Official Grant Proposal
Making an Impact
Our Community Need Statement and first-year Goals & Measurable Outcomes, exactly as written in our official documents.
Official Grant Proposal
Community Need Statement
Girls ages 12-18 in Gladewater and surrounding East Texas communities are growing through critical years when their confidence, identity, relationships, educational goals, and decisions about the future are being shaped. Many girls need greater access to positive role models, trusted adult guidance, healthy support systems, and safe spaces where they can express themselves, receive encouragement, and learn skills that will help them succeed. Without consistent support, girls may struggle with low self-esteem, peer pressure, unhealthy relationships, social media pressures, mental wellness challenges, and difficulty seeing a clear path toward their future.
Economic hardship can make it difficult for families to afford mentoring, educational enrichment, leadership activities, workbooks, supplies, and other opportunities outside of school. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 estimates, 22.5% of Gladewater residents live in poverty. The Texas Education Agency’s 2025 School Report Card also shows that 76% of students at Gladewater Middle School are economically disadvantaged. These numbers do not define the potential of local girls, but they demonstrate the importance of providing free or affordable programs that give every girl an opportunity to receive support, guidance, and enriching experiences regardless of her family’s financial situation.
Mental wellness is another serious concern for adolescent girls. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 52.6% of high school girls experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. This statistic shows the need for supportive environments where girls can build confidence, develop healthy coping skills, form positive connections, and know that they are valued. Sister’s With A Dream will provide encouragement and mental wellness support while connecting families with appropriate professional resources when needs extend beyond the organization’s services.
Sister’s With A Dream is being launched to help meet these needs through Dream Big Saturday, a monthly program that combines mentorship, life-skills education, leadership development, goal setting, career exploration, group discussions, mental wellness support, and community service. The organization plans to begin by enrolling approximately 10-20 girls and giving them a consistent place to learn, grow, build confidence, and serve others. Their first community-service activities will include helping provide food and support to people experiencing homelessness.
Funding is needed to reach families, hold the sign-up and enrollment event, print 75 program brochures, secure a safe and welcoming meeting location, purchase educational and program supplies, and begin the Feed the Homeless community-service activities. With this support, Sister’s With A Dream can remove financial barriers and create an environment where every participating girl feels supported and has the tools to turn her dreams and goals for her future into a reality.
Data Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). QuickFacts: Gladewater city, Texas (2020-2024 estimates). census.gov/quickfacts
- Texas Education Agency. (2025). 2025 School Report Card: Gladewater Middle School. tea.texas.gov
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2023. cdc.gov/yrbs
Official Grant Proposal
Goals & Measurable Outcomes
First-Year Program Plan
GOAL 1: Successfully Launch the Program and Enroll Girls
Sister’s With A Dream will establish a strong first-year program that is accessible to girls ages 12–18 in Gladewater and surrounding East Texas communities.
- Hold one official sign-up and enrollment event at The BlueByrd Room.
- Print and distribute 75 program brochures to families and community partners.
- Enroll approximately 10–20 girls within the first 90 days of the program year.
- Ensure that each enrolled girl has a completed enrollment packet, signed permissions, and parent or guardian orientation information.
GOAL 2: Provide Consistent Mentorship and Program Activities
Sister’s With A Dream will provide girls with a safe and supportive environment for mentoring, education, personal development, and positive connections.
- Schedule 12 monthly Dream Big Saturday meetings and complete at least 10 meetings during the first program year.
- Maintain an average meeting attendance of at least 70% of enrolled girls.
- Include mentoring, life-skills education, leadership development, goal setting, career exploration, mental wellness support, or community service in every meeting.
- Maintain attendance records and activity reports for each Dream Big Saturday meeting.
GOAL 3: Build Confidence, Leadership Skills, and Future Goals
Sister’s With A Dream will help participating girls recognize their value, build confidence, develop leadership abilities, and create positive goals for their futures.
- At least 80% of participating girls will report increased confidence or a stronger belief in their ability to accomplish their goals.
- At least 80% of participating girls will complete a written personal, educational, or career goal with an action plan.
- At least 75% of participating girls will identify two or more leadership or life skills they learned through the program.
- Progress will be measured through beginning and end-of-year surveys, goal worksheets, reflection activities, and participant feedback.
GOAL 4: Support Mental Wellness and Positive Relationships
Sister’s With A Dream will provide encouragement, mental wellness education, positive role models, and connections to additional resources when needed.
- At least 80% of participating girls will report having a trusted adult, mentor, or positive role model they can turn to for support.
- At least 75% of participating girls will be able to identify two healthy coping strategies or mental wellness resources.
- Every family requesting support beyond the organization’s services will receive appropriate professional resource or referral information.
- Mental wellness progress will be measured through wellness check-ins, reflection activities, participant surveys, and parent or guardian feedback.
GOAL 5: Increase Community Engagement and Service
Sister’s With A Dream will teach girls the importance of leadership through service and caring for people in their community.
- Complete at least one Feed the Homeless community-service activity during the first 90 days of the program.
- Complete a Christmas food-and-toy community outreach activity during the first program year.
- Complete one Dream Big Prom Experience during the first program year, serving up to 15 high school girls facing financial hardship by providing prom attire, shoes, accessories, hair styling, manicure and pedicure assistance, makeup or beauty support, encouragement materials, and professional prom photographs.
- At least 80% of enrolled girls will participate in one or more community-service activities.
- Track the number of participating girls, volunteer hours completed, food and supplies distributed, and people or families served.
Evaluation and Recordkeeping
Progress will be documented through enrollment records, attendance logs, beginning and end-of-year surveys, goal worksheets, reflection activities, community-service logs, program reports, photographs with permission, and participant and parent feedback. The Board of Directors will review the results to determine whether goals were achieved and identify improvements for the following program year.