2008

Tim Benedict 2008

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Executive Summary
Purpose and Mission Statements
Executive Summary i. Introduction/Goals ii. Services iii. The Market iv. The Competition v. The Organization, Organizational Model vi. Management/Personnel vii. Financial Considerations and Distinctives
Initial Objectives
Keys to Success
Organization Summary
Summary
Basic Concepts and Goals
Legal Entity
History
Internal Structure
Services Summary
Summary
Basic Sales and Marketing Strategies
Publicity Oriented Strategies
Value Proposition
Competitive Edge
Marketing and Pricing Strategies
Implementation Milestones
Summary
Services Breakdown
Alternative Providers
Printed Collaterals
Fulfillment
Future Services
Services Flowchart
Market Analysis Summary
Summary
Target Markets
Market Needs
Market Trends
Market Trends Analysis
Market Growth
Market Competition
BigHouse Ministries, Inc. Response to Market Trends
Contacts and Dynamics that guarantee our Success
Summary of Market Trends, and BigHouse Ministries, Inc. Response
Sales Strategy and Implementation Summary
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Management and Personnel Summary
Summary
Basic Personnel Plan
Committed Personnel
Basic Staff / Employee Qualifications and Employment Requirements
Personnel and Staff Hiring Strategies
Availability of Labor
Management/Upper Level Positions
Staff Development and Retention Strategies
Financial Plan Summary
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Summary
Important Assumptions and Goals
Projected Income
5 year Projected Expenses, Profit /Loss, Surplus / Deficit, and Overall cash Flow
Projected Cash flow, and Accumulated Net worth
Management & Personnel Salaries and Related
Projected Patronage/Usage of Services
History and Goals of Donations
Break Even Analysis
Financial Accountability and Oversight
Loan Exit Strategies
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Current Proposed Facilities, Operations, and Future Site Expansion Summary 86
Targeted Main Facility Location
Existing Facilities onsite at proposed Thorn Creek Location
Future Facilities proposed to be built onsite
Future Offsite and Expansion Options
Facilities Maintenance
Renovations, Expansions, Yearly Goals, and Estimated Costs
Renovations previously completed between April 2004 and March 2008
Capital Equipment Needs
Site Landscaping
Sources of Supply
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Commitment to Alternative Energy, Self-Sufficiency, & Emergency Preparedness120
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Summary
Food
Water and Sewer
Communications
Power
Gasoline & Fuel Alternatives
Travel
Emergency Response Preparedness
10. Overall Summary and Conclusions
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11. Supporting Documents List 130
Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Website, Youth Pastor letter, tri-fold ad, Conflict of Interest Policy, Power Point #1,
IRS 501-c3 Application, Spiritual Emphasis, School Operations
, Scouting Program, Spreadsheets, Résumés

1.0 Purpose and Mission Statements
Big House Ministries has at its core, a passion to work with people, especially wounded youth, to grow to be more productive members of society.
“To bring people to healing in the presence of God, through operating schools, camps, conference centers, and foster homes.”
The purpose of the all of our schools, camps, seminars, retreats, rentals, and foster homes, is ultimately to bring wounded people & youth into whole healing, growth, and closer walks with God, thereby bringing balance, purpose and productivity to their lives.
1.1 Executive Summary
Big House Ministries has at its core, a passion to work with, challenge, educate, and help people, especially wounded youth, to grow to be productive members of society. We want to accomplish this in five different primary ways.
First , we at Big House Ministries want to work directly with youth and others, through schools/daycares, camps, conferences, and educational retreats, all hosted either onsite at our central ranch location, or at a nearby satellite location. Second , we plan to host educational and spiritual retreats during the summer school break months where people can seek and fin d God’s face, get back in touch with themselves and nature, and find true, whole-being healing. Third , we plan to directly confront the problem of foster parent burnout and an overwhelmed foster care system by building and centrally administering a local satellite network, community, co-op, of group and foster homes for at-risk, minority, troubled, disabled, displaced ex-juvenile offenders, homeless, or otherwise disenfranchised/displaced children, youth, the elderly, and others. This will provide foster homes with quality support

while also helping to relieve the government of the burden of this. Fourth , we plan to directly interface with the families of those within our care where possible, to work with and strengthen their family structures and units, believing that the best long-term environment for an individual to grow, mature, and live in is still a healthy functioning family unit, be it an adoptive family, extended family, or a person’s own biological family. And Fifth , we also plan to work with various local governmental agencies and other organizations to educate, equip, and better enable other people and organizations to also deal with, reach out to, and help the wounded youth that walk our streets and live in our homes.
It is likewise our goal to accomplish these objectives in a culturally relevant, locally focused, environmentally conscious, and “Green/Alternative Energy” way.
Believing that every individual has both physical and spiritual needs, in order to bring full, lasting healing to wounded youth and individuals, Big House Ministries, doing business at its first location as “Thorn Creek Youth Ranch & Conference Center” and “The Father’s
House of Prayer on Thorn Creek,” proposes to both sponsor and host: daycares, accredited curriculum private schools, youth-related camps, conferences, summits, educational seminars, and prayer retreats, while also establishing, administering, and operating multiple foster and group homes in the same general geographic area. It is also our belief that by operating an organization with multiple facets (each one a spoke of a wheel, all organized around camp/conference facility hubs), and integrating each part into the greater whole, we can leverage resources while also instilling a sense of community, responsibility, and respect into each person in our care, ultimately creating an environment of positive interaction between the different individuals, groups and homes within the organization.
The Thorn Creek location, the first of several planned ranches, is accessible yearround in the mountains between Boise and Idaho City, Idaho, just an hour from the Boise airport and 5 miles off of a state highway, in an area known for its peace, its wildlife, and its beautiful scenery. With land that backs up to Idaho State Endowment Lands and public forests, hiking, fishing, snow skiing, sledding, snowboarding, horseback riding, and other outdoor activities are all available to those that patronize or spend time at this semi-workingranch location and facility.

Our service focus is two-pronged, and can thus be summed up in two primary ways:
1. A full-service, foster home co-op , providing foster and respite care, leveraging resources for member homes, and providing daycare and quality, individualized academics for foster, atrisk or otherwise “falling through the crack” children, youth, and others. (Thorn Creek Youth
2.
Ranch).
A full-service educational workshop/camp/conference center and ranch , focused more upon the spiritual and inner development of wounded individuals in need of healing. (Thorn Creek Conference Center & The
Father’s House of Prayer on Thorn Creek).
The market IS the driving force behind the goals of the organization. Below is a list of the markets that we will be working in, a list which matches and meshes perfectly with our organizational goals.
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Groups needing conference/retreat facilities close by . There is a need for a conference facility in the mountains within an hour’s drive of Boise, for faith-based groups in Boise to have access to. This is the closest facility of any size currently available.
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There are NO large-scale organized camping ministries in the entire local 5 county area (Boise, Ada, Canyon, Elmore, and Gem) focused on providing educational camping opportunities to the burgeoning local Hispanic and minority youth population, many of them second generation migrant workers. This is a severely at-risk demographic group in the local area. We are currently exploring options with area Hispanic leaders to organize educational and spiritually based camping programs for local Hispanic and other minority / at-risk youth . Without serious input into this demographic group, and soon, area gang activity, already a growing problem, will only get worse. With our camping programs, we will be directly competing with the gangs for the hearts and minds of this demographic group.
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There are many small nondenominational and interdenominational churches and ministries also in the local 5 county area (Boise, Ada, Canyon, Elmore, and
Gem), which currently need, but do not have access to, medium sized conference venues, retreat facilities, and camping opportunities in the mountains around the

Treasure Valley. They simply either cannot afford to rent the other larger facilities that are available, cannot fit into the schedules of the other facilities available, and/or do not have the funds, time or ability to utilize facilities that are further away. These small organizations need access to conference facilities, retreat grounds, and camping programs.
We want to cater to these groups.
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There is a huge need for someone to provide organized third-party respite foster care (camps and homes) for foster families in Southwestern Idaho, to help keep the foster system functioning smoothly and keep foster families from burning out and deserting the foster care system completely. We will host respite care weekends and camps for all homes under our umbrella, and for many that aren’t.
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In talking with just one foster family alone, situated near the Thorn Creek
Conference Center and Youth Ranch, we were informed that they sometimes receive
10 or more calls a week from state agencies wanting to know if they can provide emergency foster care for children trapped in potentially volatile and/or dangerous situations. (This family has committed to being our foster home coordinators and an information resource for Big House Ministries through its startup phases). It is our heartfelt desire to meet the need for more locally focused foster homes in this area . We will be recruiting, hiring, training, and establishing new houseparents in foster and group homes, as well as embracing existing ones and providing them with the same services that we afford to our own group/foster homes.
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While in training at another youth ranch (the Boise Christian Children’s Ranch in Eagle, Idaho), BigHouse Ministries CEO Tim Benedict was informed that they have to turn away, on average, 7 to 10 applications per week for children that someone believes would be safer or better off in a foster or group home than in their own default situation. They have to turn them away, simply because this other ranch has neither the facilities nor the staff to accept any more children, or because the profiles of these applicants place them in an at-risk category that this other ranch is not equipped to handle or meet the needs of. We desire to partner with existing overwhelmed foster homes and youth ranches , to make them more effective in their own functioning, and to take in some of those youth that they cannot.
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There are NO specialized, individually focused, accredited, private schools or home-school co-ops in the local area that can aggressively and effectively meet the needs of children whose needs are not, or cannot suitably be, met by the local public school system. By focusing on individual needs and using accredited computerbased curriculum, our private school can aggressively meet the specialized

needs of youth in our foster care and those local youth struggling in the local public school system . Likewise, we will be offering a busing solution from North
Boise for parents that understand the value of placing their children in the mentally stimulating and challenging mountain ranch environment that the ranch will offer.
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There is a severe shortage of quality and affordable daycare available for the thousands of people that live in the Idaho City / Boise Basin area and commute to
Boise each day. We need to provide quality and affordable daycare for the local community as an extension of our work with youth in general.
There is not just a “market” for the services that Big House Ministries will provide, there is an overwhelming NEED, for these services.
Big House Ministries -Thorn Creek Youth Ranch & Conference Center particulars: near Boise/Idaho City, Idaho; only 36 miles/1hour from North Boise; pool; after renovation and build out, can easily host between 300 and 400 people simultaneously (150+ in main campground; 150 in conference facilities, cabins, RV area, and lodge; 30~40 each in two individual and separate onsite retreat buildings/clusters). The organization will also coordinate and administer a network of foster and group homes focused on foster kids, unwed teenage and/or single mothers, displaced Hispanic youth leaving Juvenile
Corrections, youth with disabilities, the elderly, and various others. The modular spoke/ hub model, of multiple physically separated but geographically close group homes, that we are following, allows us to set up individual homes for almost any specific targeted demographic.
Each home is expected to house between 4 and 7 people per home (expecting to grow to over 100 people in multiple homes under our care).
A sample of some of the local Faith-based Camp/Conference/Retreat Center competition.
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There are no mountain conference, retreat, and campground facilities closer to the
Treasure Valley than BigHouse Ministries, Inc.
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Camp Idahaven, McCall, Idaho. Open for rental. Used primarily by the Seventh Day
Adventist Denomination of Idaho. 100+ miles/ 3 hours from west Boise. Can host up to 200 people. On the shore of Payette Lake.

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Camp Pinewood, McCall, Idaho. Open for rental. Used primarily by, and managed by, the General Association of Regular Baptist in Southwest Idaho. 100+ miles/ 3 hours from west Boise. Can host up to 200 people.
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Quaker Hill, McCall, Idaho. Open for rental. Used primarily by the Friends Churches of Idaho. 100+ miles/ 3 hours from west Boise. Can host up to 200 people.
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Camp Ivy Dale, Idaho City, Idaho. Open for rental. Pool. Used primarily by the
Church of Christ denomination of Southwestern Idaho. 45 miles/ 1hour from Boise, can host up to 125 people.
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Conservative Baptist Camp, Warm Lake, Idaho. Open for rental. Used primarily by the Conservative Baptist denomination of Southwestern Idaho. 100miles/ 3 hours from Boise, can host up to 150 people.
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Living Waters Conference/Camp/Retreat grounds, Chalice, Idaho, 150+ miles/ 3~4 hours. Open for rental and used by many different groups and denominations without a camp home of their own. Can host several hundred people. More expensive.
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Camp Shiloh, Donnelly, Idaho, 90 miles/ 2.5 hours from Boise. Rentable. Used primarily by the American Missionary Fellowship denomination and other smaller denominations in the Treasure Valley and surrounding areas. Can host several hundred people.
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Various other campground and retreat centers at varying distances away, mostly quite small (serving less than 100 people) and serving only specific groups.
Faith-based Foster Care or Youth Ranch competition
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There are currently no public or private organizations providing organized third party respite care for private foster homes, except Royal Family Kids Camps (for ages 9-
11 for only one week out of each summer), anywhere in the area, or to our knowledge -the entire state of Idaho.
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The B oise Christian Children’s Ranch in Eagle, 15 minutes from Boise, suburban location, housing up to 35 children in 4 houseparent-staffed homes, ages 1-18, overwhelmed with waiting list and lack of adequate staff. Low risk children only.
Relatively medium sized site (<15 acres) with animals and pond. Houses all within
200 yards of each other, thus not able to individualize houses for specific demographic needs.
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Project Patch, Garden Valley, Idaho, mountains, 50 miles/ 1 hour from Boise, housing up to 36 teenage youth in separate male and female dorms. Usually full

with waiting list. Focused on higher-risk youth. Planned Assistance for Troubled youth. Residents come from entire Northwest USA Area.
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Hope House, Marsing, Idaho. 40 miles/1hour from Boise on the Snake River (desert and agricultural area), housing up to 40 teenage youth and 20 young adults in separate male and female dorms. Usually full. Focused on ‘hard-to-place’ children and youth.
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Booth Home, Boise, Idaho. Salvation Army home for unwed mothers. Operated only on a limited basis since 2004 due to lack of funding and poor publicity/visibility within the community.
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Idaho Youth Ranch, several homes and ranch locations throughout Idaho. No longer strictly Faith-based, though was originally begun as such by a Methodist minister.
Serves over 1000 youth yearly in one capacity or another. Usually at capacity.
Organization is growing and expanding. They have also incorporated the idea of embracing independent homes into their organization.
 Isaiah’s Ranch, Idaho City, Idaho. A very limited day camp summer operation, whose leaders also provide the local school district with some after-school programs during the school year.
School and Daycare competition
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The Vineyard Church of Boise runs a private, 2-day a week K-10 homeschool co-op for over a hundred students, a school to which a number of youth from the Thorn
Creek area commute about an hour and a half each way. Their target demographic is white, middle class, suburbia.
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Cole Valley Christian School, located in Meridian, Idaho, about an hour and a half away, is accredited and offers full curriculum opportunities to several hundred youth,
K-12. They cater to the white, middle-class demographic.
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Maranatha Christian School, K-8 and accredited, also about an hour and half away, likewise focuses on the white, middle class demographic.
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Greenleaf Friends Academy, also K-12, accredited, and home to several hundred youth, is located about 2 hours away and caters to the mid to lower class white demographic.
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Nampa Christian Schools, K-12, accredited, is also home to several hundred white middle class students. Located roughly 2 hours from Thorn Creek.
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There are numerous other much smaller private schools and homeschool co-op programs (most with less than 50 students) throughout the Treasure Valley and

Boise Metro area, most using accredited curriculum, with several focused on individualized study routines. There are absolutely none closer to Thorn Creek or
Idaho City than a full hour’s drive time.
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There are zero licensed daycare facilities along the 1 hour long transit corridor between Idaho City and Boise.
Big House Ministries was originally born out of a vision by Tim Benedict, the
President and CEO, to reach out to wounded youth through foster homes and camping, education, and conference/summit programs. In 2004, he found an appropriate physical site, an abandoned 88 acre ranch on the edge of Idaho Endowment Lands in the mountains between Boise and Idaho City, Idaho, moved there, and began the process of establishing the organization, pursuing funding, renovating the facilities, and putting together a board of directors and staff that also shared a vision to reach out to wounded youth.
The organization was legally registered as a DBA under his own name in early 2005, legally incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in December of 2005, and filed with the
IRS as a 501-c3 nonprofit organization in early 2007 as a camp and publicly funded charity, placing the organization under the authority of a 4~6 member Big House Ministries
Executive Board. In 2008, when the organization dream grew to include spiritual prayer retreats, educational workshops, and a daycare and private school, IRS 501-c3 paperwork was re-filed, listing the organization as a school and educational institution.
The initial startup phase/goals for the organization will be to open a daycare by summertime of 2008, host its first camps during the summer of 2008, and establish the private school for the 2008-2009 school year, all geared to provide initial cash flow and daily funding for growth and operations of the greater organization.
The Thorn Creek Conference Center / Youth Ranch, and each subsequent ranch that is to be established, will each also have its own 4~5 member executive board that answers to the main Big House Ministries executive board. Serving each ranch executive board will be advisory boards of various sizes.

According to the 1987 SIC Classifications, this faith-based organization falls almost completely within the 8322, 8351, and 8361 services headings for its foster home and youth related services, 8211 and 8331 for its school-related educational activities, and 7032 for its camping programs. According to the 2002 NAIC classifications, this organization initially will fall under the services headings of 624110 and 623990 (for children and youth homes and services), 624190 (for family services), 624410 for its (daycare activities), 813110 (for its faith-based nature), 923110, 611699, and 611110 (for its school), and 721214 (for its camps, retreats, and conferences).
As the problems youth face in our technological society grow more complex, “the system” grows more overburdened, and social governmental funding falls behind inflation, foster homes will eventually have to start banding together into networks and forming “foster home coops”, and for service organizations to form, all focused on meeting the needs of foster and group homes, in order to leverage resources and better meet the needs of the market, while also providing better long term stability to each member home, and ultimately, the people and youth within their care.
Thus, the model of a hub, spoke, and wheel system, of various focused group and foster homes organized and located around central ranch/school/camp hubs, is a new and somewhat revolutionary model. Yet, it works. It allows us to administer and meets the needs of a broad demographic group of “wounded youth,” and others, by custom tailoring environments for each specific target group in the form of individualized, physically separate but geographically close, group and foster homes, all of which can be administered by a central office location. Through this central office, we can better leverage resources for all the individual homes, resources like food procurement and food bank coordination, paperwork and accounting, houseparent training opportunities, carpooling arrangements, doctor and dentist care, schooling and educational opportunities, and respite care. By also having animals at the central ranch location, we can better leverage individualized animal therapy programs, 4-H programs, and other animal and ranch related educational opportunities as well.
With the goal being 100%, year-round facility utilization, during the standard ninemonth school year, the facilities will be used during the week by a daycare and an

academically superior private school or home-school co-op using accredited, individualized, computer-based curriculum, targeted for the youth within our care and also, in an income generating capacity, available for parents that live in the Idaho City area and commute to
Boise and the greater Treasure Valley. On weekends, the main ranch facility will be available for foster respite-care camps and educational workshops for our internal foster home co-op, and available for rent by various outside groups in order to host educational workshops and spiritual retreats for groups in the greater Boise area. During the summer break season, we also want to develop various weeklong camping programs, to leverage as much use out of the facilities as possible and reach the greatest number of youth possible.
Thus, through these educational and skill-building camping programs, we can also specifically target the needs of various other different potentially at-risk or minority groups
(like the growing local Hispanic population), taking a tailored and proactive approach to reaching youth before they end up in gangs, foster care, or the juvenile correction systems.
Other originall y “revolutionary” organizations and models now accepted as the norm.

Hospice care
– long term care for the terminally ill. Revolutionary idea in the early
1970’s; now common.
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Public Libraries
– in the 1800’s completely unknown. It was not until the 1920’s, that the idea of public libraries across the USA really took hold and spread.
The question often arises when discussing the ranch, and its options, about whether or not we can actually and realistically manage and administer all the things that are listed in our goals, services, and market focuses.
With the right board, management, and personnel team, backed by the right funding, we can realistically do so.
With a handpicked, dedicated onsite administrative staff (currently targeted to include a CEO, 2 Administrative Secretaries, a Daycare Coordinator, School Administrator, Medical
Nurse, a Facilities Coordinator, PR/Fund Raiser, Cook, Chaplain, Professional
Counselor/Psychologist, Foster Care Facilitator, and Maintenance person – all eventually cross-trained in at least two administrative staff roles-most of which positions have already been committed to or filled by various professional staff), overseen by a competent

executive board, and in charge of an army of part time staff and volunteers, we can do exactly what we want to do, coordinate and administrate events, activities, and foster/group homes.
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Camping programs will be planned and executed with the help of liaisons from each outside organization that uses the facilities.
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Foster homes each have their own house parents that coordinate the daily routines and activities of the home, with the main office staff providing primarily administrative, logistical and paperwork support.
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Part time staff will fill in the gaps, doing jobs like facilities cleaning, taking care of the ranch animals, shuttling foster kids back and forth to required appointments, etc and so forth.
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Children and youth from the various foster homes will have assigned chores around the central ranch and the various foster/group homes, which will both help the organization function more smoothly, and instill a sense of responsibility, ownership, and community in the resident and camp youth.
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Part time counseling staff and volunteers, hired from local groups, Christian colleges
(for events timed to their school breaks), and other ministries, will provide the backbone counseling staff for the third-party-respite-care camps, and other camps that we ourselves plan and host.
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The Treasure Valley has a huge professional volunteer base from which to draw, for those needs that fall beyond the abilities of our own staff to meet.
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We are developing contacts and links with the court system in the area, to utilize the services of people required to perform community service.
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We are developing links and contacts with various civic, professional, and ministry organizations and groups in the Treasure Valley area and beyond, which can provide us with renovation and maintenance labor.
Overseeing the operations on a higher level is a 4~5 member executive board (of which the CEO is a member) made up of people already familiar with and involved in youth related ministries, and a 5 to 20 member advisory board, made up of dedicated, professional, and other interested people that can help support the organization and pull things together.

