The RISEaid Plan · October 2026

Help exists. Getting to it is the hard part. We fix that.

RISEaid walks with people through life's hardest transitions: leaving prison, aging out of foster care, leaving treatment, leaving homelessness, escaping domestic violence, and leaving trafficking. We start in Ogden, Utah.

Support the launch Partner with us

Executive summary

One place to find the next step, and a person who follows up.

The help people need already exists, but it is scattered across agencies, churches, and nonprofits, each with its own hours, rules, and phone tree, and listings go stale fast. RISEaid puts verified local resources, a human help line, trained volunteers, and Hope, our AI helper, in one place at riseaid.org.

The model is lean: two founders, a nine-seat volunteer board, a volunteer corps, and partner organizations that deliver services. RISEaid connects and follows up; partners provide shelter, treatment, and legal help. That keeps us small, fast, and focused on the gap between systems.

$150K

year-one goal, from six sources

programs, one front door

board seats, starting with 5

888-860-RISE

help line

Mission

Walk with people through life's hardest transitions, connecting them to trusted help so they can rise.

Vision

No one leaves a cell, a foster home, a treatment bed, a shelter, or an abuser without knowing exactly where to go next.

The numbers

The first days after a transition decide a lot.

Every figure on this page comes from a government agency, a peer-reviewed study, or a national data source, and each one links to its source at the bottom of the page.

82%

of people released from state prison are arrested again within 10 years1

129×

higher risk of dying from an overdose in the first two weeks out of prison4

15,030

young people aged out of U.S. foster care in a single year15

745,652

people were homeless in America on one night in January 202520

40–60%

of people treated for addiction relapse, about the same as asthma or high blood pressure10

13,018

requests for help from domestic violence survivors went unmet in one day29

Of every 10 people released from state prison, 8 are arrested again within 10 years.1

24 states, people released in 2008, followed for 10 years. Pink hearts are people rearrested.

Six programs

Six transitions. The same missing piece.

Each program serves adults 18 and older in one transition, plus the family members, case workers, and volunteers helping them. Domestic violence and trafficking work is always anonymous.

Program 1 of 6

Incarceration

People leaving prison or jail

Most people who leave prison go back, and the first two weeks are the most dangerous of all. A safe place to sleep, an ID, and a job are what break the cycle.

What RISEaid does

A first-72-hours checklist: ID, a bed tonight, parole check-in, benefits
Verified reentry housing and second-chance employers in our directory
The 888-860-RISE help line and a volunteer who calls back
Together we RISE! funds the deposit, the work boots, the bus pass

453,242

people were released from U.S. state and federal prisons in 2023, about 1,240 a day3

66%

were rearrested within 3 years, and 82% within 10 years1

24 states, people released in 2008

46%

were back in prison within 5 years, for a new sentence or a parole or probation violation2

34 states, people released in 2012

129×

the overdose death risk of other residents in the first two weeks after release4

Washington State, 30,237 people released

27%

of formerly incarcerated people were unemployed, nearly five times the national rate5

most recent national data (2008)

~10×

more likely to be homeless than the general public6

most recent national data (2008)

In Utah

3,162 people released from Utah prisons in 20233

59% of people released in 2019 returned to a Utah prison within 3 years, for any reason, mostly for technical violations7

17% of the same group returned for a new conviction, Utah's official recidivism measure8

What works

Housing

Washington State's reentry housing program led to significantly fewer new convictions and returns to prison for new crimes; every stretch without housing raised the risk.9

Program 2 of 6

Foster Care

Young people aging out at 18

Every year thousands of young people leave foster care with no family to fall back on. By 21, one in four has been homeless.

What RISEaid does

A plan for turning 18: housing, benefits, documents, a bank account
Mentors who stay past the paperwork
Directory of transitional housing and independent-living programs
Together we RISE! covers first-apartment and school costs

15,030

young people aged out of foster care in fiscal 2025, 9% of everyone who left care15

preliminary federal data

26%

had been homeless in the past two years when surveyed at age 2116

17%

had been incarcerated in the past two years at age 2116

34%

were working full-time at 2116

2.5%

had a bachelor's degree by 26, against 23.5% of their peers17

46%

were employed at 26, against 80% of their peers17

In Utah

97 young people aged out of Utah foster care in fiscal 202318

1,866 Utah children were in foster care on September 30, 202318

What works

~28%

lower odds of homelessness by 21 for each extra year of support after 18 (California study; an association, not proof of cause)19

Program 3 of 6

Addiction

People leaving treatment or in recovery

Addiction is a chronic illness. Relapse is common, and after time sober the body loses its tolerance, so a single relapse can be fatal. The days after treatment need a plan.

