Impact
Reviewers want evidence of a measurable plan. This page provides an outcomes framework you can align to your grant application and reporting approach. Update targets to match your final budget, cohort plan, and partner commitments.
Client Stories
Client Success Stories: The greatest effect the Foundation is having is on the lives of the individual clients served. Some of the many powerful examples of this are described below, including one client who has given CCG permission to provide his name and tell his story:
- Gary Wilson, working with Ron Shelley in the Step Up Program, established his own small business, GW Landscaping Services, LLC. Gary’s journey to starting his own business was featured in an in‑depth profile on ABC news. Gary works part time in his own business, and also maintains a separate part‑time job.
- A Step Up client who initially stumbled in recovery will be clean 1 year in October 2017; this individual is currently volunteering daily at a non‑profit youth organization and is also successfully working a part time job.
- Another client has enrolled at Baltimore City Community College and is working toward an AA degree in Addiction Counseling.
- A Step Up Member has taken on the leadership of communicating with the city to make sure all of the alleys and abandoned homes in‑and‑around the area of Greenmount and 25th Street are kept clean and free of trash.
- Three Step Up members are training to become Peer Recovery Specialists. This program certification requires participation in the Recovery Coach Academy, a 40‑hour, 5‑Saturday training program that begins in October 2017.
Outcome framework
- Enrollment & retention: number enrolled, attendance, persistence through training milestones.
- Education: HSE/GED attainment, postsecondary entry.
- Credentials: industry-recognized credentials earned (construction + C+ track).
- Placement: employment, Registered Apprenticeship, or education placement.
- Follow-up: 12‑month post-exit contact, retention, wage progression, continued education.
- Housing impact: housing units built or substantially renovated; community benefit.
Plan for participant consent, secure data handling, and consistent documentation to support outcomes reporting.
Example targets (edit these)
| Metric | Target | How we’ll achieve it |
|---|---|---|
| Participants enrolled | 66–90 | Referral network + AJC recruitment + community outreach |
| Credential attainment | 70%+ | Structured curriculum + test prep + supportive services |
| Placement | 60%+ | Employer interviews + apprenticeship pathways + job developer |
| Housing units completed | 1+ unit | Work site pipeline + partner supervision + project management |
Tip: Keep targets realistic, backed by partner letters, staffing plan, and a clear service-area pipeline.
Transparency & stewardship
YouthBuild requires fiscal discipline (including matching funds, administrative cost limitations, and an enrollment goal that supports the cost-per-participant cap). We will publish annual highlights and program updates here.