Our main focus on funding this organization is two-fold. One is through procuring external loans, grants and private donors and sponsors. Likewise, some state funds are also available for the care and maintenance of foster/at-risk/minority children. The second is through offering services that generate internal income, such as: daycare fees, camp registration fees, and private school membership fees, all of which will provide steady and reliable cash flow for many day-to-day operations. Rental fees for use of the facilities by outside groups will provide additional cash flow.
Various financial distinctives of BigHouse Ministries, Inc. include:

As part of the whole grant procurement process, Big House Ministries has accepted the offer of the services of several professional grant writers. Between these an other interested parties, Big House Ministries is/will be actively and aggressively pursuing both public and private sources of grant money .
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A facility suitable for a daycare has been offered for our use, located just off the main transit corridor between the entire Idaho City / Boise Basin area and the nearest day care facilities in the city of Boise itself (where hundreds of residents of the local area work on a daily basis). This location is also suitable for a highly individualized, accredited, computer-based private school, something for which there is also quite a demand among the local residents. Both of these ventures, a daycare and private school, will provide income and cash flow for supporting the staff and the day-today expenses of the greater organization.

Outside groups that rent the facilities to put on their own camps, conferences, educational workshops, seminars and/or retreats, will be charged facility use fees that will cover the maintenance of the conference facility and provide additional cash flow for the overall day-to-day operation of the organization.

Attendees to camps, conferences, seminars, summits, educational workshops, and retreats that Thorn Creek Conference Center and The Father’s House of Prayer on
Thorn Creek itself plans and hosts, will pay basic camp/workshop registration fees that will cover their room, board, materials, and facility maintenance while they are here.

Individual Sponsorships will be actively sought out for the various wounded people that come under the care of the foster and group homes under the Big House
Ministries umbrella.


Individuals that come to us via state placement (ie. children needing foster care) also have state funds earmarked for foster care , with which we can help provide for these persons.

Staff that live onsite will have access to individualized staff expense accounts for their ranch related activities, along with subsidized room and board.

Individual full-time Staff Members will primarily be self-supported, sponsored by Big
House Ministries third-party partners, or supported/ sponsored by their own network of family, friends, churches, prayer partners and individual donors (and funneled straight through the organization to them). This exponentially increases the public awareness of the organization with each staff member that comes on-board, while also freeing up ranch dedicated funds to focus solely on direct youth-related expenses and site maintenance/expansion . It is a pay/support model that has been tried and tested by many other charity and non-profit organizations, and it works.
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Executive board members with voting rights will not receive either a specified salary or hourly pay , though will have access to dedicated expense accounts to enable them to better fulfill their organizational roles and duties, as well as any thirdparty gifts given to the organization specified for their direct support. This also will free up funds for other important uses, while also satisfying Better Business Bureau better-business-requirements and conforming to standard operating procedures for most non-profit organizations.

Aggressive loan exit-strategy programs will be pursued to repay any loans or lines-of-credit used to procure the land and establish the organization, in order to quickly get the organization to a financially stable and viable position.
It is our goal to immediately procure $5,00,000 in grants, loans, and donated funds to buy several targeted, geographically close in proximity to each other, pieces of properties in the Thorn Creek Area, along with initial monies to start renovations and expansions, by the end of 2008, with additional funding to pursue full renovation and expansion, by the end of
2009 (another $3,000,000+).
We expect to begin offering daycare by June of 2008, hosting limited camps, conferences, retreats and seminars by July of 2008, and offering a private school solution by
September of 2008. We have already begun (2006) a limited partnering with the first foster home in our network.

It is not the staffing, or labor, that is holding us back from moving forward, it is the physical, real properties upon which to work, and cash flow with which to operate.
If fund raising efforts raise more money than what is mentioned above, there is an entire list of other long-term site expansion plans that can be immediately implemented.
During following years, even though daycare, school, rental and registration fees will eventually comprise a large percentage of our income, we still expect a significant part of our funding to come from grants, corporate donations, and individual private donors and sponsors, so that we can continue to provide quality services at a discount rate for those that need it.
Due to the very nature of this organization being a registered nonprofit corporation, all excess funds at the end of each year will be rolled back into taking care of the needs and the expansion of those operations under the greater Big House Ministries Umbrella.
1.2 Initial Objectives

First staff besides CEO moved onsite and established by December 2005
(accomplished in March 2006).
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Accepting the first existing private foster homes into our umbrella group by 2006
(accomplished).
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First major grants/gifts procured, earmarked to buy the properties involved, and begin to renovate the camp/conference facility, by the end of 2007 (accomplished).

Be buying initial properties, in the local Thorn Creek, Clear Creek, and the Robie
Creek Areas: the ranch/ camp and conference facility located at 21 Yellowpine on
Thorn Creek, a second large parcel of land for building multiple staff homes and foster homes, and smaller parcels for other foster and group homes, by the end of
2008.

Establish a daycare catering to the local commuter crowd, by June 2008.


First major camps and/or conferences being held by July 2008 (the very first limited retreats were held in July 2004).

Private, individualized, computer-based, accredited-curriculum, private school accepting students by September 2008 for the 2008-2009 school year.

Renovations on the existing Conference and Camp facilities, first initiated in April
2004, done by the end of 2008.

The first brand new foster/group home established and accepting children (male and female pre-teens) by June 2009.

Building campground cabins, 4 male and 4 female, with 1 bath/shower facility, by
July 2009.

Building 5 conference area cabins by late Summer 2009.

Building and putting into operation one new foster or group home per year
Accepting 2 existing and operating group or foster homes either into our organization or into partnership, per year.
1.3 Keys to Success

Focusing on our stated goals and plans

Remembering that we are a service organization, focused on market needs

Successfully integrating each of the different homes into the greater whole

Disciplining ourselves to set and meet realistic goals and checkpoints for ourselves

Finding quality core and extended staff with a similar vision to join us

Partnering with agencies, foundations, and private donors, to provide the funds to launch and maintain the organization.

Connecting with other youth focused organizations to learn from, network with, work together with, share with, and leverage resources with

Connecting with private donors of goods and services

Connecting with other faith-based organizations that want to use our facilities.

2.0 Organization Summary
Big House Ministries is a parent organization that will serve as an umbrella for various youth ranches that support camping & conference programs, and foster and group homes in Southwestern Idaho, and eventually all across the USA and world. It is governed by a 4 or more member Big House Ministries Executive Board, of which the President
(functioning also as the CEO) is a member, executive boards for each individual youth ranch/conference center location, and advisory boards/committees made up of skilled professionals and trades people that all will also have input into each individual ranch and organization.
The first major ranch/conference center, location and sub-organization under the Big
House Ministries umbrella is the “Thorn Creek Youth Ranch and Conference Center” and
“The Father’s House of Prayer on Thorn Creek”, located on Thorn Creek in the Valley of the
Pines Subdivision , one hour from Boise, between Boise and Idaho City, Idaho. This is also the initial organizational headquarters of the entire Big House Ministries Organization.
The organization is structured with a network of satellite foster and group homes organized around, and administered by, central conference center/ranch/camp hubs.
2.1 Basic Concepts and Goals behind our organizational structure
Goals of Thorn Creek Conference Center and Th e Father’s House of Prayer on Thorn
Creek:

Provide Conference and Retreat facilities that are close to Boise for organizations and churches in the Boise Metro Area (only 36 miles/1hour from North Boise).

Provide Conference and Retreat Facilities for small organizations and churches in
Boise that do not have access to some of the larger conference and retreat facilities in Idaho. One major demographic of interest/ focus is the Hispanic population of the local 5 county area (Ada, Canyon, Boise, Gem, Elmore), a demographic to which no one else is currently catering or marketing to.


Providing respite care camps for the foster and group homes in our network as well as planning/hosting various conferences and retreats of our own, focusing on prayer, teaching, training, and personal rejuvenation, healing, growth, and improvement.
Goals of Thorn Creek Youth Ranch

Provide housing and shelter for foster and at-risk children and youth in the local 5county area (Boise, Ada, Canyon, Gem, Elmore).

Provide respite care camps and weekends for foster families in the local 5-county area (Boise, Ada, Canyon, Gem, Elmore).

Consolidate administrative tasks needed to effectively manage and run foster and group homes.

Provide quality daycare for our member foster homes and the local community at large.

Provide highly individualized, accredited, computer-based academic curriculum through a private school, for youth in our foster homes and children in the greater community struggling to fit into the local public school system due to their specialized needs.
By focusing our energies on the unusual pairing of the Conference Center and the
Youth Ranch, we hope to accomplish several more things:

Design and administer a network of foster and group homes that are all clustered around conference/retreat center hubs that will serve as locus points for all activities in each geographic area wherein they are located

Have our own facilities where we can run respite-care camps and retreats, to give all foster and group homes under the Big House Ministries umbrella full respite care opportunities.

Have facilities where we can offer third-party respite care to other group and foster homes that are not directly under our care within the area.

Have facilities available for functions for/ between the different group and foster homes under the Big House Ministries organizational umbrella. By hosting multihome functions between the different group and foster homes, both in the area and those directly under the Big House Ministries umbrella, we hope to accomplish several things:

o Create cross-generational/demographic interaction opportunities, and all the positive personality growth that comes with that, for people under our care, especially if we also establish and include group homes for elderly and/or hospice care, as eventually planned. o Create positive, life-long, affirming friendships between members of the different homes as they participate in the different activities, that they can rely on and find strength in as they deal with their own pasts. o Create opportunities for “normal” people to interact with those with disabilities or handicaps, to foster a true love and respect of life between individuals.

Teach life skills, teamwork, and other life-enhancing abilities using the extensive opportunities available through the conference facilities, opportunities that would not otherwise be available to individual foster and group homes.

Leverage administrative tasks for group and foster homes by consolidating most of the grant writing, fund raising, foster-government related, and budgetary paperwork into one office with dedicated fulltime personnel to look after it (who will also take care of the paperwork and administrative needs of the Conference Center as well).

Give members of the different foster and group homes chore responsibilities at the hub/central conference/retreat facility and the animals housed there (such as horses and other farm related animals), thereby teaching responsibility.

Give members of the community at large a safe environment wherein to interact with the various youth and members of our foster and group homes.

Host public functions in a safe and secure environment where people in our care can interact with the general public.

Leverage educational opportunities for all of our foster and group homes by: o Allowing people in our care to attend some of the conferences we host for faith-based groups and organizations in the area o Leverage the ability to bring in quality speakers, curriculums, teachers, and instructors, to teach the youth and other people in our care, and provide them with an educationally conducive environment at the conference/retreat facilities. o Leverage the ability to train our foster and group home parents on an ongoing basis.

2.2 Legal Entity
Big House Ministries is filing as a registered 501-c3 nonprofit school and educational organization in the State of Idaho. We are doing business locally as Thorn Creek Youth
Ranch & Conference Center, and The Father’s House of Prayer on Thorn Creek.
2.3 Organization History
Big House Ministries as an organization was born in late 2003, out of a vision that
CEO and founder Tim Benedict has carried with him for many years. After finding an appropriate location and moving there in the spring of 2004, he and several friends began to organize the organization, selected the names “Big House Ministries, Inc.”, “Thorn Creek
Conference Center”, “Thorn Creek Youth Ranch”, and “The Father’s House of Prayer on
Thorn Creek”, and then began networking with people of like vision. Finally in late 2005, non-profit Articles of Incorporation were filed in Idaho, and the 501-c3 paperwork process was initiated and prepared for filing (filed in February 2007). An executive board was selected and established in 2006, and other organizational paperwork like the business plan was started soon thereafter. And then finally in early 2007, grants and loans began to be pursued to pay for all the paperwork filing fees, the buying of the first five properties selected by Big House Ministries, and the start of renovations to put both the conference center and the first foster homes into operation. After being denied 501-c3 status in late 2007, due to an
IRS-incorrect financial structure problem, the business plan and 501-c3 application were rewritten and re-filed, listing the organization as a non-profit school and educational institution, in the second quarter of 2008.
2.4 Internal Organizational Structure
Overseeing all operations, a 4~5 member executive board exists to provide leadership, help, and an accountability structure to/for the organization at large.
Beneath the board, and accountable to the board, is a CEO that oversees daily operations. This position may at times be held by the President of the Board.

An advisory board also exists, made up of interested individuals and professionals, a group that the CEO and Executive Board can call upon for advice and help with various projects, committee positions, and general professional accountability.
Underneath this governing board, the organization can be broken down into two primary branches, preferably located in separate but close geographical locations.
1. A full-service, foster home co-op , providing foster and respite care, leveraging resources for member homes, and providing daycare and quality, individualized academics for foster, atrisk or otherwise “falling through the crack” children, youth, and others. (Thorn Creek Youth Ranch - TCYR).
2. A full-service educational workshop/camp/conference center and ranch , focused more upon the spiritual and inner development of wounded individuals in need of healing. (Thorn Creek Conference Center -TCCC & The
Father’s House of Prayer on Thorn Creek).
Serving these two branches exist at least eleven management positions, some or all of which will also have volunteer or part time staff beneath them, listed below in no particular order. Each of these is responsible directly to the CEO (through weekly meetings and status updates/reports), and indirectly to the Executive Board.
Thorn Creek Youth Ranch related positions.

Medical Nurse or equivalent

Professional Counselor/Therapist

Foster Home Director

School Administrator

Daycare Administrator
Shared by both sub-organizations/locations

Facilities Director

Administrative Assistant(s)/Secretary(s)

Head Cook

Public Relations/Fund Raising

Chaplain

Maintenance

Position Descriptions:
Thorn Creek Youth Ranch
1. NURSE – The Nurse, (or trained medical equivalent, with lifeguard and CPR certifications) will live onsite and be available for all emergency situations, as well as safety advice for all activities. (NOTE – already hired - waiting for funding).
2. Professional COUNSELOR/THERAPIST – Recognizing that wounded individuals often need direct, focused attention by trained individuals, a professionally certified and trained individual will oversee all therapy, therapeutic activities, and individual counseling. (NOTE – already tentatively hired - waiting for funding).
3. FOSTER HOME DIRECTOR – This person will be in charge of overseeing the daily operations of the foster homes within our co-op/group, ensuring that their needs are being adequately met by the organization. Likewise, he/she will also be in charge of screening and admitting new foster homes to the co-op, as well as setting up new ones. Foster houseparents in each home will meet with this person on a weekly basis to ensure the smooth functioning of the individual group and foster homes. (NOTE – already tentatively hired - waiting for funding).
4. SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR – The School Administrator will oversee the daily smooth functioning of the school environment. Otherwise known as a Principle, he will make sure that the computer based, accredited curriculum is implemented and utilized to its full potential, while also seeking out and facilitating outside educational experiences and opportunities for the students as well. 4-H and other youth focused clubs will likewise be offered and implemented. A scouting program being tailor written for BigHouse Ministries will also be used. (NOTE – already hired - waiting for funding).
5. DAYCARE ADMINISTRATOR – This individual will oversee the functioning of the daycare to be offered to the local community. Initially, the daycare plans rent facilities from a church along the HWY 21 corridor that has offered to provide a location for us. Daily daycare help will come from part-time employees and local retired volunteers.
Shared by both sub-organizations
6. FACILITIES DIRECTOR – The Facilities Director will coordinate the use of the various local facilities, cabins, gym, conference center, prayer centers, ropes

course, recreational venues, and chapel building between our internal needs, and outside groups desiring to rent/use them for their own activities.
7. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT/SECRETARY(s) – Supporting the logistical and paperwork needs of each of the other primary level managers in this list will be at least one (preferably two) administrative/secretarial assistant. This person will keep track of red-tape paperwork, internal paperwork needs of the organization, and do some light book-keeping as well. (NOTE – first one already tentatively hired - waiting for funding).
8. HEAD COOK – The head cook will be in charge of the kitchen and cafeteria, ensuring that nutritious and well balanced meals are served to staff, at various functions, and in the foster homes. Kitchen help will come in the form of volunteers, part-time staff, local retirees, and an internal rotational duty roster followed by the other staff within the organization. (NOTE – already tentatively hired - waiting for funding).
9. PUBLIC RELATIONS/FUNDRAISING - This person will be the primary eyes, ears and mouth of the organization within the community and greater area. Their responsibilities will include public speaking engagements, media relations, directing the efforts of the part-time grant writers on staff. (NOTE – already tentatively hired - waiting for funding).
10. MAINTENANCE – This position will be filled by a person skilled in maintaining and fixing both the infrastructure and day-to-day maintenance needs of the organization, whether it be simple electrical and plumbing, or vehicular issues.
Ideally, this position would be filled by a retiree with broad experience and “Jackof-alltrades” abilities. (NOTE – already hired - waiting for funding).
11. CHAPLAIN – The Chaplain will be entrusted with the responsibility to help maintain the spiritual integrity, focus, and overall health of the organization. His duties will include weekly meetings and Bible Study/prayer times with each of the other primary management level employees, as well as the various chapel services that will be held each week either in the school or for the various camps happening. (NOTE – already tentatively hired - waiting for funding).
Basic Employee Requirements:
1. All employees must be able to pass a Idaho State Health and Welfare background check and be able to work with and around youth.

2. Must adhere to a spiritual and physical “Standards of Conduct” contract found within the employee handbook.
3. Must live a life that demonstrates on a daily level, a growing relationship with Christ, the Father, and the Holy Spirit.
4. Be respected within their community and circles of influence.
5. Pass yearly and quarterly reviews by the President and/or Executive
Board.
6. Other requirements are listed out in the management and personnel section of this plan.
Thorn Creek Youth Ranch (located on or near Thorn Creek) will be further subdivided into 4 main subdivisions.
1. School
2. Daycare
3. Animal Ranch / Farm – some responsibility for this will be shared with the Conference Center arm of the organization.
4. Foster Homes
The School will include the following options.
1. Accredited, computer-based, individualized curriculum
(computers and network equipment already procured, and an
Administrator hired, both as of January, 2008).
2. Educational workshops, weekend activities, field trips
3. 4-H, and other related clubs
4. Challenger scouting, a scouting program being tailor written for
BigHouse Ministries, Inc.
5. Sports through both Idaho City Schools and the Home School Coop sporting program in Treasure Valley
6. Culturally relevant and local needed Adult education classes will also be offered, focused on developing better life-skills, better parenting, budgeting, living drug free, and living green and off the grid (like so many people have to do in this area).
A further breakdown of the proposed school structure and some of its distinctives can be found in an addendum attached to this Business Plan.

The Daycare will incorporate many pre-school age educational elements in it.
The Animal Ranch will include horses, goats, chickens, rabbits, and other traditional farm and domestic animals, to be used in the therapy programs, recreational activities, and character development/ responsibility exercises sponsored by the organization.
The Foster Homes will house foster children placed with us through the state foster care system. It is our plan to hire qualified houseparents to place within each home that can adequately care for the needs of the children within their care.
Part of the Foster Home Director’s responsibility will be to provide each foster/group home with whatever logistical support that the organization can, in order to better equip the individual houseparents to be more effective in their care of the kids, whether it’s paperwork, carpooling, food bank runs, welfare forms, etc and so forth.

3.0 Services Summary
The purpose of the all of our schools, camps, seminars, retreats, rentals, and foster homes, is ultimately to bring wounded people & youth into whole healing, growth, and closer walks with God, thereby bringing balance, purpose and productivity to their lives.
The combination of our staff and the counseling, and the classes and chapel services that they will be leading, will allow us to accomplish several things, all focused on these goals:

Bring people to a place of peace up above their crazy world, where they can clear their minds and focus on and address their problems and/or seek God’s face.

Bring people/youth through their woundings and dysfunctions, and into healing and fullness, and ultimately into healthier and more vibrant lives and spiritual walks.

Bring balance and purpose to people whose lives have neither

Give people/youth the education they need, and the healthy interaction skills to use, as they navigate the larger world they come from and will return to.

Train people/youth to take the extra step and positively impact the world from which they each come, and will go back to after their time with us.
3.1 Services Breakdown
In order to meet our objectives of facilitating whole person healing, including physical, emotional, spiritual and otherwise, some of the camps that we plan to host, at various times all year around, include:

Respite camps and retreats for foster kids already in the system, to give their foster families a bit of relief and their own family time, in the middle of the hectic life of fostering.

Training and Leadership camps for youth from all over the local 5 county area.


Specific educational camps for foster youth, focusing on things like getting a GED, choosing a career, finding a job, etc and so forth

Prayer summits where people of all ages, including youth, come to simply worship
God and pray for the healing of our nation and world.

Youth conferences and summits challenging youth to stand up and be true to themselves, their world, and to God, and to resist the problems of drugs, gangs, and other self-destructive or non-productive behaviors.

Camps, seminars, and retreats that other faith-based groups of similar vision and doctrinal position desire to hold for themselves, renting these facilities.