What RISEaid does

Verified sober living and recovery housing in our directory
A leaving-treatment checklist: meetings, a sponsor, naloxone, a ride
Follow-up calls in the first weeks, the riskiest window
Together we RISE! covers a first month of recovery housing

44.6M

Americans 12 and older had a substance use disorder in the past year13

11%

of them received any treatment; about 9 in 10 got none13

40–60%

relapse rate for substance use disorders, compared with 50–70% for hypertension and asthma10

69,973

Americans died of a drug overdose in 2025, down 14% from 202411

provisional

In Utah

576 Utahns died of an overdose from July 2024 to June 2025, down 9.4% from the year before12

preliminary; excludes suicides and homicides

What works

31% vs 65%

substance use at 24 months for people in recovery homes, against usual care, in a randomized study; incarceration was 3% vs 9%14

Program 4 of 6

Homeless

People leaving homelessness, refugees and newcomers

Homelessness hit a record in 2024. Utah's count rose 18% in 2025 while the nation's fell. Stable housing comes first; everything else is easier from there.

What RISEaid does

Shelter and housing navigation listings verified by a person
Benefits, ID, and phone help to get from a shelter bed to a lease
Newcomer resources for refugees and asylum seekers
Together we RISE! funds deposits and first month's rent

745,652

people were homeless on one night in January 2025, down 3.3% from the 2024 record of 771,48020

36%

were unsheltered, sleeping outside or in places not meant for living20

155,750

were chronically homeless, the highest number ever counted20

+18%

the rise in homelessness from 2023 to 2024, to the highest count ever recorded21

In Utah

4,584 Utahns were homeless on one night in 2025, up 18% from 202422

+36% rise in chronic homelessness in Utah, from 906 to 1,233 people23

1,871 refugees and other newcomers arrived in Utah in federal fiscal 202424

What works

73% vs 32%

of the time stably housed over two years with Housing First, against usual services (Canada's At Home/Chez Soi study)25

Program 5 of 6

Domestic Violence

People leaving an abuser

Leaving an abuser can sharply raise the danger, and on any given day thousands of survivors ask for a safe place and can't get one. Safety planning has to come first.

What RISEaid does

Hotlines first, every time: 911, 988, and the National DV Hotline
Verified shelters and legal help, with no street addresses kept
Anonymous stories only, never a name or a face
Volunteers trained in safety and trauma-informed care before they help

1 in 3

women (34%) and 1 in 6 men (17%) have been sexually assaulted, physically hurt, or stalked by a partner26

55%

of murders of women were tied to intimate partner violence27

18 states, 2003–2014

~9×

higher odds of being killed when a woman leaves a highly controlling abuser28

13,018

requests for help went unmet in a single day; 58% were for housing or shelter29

22–57%

of homeless women say domestic violence was the immediate cause of their homelessness30

In Utah

1 in 3 Utah homicides from 2014 to 2023 were related to domestic violence31

What works

Safety first

Abuser access to a gun raised the odds of femicide 5.4 times in the same study; safety planning and safe housing are the first steps we connect people to.28

Program 6 of 6

Human Trafficking

Survivors leaving trafficking

Most survivors were arrested for crimes tied to their own exploitation. Leaving means safe housing, trauma care, and clearing a record they never should have had.

What RISEaid does

The National Human Trafficking Hotline first, every time
Verified safe housing, trauma care, and legal aid for record clearing
Anonymous stories only
Volunteers trained in trauma-informed care before they help

50M

people worldwide live in modern slavery, including 28 million in forced labor34

23,845

victims were identified through the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline in 2024, in 12,001 cases32

hotline data, not a measure of how common trafficking is

62%

of survivors had been cited, arrested, or detained; 80% of those arrests happened while they were being trafficked35

In Utah

130 victims were identified through the hotline in Utah in 2024, in 99 cases33

What works

Records

Clearing trafficking-related records (vacatur) opens the door to jobs and housing; survivors need legal help to get there.35

How it works

Find it fast. Talk to a person. Get a call back.

