conditions and their comprehensive support programs that address various aspects of their members' lives.
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General Information
Business Registration Number: Paralyzed Veterans of America, Buckeye Chapter
Location: Willoughby Hills, OH, United States
Length of Operation: 11plus
Number of Employees: 1-10 Employees
Annual Gross Income: $250k to $500k
Annual Gross Expense: $250k to $500k
Open to Loans: NO
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Funding Usage
We would use this grant to support our annual Buckeye Wheelchair Games, where more than 100 of our paralyzed veteran members meet in Northeast Ohio to compete in adaptive sporting events including track and field, swimming, weightlifting, slalom, bowling, billiards, and boccia. These games are a staple for us and our members travel from around the state to compete for medals. Not only do these games provide exercise, but also camaraderie, which is vital to our members' mental health. During the weekend long games, we fund hotel accommodations and meals for our paralyzed athletes.
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Business Plan
We are actively working to grow our business through increased brand awareness. While we are a significant 501c3 organization, there is an opportunity to build our brand and differentiate ourselves from other veterans service organizations. We have focused, and will continue to focus on increased communications with the general public and corporate liaisons through social media, direct mail, visibility at local Ohio events, and most importantly, by building personal relationships. A donor and investor should know that Paralyzed Veterans of America, Buckeye Chapter is a unique veterans service organization that focuses solely on honorably discharged veterans with spinal cord injury, MS, or ALS. We currently have more than 500 members in Ohio. Membership is free to our members and we have the support of our parent organization, the Washington DC based Paralyzed Veterans of America. We do not receive government funds, and rely on corporate and individual gifts for more than 90% of our revenue. We work closely with the Recreation Therapists at our five Ohio VA hospitals to help our members in a holistic approach, as all of our members are patients of these VA hospitals. We purposefully keep our overhead very low in order to dedicate our revenue to serving our mission and members. This is proven by the Platinum rating we have on GuideStar.
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Self Identified Competition
We are often confused with Wounded Warriors and Disabled Vets. Both organizations serve different demographics. Paralyzed Veterans of America, Buckeye Chapter is very unique from other VSOs in that our membership is very specific. We require our folks to be honorably discharged veterans with spinal cord injury, MS, or ALS. More than 95% of our members are wheelchair bound. We also work to support our members holistically, focusing on their physical and mental enrichment, financial support for specific projects, support of medical research, and our focus on legislative advocacy.
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Contact Applicant
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