Family Reunions, Weddings, and other private functions that individuals and parties of similar doctrinal position desire to hold for themselves, renting these facilities.
Some of the foster and group homes, facilities, and services that we propose to establish, administer and operate include:

Daycare for our own foster homes and the local community

Foster homes for pre-teen children
 Foster homes for teenage/early 20’s girls, including unwed pregnant mothers

Foster homes for teenage boys

A group home for several elderly couples and singles that can serve as
“grandparents” to the younger generation here

An individually focused, computer-based, accredited curriculum private school for our foster homes, local youth whose needs we can better meet than their current options through public education, and youth in Boise who desire all the experiences, lessons, and education that a mountain ranch educational facility can offer.

A Christ-based halfway-house for juveniles coming out of Juvenile Corrections that are returning to vacant homes where their parents are either also in prison or otherwise no longer present in the child’s life.

Group home for youth with disabilities.

A central office and activity location through which the many foster homes in the area can network, coordinate activities, and work together
Some of the more physical activities that we will have available for both the foster and group homes, the school, and the camps, include:


Hiking

Fishing

Snow shoeing

Cross country/downhill skiing, sledding

An extensive ropes course for fun, confidence building, and teamwork training

Horseback riding

Wilderness survival and management training

Swimming in the on-site, spring fed swimming pool (built) or pond (to be built)

Chores that include caring for and raising traditional ranch and farm animals

Chores that include helping maintain all facilities, thereby teaching responsibility and various trade skills

Backpacking trips that teach teamwork, self sufficiency, respect for God, and respect for the environment

Motorcycle and hotrod mechanics

Airbrush art

Boxing (to be taught by a local, nationally ranked lightweight boxer)
Some of the more educational and spiritually focused classes that we plan to offer, or include, for the school and different camps:

A scouting program tailor written/adapted for Big House Ministries

Classes on environmental awareness and good stewardship of the earth

Classes focused on constructively dealing with & channeling anger, aggression, etc

Classes dealing with servanthood and teamwork

Classes on building healthy families and marriages

Chapel services and devotionals

Social and community awareness classes

Teaching people to find, know and walk with a higher power, the God of the universe, and His Son Jesus Christ.

Leading people out of brokenness and wounding, into new and productive lives

Classes on effective leadership and responsible management

Classes for the youth in basic education, getting their GED, life skills, trades, and career training (will include correspondence and other individualized career training)


A full-fledged private school offering individualized, accredited, computer-based academics for students who typically do better with machines than with classroom settings (describes many ADHD and otherwise inherently as-risk youth).
 Adult classes on how to successfully live “off-the-grid” with Alternative Energy/Power options.

Better budgeting – Time and money management skills

Successful Parenting

Living drug and chemically free lives
Our instructors and speakers will include:

Industry professionals

Full time clergy

Guest speakers, from both the local and national levels

On staff counselors and chaplains

Staff who also have teaching experience
3.2 Alternative Providers
(More detail in the Market Analysis/Competition section
– Section 4)

There are a number of other private foster and group homes in the greater Boise
Metro area, but no real organization coordinating them or tying them all together beyond what they share with the governmental agencies through whom they receive children and/or financial assistance.

There is one co-ed faith-based youth ranch in Eagle, Idaho, a faith-based co-ed, dorm-style facility (but not in a ranch setting) in Garden Valley, Idaho, and a similar one in Marsing, Idaho. There is a small, partially functioning unwed mothers home in
Boise run by the Salvation Army, and two or three other niche market group homes scattered throughout the area. Unfortunately, none of them have the unique combination of being non-profit, located in the mountains, having both, but completely separate, male and female facility locations for teenagers, and having a central school/camp/conference/retreat/respite care hub around which to revolve.

There simply are no other camp/conference/retreat facilities available for rental to
Boise faith-based groups, this close to Boise.

3.3 Printed Collaterals

Through printing donated by a press in Boise, we already have several hundred trifold brochures detailing what Thorn Creek Conference Center has to offer other groups wishing to rent facilities.

A professionally built website is set up at http://www.bighouseministries.com
, using donated web-space.

Letters of invitation to different members of the community seeking their participation

Organizational paperwork is available both online and at the organizational headquarters on Thorn Creek.

This Business Plan, the Articles of Incorporation, 501-c3 tax forms, and the organizational bylaws have all been completed, while a procedural handbook, conditional use permits, and other paperwork, have all been started.

Scouting Program materials currently being tailor written/adapted for use by Big
House Ministries.

PowerPoint presentations put together for fundraising purposes.
3.4 Fulfillment (More info to be found in the ‘Marketing’, and ‘Sales and Implementation’ sections)
 The organization’s president and executive board will be personally contacting many of the youth pastors and churches in the area and telling them about what the Thorn
Creek Facility has to offer. The president and several of the staff are also members of several different pastor and youth pastor alliances in the Treasure Valley area, through which they can conduct PR.

Mass mailings will be sent out with brochures to churches and other faith-based organizations that have facility needs for conferences and retreats.

The monthly email newsletter list, already totaling over 450 (as of January, 2008) individuals, churches and organizations, will also continue to serve a vehicle for information dispersal and Public Relations.

The staff will be planning and hosting several camps and offering them to different youth related organizations through out the area.


The Facility will be coordinating with various governmental agencies and foster parents to facilitate third-party respite care camps for foster kids in the area.

Big House Ministries will be recruiting house parents to staff the first and subsequent foster and group homes, while working with the appropriate state agencies to begin taking in children.

The president is aggressively pursuing grants, sponsorships, loans and gifts needed to pay for organizational filing fees, to buy the first several properties, then to pay staff and continue renovations where needed on each property.

Mass targeted emails, done under the non-profit umbrella, will be/are being sent out seeking staff, items of use, and funding support.
3.5 Future Services
Among services planned for the future are:

Other conference centers and foster homes in mountain and/or ranch settings established, or partnered with, across the USA and eventually the world (we are already networking with a similar organization that has paired a small conference center hub with a children’s home, in the mountains of Honduras).

Company insurance plans for all staff and staff families.

Adoption placement services.

Marriage and Family counseling available to families of youth in our homes, the community and the public at large.

Hospice care
3.6 Services Flowchart
Someone that wants to rent the facilities for their own activities or events would essentially follow this process.
1. Call the Ranch to discuss availability
2. Fill out an application

3. Discuss needs (meals, accommodations, timeframe, each organization’s respective responsibilities, cost, staffing, etc) with the President and/or Facilities
Director/Coordinator
4. Arrange payment options
5. Hold the event
6. Discuss, for follow-up and feedback purposes, the results of the event with either the
President or the Facilities Director/Coordinator.
Someone that wished to place a child with one of our foster or group homes would:
1. Call or write to the ranch about the need
2. Fill out application and complete the application/interview process
3. Coordinate with the Foster Home Facilitator and prospective house parents of target household about the child or patient’s specific needs
4. Discuss payment/ funding options
5. Place child in home and provide follow-up to both placement family/agency, and the child
Someone that wanted to make use of our daycare would:
1. Fill out application and complete the application/interview process
2. Discuss needs (meals, accommodations, timeframe, etc) with the daycare coordinator
3. Arrange payment options
4. Place the child in daycare
Someone that wanted to place a student in our private school would:
1. Fill out application and complete the application/interview process
2. Discuss needs (meals, accommodations, timeframe, etc) with the school counselor
3. Tailor design a study program to meet the needs of and challenge the student
4. Arrange payment options
5. Place the child in the school
6. Maintain monthly progress monitoring and planned course adjustments

4.0 Market Analysis Summary
There are over a hundred churches and faith-based organizations in the Treasure
Valley and Boise metro area that could potentially make use of the camp and conference facilities, due to our close proximity to Boise. Additionally, there is a huge need for youth oriented programs and camps for at-risk youth in the area, as well as foster, emergency, third-party respite care, and long term boarding care for other displaced and/or disenchfranchised youth also in the local 5-county area (Boise, Ada, Gem, Canyon, Elmore).
In the local Boise County area, according to the Idaho Department of Health and
Welfare, there are approximately 17 foster homes (2005), and all of them are pretty much at capacity. They have an immediate need for more homes. The shortage of qualified and available foster homes is so acute that currently (Q1, 2008), the Idaho Dept of Health and
Welfare is advertising extensively on the local secular and religious radio stations in and around Boise, looking for families willing to be foster homes.
There is also a desperate need for quality daycare located somewhere between
Idaho City / Boise Basin, and Boise, where most people (hundreds) in this area work.
4.1 Target Markets
Thorn Creek Conference Center, The Father’s House of Prayer on Thorn Creek

Small nondenominational churches of similar doctrinal statement, especially ones with < 100 members, without access to the larger denominational campgrounds

Churches of any size and similar doctrinal statement, especially smaller ones (<100 members), needing weekend retreat facilities close to Boise

Life-affirming and other organizations of similar doctrinal statement, needing use of facilities for retreats and conferences

Camps for the Hispanic youth and church population of the local 5-county area.

Prayer conferences, camps, and retreats that we host/plan ourselves targeting various groups in the Boise Metro Area and the youth of rural Boise County.

Thorn Creek Youth Ranch -building (new) and /or embracing (existing) 2 homes per year

The commuter crowd traveling daily to Boise from Idaho City/Boise Basin, that need quality daycare services

Homeless youth in the nearby metro area

Foster children from the state system

Third party placement (whether relatives, family, guardians, etc.)

Court ordered Placement

Existing Foster Homes that are overloaded, overworked, or overwhelmed by their current needs

Youth whose academic and social needs fall through the cracks of the local public education system, and youth desiring a broader and more well rounded educational experience that a mountain ranch facility can provide.
4.2 Market Needs
Thorn Creek Conference Center and The Father’s House of Prayer on Thorn Creek
The Boise Metro Area needs campground facilities close to (within an hour of) Boise, where groups of people from the various churches and like-minded organizations in the area can quickly retreat. There simply are no other facilities, located in a peaceful forest mountain setting, this close to Boise. Because of this, there are a number of organizations and churches that have already approached us and are very interested in making use of our facilities on an occasional rental basis.
Thorn Creek Youth Ranch
The current need for quality homes to provide care for displaced youth and children in Boise, Ada, Canyon, Elmore, Valley, and Gem counties, threatens to overwhelm the existing government managed system in many ways (statements based on eyewitness research, telephone interviews, and personal experience of the Executive Director/President and various board members).

At any one point in time, there are typically a hundred or more homeless teenage youth living on or wandering the streets of these counties (research by Tricia
Hendriksen, youth worker and ranch advisory-board member, who has personal

experience with them, and Tim Benedict, who has also interviewed some of these youth.)

Many existing foster homes in the area are already at maximum capacity (verified with Child Services Division of The Department of Health and Welfare of the State of
Idaho).

Most of the group homes and youth ranches in the area are at maximum capacity and daily turn away applicants (established by phone).

There is a desperate and chronic shortage of quality foster homes in the area that can take in children and youth, especially teenage youth, on both an emergency and respite care basis (established by interviews with foster families and representatives of the Child Services Division of The Department of Health and Welfare of the State of Idaho)

Hundreds of people daily drive to Boise and either leave their children with friends, or drive clear into Boise to drop their children off at a daycare center. Since there are no well-established quality daycares in Idaho City, the daycare centers in Boise nearest the highway in from Idaho City tend to be priced noticeably higher than their counterparts in other parts of Boise (the law of supply and demand).
4.3 Market Trends
Thorn Creek Conference Center and The Father’s House of Prayer on Thorn Creek
There have been several major trends slowly occurring in society today that impact what Big House Ministries wants to accomplish with youth through its camping and conference programs.

Teenage youth from the average Caucasian, middle-income, Boise Metro and local
5-county area home, typically have less and less time during the summer to spare for a week for “camp,” between summer school, extra curricular summer activity programs, school sports programs, jobs, and “cell phone social life”. So in the traditional sense of the word, overall summer camp attendance is down among the middle-income teenage group that most camps and conference centers market to or target. But at the same time, the lower income and minority segments of the teenage population is growing (without the same access to jobs, school opportunities,

summer programs, and “cell phone social life”), with either none, or very few, organizations and churches trying to provide low-cost, subsidized, or free camps for them (established by personal market research by the president through: youth interviews, youth publication articles research, youth worker interviews, and interviews with other camping ministries in the area).

Churches and organizations are beginning to cooperate and work with each other to leverage their resources to establish larger and larger campgrounds, that eventually squeeze out of their schedules and target markets, the smaller churches and organizations that have no larger organizational or denominational affiliation
(personal observations by the president after working within one of these larger camping ministries – Camp Maranatha in Warm Lake, ID, for nearly 10 years- now closed down and relocated due to limited ability to expand its campus).
Thorn Creek Youth Ranch

Among facilities and homes able to and/or willing to take in displaced teenage youth, there is a chronic shortage of qualified staff happening. The rigors and intense demands placed on house parents and foster parents (to run the home, meet the emotional needs of their resident youth, provide an income to pay bills, stay abreast of government red tape and paperwork, etc and so forth), is simply burning them out and discouraging new ones from taking their places (established by personal market research by the president through: houseparent interviews, youth ranch interviews, interviews with foster parents in the area, and his own personal experience volunteering at a youth ranch in Eagle, Idaho for aver a year).
 As the complexity of the issues grow that today’s teenagers face (drugs, gangs, promiscuous sexuality, earlier career options, broken family units, the latchkey kid phenomenon, lack of extended family support, etc and so forth), there has also been a corresponding slow but steady decline in both the availability, and the general quality of, foster homes and parents willing to take in and shelter these teenage youth (trend spotlight established by personal market research by the president through youth interviews, youth publication articles research, youth worker interviews, and personal experience trying to find help for various individuals that have crossed his path).


As more and more people relocate to Idaho City and the Boise Basin, while retaining their jobs in Boise, the need for quality daycare somewhere along the route between
Boise and Idaho City is only going to grow.
 As more and more youth are diagnosed with ADHD, Asperger’s, ADD, attachment disorders, Dyslexia, and other learning disabilities, individualized learning programs are being sought out more and more, and the public education system simply has neither the training, funding, nor the ability to adequately meet the needs of these students. The private schooling and individualized instruction sector is only going to grow as parents demand better alternatives for their children than what public education can offer.
4.4 Market Trends Analysis
Thorn Creek Conference Center, The Father’s House of Prayer on Thorn Creek
Because of the trends identified in the previous section facing Thorn Creek
Conference Center and The Father’s House of Prayer on Thorn Creek, Big House Ministries will need to tailor its marketing approaches to take advantage of these trends and not be left behind.
1. For example, because many of today’s middle income youth do not attend traditional camps any more, this means that we as an organization need to both cater to the lower-income youth bracket who can still go to camp, and also restructure our market approach when dealing with the middle income group, to provide higher value-added services and unique camping opportunities to capture the attention of this target market group, as well as be creative with our scheduling so that these youth CAN attend. We at Big House Ministries intend to do all three things, target camps to the lower-income demographic group, tailor and market our camps and services in such a way that they are uniquely attractive to the middle-income bracket as well, and be creative with some of our camp and retreat scheduling, so that more middle income youth can attend different camps and sessions.


Since the lower income and Hispanic demographic groups in the local 5county area literally has no camping ministry targeting or marketing to it yet, this target market is wide open if we can find a way to viably provide services to them. One such idea that comes to mind deals with finding sponsors to pay for the basic meals and daily budget needs of operating a low-income weeklong camp or weekend retreat, and then letting each youth attend the camp, not for monetary fees or payment, but for several hours of labor working around the ranch each day that they are here. Even without them paying a monetary registration fee, this still saves the ranch money in the long run by saving money that would otherwise be spent on part-time hired help. This additionally gives each person involved a jumpstart in a marketable career field.

Ways in which we can attract the middle-income, fee paying camper, include focusing our marketing on the unique outdoor opportunities available here at the ranch, like the horseback riding, the rock climbing and rappelling opportunities, the extensive ropes and obstacle course that we are building, and the opportunity to learn outdoor survival skills; and some of the other things that we can teach such as mechanics, boxing, airbrush art, etc. and so forth. These are not camps where students and youth come to simply sit around, gossip, be bored, and get into trouble; these are (and have to be) camps that are active, educational, and doing things that they may have never done before, challenging them, stretching them, and teaching them both hands-on/practical skills, and fun things too.

By creatively scheduling some of our camps, (half weeks, weekend retreats, day camps, overnight camps, etc.), we hope to provide camping opportunities for those youth that can’t otherwise participate in our programs due to scheduling conflicts in their hectic lives.
2. One of the other trends identified is the one where churches and organizations are banding together to leverage their resources into bigger and bigger camp and conference facilities. This, unfortunately, is leaving behind lots of smaller churches and organizations without larger organizational or denominational affiliation. By aggressively marketing our services and facilities to these smaller organizations, focusing on our proximity, our affordability, and our flexibility, we should be able to rapidly pick up any number of clients that would use the facilities.

We know for instance, that the Hispanic churches of the local 5-county area have little access to established facilities for their youth and their other retreat center needs. Through contacts, the CEO/president (who is multilingual) is aggressively exploring ways with this group of churches to use the Thorn Creek facility to meet their youth camp and retreat center needs. This kind of marketing is very personal, and can be time intensive at the start, but an established and happy client will always keep coming back, and that is what we expect to happen here.
Thorn Creek Youth Ranch
The major trends that Thorn Creek Youth Ranch and Foster Homes must grapple with, are the declining number of willing houseparents out there, and the increasing complexity of the issues that their target market, the youth, is facing.
1. Very few people have the training required or can handle the demands of being a foster parent or family. The demands on them can be incredibly intense, as they juggle making a home operate. There are bills to pay (usually on a single income), hectic appointment schedules to keep for each child in their care, mountains of foster-related paperwork to stay on top of, emotional issues to deal with in each child, rules to lovingly enforce, and constant peacemaking to be practiced. Most people just don’t have that ability to juggle all these things. And there are even fewer couples and families that can effectively make it happen. And those that can hack it, all too often, they have no breaks, no relief (respite), no time to spend with each other or their own kids, and they simply burn out after a short time. The average houseparent at many youth ranches lasts less than a year. And the paperwork just keeps getting thicker, the state required appointments for each foster child keep multiplying, inflation keeps rising, and the youth they deal with are getting more and more wounded (see next point). So it’s becoming harder and harder to attract good houseparents, and even harder to hold onto them once they do commit.
2. At-risk kids are much more at-risk now, than the same group of kids would have been
30 or 40 years ago. Drugs are more prevalent now. STD’s (and more dangerous ones at that) are being passed around at an ever-higher rate now. ADHD, ADD,
Asperger’s, Dyslexia, and other developmental disabilities are becoming more and

more common. At the same time, kids have more access to jobs and early career options, and thus more money to spend and get into trouble with. The youth today are more mobile too, with higher and higher numbers of them owning or having access to their own vehicles. Families are more broken than they used to be, and the intrinsic support of an extended family is also gone because the typical American extended family structure social dynamic that used to exist is also virtually nonexistent anymore, in many areas of the country. Even those families that stay together, most of them see both parents working, leaving their children to fend for themselves after school and on vacations in many situations, and thus they get into trouble once again. There is also a growing social debate and conflict over abortion and sexual abstinence, hovering over their heads. To top it all off, their “Cell phone social life” increases the pace and intensity of the drama through which youth go, in their struggle to find themselves and their identity.
This dynamic, that the problems our youth face are growing more complex, and the resulting fallout of our youth being more wounded when they do make poor decisions, is driving up the cost of reaching out to them and successfully treating them, both in terms of dollars spent, and in terms of people being willing/able to work with them.
4.5 Market Growth
Due in part to the simple fact that our local 5-county population is growing quickly, the markets that Big House Ministries seeks to serve are also growing larger also, not shrinking. And as the teenage population grows, the troubled and at-risk youth segment of that population will also grow, especially as the issues and the complexities of life that teenagers face also grow more complicated. The unfortunate trend of a corresponding decrease in the available services for these youth exacerbates the problem even further.
The markets that we hope to penetrate and provide services for will never go away, but will in fact, do just the opposite and grow. It’s a fact of life.
More people + more problems = more youth needing our services.

4.6 Market Competition
Big House Ministries -Thorn Creek Youth Ranch & Conference Center, and The
Father’s House of Prayer on Thorn Creek, Boise/Idaho City, Idaho: 36 miles/1hour from
North Boise, pool, after renovated and built out, can easily host up to 400 people simultaneously. The organization will also coordinate and administer a network of foster and group homes, housing between 4 and 9 people per home (expecting to grow to over 100 people in care).
South-Western Idaho Faith-based Camp/Conference/Retreat Center competition:

There are no mountain conference, retreat, and campground facilities closer to the
Treasure Valley than us.

