September 13, 2013
Ms. Jeanne Bistranin
Senior Program Officer
Adolph Coors Foundation
4100 E. Mississippi Avenue, Suite 1850
Denver, Colorado 80246
Dear Ms. Bistranin:
I am pleased to submit for your consideration a proposal for $75,000 to support the USO’s Employment
Training program for Colorado service members transitioning out of the military into the civilian
workforce. More than 12 years of combat have required a generation of our men and women in uniform
to serve and defend our nation 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As America’s military activity begins
to draw down according to national strategy, many young men and women are returning to their
communities in Colorado and transitioning into civilian roles.
This period can be a very stressful, intimidating process for our service members. Many struggle with
finding meaningful employment following their time in military not because they lack the skills
necessary to succeed in a corporate environment but simply because they do not know how to translate
their military skills into corporate terms and present themselves as competitive candidates in a civilian
world. In an effort to help our transitioning troops become self-reliant, responsible and contributing
members to society post-military service, the USO collaborates with Hire Heroes USA to provide
employment training to transitioning service members and their spouses.
Our ability to execute this training with Hire Heroes USA has resulted in not only successful job
placements for transitioning service members, but has also equipped them with the skills to allow them
to help themselves in a competitive environment. Support from the Adolph Coors Foundation would
allow us to ensure our employment training program remains in Colorado despite the high national
demand for this service throughout the United States.
I thank you for your consideration of this proposal and encourage you to contact me with any questions
regarding our submission. I may be reached at phardin@uso.org or (864) 809-7456.
Best regards,
Ms. Piper Hardin
USO Director, Major Gifts and Planned Giving
A Grant Proposal for
Consideration by the Adolph
Coors Foundation
USO/Hire Heroes USA Employment Training Program
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
After more than 12 years of war, and consequently multiple deployments per troop, the effect on our
service members and their families is becoming very clear. Remaining optimistic can be a constant
challenge, made worse by the uncertainty surrounding physical and mental stresses, the anxiety of
reintegrating into the civilian
workforce, concern about strain
Remaining optimistic can be a constant challenge, made worse on loved ones, and fear of a future
by the uncertainty surrounding physical and mental stresses, without the support structures of
the military. This is where the USO
the anxiety of reintegrating into the civilian workforce,
steps in with the solution. To help
concern about strain on loved ones, and fear of a future
us carry out our programs
without the support structures of the military. This is where the
supporting the western values of
USO steps in with the solution.
self-reliance, personal
responsibility and integrity among
our service members and their
families, Rocky Mountain USO respectfully requests the Adolph Coors Foundation for support in the
amount of $75,000 to provide employment training for wounded, ill and injured troops transitioning out
of the military into civilian careers. Many of these men and women struggle with the drastic transitional
changes that arise when they exit the military and step into civilian shoes. With your support, the USO
will help groom these service members for success and economic independence in the civilian world.
ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND
The USO’s mission is to lift the spirits of America’s troops and their families. In 1941, as it became clear
that the nation was heading into World War II, several organizations mobilized to support the growing
U.S. military: the Salvation Army, Young Men’s Christian Association, Young Women’s Christian
Association, National Catholic Community Services, National Travelers Aid Association and the National
Jewish Welfare Board. President Franklin D. Roosevelt created synergy among these agencies by forming
the United Service Organizations, with the objective of providing the emotional support the troops
needed. Over time, the USO has evolved, developing new programs and services to meet the everchanging needs of troops and their families, while holding fast to the original mission. Today we are
based at more than 160 locations throughout the world serving not only our nation’s service members,
but their families as well.
Since 2005 the USO has had a presence in Colorado, and in 2012, the Rocky Mountain USO served more
than 225,000 troops and their family members including wounded, ill and injured troops, their families
and caregivers; deployed troops and their families; and families of the fallen. In order to meet the
immediate and long-term needs of troops and their families in Colorado, the USO provides a number of
programs in the following areas:




Physical Health/Recreation
Behavioral Health Support
Family Strengthening
Education


