Steps to New Horizons Corp. is a small, founder-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit developing Financial Foundations, an online financial education program for youth ages 14 to 18, with intentional outreach to young people who may have limited access to practical financial guidance, including immigrant and first-generation families. The program focuses on practical, everyday financial skills and is being developed based on lessons from our current Financial Voice pilot. The emerging model is expected to combine short recorded lessons, practical assignments, flexible progression, and limited live support; the final pilot structure will be determined during redevelopment. The founder, who has more than 20 years of experience in banking and financial services, creates the curriculum.
Some funders require or value evidence that community organizations see a need for the program. At this stage, the most realistic form of evidence is a short letter of interest that is conditional on funding.
We are looking for a volunteer consultant with partnership experience who can help prepare partner materials, co-lead the first few virtual partner conversations to model the approach, and coach the founder in outreach, individualized follow-up, and requests for letters of interest. The consultant will then hand over the process for the founder to continue independently. All work and partner meetings will take place virtually.
Outreach will begin by identifying suitable organizations across the United States, including libraries, credit unions, youth programs, and immigrant-serving organizations. The consultant will help identify appropriate contacts and coach the founder in approaching them without relying on existing relationships. Partners will not be asked to pay, guarantee participation, or make premature commitments.
By the end of the project, the volunteer will help launch an initial partner outreach campaign for Financial Foundations and hand over a repeatable process the founder can continue independently.
The deliverables will include:
- A prioritized list of 15 to 20 relevant organizations across the United States, with decision-maker roles, available contact information or contact routes, and fit rationale
- A partner value proposition, a plain-language one-page overview, and a 5 to 7 slide presentation for a 20-minute conversation
- Personalized outreach messages for the top-priority organizations, sent after founder approval
- A meeting guide with discovery questions, a clear request, and honest answers to likely concerns
- Coaching the founder and co-leading the first few virtual partner conversations to model the approach, subject to partner availability, before transferring the lead to the founder. Practice conversations will be used if partner meetings cannot be arranged
- Coaching on individualized follow-up, with reusable templates and feedback on initial drafts
- A letter of interest template adaptable for interested organizations, and a stronger letter of support template for partners with a defined role
- A simple tracker and a written handoff with the meeting script, message templates, and next steps for each organization
Success means approved materials, a documented handoff, and the founder’s demonstrated readiness to present the program, manage outreach, and follow up independently. Pursuing two to three letters of interest remains an organizational goal; meetings held and letters received are not project completion requirements because partner decisions are outside the consultant’s control.
All external messages must be approved by the founder before they are sent. The volunteer does not make commitments on behalf of the organization and is not expected to contact every organization on the list or continue until letters are received.