Camp Idahaven, McCall, Idaho o Open for rental o Used primarily by the Seventh Day Adventist Denomination of Idaho o 100+ miles/3 hours from west Boise o Can host up to 200 people o On the shores of Payette Lake, Idaho

Camp Pinewood, McCall, Idaho o Open for rental o Used primarily by, and managed by, the General Association of Regular
Baptist in Southwest Idaho o 100+ miles/3 hours from west Boise o Can host up to 155 people

Quaker Hill, McCall, Idaho o Open for rental o Used primarily by the Friends/Quaker Churches of Idaho o 100+ miles/3 hours from west Boise o Can host up to 250 people

Camp Ivy Dale, Idaho City Idaho o Rentable o Swimming Pool o Used primarily by the Church of Christ denomination of Southwestern Idaho o 45 miles/1hour from Boise o can host up to 125 people


Conservative Baptist Camp, Warm Lake, Idaho o Open for rental o Used primarily by the Conservative Baptist denomination of Southwestern
Idaho o 100miles/3 hours from Boise o can host up to 150 people

Living Waters Conference/Camp/Retreat grounds, Chalice, Idaho o Rentable o 150+miles/3~4 hours o Used by many different groups and denominations without a camp home of their own o Can host several hundred people. o VERY nice facility - More expensive

Camp Shiloh, Donnelly, Idaho o Rentable o 90 miles/2.5 hours from Boise o Used primarily by the American Missionary Fellowship denomination or other smaller denominations in the Treasure Valley and surrounding areas o Can host several hundred people

Bethel Park, McCall, Idaho o Rentable o 100+ miles/3 hours from west Boise o Run by the United Pentecostal denomination o Max group size 450 people

Camp Sawtooth, Fairfield, Idaho o Rentable o 100+ miles/3 hours from North Boise. o Run by the United Methodist denomination o Max group size 125 people

Camp Sawtooth, Ketchum, Idaho o Rentable o 150+ miles/3 hours from Boise. o Run by the Presbyterian denomination o Max group size 125 people

Cathedral Pines, Ketchum, Idaho

o Rentable o 150+ miles/3 hours from Boise o Run by the Baptist denomination o Max group size 200 people

Nazareth Retreat Center, Boise, Idaho o Rentable o In West Boise, surrounded by homes o Run by the Roman Catholic Diocese o Max group size 100 people

Trinity Pines Camp and Conference Center, Cascade Idaho o Rentable o 80+ miles/3 hours from Boise. o Run by the Nazarene denomination o Max group size 350 people

Luther Heights Bible Camp, Ketchum, Idaho

Intermountain Christian Camp, Fairfield, Idaho

Lutheran Camp Perkins, Stanley, Idaho

Paradise Point Episcopal Camp, McCall, Idaho

Various other campground and retreat centers at varying distances away, mostly quite small (serving less than 100 people) and serving only specific groups
Faith-based Foster Care, Daycare, School, and Youth Ranch competition

There are currently NO established quality day care centers located anywhere in the eastern Boise County (Idaho City/Boise Basin) area (population 5,000+ people).

There are currently NO public or private organizations providing organized third party respite care for private foster homes, except Royal Family Kids Camps for ages 9-11 once each summer, anywhere in the area, or to our knowledge, the entire state of
Idaho.

There are currently no private schools focused on individualized education, anywhere in the entire eastern Boise County (Idaho City/Boise Basin) area.
 The Boise Christian Children’s Ranch in Eagle, o 15 minutes from Boise, over an hour away from Thorn Creek o Suburban

o Housing up to 35 low-risk children in 4 homes, ages 1-18 o Overwhelmed with waiting list and lack of adequate staff

Project Patch, Garden Valley, Idaho o 50 miles/1 hour from Boise o Mountain location o Housing up to 36 medium at-risk teenage youth in separate male and female dorms o Usually full with waiting list

Hope House, Marsing, Idaho o 40 miles/1hour from Boise o On the Snake River (desert/semi-agricultural climate) o Housing up to 40 medium at-risk teenage youth in separate male and female dorms, and 20 young adults o Focus is on youth with emotional, functional, or physical problems o Usually full with waiting list

Booth Home, Boise, Idaho o Salvation Army home for unwed mothers o Scaled back in operations in 2004 due to funding problems and lack of good publicity, little community involvement, and poor advertising (our analysis)
 Isaiah’s Ranch, Idaho City, Idaho o Strictly a day camp operation, renting existing facilities (none of their own) o Boise County focused o 45miles/1 hour from Boise o They only work with a handful of youth (<10) at a time o The leaders also provide the local school district with some after-school programs

Idaho Youth Ranch, several locations in Idaho o Not faithbased anymore (started in the 1950’s by a Methodist Minister) o Multiple ranch and home locations o Most homes serving 8~12 youth each. o They embrace and take in independent homes o Have pioneered creative funding

NONE of the organizations listed above are actively marketing their services to the public at large, telling us two things. First, they have all the business they can (or desire to) handle, and second, the market is wide open for wider/deeper sales exploitation.
4.7 BigHouse Ministries, Inc. Response to Market Trends
At Big House Ministries, we understand these problems. And we plan to approach them from several different angles.
First, we get the youth in question, AWAY from the city, up into the mountains, where there is no cell phone access, and where life runs at a slower pace and where the necessities/realities of life are more apparent. In this atmosphere here, we can begin to unwrap, like layers of an onion, the complexities that surround some of the at-risk youth, and pierce through their wound-induced protective walls to bring healing and light to them.
Once here within our care, we will challenge them physically, spiritually and emotionally, stretch them, then teach them teamwork and responsibility. We will demonstrate to them how to safely channel aggression, anger and pain. We will walk lives honoring to God before them, and let them learn from our examples.
Secondly, we plan to recruit qualified houseparents, provide them with ample and ongoing training to adequately prepare them for dealing with today’s at-risk youth, and then provide them also with plenty of respite opportunities so that they have a chance to periodically (and often) recover and recoup. Through our main offices, we will also take over and handle all foster care related paperwork for the individual houseparents, so that they can do what they were hired to do, be houseparents to the youth in their home. Without capable houseparents, the foster home facilities will not survive, and neither will the Youth
Ranch arm of the Thorn Creek Facility.
We will also have a number of professional counselors, chaplains, and others, either always on call, or actively participating in the day –to-day operations and goings-ons of the ranch, providing ground level support to both the youth with us, and to/for the houseparents involved.

Likewise, since we will already by operating a daycare for our own foster home coop, we decided to implement this phase immediately and make this opportunity available to the community at large as well, to accomplish two additional things: one, to immediately begin to positively impact the local community, and two, establish a reliable cash flow base from which to support and expand other facets of the organization.
We can thus begin making an immediate positive impact on our local youth, helping keep children in a safe place while their parents are working, thus immediately enabling local parents to do a better job of providing for their families. By locating a daycare operation directly alongside the only transit route between Idaho City and Boise, with street frontage signage and advertising, we can effectively capture and cater to the “twenty and thirtysomething” commuter crowd that travels to Boise everyday, that need daily, quality daycare.
This daycare will also emphasize healthy social adjustment and skills building, trying to give these kids tools to help keep them from going down the “at-risk” pathway of life and making life-damaging decisions later on.
And lastly, with the private school and its individualized atmosphere, we can continue this educational process year by year, with local youth, our foster youth, and others.
By marketing the unique wildland experience and its unique educational opportunities that our location offers, we can even capture a small segment of the Boise private school market, by busing youth from a primary pickup point in North Boise up to
Thorn Creek each morning, then back to Boise each evening, a 45~60 minute ride each way
(comparable to what many kids already ride the bus for each day in many local areas in the public education system). This bus is outfitted with an educationally dedicated DVD player tied in with the main bus stereo system to actually provide for up to an additional 2 hours of potential classroom learning time for students each day. Discussions with a local bus company with whom the Big House Ministries CEO has close current connections to, have already led to the tentative procurement of this bus.
4.8 Contacts and Dynamics to guarantee our Success
Thorn Creek Conference Center, The Father’s House of Prayer on Thorn Creek
Many of the goals that we have as a conference and retreat center, are goals that other successful conference and retreat centers share with us. As such, there are plenty of

opportunities to study what works and what does not work, both in servicing the target market, in organizational dynamics, and in fundraising. What makes Thorn Creek
Conference C enter and The Father’s House of Prayer on Thorn Creek unique is that we plan to go after market segments that are not being marketed to at all right now, while also specializing and tailoring our camps and retreat opportunities to effectively compete in the larger conference/retreat market as well. By capturing market niches that have no conference/retreat centers now servicing them, and by effectively mimicking and implementing sound business strategies and policies learned from many of the other successful camp/conference/retreat facilities all around here, we can minimize our chances of repeating mistakes and falling into failure, and maximize our chances for success and long-term financial viability.
Thorn Creek Youth Ranch
Many of the goals, policies, and operational strategies of the Thorn Creek Youth
Ranch have already been successfully implemented by other similar organizations around
Idaho and the world. The Idaho Youth Ranch has demonstrated an ability to effectively absorb independent homes, to run an organization of satellite ranches and homes through a central main office, and then to also find ways to fund them. Both the Hope House and the
Project Patch have demonstrated and learned what it takes to run ministries to troubled youth, while housing them in dorm-like conditions in remote locations, whether in the mountains or the desert. The Boise Christian Children’s Ranch has demonstrated ways to effectively care for low risk youth in foster home and small group home settings, while also providing accredited private school opportunities for them. Some of our own core staff members are foster or adoptive parents themselves, and have the experience necessary to help guide Thorn Creek Youth Ranch as it moves forward working with foster kids. There is even a Conference Center/ Youth Ranch organization that is similar in structure to our own, established by Americans in the mountains of Honduras (Refuge of the Pines), with whom we are cooperating to learn what they know and have learned about being successful.
By studying each of these aforementioned organizations, Thorn Creek Youth Ranch can learn from already established businesses (several of whom have promised logistical and non-financial support for Thorn Creek Youth Ranch), and thus all but guarantee longterm stability, growth, financial viability, and effectiveness. These existing ministries have not saturated the existing market in any way with their own services. On the contrary, they

usually have waiting lists to get in. Thorn Creek Youth Ranch can tap into that market, using the skills and lessons being freely offered by existing foundations and organizations, to truly help meet the needs of wounded youth that these other organizations are either too overwhelmed to be able to deal with, are not equipped to deal with, or simply can’t deal with because of logistical, financial, or organizational limitations.
The daycare center will be run by experienced staff and local individuals already working within our organization.
The private school will likewise be operated by experienced personnel, and operated with the input of several different, successful private schools in Boise with whom various Big
House Ministries staff members already have close connections to, schools that have already pledged to provide input, training and non-logistical support for our operations.
Even its computer-based curriculum will be procured from standard-setting curriculumpublishing houses that have a vested interest in seeing us be successful.
4.9 Overall Summary of the Market and BigHouse Ministries, Inc. Marketing Thrust
The Market:
The needs of the wounded youth market will continue to grow, both because the simple complexity of youth lives is increasing, and because their sheer population is also growing.
Currently, existing organizations with facilities and the ability or desire to actively work with wounded youth in a mountain setting, are not doing so because of already maxed out space and time schedules.
There are simply NO facilities closer to Boise than us that can host camps, retreats, summits, and conferences of any substantial size for/with faith-based organizations in the greater Boise Metro Area.
There are NO local service organizations focused on meeting the needs of existing foster/group homes, nor any focused on developing and training new foster/group homes.

There are NO daycare facilities anywhere along the Highway 21 Corridor from Idaho
City to Boise, or even in the eastern Boise County area, catering to the work crowd traveling into Boise everyday (hundreds of vehicles worth).
There are NO private schools anywhere in eastern Boise County catering to the needs of ADHD, Aspberger’s, ADD, gifted, or otherwise wounded or special needs youth that would benefit from an accredited, individualized, computer-based academic system.
Our Response:
BigHouse Ministries, Inc. will open and staff a quality daycare long the Hwy 21 traffic corridor.
We will likewise open a private school using individualized, accredited, computerbased curriculum, focused on the needs of youth whose academic needs are currently falling through the cracks in “the system”, capitalizing on the advantages that our mountain location, flexibility, and trained staff can offer.
Our staff will be made up of trained and experienced professionals that have either already committed to the project or that we will soon hire, as well as an army of volunteers that believe in, and have a passion for, working with wounded youth.
We have numerous contacts already within nearby or similar organizations, many of which have pledged the expertise, advisory resources, and logistical know-how needed to make our own endeavor a success. We are in partnership with them, not as competitors, but as partners struggling to deal with a growing problem that is bigger than what any one single one of us separately can handle.
We are hiring secretaries and an Administrator that can start helping and supporting in practical ways, existing foster care homes, with an eye towards also developing a strong base of brand new quality foster and group homes.

5.0 Sales Strategy and Implementation Summary
Big House Ministries’ basic implementation strategy to start running schools, camps and conferences, and to start accepting youth/people into our foster and group homes, after finishing renovations, is:
1. Start a local daycare and simply get cash flow moving while getting our name out there, thereby establishing market exposure while making it easy
2.
3.
4. for people to access our services as we add them. We will likewise be focused on obtaining land immediately, from which to operate.
Then we can start planning fund-raising and other local events. Tied into our public relations campaign will also be an intensive fundraising effort on the governmental, corporate, church, civic group, and individual level, focused on procuring and/or renovating facilities and establishing salaries for staff members.
Once we have name recognition and a viable daycare with positive cash flow, we can implement the private school plan, again increasing our name recognition, local impact, and positive cash flow. At the same time we will also be hiring for other organizational staff positions and moving them into their roles to begin functioning as part of the team.
Once we have positive community exposure, a daycare, camps, and a school, we can then begin to open up foster and group homes.
5.1 Basic Sales and Marketing Strategies
Thorn Creek Conference Center, The Father’s House of Prayer on Thorn Creek

Marketing through phone calls, word-of-mouth, email and postal mail to churches and faith-based organizations in the Treasure Valley.

Marketing through email, postal mail, and personal contact with the youth pastors and youth pastor associations (several of which the president is currently a member) in the Treasure Valley.

 Cooperation with existing camping ministries needing facilities in the area. (Isaiah’s
Ranch in Idaho City and Royal Family Kids Camps in Boise are two local programs that immediately come to mind).
Thorn Creek Youth Ranch

Word of mouth and flyer advertising in Idaho City of the new daycare.

Networking with other foster and group homes, and youth ranches in the area, to take some of their overflow.

Coordinating with the Child Services and Foster Care division of the Idaho
Department of Health and Welfare to take in children that are overburdening the existing pool of foster homes.

Setting up speaking engagements to various civic and faith-based organizations in the Treasure Valley that are also interested in working with and helping youth.

Advertising in Boise through radio, churches, and other media for the mountain location private school
5.2 More “Publicity-oriented” Strategies
The Executive Director or president, and to some extent, the executive board members also, will also be expected to provide simple publicity to Big House Ministries in their various arenas of influence. This includes:

Writing and directing direct-mail mailings through the US Postal system

Direct on-site presentations by the executive director (and possibly members of the
Executive Board) accompanied by presentation materials that clearly demonstrate value of Big House Ministries’ offered services to various people: o Personally meeting with churc h leaders, corporate VIP’s, civic leaders, and grant sources to explain the organization and need to them o Meeting with governmental leaders, judges, and law enforcement officials to set up processes whereby youth/people can be referred to our foster and group homes o Meeting with the appropriate governmental agencies, and other organizations who have already done so, to establish our third party respite care camps

o Meeting with the various sources of volunteer labor to arrange work party details.

Mass email & website campaigns on the internet to interested individuals

Publicity drives through local media outlets

Hosting and sponsoring local charity events
Big House Ministries will also be fund raising through a variety of other methods as well:

Planning Fund-Raising community events (bi-annual fun runs, open houses, etc.)

Planning Fund-Raising banquets and dinners (at least bi-annually)

Aggressively pursuing grants and corporate donations

Aggressively seeking individual sponsorships and private donations

Aggressively pitching tax write-off/deduction donation options
5.3 Value Proposition
Our staff members and board of directors operate with the knowledge and experience of many businesses successfully run and managed over many years, instead of simply proceeding by trial and error. The opportunity to network with peers as well as industry and government leaders, provides value far in excess of both the cost of finding and hiring people that have a heart for youth and camp/conference ministries, and the cost to individuals who desire to participate in the school, camps and conferences, and live in the foster and group homes.
Our staff members, board of directors, and every person who spends time in Big
House Ministries’ care, share in the power of numbers when dealing with the government, insurance carriers, housing authorities, churches, car dealers, medical facilities, and other vendors. They have the opportunity to tap into the best of all worlds, and effectively leverage their positions, for a better chance at providing healing and growth in each of the personal lives within their care.
By finding and hiring staff with a true heart for ministering to wounded youth, we can lower our overhead while at the same time, increase the value of our services to those people that need our services. We can thus likewise offload some of the work burden

currently resting on local social case care workers, the local foster care system, and the
Health and Welfare department in general.
At the same time, in accomplishing some of our stated goals of providing people with the tools and education they need to not return to the welfare system, we lessen the overall burden on the Health and Welfare Department simply by decreasing the number of people that need their services.
5.4 Competitive Edge
Providing a truly positive experience for people attending the daycare, schools, camps and conferences, and those being sheltered by the various foster and group homes under the Big House Ministries umbrella (and thus maintaining a competitive edge in today’s society), means that we must do several things on an ongoing basis:
 Stay focused on our primary goals of bringing healing and growth to every person’s life that crosses our path.

Find and hire trained and capable staff who truly have a passion for what we believe and are doing.

Aggressively pursue grants, gifts, and sponsorships to insure that our fund levels enable us to adequately provide for and care for those people that come through our doors

Establish and maintain a strong network of prayer partners and churches

Establish and maintain a strong network of professional and trades people that can lend us their expertise as needed, and provide people that come through our foster and group homes with training and job opportunities
Our true competitive edge lies in the heart of our staff and organization. We have not just a desire to work with wounded youth, but a passion, and the training and expertise necessary to make it happen in a cost-effective way.
5.5 Marketing and Pricing Strategy
Each major sources of funding will have its own more fully developed strategic plan as time progresses.

In order to set realistic and appropriate Daycare, School, Conference Center Rental
& Registration Fees and Youth Ranch Room & Board Fees, we will be closely looking at what other similar facilities throughout the Northwest and across the United State charge, in order to set and charge comparable and realistic fees to those that use the ranch and conference center. And since it is our goal to cater to the less-well-to-do, and the at-risk and generally lower-income individual, we will also be exploring ways in which we can subsidize some of these fees with grants, sponsorships, and private donations.
To start the process of being able to effectively go after the various grants available to us, we were given a temporary membership to a national professional grant writing consulting firm that helped us wade through the paperwork jungle and write this business plan, and help us start to target and go after those grants that we could realistically procure.
When this membership ended, the paperwork process continued, and other grant services are now being sought. At the same time, the handful of professional grant writers that have volunteered their time and services to us, now that we have the business plan completed and the 501-c3 paperwork filed, can now quickly and effectively find, write, and land the grants that we need to launch and then sustain ourselves at a healthy and viable level.
Private gifts, sponsorships, and donors will be pursued through presentations and personal invitation both. Tax write-off benefits will be stressed, as well as the positive impact peoples’ funds will have on individual lives. Likewise, legacy possibilities will also be pitched, where people can donate to this or that cause, and leave a legacy of improved lives behind them.
Our fund-raising programs will include monthly and quarterly objectives, along with non-financial bonus incentives available to the executive director and in-house grant writers for exceeding each month's objective. The executive director (if a different individual from the president of the board) will report to the president and the board of directors each month, and the officers and directors will communicate among themselves, either by meeting face to face or by telephone (or by fax or email), at least once a month for the first year of operation. The executive director will also conference with the president at least weekly if the two functions are held by different people.

Proposed Fee structures
Proposed Fees
State awarded foster care daily fees
Residential daily fees
Registration fees (daily)(Camps, Conf, etc)
Facility Daily Rental fees
5.6 Milestones
2008
$7
$40
$40
$200
2009
$8
$45
$45
$500
2010
$9
$50
$50
$600
2011
$10
$55
$55
$650
The accompanying table lists important program milestones, with dates and the responsible party. The schedule indicates our emphasis on planning for implementation.
What the table doesn't necessarily show is the commitment level of our staff in support of the president. To insure continued forward growth and momentum, the executive staff and board members will hold follow-up/status meetings at least once a month for the first year to discuss any variances that arise and course corrections that might be needed.
First Year – 2008 Milestones
Incorporation paperwork filed
First affiliated foster home accepted
Full Executive Board in place
First full time staff hired
First part time staff hired
Business Plan completed
Rewritten
501-c3 paperwork filed
Refiled
First PR presentation given
First grant applied for
Properties acquisition in process
Adopt-a-cabin program in place
Commercial Use Permit application filed
Full fund-raising, donation campaign started
Daycare operational
Trailer, cabins occupancy permits filed
Better Business Bureau paperwork filed
Majority of core staff moved into place
‘Meeting the Need’ FR Banquet
Full fundraising, donations campaign running
Thorn Creek Lodge renovated
Private school operational
Conference Center renovated
First new foster home functioning
Goal Date
12/31/2005
12/31/2006
12/31/2006
12/31/2006
1/31/2007
11/24/2006
4/30/2008
12/20/2006
5/15/2008
5/15/2008
5/15/2008
5/30/2008
5/30/2008
6/15/2008
6/31/2008
6/31/2008
7/15/2008
7/31/2008
7/31/2008
8/15/2008
8/31/2008
8/31/2008
8/31/2008
10/1/2008
6/30/2009
Date complete Ownership completed completed completed completed completed completed completed completed
12/31/2005 President
7/1/2006 President
11/19/2006 President
11/1/2006 President
3/15/2006 President
12/15/2006
4/17/2008 President
4/30/2007
President
President
Grant Writer
President
President
President
President
Daycare Dir
President
President
President
Secretary
PR Director
Facilities Dir
School Dir
Facilities Dir
President
2012
$11
$60
$60
$700

6.0 Management Summary
The initial management team consists of the executive board of directors and officers of Big House Ministries working closely with the executive director (also the president of the board, at least initially). In addition, there is a secondary advisory board underneath them that is made up of professional and trades people that can give input into the various functions and decisions of the executive board. See the Articles of Incorporation for more detail on this structure and the principals involved.
Paid and/or self-supported core staff will include the CEO, a nurse/medical person, house parents in each of the foster and group homes, a maintenance individual in charge of
Conference Center and Ranch upkeep, a darcare coordinator, a school administrator, a head cook, two secretaries, a Thorn Creek Facilities Director, a Foster Care Facilitator, a chaplain, a PR/Fund Raiser/Grant Writer, two part time grant writers, a professional counselor, and others as the need arises. Part of each full time individual’s or family’s compensation package will include subsidized room and board onsite at the Conference
Center, in a local subdivision/property, or in the individual foster and group homes.
Ultimately and ideally, larger work projects or renovations beyond the ability of the maintenance individual and paid staff, can be divided among individuals on the advisory board (to either do the work themselves or find and recommend to the organization, appropriate individuals, or companies that can do the work), or can be farmed out to work groups, community service projects, and/or various other service organizations.
6.1 Personnel Plan
The following table summarizes our personnel expenditures (executive director and pother sponsored staff) for the first several years. We believe this plan is a good compromise between fairness and expedience, and meets the commitment of our mission statement while still providing for the basic needs of our staff. Some cost-of-living increase allowances are built into these figures.