Employment
Community Reintegration
THE NEED
After more than 12 years of war, an entire generation of troops has made a career for themselves in the
Armed Forces. Every year approximately 200,000 service members leave the military and are faced with
transitioning back into their communities at home. We anticipate this pace will continue for the
foreseeable future, especially as the military downsizes. Among these troops are the junior enlisted men
and women who have served honorably and who are now rejoining their communities in Colorado.
Upon doing so, they are faced with the daunting challenge of finding work outside the support
structures of the military.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, as of July 2013, Colorado’s unemployment
rate sat at 7.1 percent. When taken into consideration the fact that the unemployment rate for Post
9/11 veterans ages 18-24 averaged 20.4% in 2012 according to a recent TIME Magazine article, it is clear
that the key to reducing this number is through successful employment training during a troop’s
transition from the military into the civilian world. This is where the USO, its non-profit collaborator Hire
Heroes USA and our donors and supporters begin to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our
men and women in uniform. Through our USO employment training program, we help transitioning
troops translate their military experience into a corporate resume, train them in successful job interview
skills and allow them to practice interviewing one-on-one with our corporate partners. We also pair job
seekers with hiring employers according to skill sets and interests, creating a win-win opportunity for
both parties. Our program truly fosters skills that develop independence, self-reliance and personal
responsibility.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The goal of the USO’s employment
training program is, through
collaboration with Hire Heroes USA
(HHUSA), to combine efforts, resources
and expertise that further our collective
goal of supporting America’s troops as
they re-enter civilian society and
transition to the civilian workforce. The
USO/Hire Heroes USA employment
training program consists of two
components: Transition Workshops and
Career Opportunity Days.
Career Transition Workshop
Transition Workshops are two-day events that teach troops and their spouses how to identify personal
goals, formulate job search strategies, create effective resumes and excel in job interviews. Employers
participate in mock interviews with candidates at each workshop. These training sessions are capped at
25 attendees and are led by four or five instructors.
Career Opportunity Days (CODs) build on the foundation of skills that are established at the Transition
Workshops. These are intimate gatherings that allow prospective employers and service members to
have one-on-one conversations in a less intimidating environment than a traditional career fair. Career
Opportunity Days are limited to 10-15
employers and 40-60 transitioning troops and
veterans, as well as their spouses, to ensure
these events provide an environment conducive
to one-on-one interaction and networking.
Employers receive resumes in advance for
attendees that have pre-registered, and HHUSA
matches attendees with employers based on
their military specialty, previous experience and
geographic interest for relocation. Based on this
match, attendees participate in one-on-one
Career Opportunity Day
introductory interviews during the Career
Opportunity Day. This year, the USO plans to
conduct nine employment training events in Colorado.
When 27-year-old Chistopher V. began his transition out of the military, he was determined not to
become one of the many unemployed veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. He enrolled in a
two-part USO/Hire Heroes USA program to improve his chances of landing a good job. Part one of the
process was a USO/Hire Heroes USA Transition Workshop where he learned how to better communicate
his value by producing a sharp resume and polishing his interview skills. Part two was a USO/Hire Heroes
USA Career Opportunity Day, where he was able to land an internship with the Naval Criminal
Investigative Service (NCIS) through Operation Warfighter, a federal internship program for wounded, ill
and injured troops like himself. Christopher's federal internship with NCIS eased his transition into the
civilian sector. From there, he was hired onto the human resources team at CACI, a government
contractor. Coincidentally, part of his job today as a security investigator is to find and screen other
potential candidates at the same USO/Hire Heroes USA Career Opportunity Days where he landed his
internship.
OUTCOMES AND EVALUATION
The USO evaluates the success of this program through tools and processes that measure our results in
comparison to our stated outcomes. Our outcomes for this program include the following, measured
over the course of 9 employment training events in Colorado delivered over the course of 12 months:



90% of participating troops will create a working, corporate resume as tracked by USO and
HHUSA staff
70% of participating employers will report through post-event surveys that troops they
interviewed were well prepared
70% of participating troops will report having more confidence in their job search as measured
through post-event surveys
CONCLUSION
The USO is excited about the possibility of partnering with the Adolph Coors Foundation in support of
our employment training program which helps transitioning service members become self-sufficient,
independent and contributing members of society. We believe it is through such collaborations that the
biggest impact can be made on those we serve. Without such support, we risk decreasing our impact on
Colorado troops as limited funding would force us to re-evaluate the frequency of our services in this
part of the country. We thank you for your time and consideration of this proposal and hope the Adolph
Coors Foundation will join us in ensuring Colorado remains a land of opportunity for all who live and
work there.
Project Budget Sample: USO/Hire Heroes Employment Training Program Budget
Items
Venue
Marketing
Staff
Program Materials
TOTAL
Total Amount
Request of Adolph
Coors Fndn.
Total Program
Budget
$80,000
$10,000
$200,000
$10,000
$300,000
Adolph Coors
Foundation
Partner/other
funder(s)
$20,000
$10,000
$35,000
$10,000
$75,000
$100,000
$100,000
Grand Total
Amount of the
Project
$75,000
USO
$60,000
$10,000
$65,000
$135,000
$300,000