Personnel/Staff Salaries/Budgets
Sponsored Staff Salary Goal (Prev. + Cost of Living Inc)
Regular Fulltime Staff
Percent of full payout (not all hired at same time)
Total FT Staff Salary
2008
$17,000
2
25%
$8,500
2009
$20,000
10
50%
$100,000
2010
$20,600
11
90%
$203,940
2011
$21,218
12
100%
$254,616
2012
$21,855
12
100%
$262,254
Comments (Staff Positions)
Yearly Cost of Living Increase Rate (All Staff/Emp.)
Full Time Houseparents
Base Houseparent Pay
Total Houseparent Salary
Part time pay rate
Part time employees
Part time payroll (30hrs/wk*52wks/yr)
Comments (Part Time Positions)
Total Yearly Payroll (PT + FT)
Maintenance
Nurse, Maintenance,
Secretary, Cook,
Chaplain, PR/Fund-
Raiser, Counselor,
Facilities-Director,
School-Director,
Daycare-Director
Nurse, Maintenance,
Secretary, Cook,
Chaplain, PR/Fund-
Raiser, Counselor,
Foster-Director,
Facilities-Director,
School-Director,
Daycare-Director
Nurse, Maintenance,
2 Secretaries, Cook,
Chaplain, PR/Fund-
Raiser, Counselor,
Foster-Director,
Facilities-Director,
School-Director,
Daycare-Director
Nurse, Maintenance,
2 Secretaries, Cook,
Chaplain, PR/Fund-
Raiser, Counselor,
Foster-Director,
Facilities-Director,
School-Director,
Daycare-Director
3%
0
$0
$0
$10.00
4
$62,400
3%
2
$20,000
$40,000
$10.30
6
$96,408
3%
3
$20,600
$61,800
$10.61
7
$115,850
3%
4
$21,218
$84,872
$10.93
8
$136,372
3%
5
$21,855
$109,273
$11.26
9
$158,021 basic labor, daycare, school basic labor, daycare, school basic labor, daycare, school basic labor, daycare, school basic labor, daycare, school
$70,900 $236,408 $381,590 $475,860 $529,549
Average Monthly Payroll (Yearly/12) $5,908 $19,701 $31,799 $39,655 $44,129
6.2 Committed Personnel so far
Executive Board (Job requirements found in the Corporation Bylaws):

Tim Benedict, President of the Board/Executive Director o Inactive real estate agent o Multiple years experience in Christian camping o 3 years experience as a high school teacher, o Youth pastor (his area of study in College) o Professional published writer/editor (several years experience and ongoing) o Construction (Experience in electrical, framing, concrete, plumbing, etc) o Professional Musician o Ex-restaurant manager o Professional Computer/Internet consultant (several yrs experience, ongoing) o Married, 8 children o Multi-lingual (English, Spanish, some German) o Amateur inventor/researcher with experience/success in cutting edge scientific research

o Lives onsite at the Thorn Creek main site

Karen Benedict o Trained as an ADHD lifestyle management coach o Married, 8 children, loves youth o Office skills o Lives onsite

Todd Beliel o IT Administrator at the Boise Christian Children’s Ranch in Eagle, ID o Singe, no kids, loves youth o Long time involvement in youth work and ministries o General construction skills
Advisory Board
The purpose of the advisory board is to provide a pool of knowledge, resources, help, and advice that the executive board can fall back on and draw from.

Lee Adams, an ordained minister in a nondenominational church and youth ministry o Electrician o Webmaster o Ordained Minister o An ex-con with hard time spent early in life o Suicide hotline counselor experience o Preached for several years at monthly youth gatherings hosted by another youth oriented organization called Isaiah’s Ranch in Idaho City, Idaho o Married, multiple children now grown

Dennis Bradshaw o An ordained minister o Accomplished Jack-of-all-trades o Active and regular counselor with Royal Family Kids Camp, a respite care summer camp for pre-teens in the Idaho Foster care system o Married, multiple children now grown o Experienced in multiple construction fields o Experience in electronics and radio technology

Paul Stutzman: A previous Boise County Commissioner


Brent Adamson, An ordained minister at the local Mountain Life Ministries Church in
Idaho City, 12 miles from the main Ranch location.

Terry Branch o Ordained Minister o Accomplished public speaker o General construction skills o Married, 2 kids o Experience in Christian camping for many years in various capacities o Loves youth o Property management and real estate experience

Scott Olivera o Single, loves kids o Writing a tailor made scouting program for BigHouse Ministries to use

Timothy Slusser

Married, three children

Has worked as a youth minister

Graphics designer

Teaches wilderness camping/survival camps

Michael Schroeder

Married, 1 child

IT Administrator, Business Entrepreneur

Matt Manos

Musician

Married, 2 children

Kelly Mills

Married, 1 child

Paralegal
Regular Staff (Full and part time – These people have either committed to the project with a future employment contract promised (after funding), or are already working in their various roles within the organization).

Ed and April Smith: A foster family that takes in multiple emergency case foster kids each week

Have agreed to help develop our Foster Care Branch

Have several kids of their own


Already currently taking in and housing immediate care foster children

Beth White, Certified Medical Assistant

Trained and experienced in Physical Therapy.

Over 10 years experience in the medical field

Several years experience in assisted living and in-home care

Single, no kids, loves children

Tim Benedict, President of the Executive Board (see above for qualifications).

Onsite Administrator, construction, paperwork, PR/Fund raising, etc.

Karen Benedict, Administrative Assistant/Secretary (& wife to president of the board).

Dianna Smith, Harmony Barnes, Heidi Quast, part-time grant writers

Ms. Barnes is a single mom with 5 children, and loves more

Dianna Smith is single, and loves kids

Heidi Quast is a single mother of several, loves kids

Dennis Bradshaw, part time maintenance man and chaplain, also on Advisory board
(see above for qualifications)

Mike Smith, part time airbrush artist, and motorcycle & hotrod mechanics teacher

Experienced mechanic

Knows sign language

Married – no children

Ed Dalton (part time boxing workshop teacher)

Local celebrity

Nationally ranked, lightweight division

Single father with 1 child

Nancy Estes

Married with multiple grown children

Lived a hard life early and now wishes to lead kids in a better way

Loves youth, animals, loves to be involved

Dr. Tsuktimeren Ao

Ordained Pastor

His church of 450+ people runs a private school for 230+ youth

Married, one child

Loves youth

Stephen Benedict

Secondary Education/High School Administrator


Ordained Pastor

Single,

Loves kids

Terry and Jane Branch

2 adopted children

Love youth

Ordained Pastor

Multiple years experience in Christian camping and schooling
Volunteers

Carpenters

Teachers/Trainers/Speakers

Lawyer to help with the real estate dealings

Lawyer to help with tax and non-profit dealings

Team of prayer warriors

Laborers

Small team of financial supporters

Counselors

Skills instructors
The people in the tentative, job position table below have each committed (most solidly, though a few are tentative still) to fill their associated role, even though very few of them currently live onsite or nearby yet. Most are waiting until we have the land contract finalized with funding in-place, and we are ready to move forward with full renovations, expansions, and operations. We are still in the startup phase of the ministry, and have not yet begun commercial operations (as of 3-31-2008).

Committed Full time, Part time & Volunteer Staff
F Administrator/CEO –Tim B.
F Administrative Assistant – Karen B.
F Site Maintenance – Dennis B.
P Horses/Ponies/Animal Therapy – ?
P Grants - Heidi Q., Harmony, Marie
P Grants, Administrative Help - Dianne A.
V Administrative Help - ?
F Program/Camps Director – ?
F Head Camp Counselor and V camp counselors -?
F Professional Counselor – Darci B.
P Fund Raising/ General Help – Terry B.
P Work Group Coordinator – Tim B.
P Home-school Educational Director – Steven B.
P Cleaning – Beverly B.
F Cook/Cleaning – Nancy E.
F Mechanics, art workshops – Mike S.
P Boxing workshops for youth – Ed D.
P Women’s Ministries – Roberta G., Julie S., Erin D.
P Public Relations/Graphic Design – Terry B.
P Survival Camps - ?
V People Networking – Debbie C., Dianne A.
F Medical – Beth W., Roberta G.
P Programmer/Computer Support/General Help – Mel
V Petting zoo coordinator – Viktoria G.
P Therapy through horsemanship – ?
P Social Worker –Darci B., ?
F Daily Transportation Driver-?
P Food Bank Coordinator – ?
V Doctor, Dentist -?
F Foster Homes Directors – Ed & April S.
V Chaplains – Dennis B., Paul S., Todd B., Stephen B.
Dr. Ao
V Onsite Grandmother – Jeannie B.
V General Help – Alan H, Steve C., Stephen B.
V Real Estate Legal advice – Barry P.
V Non-profit Legal Advice – William P.
V CPA - Jackie H.
F Foster Houseparent (children) Ed & April S.
F Foster Houseparent (children) - ?
F Foster Houseparent (pre-teens) - ?
F Foster Houseparent (teen boys) - ?
F Foster Houseparent (teen girls) - ?
F Houseparent (unwed moms) - ?
F Houseparent (juvenile corrections halfway house) -
Peter and Jeri Vasquez thru Second Chance Grace
Ministries
F Houseparent (disabled youth) – ?
F Houseparent (hospice) - ?
Executive Board
Tim Benedict
Todd Beliel
Karen Benedict
Advisory Board – Business
Lee Adams – Retired Pastor, Electrician
Paul Stutzman – Boise County Commissioner
Dennis Bradshaw – Local Pastor
Brent Adamson – Local Pastor and County Assessor
Terry Branch – Pastor, school and camp experience
Scott Olivera – Scouts programming, experience
Michael Schroeder – IT Programmer, Administrator
Matt Manos – Musician, Management
Kelly Mills – Paralegal
Timothy Slusser – Graphic Artist
Prayer Team
Connie S.
Elizabeth P.
Margery B.
Phil & Linda B.
Jeannie B.
Kent M.
Kelly M.
Karen B.
Dianne A.
Jack H.
Michael S.
Roberta G.
Ricardo & Esther B.
Matt M.
Tim S.
Suzie P.
Marty S.
Churches and organizations committed or already involved on some level
Boise Christian Children's Ranch (Eagle, ID)
Mountain Meadow Christian Center (Idaho City, ID)
New Heights Christian Fellowship (Boise, ID)
Mountain Life Ministries (Idaho City, ID)
One member of each full time house parent team will also cover at least one of the other positions also
(either full time or part time).
F- Full time, P- Part time, V- Volunteer

6.3 Staff/ Personnel Qualifications and Employment Requirements
1. All staff who are required to maintain certifications as part of their job description and function are expected to do so, and will be allowed appropriate time off to attend CE classes and update their skills’ sets and certifications. Scholarship funding for these activities, whether in part or in full, will be addressed on a first-come first-serve basis, and will be awarded after an application process for the funding (paid for by grants and donations) has been completed by the staff member.
2. All staff have to pass Health and Welfare fingerprinting and background checks in order to work with and around the youth that we are reaching out to. Random drug tests may also be required from time to time from any staff.
3. Most of our core staff will be required to be living either onsite or close by
(somewhere within a mile or three of Thorn Creek or in Valley of the Pines
Subdivision). It is to be expected that some of our daily staff and volunteers will also commute in from Idaho City and the Treasure Valley.
4. Lots of staff-related daily and monthly activities and outings will be planned, in order to effectively draw the staff together into a cohesive and effective unit. Participation is expected.
5. House parents on full time salary and living in Big House Ministry owned homes will have additional duties within the organization, with multiple crosstraining opportunities, and are not expected to have fulltime jobs outside of the organization. House parents who own their own homes and come under the Big House Ministry umbrella will receive all the non-monetary benefits of being a part of the organization, and may receive some financial help with the children they house, but will not be paid a full-time salary. Thus, it is expected
(though not required) that one member of the home also have a fulltime job apart from the organization and their foster home responsibilities.

6. All staff will be expected to participate in or be a part of some local or community program, whether it be the local volunteer fire department, ministering somehow in one of the local church bodies with whom we have connections, or otherwise positively touching their community.
7. All staff must live lives that demonstrates a daily, growing walk with Jesus
Christ, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit.
8. All staff will maintain a current resume and application on file with Big House
Ministries.
9.
All Staff must adhere to a spiritual and physical “Standards of Conduct” contract found within the employee handbook.
10. All Staff must already be, and continue to be, respected within their community and circles of influence.
11. Pass yearly and quarterly reviews by the President and/or Executive Board.
12. More detailed job descriptions for all other staff and volunteers will be found in an organizational handbook associated with Big House Ministries.
6.4 Personnel and Staff Hiring Strategies
Big House Ministries will continue searching for, and filling staffing needs, through a variety of ways:

Making presentations during career fairs at area and regional faith-based colleges and Universities

Advertising on our website and through our email subscription list

Word of mouth

Making presentations to various churches and faith-based organizations that are interested in our work


Registering with Inter-Christo and other faith-based employment firms and agencies

Networking with YWAM, Teen Missions, and other faith-based youth service organizations

Networking with MAPP and other faith-based service organizations staffed by retired volunteers
6.5 Availability of Labor
The ranch, in its day-to-day operations, will be employing quite a number of people on both a full-time and a part-time basis, in addition to its executive and advisory boards, and its core staff. These will come from several sources.

Court ordered community service assignments. Local judges assign a lot of community service to people.

There are a large number of civic organizations in the Treasure Valley that fund and support (with labor and funding), various charities.

There is a huge pool of professional and skilled labor in the Treasure Valley that consistently gives time to various charity endeavors.

The Evangelical and Catholic Church communities in the Treasure Valley have a long history of providing labor and monetary support to various charity endeavors.

There is a large and thriving day labor market sector in the Treasure Valley that might be tapped into if needed.

There are a number of college students that come home on summer vacations that have already inquired about working with the ranch each summer. In exchange for room and board and a small stipend, we can utilize lots of these students. College students of the local area seem to enjoy mission’s trips and the opportunity to live with, and donate time and energy to, faith-based ministries. This is a very common summer occupation for church community students of the area.

There are lots of skilled professionals in the area that have already agreed to be a part of the advisory board. Outreach and ministry, seem to be in many ways, ingrained into the people of Southern Idaho. There are additional people that either have donated, or have offered to donate, time and labor on an as-needed basis.


There are a high number of young men and women coming out of prison that have inquired about living onsite at the ranch or in one of our group homes, giving labor in exchange for room and board. We intend to develop this labor resource, carefully screening for those people that we think can both benefit by being under our care, and whom we can benefit from having onsite.

There is a large pool of high school students in the surrounding 5-county area looking for summer and weekend work in the mountains of Idaho, that share our goals, ideals, and lifestyles, that we can use on a part time basis, while also teaching them skills and abilities.

There are lots of church youth groups in the church community of Treasure Valley, that participate yearly in various local and out-of-area work projects and community service projects, that we intend to (and already do) work with and put to work here.

There are a number of retired persons service organizations such MAPPS, that travel around the country donating time and labor to various faith-based projects, that we intend to coordinate with.

There are a number of Christian and Faith-based Colleges and Universities with whom the president of Big House Ministries has already cultivated relationships with, that regularly send out work teams of college students during the summer, spring, and winter breaks, to work on various service projects all over the world. We will be coordinating with some of these schools to bring student work teams here to work.

There are a number of faith-based employment and placement agencies such as
Inter-Christo, that we are already coordinating with to find and hire people interested in serving with non-profit and faith-based endeavors.
We have a multi-fold goal in utilizing so much youth-sourced volunteer (and some paid) labor from the various schools, churches, and organizations across the country.
1. “Built by Youth, for Youth”, is our goal. Give the youth some ownership in taking care of their own generation.
2. We receive lots of valuable volunteer labor to renovate and support the Thorn Creek
Youth Ranch and Conference Center.
3. Many of the volunteers can and will provide “In-Kind” services for those grants requiring matching “In-Kind” services as a prerequisite for funds disbursement.

4. We want to instill in every person that passes through our doors: o A strong work ethic, that leads them not only to work hard for themselves, but to also watch out for those less fortunate than themselves. If we can get their minds off of their own problems, and onto helping out someone else, we have kept them out of trouble for that much longer. o If we can challenge them to make a difference in their world and to think outside of themselves, then we have kept them from descending into a pit of depression, futility, and lawlessness. o If we can teach them to see the fingerprints of God, around them, in them, and in each other, and then to walk with Him for themselves, then they will respect each other enough to lift each other up long term, instead of committing to a life of crime against each other.
Pay rates for the various functions and positions at the ranch will be fairly standard and simple.

Simple part-time labor will be paid somewhat higher than basic minimum wage.

Each of the executive board members and core staff members, though required to be self-supported, sponsored through the organization, or otherwise independently paid, will have access to ministry-related budget monies, along with subsidized room and board/housing onsite at the ranch, in Valley of the Pine Subdivision, or in (or nearby) the greater Thorn Creek drainage area.

Volunteers and part-timers may be housed on or offsite as needed.

Pay rates are broken out in more detail in section 7 of this business plan, while more detailed hiring qualifications will be compiled as each position comes up for hiring.
6.6 Management/Upper Level Positions
Serving the organization are nine management positions, some or all of which will also have volunteer or part time staff beneath them, listed below in no particular order. Each of these is responsible directly to the CEO (through weekly meetings and status updates/reports), and indirectly to the Executive Board.

Thorn Creek Youth Ranch related positions.

Medical Nurse or equivalent

Professional Counselor/Therapist

Foster Home Director

School Administrator

Daycare Administrator
Shared by both sub-organizations

Facilities Director

Administrative Assistant(s)/Secretary(s)

Head Cook

Public Relations/Fund Raising

Chaplain

Maintenance
Position Descriptions:
Thorn Creek Youth Ranch
1. NURSE – The Nurse, (or trained medical equivalent, with lifeguard and
CPR certifications) will live onsite and be available for all emergency situations, as well as safety advice for all activities. (NOTE
– already hired - waiting for funding).
2. Professional COUNSELOR/THERAPIST – Recognizing that wounded individuals often need direct, focused attention by trained individuals, a professionally certified and trained individual will oversee all therapy, therapeutic activities, and individual counseling. (NOTE – already tentatively hired - waiting for funding).
3. FOSTER HOME DIRECTOR – This person will be in charge of overseeing the daily operations of the foster homes within our coop/group, ensuring that their needs are being adequately met by the organization. Likewise, he/she will also be in charge of screening and admitting new foster homes to the co-op, as well as setting up new ones.
Foster houseparents in each home will meet with this person on a weekly basis to ensure the smooth functioning of the individual group and foster homes. (NOTE – already tentatively hired - waiting for funding).

4. SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR – The School Administrator will oversee the daily smooth functioning of the school environment. Otherwise known as a Principle, he will make sure that the computer based, accredited curriculum is implemented and utilized to its full potential, while also seeking out and facilitating outside educational experiences and opportunities for the students as well. 4-H and other youth focused clubs will likewise be offered and implemented. A scouting program being tailor written for BigHouse Ministries will also be used. (NOTE – already hired - waiting for funding).
5. DAYCARE ADMINISTRATOR – This individual will oversee the functioning of the daycare to be offered to the local community. Initially, the daycare plans rent facilities from a church along the HWY 21 corridor that has offered to provide a location for us. Daily daycare help will come from part-time employees and local retired volunteers.
Shared by both sub-organizations
6. FACILITIES DIRECTOR – The Facilities Director will coordinate the use of the various local facilities, cabins, gym, conference center, prayer centers, ropes course, recreational venues, and chapel building between our internal needs, and outside groups desiring to rent/use them for their own activities.
7. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT/SECRETARY – Supporting the logistical and paperwork needs of each of the other primary level managers in this list will be at least one (preferably two) administrative/secretarial assistant. This person will keep track of red-tape paperwork, internal paperwork needs of the organization, and do some light book-keeping as well. (NOTE
– first one already tentatively hired - waiting for funding).
8. HEAD COOK – The head cook will be in charge of the kitchen and cafeteria, ensuring that nutritious and well balanced meals are served to staff, at various functions, and in the foster homes. Kitchen help will come in the form of volunteers, part-time staff, local retirees, and an internal rotational duty roster followed by the other staff within the organization. (NOTE – already tentatively hired - waiting for funding).
9. PUBLIC RELATIONS/FUNDRAISING - This person will be the primary eyes, ears and mouth of the organization within the community and

greater area. Their responsibilities will include public speaking engagements, media relations, directing the efforts of the part-time grant writers on staff. (NOTE – already tentatively hired - waiting for funding).
10. MAINTENANCE – This position will be filled by a person skilled in maintaining and fixing both the infrastructure and day-to-day maintenance needs of the organization, whether it be simple electrical and plumbing, or vehicular issues. Ideally, this position would be filled by a retiree with broad experience and “Jack-of-all-trades” abilities. (NOTE – already hired - waiting for funding).
11. CHAPLAIN – The Chaplain will be entrusted with the responsibility to help maintain the spiritual integrity, focus, and overall health of the organization. His duties will include weekly meetings and Bible
Study/prayer times with each of the other primary management level employees, as well as the various chapel services that will be held each week either in the school or for the various camps happening. (NOTE – already tentatively hired - waiting for funding).
Of these 11 positions, 9 of them are already filled or committed to, and are just waiting for either facilities and office space to work from, staff funding, or grant funding to implement their programs.
6.7 Staff Retention and Development Plans
We will develop and implement a number of different strategies to both maximize each staff person’s potential and effectiveness, and to retain staff once they are trained and on-board with the organization.

Ongoing training opportunities will be sought out and actively promoted, to keep our staff as well trained and equipped as possible.

Staff functions, parties, and get-togethers will build a sense of teamwork and camaraderie among the various staff members.

Onsite staff and house parents in the homes that we ourselves build will be given subsidized room and board.


An onsite food pantry, aggressively stocked by a staff member working with different local food pantries and organizations, will be available to onsite and fulltime staff.

Weekly status/staff/prayer meetings and reporting will maintain a tight sense of accountability and structure within the organization.

Dedicated, adequate, secretarial help within the main office will offload some of the paperwork burden upon the different staff members, and the foster homes in particular.

7.0 Financial Plan Summary
 We want to minimize our financial obligations as we grow and expand, and much of our initial funding we expect to come in through corporate grants and/or loans that have clear exit strategies associated with them, while initial cash flow will come through an immediately established daycare, limited retreat center options, and a private school.
 The most important factor in our case is attention to details and to the plan.
Therefore, we will develop a permanent system of communication and accountability between the executive director and the board of directors and officers, and to a lesser degree, with the rest of the staff as well.
 We are also assuming beginning cash reserves on January 1 st , 2008, of $9,000.
7.1 Important Assumptions and Goals
Notes for budget analysis
It is our goal that:

Enough grants and funds can be procured during the first year of operation to completely pay off and renovate the initial Thorn Creek properties, by the end of
2008.

All properties will be held and owned in the name of Big House Ministries, a nonprofit organization, and thus become exempt from yearly property taxation, or longterm leased from sympathetic land owners.

We can find and provide private sponsorships for one quarter of the people and youth in our foster and group homes

The organization will be one-half self-funded within 5 years, with the remaining half continuing to be funds coming in from grants, private sponsorships, corporate donations, and the like.

 By 2010, we plan to have our basic facilities built out and operational. At this point, our reliance on outside grants for expansion purposes will drop off drastically.

That we find enough private scholarships, sponsorships, and grants to keep our conference/camp registration fees low and accessible to low-income families.

That each fundraising banquet and community event brings in a minimum of
$10,000.

That enough daycare children and private school students can be attracted to our services, whose fees can completely cover basic facility upkeep each year, and help float other accounts that do not keep up, until other sources of private donor funding and non-profit business incomes can make the organization self-sustaining and independently financially viable.

The target population in each home is between 4 and 9 children. The target breakdown is 4~5 state-placed foster children, and 2 third party placement children per home. The State of Idaho pays a daily fee per child for foster childcare that they place, while third-party placed children also have fees paid for their care by whoever placed them. For homeless children that have no income associated with them, the cost associated with their care will simply be absorbed into the system.

Associated foster and group homes under the Thorn Creek umbrella will be partially subsidized, in that Big House Ministries will match funds with whatever the state pays, for each state-placed foster child within their care.

That all property bought will be paid for within a year or purchase, so that no longterm, outstanding mortgages will exist, hanging over our heads.
Proposed Fees & Misc Assumptions
Average attendees at TCCC events
State awarded foster care daily fees
Residential daily fees
Registration fees (daily)(Camps, Conf, etc)
Insurance Rates Per Household
Avg. Monthly Expense Account per Staff Member
Facility Daily Rental fees
2008
20
$7
$40
$40
$500
$100
$200
2009
40
$8
$45
$45
$550
$103
$500
2010
75
$9
$50
$50
$600
$106
$600
2011
100
$10
$55
$55
$650
$109
$650
2012
125
$11
$60
$60
$700
$113
$700

7.2 Projected Income
There are a number of different outside sources for funding that we can, are, and intend to pursue:
















Idaho Businessmen associations
Civic groups (Kiwanis, Lions, Rotary, etc)
Churches
Individuals
Fundraisers, banquets, mailers, email campaigns
Corporate Donors
Miscellaneous Grants
State funds / grants
Federal funds / grants
County funds / grants
Timber / Lumber sales
Conferences / Retreats / Camps
Gold and mineral mining
Electricity sales
Firewood sales
Real Estate and Car donation / resale program
Obviously, as a non-profit, publicly supported organization, a certain portion of our income will always come from individual and corporate donations and sponsorships. With that said however, it is also our goal to supplement a large portion of our income with sales of natural resources off the land like timber and firewood sales, the sale of spare excess electricity, and rental fees associated with using the conference and retreat center. It is also our goal to get away from reliance on yearly government-sponsored grants, and instead do more private and corporate fundraising to cover the gap. Fundraising will always be one facet of our program, as we believe that it is vital to maintain public awareness of, and involvement in, what Thorn Creek Conference Center and Youth Ranch is doing. When public awareness, interest, and support is minimized, it is our observation that the organization also eventually usually fails.
The following table and chart give a run-down of some of the forecasted income that we expect to develop and receive. With a full-time executive director in place, we expect second and third-year cash levels to jump dramatically over the first year and then continue to grow incrementally as public name recognition grows, our services are more fully utilized, and our grant writers find their stride.

Revenue assumptions are based on our best-educated forecasts:
Funding Forecast
State awarded daily foster care fees
Residential fees
Facility rental fees
Registration fees
Grants/corporate gifts
Generic Individual gifts / donations
Fund raisers / Banquets
Staff Sponsorships/gifts
Individual Private Sponsorships
Newsletters
Sale of donated vehicles, real estate
Sale of Books, Printed Materials
School/Daycare Income
Commercial sale of minerals, rock, logging, etc
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
$0
$0
$4,400
$0
$43,800 $101,835 $164,250 $228,855
$65,700 $146,000 $240,900 $328,500
$31,500
$39,600
$57,600
$82,500
$89,050
$148,500
$109,900
$240,000
$0 $2,000,000 $2,350,000 $650,000 $230,000
$12,000 $35,000 $50,000 $75,000 $45,000
$20,000 $30,000 $30,000 $40,000 $40,000
$12,000
$0
$0
$75,000 $203,940 $254,616 $262,254
$82,125 $187,063 $301,125 $410,625
$3,000
$15,000
$6,000
$30,000
$10,000
$70,000
$14,000
$150,000
$5,000 $10,000 $15,000 $20,000 $25,000
$102,600 $134,415 $168,047 $203,575 $241,084
$50,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000
Loans/ Line of Credit $3,000,000
Sale of electricity, firewood, cottage industries stuff, etc $3,000 $6,000 $12,000 $24,000
Total Funding $3,156,000 $2,618,140 $3,533,984 $2,429,016 $2,549,218
Direct Cost of Funding
PR travel
Fund Raisers / Banquets
Grant writers
Youth Ranch PR
Conference Center PR
Newsletters
Other
Subtotal Cost of Funding
Total Funding
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$3,000
$10,000
$12,000
$5,000
$4,000
$400
$34,400
$5,000
$12,000
$12,000
$7,000
$5,000
$600
$0
$41,600
$6,000
$14,000
$15,000
$9,000
$7,000
$800
$0
$51,800
$7,000
$16,000
$15,000
$11,000
$9,000
$1,000
$0
$59,000
$3,156,000 $2,583,740 $3,492,384 $2,377,216 $2,490,218

7.3 5 year Projected Expenses, Profit /Loss, Surplus / Deficit, and Overall cash Flow
Our yearly expected expenses and surplus / deficit projections are shown on the following tables.
Monthly Expenses, Yearly Surplus / Deficit
Yearly Funding/Income
Yearly Asset Expenditures
Renovations and Expansions
Development Fees
Purchase of equipment, vehicles, etc
New Construction
Purchase of Long-term Assets (Bldgs & Prop)
Subtotal of Asset Expenditures
Total Remaining for Basic Operating Expenses
Average Monthly Available for Basic Operating Expenses
Basic Monthly Operating Expenses
Sponsored Payroll
Staff Basic Expense Accounts (#staff*%filled*rate+COL)
Internet Services ($20ea+$60 TCCC)
Office Supplies and Petty Cash
Basic Maint / Renovations ($500/home + TCCCx2)
Telephone service ($50/ea+TCCC)
Utilities-prop, elec, water, septic ($400/mo/ea)
Payroll related Taxes / Expenses (25% of total)
Car Insurance ($75ea, 1 per home +3 TCCC)
Foster subsidy to umbrella homes (2X state rate)
General Insurance (Ins Rate/home + TCCC)
Gasoline & travel expenses ($100/vehicle)
LifeFlight or air ambulance membership
Training Budget
Total Monthly Basic Operating Expenses
Total Yearly Basic Operating Expenses
Gross Cash Flow (Income - Expenses)
Interest and Pricipal on Loan Repayments
Net Surplus / Deficit (yearly) (Non-accumulative)
$0
$0
$50
$0
$0
$0
$0
$2,000
$100
$0
$1,000
$9,168
$110,020
$980
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
$3,156,000 $2,583,740 $3,492,384 $2,377,216 $2,490,218
$771,000
$13,000
$141,000
$770,000
$330,000
$30,000
$174,000
$625,000
$600,000
$15,000
$55,000
$994,000
$1,350,000 $345,000 $440,000
$3,045,000 $1,504,000 $2,104,000
$240,000
$0
$0
$200,000
$310,000
$750,000
$0
$0
$0
$0
$310,000
$310,000
$111,000 $1,079,740 $1,388,384 $1,627,216 $2,180,218
$9,250 $89,978 $115,699 $135,601 $181,685
$5,908
$50
$19,701
$515
$31,799
$1,050
$39,655
$1,311
$44,129
$1,351
$60 $80 $100 $120 $140
$980
$100
$2,000
$100
$800
$4,925
$300
$5,280
$2,550
$400
$60
$2,000
$38,811
$465,730
$614,010
$600,000
$14,010
$200
$2,500
$150
$1,200
$7,950
$375
$12,420
$3,200
$500
$70
$3,000
$250
$3,000
$200
$1,600
$9,914
$450
$19,800
$3,950
$600
$75
$4,000
$300
$3,000
$250
$2,000
$11,032
$525
$27,720
$4,800
$700
$80
$5,000
$64,514 $84,925 $101,027
$774,171 $1,019,101 $1,212,323
$614,213
$600,000
$608,115
$600,000
$967,895
$600,000
$14,213 $8,115 $367,895

7.4 Projected Cash flow, and Accumulated Net worth
The balance sheet in the following table shows managed but sufficient growth of net worth, and a sufficiently healthy financial position.
Assets and Liabilities, Net Worth Sheet
Cash Surplus/Deficit Forward from Previous Year
Accumulated Cash Balance (prev + prev accum.)
New Liquid Assets/Capital (vehicles, equip., misc)
Total End of Year New Liquid Cash/Assets/Capital
Capital Depreciation Rate on Previous Accum. Noncash Assets
Capital Depreciation on Previous Years' Accum. Noncash Assets
Accum. Liquid Noncash Assets/Capital(prev-deprec+new)
Actual Accumulated Liquid Assets/Capital
New Long-term Assets (renovations, new const)
New Long-term Assets (buildings, properties)
Subtotal New Long-term Assets
Total End of Year New Assets (Liquid + Long Term)
Accumulated Long Term Assets (Previous Yr.)
Appreciation Rate on Previous Long Term Assets
Total Appreciation on Previous Long Term Assets
Subtotal New Long-term Assets
Actual Long Term Accum. Value (prev+apprec+new)
Total Accumulated Assets (cash + capital +long term)
Accounts Payable (Operating Expenses + Salaries)
Current Borrowing Repayments
Long-term Liabilities
Other Current Liabilities
Subtotal Current Liabilities
Net Worth (Accum. Assets - Current Liabilities)
2008
$9,000
$9,000
$141,000
$150,000
2009
$980
$9,980
$174,000
$174,980
5%
$0
$174,000
2010
$14,010
$23,990
$55,000
$69,010
5%
$8,700
$220,300
2011
$14,213
$38,203
$0
$14,213
5%
$11,015
$209,285
2012
$8,115
$46,318
$0
$8,115
5%
$10,464
$198,821
$9,000 $183,980 $244,290
$1,554,000
$1,350,000
$985,000
$345,000
$1,609,000
$440,000
$2,904,000 $1,330,000 $2,049,000
$247,488
$440,000
$310,000
$750,000
$245,139
$0
$310,000
$310,000
$3,054,000 $1,504,980 $2,118,010 $764,213 $318,115
$0 $2,904,000 $4,379,200 $6,647,160 $7,729,518
5% 5% 5% 5% 5%
$0 $145,200 $218,960
$2,904,000 $1,330,000 $2,049,000
$332,358
$750,000
$386,476
$310,000
$2,904,000 $4,379,200 $6,647,160 $7,729,518 $8,425,994
$2,913,000 $4,563,180 $6,891,450 $7,977,006 $8,671,133
$110,020
$0
$0
$0
$465,730
$600,000
$0
$0
$774,171 $1,019,101 $1,212,323
$600,000 $600,000 $600,000
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$110,020 $1,065,730 $1,374,171 $1,619,101 $1,812,323
$2,802,980 $3,497,450 $5,517,279 $6,357,905 $6,858,810

7.5 Management & Personnel Salaries and Related
Personnel/Staff Salaries/Budgets
Sponsored Staff Salary Goal (Prev. + Cost of Living Inc)
Regular Fulltime Staff
Percent of full payout (not all hired at same time)
Total FT Staff Salary
2008
$17,000
2
25%
$8,500
2009
$20,000
10
50%
$100,000
2010
$20,600
11
90%
$203,940
2011
$21,218
12
100%
$254,616
2012
$21,855
12
100%
$262,254
Comments (Staff Positions)
Yearly Cost of Living Increase Rate (All Staff/Emp.)
Full Time Houseparents
Base Houseparent Pay
Total Houseparent Salary
Part time pay rate
Part time employees
Part time payroll (30hrs/wk*52wks/yr)
Comments (Part Time Positions)
Total Yearly Payroll (PT + FT)
Maintenance
Nurse, Maintenance,
Secretary, Cook,
Chaplain, PR/Fund-
Raiser, Counselor,
Facilities-Director,
School-Director,
Daycare-Director
Nurse, Maintenance,
Secretary, Cook,
Chaplain, PR/Fund-
Raiser, Counselor,
Foster-Director,
Facilities-Director,
School-Director,
Daycare-Director
Nurse, Maintenance,
2 Secretaries, Cook,
Chaplain, PR/Fund-
Raiser, Counselor,
Foster-Director,
Facilities-Director,
School-Director,
Daycare-Director
Nurse, Maintenance,
2 Secretaries, Cook,
Chaplain, PR/Fund-
Raiser, Counselor,
Foster-Director,
Facilities-Director,
School-Director,
Daycare-Director
3%
0
$0
$0
$10.00
4
$62,400
3%
2
$20,000
$40,000
$10.30
6
$96,408
3%
3
$20,600
$61,800
$10.61
7
$115,850
3%
4
$21,218
$84,872
$10.93
8
$136,372
3%
5
$21,855
$109,273
$11.26
9
$158,021 basic labor, daycare, school basic labor, daycare, school basic labor, daycare, school basic labor, daycare, school basic labor, daycare, school
$70,900 $236,408 $381,590 $475,860 $529,549
$19,701 $31,799 $39,655 $44,129 Average Monthly Payroll (Yearly/12) $5,908
7.6 Projected Patronage/Usage of Services
Potential Customers (Foster Care)
Average children per home
Thorn Creek Homes
Affiliated Homes under Thorn Creek Umbrella
Total Actual Homes
Homeless Youth
Foster kids in Thorn Creek homes
Foster kids in associated umbrella homes
Third Party Placement
Total persons at any one point in time
Target home population = 4~9 children/youth per home
2008
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2009
5
1
3
4
1
4
11
4
20
2010
6
2
5
7
2
8
23
8
41
2011
6
3
7
10
3
12
33
12
60
2012
6
4
9
13
3
15
42
15
75

Potential Customers (TCCC)
Full week (M-F) Conferences/Camps
Church Weekend Retreats
Other Groups Weekend Retreats
Thorn Creek Weeks
Thorn Creek Respite Weekends
Thorn Creek Weekends
Total events
Total days in use
Total weekends in use
Total weeks in use
Total billable days rented (group rate)
Total Thorn Creek nonbillable days
Total Thorn Creek hosted billable days
Potential Customers (Daycare + School)
Daycare Daily Rate
Children In Daycare
Daycare Monthly Income (children*21days/mo*rate)
School Monthly Rate
Children in School
School Monthly Total (for 9 months)
Yearly School Income (from 9 months)
Average Monthly School Income
Average Monthly Income from Daycare/School
Total Yearly Income from Daycare/School
8
22
6
2
22
0
0
2008
2
3
3
0
0
0
38
97
31
7
63
12
22
2009
5
10
9
2
6
6
50
130
40
10
96
12
22
2010
8
15
13
2
6
6
64
176
48
16
137
12
27
2011
13
20
16
3
6
6
2008
$15.00
20
$6,300
$200
15
$3,000
2009
$15.45
25
$8,111
$206
20
$4,120
2010
$15.91
30
$10,026
$212
25
$5,305
2011
$16.39
35
$12,047
$219
30
$6,556
2012
$16.88
40
$14,181
$225
35
$7,879
$27,000
$2,250
$8,550
$37,080
$3,090
$11,201
$47,741
$3,978
$14,004
$59,007
$4,917
$16,965
$70,907
$5,909
$20,090
$102,600 $134,415 $168,047 $203,575 $241,084
69
201
48
21
157
12
32
2012
17
20
16
4
6
6

7.7 History and Goals of Donations
A sample of the donations given so far to the Big House Ministries organization by interested parties to this project, both to pay the president’s personal bills so that he could continue to work on organizational paperwork and preliminary Thorn Creek Conference
Center renovations, and for direct use at the Thorn Creek Conference and Prayer Center and Youth Ranch location:
Monetary donations
FY 2004 c. $5000
FY 2005
c. $3000
FY 2006 c. $8445
FY 2007 c. $12,000
Other nonfinancial donations
Misc. Beds, Appliances,
4WD Subaru station
Furnishings, Clothes, wagon,
Deep Cycle Batteries,
1981 Buick Skylark,
2.5 KW inverter,
1979 66ft Mobile Home,
120 amp charger,
2.5 KW Diesel Deep Cycle Batteries,
Plumbing supplies,
Generator,
Baby Grand Piano,
Misc. Beds, Appliances,
Construction supplies,
Furnishings, Clothing, equipment,
Foodstuffs,
Construction Materials,
Deep cycle Batteries,
2.5 KW Inverter,
Wood stoves,
PV Solar Panels,
Several hundred PR pamphlets printed,
Hydro-electric generator head,
Hundreds of jars of Web space for a website,
2 Foosball tables, canned goods, Fund raising help/advice,
5 coffee shop tables w/
Hundreds of pounds of
Water filtration
Membership to grant chairs, dried goods,
PV Solar Panels, writing consultant firm,
Furniture,
16 ft Aluminum fishing Private labor to help with
Labor, boat,
Furnishings, renovations,
Pipe for hydroelectric,
Flowers, Landscaping
Misc. Beds, Appliances,
Foodstuffs,
Hot water solar panels,
Materials, Clothing,
16 ft pull-behind travel
Commercial office Labor, trailer, photocopier / collator, rabbits,
Labor
Utility trailer,
Electrical supplies,
Plumbing supplies,
Construction supplies,
Clothing items,
Firewood,
Foodstuffs,
Canoes,
Rubber rafts,
Free labor,
20ft RV,
Wood pellet stove
We can safely ascertain from the above history that people around the edges of the project believe in the project and want to see it succeed, and are willing to give of their time and possessions to help make it happen.
The non-ownership of the land issue is the only thing still keeping the donations low.

Donations that we can use or are seeking…
Donations desired
Construction Materials (electrical, framing, plumbing, finish-work, metal roofing, cabinets, bathroom/kitchen fixtures, etc)
Earth / Snow moving equipment (dozer, backhoe, snowblower, etc.)
Bedding & Linens
Monetary gifts
Unused working vehicles
Real Estate
Beds
Wood Stoves
Candles & Oil Lamps
Alternate Energy electricity generation components
Gasoline
Household furniture
Kitchen & household items
Shop & yard tools
Clothing (for each season)
Professional Labor
General Construction Labor
Natural gas or propane appliances (dryers, stoves, space heaters, furnaces, hot water heaters, etc.)
Oxy-acetylene welding & cutting tools
Camping supplies & outdoor gear
Sleeping bags
Canoes, boats
7.8 Break Even Analysis
Due to the nature of Big House Ministries being a registered non-profit, publiclysupported organization, a normal Break-Even Point Analysis does not mean much in studying the long term financial stability of this organization.
It is simply our goal that one half of our funding comes from internal sources within 5 years, whether through firewood or natural resources sale, electricity and donated vehicle sales, or through the daycare, school, and conference center use and rental fees. The remaining half of our yearly budget will continue to come from private individual and corporate gifts, donations and grants, at least for now. This will keep the organization safely operating within the confines of a not-for-profit organizational and business venture, as defined by the Internal Revenue Service.
7.9 Financial Accountability and Oversight
Because sound financial and business practices need to be followed in order for the entire Big House Ministries organization to function smoothly and efficiently, and to operated above reproach and provide the best “return on the dollar” for our donors, we are

implementing several practices and safeguards to insure the integrity of the money earned and give to us.

All large capital expenditures and money outlays need approval through the appropriate and respective executive boards.

Better Business Bureau standards and practices will be observed where possible, and membership sought.

Accurate and detailed financial records will be kept, including everything from donors and donor giving, services sold and grants procured, to outlays, purchases and salaries. Receipts will be kept, as will copies of all invoices.

All major outgoing or withdrawal checks must be signed by 2 designated staff and/or board members.

The services of a CPA will be procured, both to help set things up, and to maintain things.

Membership into one of several Christian financial accountability firms will be sought.

Financial records will be open to authorized public perusal.

Occasional internal and external audits will be carried out from time to time.
7.10 Loan Exit Strategies
In the event that we procure loans as startup capital, we will be implementing ambitious payoff and exit strategies to get out from under these loans as quickly as possible.
These plans will include, but not be limited to:

Subdividing extra portions of the major ranch property and developing/selling them to interested parties and staff personnel. There is growing interest in this area as both a summer cabin area, and a bedroom community area for the greater Treasure Valley
(Boise Metro Area) located nearby. Land prices are rising, and property values are appreciating rapidly as more and more people become interested in obtaining and developing land in this area.

Limited development of the mineral and natural resources located onsite. Thorn
Creek Basin is located in the Boise Basin, an area that saw the first major gold rush of the Northwest over a hundred years ago, an area from which more gold was mined in its heyday, than in all of Alaska. There are many currently operating mines and small claims still located throughout the Boise Basin and Boise County, mining

everything from Gold and Silver to Aluminum, Lead, and Beryllium. Additionally, the lumber located onsite alone, carefully managed through sound forest management practices, has already been valued by certified foresters at a value in the many thousands of dollars. As land is cleared for structures, the pond is dug in, and the underground facility is excavated, the resulting timber and minerals will be sold commercially in order to recoup some of the costs of development. This will free up regular budget monies to be applied towards loan repayment.

Ambitious pursuit of development and corporate grants. Given the non-profit nature of this organization, and its focused work with disadvantaged and minority youth in a rural setting, there are millions of dollars available for organizations just like ours that we can tap into.

Ambitious fund-raising targeted towards payment of land related loans.

Refinancing through more conventional methods and loan sources once there are enough structures built/renovated and capital improvements done on the property to support it through its increased value.

8.0 Targeted Main Facility Location

Thorn Creek Youth Ranch & Conference Center : 21 Yellowpine Lane, Boise,
Idaho 83716. Hwy 21 exit off I-84 to Idaho City out of Boise, right on Thorn Creek
Road at mile marker 31, 5 miles up Thorn Creek Road, right on Yellowpine, facilities on the left. (Lat=43.74673. Long= -115.83503). 88 acres on Thorn Creek in Boise
County, ID.

USGS Topographic map of the proposed Thorn Creek Youth Ranch & Conference
Center Acreage rough boundaries (88 acres)
USGS aerial photograph of the proposed initial 88 acres for Thorn Creek Youth
Ranch & Conference Center geographic area. Sun is shining from the south in this picture.
Ranch is located in a valley at the confluence of 2 branches of Thorn Creek.

Within the red line lies the central 16 acres of the proposed Thorn Creek ranch and conference center property, the hub of all activities.

Satellite picture taken during the summer of 2004

8.1 Existing Facilities
Thorn Creek Youth Ranch & Conference Center main site (21 Yellowpine Lane)

88~90 acres, most of which is in timber

2 year-round flowing creeks and three springs

Direct access to Idaho Endowment and Public Lands on two sides

2 entrances off of Thorn Creek Road

Fishing onsite
Lodge

9 bedrooms, living room, kitchen/cafeteria with industrial sized stove and seating for up to 30, 3 bathrooms, laundry room, power room, small office, closets, 2 wrap around porches

In good repair and livable


Fully furnished

Wood, electric, and propane heated

Electric, propane, and candle/lamp light

Needs some electrical rewiring done

Needs finish trim work done

Needs new carpeting
Swimming pool and bathhouse (and bunkhouse in the background)

Full sized residential in-ground pool

Needs masonry repair and new deck

Needs plumbing, pumps and electrical repaired

Needs solar heater panels to keep water warm

Conference Building

3 unfinished bedrooms,

2 bathrooms (M/F)

Kitchen with 2 propane stoves

Large conference room

Attached wood shop convertible to storage, bedroom, studio apartment or other

Everything furnished except the bedrooms

Septic system needs brought up to code

Plumbing needs repair

Foundation needs rebuilt

Needs general deep cleaning inside and out

Needs general trash cleanup and haul-out outside

Shop downstairs needs cleaned out, and partially converted to half-court basketball court

Storage area needs cleanup


Huge covered deck for sitting/talking, needs repair

Wood stove heated, needs repair

Aluminum wiring needs replaced

Porch roof has partially collapsed due to heavy snow loading
Caretaker’s house (storage building)

2 bedroom, 1 bath, kitchen, living room with fireplace

In poor repair – either needs to be torn down, or completely renovated from the ground up.

Could be made livable with new roof structure, foundation, and flooring. Walls inside also need repair as do the plumbing, sewer, electrical, and propane systems.

Bunkhouse

12 bunks in Hogan-style structure

Roof has mostly caved in due to heavy snowfall

Structurally sound, not counting the roof

Unless insulation and wood stove installed, is strictly for summer and warm weather use

Needs electricity redone

Garage

Garage structure just resting on bare ground without foundation

Back end hanging over creek where creek has eaten the bank away, needs stabilized

Needs doors installed over garage door sized opening

No electrical, plumbing, or propane

Blue cottage

1 bath; 1 kitchen; living room and bedroom joined

Lath and plaster construction with shake roof

In poor repair

Needs solid foundation, plumbing, sewer, electrical, propane, and insulation

Needs roof repaired with tin/metal

Could be torn down for scrap lumber and firewood if not feasible to restore. More preferable solution is to save part of it and rebuild as a remodel job.

Forest Service Cabin

1 room

Needs new roof structure (and roofed with tin)

Needs walls chinked

Needs solid foundation

Plumbing, electrical, propane optional for summer use, needed if for winter use

Cabin

Needs foundation, new floor, structural members

Needs tin roof

Plumbing, electrical, propane optional for summer use, needed if for winter use

Prayer Cottage

Bedroom loft

Kitchen, bathroom, living room downstairs

Has full plumbing, electrical, and propane

Wood stove, fireplace for heat

Currently livable

Reserved for use by people in full time ministry

Bachelor Cabin

One room cabin, the size of a small bedroom

Needs insulated

Needs foundation stabilized

Needs wood stove, electrical for winter use

Floor and roof need repaired

Stable/Corral

Fence needs minor repairs to the rails

Big enough for approximately 2 horses or ponies

Includes a large hayloft

Structurally sound, except for attached tack room that has roof snow damage

Has lots of old tires that can be used for building the planned ropes and obstacle course

Generator building

Tiny solid block structure housing the generator and some of the electricity generating equipment

Needs air and exhaust vents installed

Cabin in lower woods

Simple one room, 3 sided cabin structure sitting on bare ground

Good roof and walls, structurally stable

Needs either to be moved and foundation installed

Needs 4 th wall and door installed

Needs floor installed

Plumbing, electrical, propane optional for summer use, needed if for winter use

Trailer cabin

35 ft mobile home

1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 living room, 1 kitchen

Needs new siding, windows and doors repaired, foundation and snow roof installed

Needs new electrical panel

Needs sewer, water, electrical and propane hooked up

Needs wood stove installed
Other immediate facility needs

More cabins and housing brought in and/or built for conference/retreat use, and for staff housing

A chapel building

Car pole barn or shed built in valley below house for winter parking.

New amphitheater and bonfire area built

8.2 Future Facilities proposed to be built onsite (on original 88~90 acres)

Area 1 contains most of the existing (and future) conference cabins, the lodge, the swimming pool, and the main conference/shop.

Area 2 is slated to be used specifically for part of the camping program at Thorn Creek
Conference Center and The Father’s House of Prayer on Thorn Creek, where we are planning to build a cluster of 4 boy’s cabins (400 sq ft) with 12 bunks each, a cluster of 4 girl’s cabins (400 sq ft) with 12 bunks each, and a large multi-purpose building
(7,000 sq ft) between them with bath/shower facilities for each sex, all of which together can be rented and/or used for youth camps, respite foster camps, and church camps, separate from the main existing conference center facilities.

Areas 3 and 5 are completely self-contained separate locations that will each feature several cabins for small private retreat use. Included will be 4 10-bed cabins (300 sq

ft ea) and one small multi-use building (dual shower facilities, kitchen, meeting/conference room (1500 sq ft). Staff houses are also targeted to be built in these areas.

Area 4 is a large pond that we will excavate and stock with native game fish, for conference recreational use, fishing, and water storage for use by local firefighting water bucket helicopters and the local volunteer fire department.

Area 6 – possible pond/small reservoir for hydroelectric power generation.

The areas between areas 1, 2, and 4 will contain a parking area, RV campsites, a small ball field, a fire pit, a Life-Flight helicopter landing zone, a pole barn maintenance shed, and a covered parking area for vehicle and snow plow parking in the wintertime

One of the first things that will be built is a small prayer chapel seating no more than about 50 people, located either in, or just above, Areas 1 and 2.

Build additional small double-bed kitchenette cabins for conference use in area 1.

Begin construction of underground complex in the mountainside under area 3
(through standard mining methods, the rock and minerals to be sold), recognizing that the long-term savings associated with the maintenance of such an underground facility will far offset the higher initial price of installation. Savings will come through lower yearly winterization costs, lower winter weather infrastructure repair costs, lower heating/cooling costs, lower yearly structural maintenance costs, lower snow removal costs, and lower land utilization costs – since surface land is a precious commodity for outdoor activities. Given also that the majority of surface land of the entire conference and ranch property is located on steep terrain and is thus not buildable, and that the rock that is mined in order to build the complex can be sold to offset the price of installation, we have decided to develop at least part of the future facility underground here.
8.3 Future Offsite and Expansion Options
Additionally, it is Big House Ministry’s goal to build or buy at least one foster home or group home location, somewhere in the Thorn Creek Drainage area, each year, to add to our group. Believing that there is wisdom to be shared, insights gained, and individual personal stability to be had by involving cross-generational demographics and interactions,

we also intend to include at least one of each of the following in the Big House Ministry’s group, somewhere in Southwest Boise County or the Thorn Creek Drainage area.

Youth related foster homes (the first home has already been accepted in the group)

Group care homes

Hospice housing

Elderly housing

Home for kids being released from Juvenile Corrections who no longer have a home to come home to.

Disabled housing (already accomplished through a limited partnership being formed with an existing faithbased group home for disabled adults known as Mikylar’s World in HorseShoe Bend, Idaho).
Likewise, Big House Ministries will also be buying properties and houses in the immediate area for staff, volunteer, and guest housing.
As an extension of the Thorn Creek site, we are also considering building a 7000 sq ft community building in 2009, in the nearby Clear Creek area, and a similar one in Robie
Creek, to meet the needs for food bank housing, offices, church gatherings, community event planning, community daycare facilities, etc and so forth. These locations are both only about 13 miles or 25 minutes from the main Thorn Creek Facility, and are both close enough, and far enough away, to meet the needs of the organization for an offsite gathering place for some of our events, as well as giving us a way to give back to the local community.
We recognize that with the influx of people that will be attending camps and whatnot at the main site on Thorn Creek, there will be some local resistance to the development of the site.
We have thereby decided to dedicate some of the use of our offsite extensions campuses to meeting the specific needs of the local community, hence the community center site, to be located in two of the poorest and roughest communities in Boise county, areas where ironically enough, we also expect to receive a lot of our foster kids from.
Additionally, sometime within the next 2 years, we plan to buy and establish a facility somewhere in the Boise area to house and shelter unwed mothers and pregnant teenage or
20-something girls.

Possible Future Idaho Endowment Lands Use Procurement
The original 88-acre site is outlined in pink. The area outlined in red is a 240 acre parcel of Idaho Endowment land that encompasses the mountain top and ridge above the

main site, that we would like to procure access to from state of Idaho (which we can potentially do as a non-profit school) in order to do a number of things with:

Develop an extensive horse, hiking, skiing, prayer and snowshoe-ing trail network/system

Establish an extensive wilderness survival training area

Utilize the ridge winds for windmill electricity generation

Build a dedicated school building
8.4 Facilities Maintenance
Basic facilities maintenance will be handled by a maintenance individual who has already committed to being a part of this project. He will have part-time hired help as well, and a crew of youth from the various foster homes, to help him keep up with everything. His responsibilities will include:





Basic plumbing repairs throughout the organization
Basic electrical repairs throughout the organization
Basic carpentry repairs throughout the organization
Basic vehicle maintenance throughout the organization
Basic grounds upkeep
8.5 Renovations, Expansions, Yearly Goals, and Estimated Costs
Over the next 4 years, we will be pushing an ambitious renovation and expansion program. This may include expansion onto the neighboring 240 acres of Idaho Endowment
Lands that we would like to procure access to either by grant, land swap, or outright sale.
Each year has its own set of goals, all of which together will help the Thorn Creek site to be one of the best places to get alone, find therapy and/or healing, and to just plain help wounded people find their true place in life once again.
 The winter of 2007/2008’s focus is to establish the organization correctly on paper, and begin to procure the initial properties.

 By the start of 2009’s camping season at the latest, we want to have completed basic renovations to the main site, and prepare for full-scale operations during the summer of 2009.
 2008’s focus is on buying and then upgrading the main Thorn Creek site and existing facilities to industry and code standard, and procuring Idaho
Endowment lands.
 2009’s focus is on both actual endowment and initial lands improvement (as opposed to buildings and structures), and beginning full-scale operations as a conference center and camp.
 2010’s focus is on building new facilities on both initial and endowment lands and estab lishing an unwed mother’s home in Boise, Idaho.
 2011 and 2012’s focus is simply to complete all projects and transition into maintenance and managed growth mode
New Properties around Thorn Creek
Main Thorn Creek Location
120 acres on Hwy 21/Thorn Creek
Blue House with mechanics shop
Lots in new subdivision on lower Thorn Crk
Land / homes in Lower Thorn Creek
Existing home in Valley of the Pines
Contiguous Idaho Endowment lands
Land for home in Clear Creek
Teenage/unwed moms' home in Boise, Ada County
Existing home in Valley of the Pines
Contiguous Idaho Endowment lands
Existing home in Robie Creek
Land for home in lower Thorn Creek
Existing home in Valley of the Pines
Idaho Endowment lands
Existing home in Valley of the Pines
Existing home in Clear Creek
2008
$650,000
$300,000
$200,000
$200,000
2009
$225,000
$120,000
$0
2010
$90,000
$250,000
$100,000
$0
2011
$150,000
$60,000
$100,000
$0
2012
$100,000
$150,000
Land for home in Lower Thorn Creek
Idaho Endowment lands
Totals
$60,000
$0
$1,350,000 $345,000 $440,000 $310,000 $310,000
Note: Idaho Endowment Lands Procurements has no monetary value associated with them simply because prices and/or exchanges have not been worked out yet, and these lands will be paid for by special fund raising campaigns.

General 2008 renovation/improvement goals for Thorn Creek Conference Center & Youth Ranch area sites
All state and county codes complied with for operating a commercial facility (fees, permits, etc)
Total of Renovations and site improvements
Sports equipment (including weight room/exercise equipment, basic horse tack) bought
School equipment, computers, learning software, curriculum
Portable Sawmill bought
Other Capital Equipment expenditures (12 passenger minivan, vehicles, snowplow, schoolbus, etc)
Total Development costs
Plumbing (including septic) centralized, repaired, brought up to code throughout initial facility
Electrical wiring repaired and brought up to code throughout facility (bid by Boise City Power and Light, LLC)
Carpets replaced throughout facility
Stable foundations, log cabin siding, and tin roofs installed on all keep-able structures, cabins repaired
Unsalvageable buildings torn down
Bridge at main entrance stabilized (dirt and/or concrete work mostly)
Spring developed into potable backup water source for facility
Potable water & hot-water wells dug
Water filtration equipment installed on community water supply coming into facility
Stable electricity supply developed for facility: Wind, Hydro, Solar, Diesel, Wood-gas and Hydrogen
Fire-pit amphitheater relocated (volunteers)
Dead trees hauled out of forest and cut up for firewood, boundary firebreaks cut (volunteers)
Wood stoves and/or other heat sources installed and made safe in all buildings (volunteers)
Helicopter pad cleared out for both life-flight and fire-fighting use (volunteers)
Pond dug for recreational and fire-fighting use
Diesel tanks dug up, inspected, removed
Commercial Kitchen Equipment bought/installed
Shop tools and equipment (welder, torch, tools, etc)
Develop horse/pony therapy program w/ animals, equipment
Site Landscaping, fruit trees/orchard
Renovations, expansions to lodge
Backhoe and bulldozer or other earth and snow moving equipment
$13,000
$13,000
$70,000
$50,000
$30,000
$60,000
$10,000
$3,000
$2,000
$55,000
$10,000
$40,000
$0
$0
$0
$0
$10,000
$10,000
$30,000
$6,000
$50,000
$35,000
$300,000
$771,000
$60,000
$24,000
$7,000
$30,000
$20,000
Total Capital expenditures, assets, equipment
Chapel Built
Community shower/bath house (M/F)
Multipurpose building w/ weight room, stage, chairs, tables, commercial kitchen, M/F bath/showers, infirmary,etc
2 staff cabins built onsite
Pole barn built in valley for winter parking
13 small cabins built or moved onsite (kitchenettes and bunked)
Total of New Construction
Total
$141,000
$50,000
$30,000
$500,000
$45,000
$15,000
$130,000
$770,000
$1,695,000

General 2009 renovation/improvement goals for Thorn Creek Conference Center & Youth Ranch area sites
Full survey of all main site and endowment lands
Fees associated with paperwork, permits, etc
Development costs
School equipment, computers, learning software, curriculum
Five large windmills built on endowment ridge to harnass ridge winds for electricity
Buy mining equipment to begin initial construction on underground facility
Buy/ install 40KW backup diesel generator
Capital equipment, expenditures
Road built to top of endowment ridge
Develop winter use sled/ski run w/ rope tow
Site landscaping
Build quality baseball field with dugouts
Develop high ropes and obstacle course
Renovations to teenage/unwed moms' home/ TCYR offices in Boise, Ada County
Expand backup battery bank, solar bank
Total of Renovations and site improvements
Chapel Built
Barn built for horses and farm animals
Build Clear Creek Community Center/TCYR offices for Boise County
Total of New Construction
Total
$15,000
$15,000
$30,000
$24,000
$40,000
$100,000
$10,000
$174,000
$70,000
$75,000
$25,000
$45,000
$30,000
$75,000
$10,000
$330,000
$75,000
$50,000
$500,000
$625,000
$1,159,000

General 2010 renovation/improvement goals for Thorn Creek Conference Center & Youth Ranch area sites
Miscellaneous permits
Development costs
Develop prayer trails, hiking trails, cross-country skiing trails on endowment lands
Build/ install power lines, transmission equipment, connecting main locations at Thorn Creek Site
Transmission line connection to local utility company (Idaho Power) for backup power
Total of Renovations and site improvements
School equipment, computers, learning software, curriculum
New /Used 15 passenger vans
Expansion of Alternate Energy Grid to include local properties
Economical company vehicles
$15,000
$15,000
$30,000
$70,000
$500,000
$600,000
$24,000
$20,000
$20,000
$15,000
Total Capital Expenditures $55,000
Begin mining/ construction of 10,000 sq ft multipurpose (meeting rooms, lodging, eating, etc) underground facility
Mini retreat center and 4 cabins on opposite hillside
4,000 sq ft prayer retreat center with 6 bedrooms built
Astronomy observatory/school built on endowment ridge
Total of New Construction
Total
$500,000
$110,000
$150,000
$100,000
$994,000
$1,609,000
General 2011 renovation/improvement goals for Thorn Creek Conference Center & Youth Ranch area sites
Development Fees
Onsite road paving
General site improvements across organization and project completion
Total of Renovations and site improvements
New ADA compliant swimming pool
Total of New Construction
Total
$0
$100,000
$140,000
$240,000
$200,000
$200,000
$440,000
8.6 Renovations previously completed between April 2004 and March 2008

Community water supply (non-potable) hooked up and routed into the lodge.

Electricity infrastructure in the lodge repaired

2.5KW inverter installed


1000 Watts of PV Solar panels installed, sourcing about .5 KWhours/day (KWH/day)
@120VAC.

Potable water supply fixed/run into lodge into one faucet for all drinking water needs

Water filtration equipment installed on Community water supply lines

Multiple fire hydrants installed near perimeter of property

Exposed water lines buried

Junk removed from multiple abandoned buildings and cleanup initiated

Pool house painted

Functional wood stoves installed in main lodge building and prayer cabin

Prayer cabin plumbing and electricity repaired

New bridge with railings across the creek on trail to the prayer cabin

Wood fired hot water boiler installed for domestic use in lodge

Site-wide Wireless/Ethernet LAN network installed

High Speed Satellite Internet connection installed

Multiple extra bedrooms built into existing unfinished rooms in lodge

2.5 KW Electric Generators installed

Small Hydroelectric line installed, sourcing about .5 KWH/day @ 120VAC

Multiple buildings stabilized, awaiting land contract finalization/ funding

Multiple plumbing problems repaired across the site and within the lodge

Dead/downed fuel wood mitigation started. Good forest health management practices implemented

Propane system/piping repaired/expanded to include multiple buildings

Electricity/wiring installed/repaired to multiple buildings beyond the lodge

Battery banks installed capable of storing almost 5 KWH @ 120VAC of power

Damaged bunk house roof torn off

Pool drained / cleaned and plumbing partially repaired

Playground cleaned up and expanded, and new equipment installed

Dead trees removed and cleaned up

Onsite junk removed


Prayer cabin winterized, made liveable

Multiple building roofs repaired

Building sites preliminarily surveyed and set aside

Organization established, and paperwork written and/or filed
8.7 Capital Equipment Needs
Below are listed some of the capital equipment items and assets that the organization will need to either lease or buy, in order to accomplish and/or be effective in what it does.

Small Bulldozer, used – for road maintenance and dirt work as we expand and repair the primary ranch facilities. We will be watching the local classifieds and calling major equipment suppliers, looking for a used one. Funding will come from a special fund raising effort specifically for it. Estimated cost to be about $5,000~$10,000.

Pickup truck mounted snowplow – for snow removal during the wintertime. Snow accumulations can reach 6 feet or more during the winter in the general vicinity of the main ranch facility, and in order to utilize the ranch as a year-round facility, the roads will need to be kept clear by both the bulldozer and the snowplow. We will be watching the local classifieds and calling major equipment suppliers, looking for a used one. Funding will come from general upkeep funds. Estimated cost to be about
$2000. In the event that a snowplow is not immediately procurable, several neighbors with snowplows are willing to be hired to keep the roads clear for us.

Backhoe, used – for multiple uses. The front loader on the backhoe will be used for minor dirt work and snow removal, as well as lifting and carrying logs, firewood, landscape rocks, and other tools, equipment and materials. The backhoe portion of the backhoe will come in handy for use when digging trenches for pipes and electrical conduit throughout the facility. We will be watching the local classifieds and calling major equipment suppliers, looking for a used one. Funding will come from a special fund raising effort specifically for it. Estimated cost to be about $15,000.

Small dumptruck – for use moving dirt, logs and/or water tanks for firefighting use.
We already have an old dumptruck, ready to be restored and rebuilt, and the option to buy a working one from an interested third party.


Economical company vehicles – for use by the foster child chauffeurs, houseparents, and other ranch related staff. We will be watching the local classifieds, government department auctions, and calling major vehicle suppliers, looking for a good used one, as backup for the 2 vehicles already owned by Tim Benedict and set aside for ranch use. Funding will likely come from special fund raising efforts. Estimated cost to be about $3,000 each.

12~15 Passenger Vans and regular minivans – for use by houseparents and the foster homes. We will be watching the local classifieds, government department auctions, and calling major vehicle suppliers, looking for used ones. Funding will likely come from special fund raising efforts. Estimated cost to be about $7,000 each.

School bus – for use by the camps for trips to the reservoir to swim, and other field trips. Estimated cost to be about $7,000 each.

Commercial kitchen stove, stainless steel counters, dishwashing equipment – for feeding lots of people. We will be watching the local classifieds, government department auctions, salvage yards, and calling major equipment suppliers, looking for used ones. Funding will likely come from special fund raising efforts. Estimated cost to be about $25,000. Several pieces already tracked down and bought.

Power generating equipment – to generate electricity for use throughout the ranch complex. Procured by a combination of grants, special fund raising efforts, and buying and refurbishing used equipment. Estimated cost to be about $20,000.

Computers for the home school and/or career training labs. We have already been given all the computers that we need for these labs, though laptops are still being sought due to their lower power requirements.

Welder, torch, and tools for maintenance shop. We will stock this shop from a variety of places, including pawn shops, local classifieds, and word of mouth, paying for it through grants and special gifts. Estimated cost to be $6,000.

Various wood stoves, gas appliances, hot water heaters, etc and so forth. Bought on an as needed basis, from various local sources, out of the maintenance and expansion budgets.
8.8 Site Landscaping
Over the course of the first several years, basic site landscaping will include a number of things:


A fruit tree orchard. This serves the purpose of both feeding the bees in bee hives that we have for honey, as well as provide fruit for ranch and group home consumption.

A garden whereby we can stock our food bank with fresh vegetables

Low impact, solar-powered, low-level lighting, on all major paths between the various ranch buildings

A 4-acre pond on the lower portion of the property will provide both recreational opportunities, and water storage for the garden and for fire-fighting
 Log cabin siding on many of the buildings will provide a common theme and “look” across the campus/site.
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Strategic placement of bushes, flowerbeds, rocks, and other landscaping items, to give the site a well kept, yet pristine, look.
8.9 Sources of Supply
There are lots and lots of local sources of the various pieces of capital equipment, appliances, and building materials that we need for the ranch. Since it is our goal to keep costs down, and maximize every dollar earned and given to us, we will be buying many things either second hand, or through auctions of new and excess materials and equipment.
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The Boise Metro Classified Ads and advertiser marketing papers always have lots of items for sale, pulling from a population base approaching a half million people.
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Treasure Valley and Mountain Home Pawnshops specialize in tools and many of the smaller items that the ranch needs in order to function.
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There are lots of commercial equipment sales-yards and contractors in the Treasure
Valley, all supporting the recent long term building and expansion boom, that always have used equipment such as bulldozers and backhoes for sale.
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There is a very large high tech sector in the Treasure Valley, that is always updating equipment and technology, which has proved to be very willing to work with local non-profit organizations, outfitting them with their obsoleted (but still very functional and only a year or two out of date) equipment.
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Treasure Valley salvage and recycling yards. There are a number of very large recycling and salvage yards in the Treasure Valley area, which often have used equipment that the ranch needs, available at rock bottom prices.

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Treasure Valley Auction yards. There are several very large auction yards in the
Treasure Valley area, that always have appliances, construction materials, capital equipment, and more, that the ranch can bid on and procure at deeply discounted prices.
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Construction materials recyclers and auctions. Because of the long term building boom that has been happening in the Treasure Valley and Southern Idaho areas, there is also a huge supply of brand new excess construction materials, available at deeply discounted and rock bottom prices through local construction auctions, clearing houses, and lumber yards.
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Corporate Donors. Many of the large corporations that have headquarters or major operations in the Treasure Valley, such as Albertson’s Grocery Stores and Hewlett
Packard, have a long standing reputation of donating large sums of money, time, and equipment to local charities.
Capital expenditures over several thousand dollars have to be cleared with the executive board as stipulated in the Articles of Incorporation. At least initially, the president, with experience in the construction industry, will oversee materials procurement, contractor hiring, volunteer coordination, construction material inventory control (materials are stored onsite in several different buildings and storerooms until needed/used), and all aspects of the renovations and construction. Boise County, wherein the ranch lies, has various building inspectors that guarantee that all work is done to code, and we will be coordinating closely with them.

9.0 Summary
Recognizing that we need to:
1. Be good stewards of the land and earth in our care
2. Cut costs by maintaining a large degree of food self-sufficiency
3. Cut costs by developing our own Alternative Energy sources
4. Be prepared in the event of local natural disasters
5. Participate in and coordinate with the local Volunteer Fire/Sheriff Depts.
We plan to develop our self-sufficiency in any and all ways that we can, including using onsite alternative energies, enough so that we have surpluses that we can sell back to the local community or help local families in crisis, while using any revenues thus generated to pay off land loans and augment the general budget.
Given also the remote and undeveloped nature of much of this area, we can research, utilize, and then teach the local community better and more effective ways to generate their own power and live “green”.
In the face of a potentially large-scale natural catastrophe, we also desire to be poised and ready to help out the local community in need. Maintaining our own alternative energy systems, water supply, communications network connections, and food supply, will allow us to do this.
Natural disasters common and possible in this area:
1. Heavy winters with road closures due to: a. Heavy snowfall b. Avalanches

c. Flooding and road/bridge washouts
d. Mudslides
2. Earthquakes (last major one was in the mid 1980’s)
3. Forest Fires
All of the above natural disasters have hit the local community at least once (several many times) in the previous 10~20 years, disrupting the food supply, electric power, gasoline/fuel supplies, water, communications, and travel.
9.1 Food
One of the potential properties under consideration for a facility site has 50+ acres of farmable land. So far as is possible, this land can/will be put to use in the following ways, while keeping a commitment to “organic” growing methods:
1. A fruit orchard with various varieties of trees that grow well in this area will be planted, with their ripening seasons staggered so as to maximize the time that at least one fresh fruit is always available and “in-season”. Fruit trees with canning-able fruits will be given preference. At the same time, we will also develop a database of people in the Boise area that have their own fruit trees and have a desire to share them. With this database, we can shuffle fruit as it ripens to where it’s needed most, whether it’s in our own foster home network, or augmenting the supplies of various local food banks.
2. A large garden with various pumpkins, squashes, and other vine related canning-able/frozen vegetables will be planted.
3. Several acres of corn will be grown that can be picked and frozen for winter, and the stalks turned into silage for the animals over the winter.
4. A number of acres of corn or a similar crop will be grown specifically for processing into ethanol suitable for gasoline engine use.
5. A number of acres of alfalfa will likewise be cultivated for winter animal feed.

6. Several ton of wheat will always be in storage, millable into flour when needed, ready for use in any long-term emergency situation (already procured).
7. Goats, rabbits, and several cows will all be raised for meat, in USDA approvable shelters and settings.
8. Chickens will be raised for their fresh eggs in USDA approvable shelters and settings.
9. Several milk goats and milk cows will provide daily fresh milk.
9.2 Power
Since the main Thorn Creek Conference Center Facility is located approximately 4 miles from the nearest Idaho Power utility electrical access, the facility currently/already generates its own electrical power, as will any future facility that we develop. Each electricity generating component of the multi-redundant-source power generation system feeds a standard 110/220 Volt distribution grid that stretches across the facility (and will eventually be available to sell to local neighbors). 12 and 24 Volt DC power is also available and utilized for low voltage equipment onsite. All standard computers, appliances, and most other electrical amenities function just fine, although electric stoves, and electric dryers are completely avoided, and other electrically operated heat-generating appliances such as hotair hair dryers and electric space heaters, are also strongly discouraged. Part of this system is already in place and completely operational.
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Several electric power generation components are already in operation, while the rest are either currently being built, researched for buying, or are being developed).
Once this system is fully operational, we fully expect to expand and begin supplying electricity to the full subdivision around the ranch. At some point in our expansion, the local utility company (as we understand it) is required by law to run transmission lines into our valley to buy our excess electricity, thereby providing the ranch with yet another source of monthly income (and giving us yet another backup source of electricity).
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Sources of power:

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Photo-voltaic (PV) solar panels
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Deep cycle battery banks for storage and their associated charge controllers
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Multiple electricity generators powered by: diesel, gasoline, hydrogen, propane, and/or wood-gas
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Hydroelectric turbines
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Fuel cell pile (using hydrogen gas from the hydrogen gas generators)
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Low voltage DC to 110Volt 60 cycle AC Inverters
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And other possible alternative energy power sources under development and/or research. Current research and development is being done by the
CEO (a member of a successful, worldwide “garage inventors” group) and others in the organization into gravity assisted electricity and hydrogen generation, earth battery grids, and electricity generation through ionosphere charge coupling to earth.
A connection to the local grid will be installed where possible to individual facilities, simply for power backup needs, and for the ability to sell surplus power back to the grid.
9.3 Gasoline & Fuel Alternatives
There are a number of both new and mature technologies available for use in producing alternative fuels, thus minimizing our various facilities’ dependence on gasoline and other fossil fuel sources. These will also serve us and our community well in case of natural disasters and emergency situations.
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Filtered wood-gas (a clean burning alternative to propane and natural gas, made from scrap wood chips or other plant biomass, using a technology that was matured and in common use throughout Europe during WWII) generators can be easily built.

A full network of hydrogen and propane/filtered woodgas plumbing (already partially in place at the main proposed facility), will supply all backup space heating, cooking heat, some hot water heating, and backup lighting to the greater Conference Center and Youth ranch site. Hydrogen and filtered woodgas generation is/ will be done

onsite and stored onsite in a 500-gallon tank and a 1,000-gallon tank, while backup propane is trucked in and stored in a separate onsite 1,000-gallon propane tank.
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Primary space heating is accomplished using wood stoves in each building, some to directly heat the air, and others to be set up to provide in-floor or radiator radiant heating via liquid heat exchanger systems. Hydrogen and Propane/filtered woodgas heaters will provide backup space heating. Wood fired boilers also provide hot water.
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Hydrogen generators using resonant electrolysis, and other unique processes developed and/or utilized by the president and staff members (several of which are also amateur inventors), will both source fuel cell piles and augment the propane system.
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Wood. We live in a forest. We can cut firewood and use the by-products of the fuel wood process (limbs, bark, etc) to source the woodgas generators, while also producing burnable liquid fuels like wood alcohol.
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A number of acres of corn or a similar crop will be grown specifically for processing into ethanol suitable for gasoline engine use.
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Many of our facility vehicles will be converted over to hydrogen or filtered woodgas systems, using technology readily available for use by natural gas or propanepowered vehicles.
9.4 Water and Sewer
Water needs can be broken down into three main sub points: irrigation, showering/non-potable needs, potable/drinking water needs.
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For irrigation we will procure water rights to the streams crossing the property, for diversion into an irrigation ditch system for the cropland and orchard.
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For non-potable water needs, we will pipe a surface spring into a large holding/settling tank on the hill above the facility, and gravity feed it into the buildings below.

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For potable and drinking water needs, we will use UL listed and approved drinking water filters to source designated water spigots in each building/structure, preferably with water from a covered spring source.
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A well will also be dug to directly supply/fulfill potable/drinking water needs of the larger facilities.
Sewer needs can be addressed several different ways.
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The smaller cabins will not have sewer hookups or facilities, though many will contain self-contained composting, fertilizer-producing toilets. The staff homes will each have their own septic and drain field systems, while the lodge, conference center, and multipurpose building will each have their own septic facilities (tanks and drain fields).
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More developed septic and sewer plans and infrastructure are still being designed for the facility. Options being considered include:
 Traditional septic/drain field systems,
 Self-contained composting systems
 Complete recycling and reclamation systems
9.5 Communications

Any facility we develop (including the current Thorn Creek facility) will run on an
Ethernet and wireless based Windows network connected to the Internet through a high-speed satellite up/downlink and a redundant dial-up connection for backup.
Individual group and foster homes will have simple dial-up Internet access, or if lineof-site, to a wireless relay bridge and access point above the facility, or if close enough to the main office in the lodge, through simple a wireless wide area network connection.
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This will provide staff with critical internal and external email communication and research capabilities.


Though the Internet will not normally be available for use by people renting the facilities (only to staff and emergency personnel), it may be used from time to time in various career-training classes, as well as in a limited fashion by the different group/ foster homes.
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We will likely eventually operate and maintain our own onsite web and email servers in order to better control their content and react faster to current events.
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We will maintain this equipment and our network within the industry standard envelope by pursuing various technology grants available to groups like ours, employing the services of sympathetic technical professionals (including those on our advisory board), and actively pursuing private gifts and donations.
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The entire Thorn Creek facility will utilize an onsite wireless and cabled SIP PBX telephone exchange, with multiple lines of access into the facility via underground cable land-lines into the Valley of the Pines Subdivision area, already in place. Each member group and foster home along Thorn Creek will also have a simple landline or wireless service to the same carrier as the main location.
 Any site in this area also has direct contact with the local Sheriff’s Department through the emergency radios that all the local volunteer fire departments use.
Several staff members will always be required to be members of these local departments.
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CB Radios are installed in a number of facility vehicles as well as the main office.
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Satellite TV connections are available.
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Several staff members have HAM radio licenses and keep in contact with others around the world in this way also.
9.6 Travel
Travel, especially in the wintertime, can be scary, dangerous, or even downright impossible. Likewise, if a natural or manmade disaster cuts off outside access (as happens

regularly in this area), we can prepare for any of these contingencies in several different ways.
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Several facility vehicles will be 4WD, with good snow tires installed
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Working snowmobiles will always be able to get out in the worst of the snow
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A Life-Flight membership will always be bought, and a landing zone always kept clear.
 At least one member of the staff will have and maintain a pilot’s license, and an airworthy vehicle of some sort will be kept parked at a local airport or landing facility at all times (whether an ultra-light, gyro-copter, light plane, helicopter, or any other air worthy vehicle that might be bought or given to the organization, and that can be used in an emergency situation).
9.7 Emergency Response
With an eye towards being prepared for the most common natural disasters, and believing that people are the most responsive to the deeper needs of the soul when they are revealed by catastrophes in their lives, we can do a number of things to prepare our facilities for the worst, and be ready to reach out to and help others caught by disaster.

Fire suppression will be handled by an onsite dump truck to be converted to a fire tanker truck, a planned onsite several acre pond available for use by firefighting helicopters, a slide-in tank/pump pickup truck unit, backup water storage available in the swimming pool, multiple high output pumps and hoses, and the local volunteer fire department (of which multiple staff members are members).
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Several staff members will always be required to be members of the local volunteer fire department.
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Each major facility will maintain designated Life-Flight and Helicopter Landing Zones
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Water Agreements will be signed with various state and local firefighting agencies allowing them to use onsite facility water sources (ponds, hydrants, etc) for fighting nearby fires.

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Fire hydrants will be installed at various convenient locations across the facility.
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The main facility will be designated as a meeting center in the local emergency response contingency plans.
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All onsite organization medical personnel will likewise be available in any local emergency response situation.
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Various staff members will always participate in local emergency training exercises and classes.
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Firebreaks that double as hiking and riding trails, will be maintained along the rear edges of the property
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Good fire mitigation practices and procedures will always be followed on a yearly basis, thus lessening the chances of being burned out by a large forest fire.
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Functioning power and communications systems will be maintained and tested on a regular basis to ensure full capabilities.
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Extra medical supplies and basic triage equipment will be stored somewhere onsite.

Big House Ministries is establishing the Thorn Creek Youth Ranch and Conference
Center in the Valley of the Pine Subdivision, in the Thorn Creek Drainage area, between
Boise and Idaho City, Idaho, in order to meet both the physical and mental/spiritual needs of wounded people in need of whole person healing.
Clustered around the Conference Center and Youth Ranch Hub/school, will be satellite foster homes, group homes, and daycares throughout the community that will care for youth and other disadvantaged or at-risk people groups. On site at the Conference
Center Hub, Big House Ministries will both sponsor on their own, and cater to outside organizations to allow them to hold organized camps, educational workshops, and retreats for the purpose of seeking God, training people to walk with and live for Him, and to walk through and find balance and healing in their lives.
Staff to run the organization will initially be made up of self-supported, dedicated individuals who have committed to making the organization a success.
Expenses at the Thorn Creek Facility will be paid for by a combination of grants, public and private donations, sales of firewood/timber and other natural resources, income from the daycare and private school, electricity and technology sold to neighbors, sales of donated vehicles and estates, conference/camp registration fees, and foster/group home residential fees.
Big House Ministries will maintain both a commitment to self-sufficiency/alternate energy sources, and a moderate level of emergency response preparedness at all times.
Big House Ministries is poised right on that edge of really becoming something big, ready to touch and bring healing to people’s lives, both now and in the future. If we can get the whole project immediately funded, there is literally nothing standing in the way of our reaching out in a powerful way to the wounded and hurting people all around us, and especially to the youth… Can you, will you, help?

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9.
Available upon Request:
1.
2.
Big House Ministries Articles of Incorporation
Big House Ministries Bylaws
Big House Ministries website at ( http://www.bighouseministries.com
Big House Ministries Youth Pastor mission-trip invitation
Big House Ministries tri-fold advertisement for Conference Center
Big House Ministries Conflict of Interest Policy
Big House Ministries Power Point Presentation #1
Big House Ministries IRS 501-c3 Non-profit Application
Big House Ministries Spiritual Emphasis
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10. Big House Ministries Outline of Private School Operations
11. Big House Ministries Outline of Scouting Program
12. Excel Spreadsheet Detailing Financial Numbers/Calculations
13. Résumés of Various Staff and Board Members
Executive Board - Tim Benedict, Karen Benedict and Todd Beliel
Advisory Board
 Scott Oliveria
 Michael Schroeder
 Timothy Slusser
 Dr. Tsuktimeren Ao
 Matt Manos
 Terry Branch