Everything runs through one back office, so nothing falls through the cracks between a search, a call, and a follow-up.

riseaid.org

Live

Program pages, a state-by-state resource directory, and first-72-hours checklists.

888-860-RISE

Number live

A trained person answers; Hope covers after hours and flags every call for follow-up.

Hope

Live

Our AI helper for people seeking help, and the back office for the team: contacts, donors, grants, calendar, tasks.

Volunteers

Recruiting

Verify listings, answer the line, mentor, drive, and run events.

Partners

Building

Shelters, treatment centers, employers, and churches that deliver the services.

Together we RISE!

Ready

Donors fund a specific person's next step: a deposit, an ID, tools, a bus pass.

Dignity first

Plain words

Verified help only

Privacy and safety always

Show up

Our values

Governance

A nine-seat volunteer board, with lived experience at the table.

Utah requires at least three directors. Most small nonprofits have seven to eleven, and an odd number avoids tie votes. We seat five at incorporation and fill all nine in year one.

Seat	What they bring	Filled by
Board Chair	Runs meetings, leads the board, partners with the founders	At incorporation
Vice Chair	Backs up the chair, leads governance and nominations	At incorporation
Treasurer	Budget, monthly financials, audit and Form 990 review	At incorporation
Secretary	Minutes, bylaws, records, conflict-of-interest forms	At incorporation
Director: Legal	Attorney or legal background; contracts, risk, client privacy	At incorporation
Director: Lived Experience (Incarceration / Addiction)	Has walked through reentry or recovery	Month 6
Director: Lived Experience	Former foster youth, or a survivor of domestic violence or trafficking	Month 6
Director: Fundraising & Philanthropy	Donor network, major gifts, events	Month 9
Director: Community & Corporate Partnerships	Employers, churches, local government	Month 12

The founders

Randall Gorham and Laurie run RISEaid day to day. The IRS looks closely at boards controlled by founders or family, so a majority of our board will be independent: no family ties to the founders and no pay from RISEaid.

Committees and policies

Finance & Audit, Governance & Nominating, and Fundraising. Monthly meetings in year one. Bylaws, conflict of interest, whistleblower, document retention, gift acceptance, and client privacy policies adopted at the first meeting.

Team and volunteers

Founders and volunteers first. The help line is the first paid hire.

#	Role	Type	Reports to
1	Bookkeeper	Contractor	Director of Operations
2	CPA / Tax Preparer	Contractor	Director of Operations
3	Director of Volunteers	Volunteer, then paid	Founders
4	Help Line Lead (888-860-RISE)	Part-time paid	Director of Programs
5	Resource Verification Lead	Volunteer	Director of Programs
6	Six Program Leads, one per program	Volunteer	Director of Programs
7	Grants Manager	Volunteer or contractor	Director of Development
8	Communications & Marketing Manager	Volunteer	Founders
9	Partnerships Manager; Merch & Events Coordinator	Volunteer	Director of Development
10	Directors of Operations, Development, and Programs	Paid as the budget grows	Founders

Every volunteer applies online, and anyone who talks with clients passes a background check, completes orientation, and signs a confidentiality agreement. Volunteers in domestic violence and trafficking work complete trauma-informed and safety training first. Hours are logged for every funder report.

Fundraising plan

$150,000 in year one, from six sources, so no single funder can sink us.

Grants are a third of the goal, not all of it: most require the 501(c)(3) letter and take three to nine months to pay.

33%

23%

17%

12%

10%

Grants

$50,000

The grant scan in Hope finds them; local foundations and Utah funds first, federal once we have a track record

Individual gifts

$35,000

Founders' networks, the launch campaign, Together we RISE! stories, the year-end appeal

Corporate partners

$25,000

Five partners at $5,000: sponsorship, employee giving, in-kind, second-chance hiring

The Rise Circle

$18,000

60 monthly donors averaging $25 by month 12

Events

$15,000

One benefit dinner and one community resource fair

Merch

$7,000

Net after costs, sold at events and online

Rhythm. The Rise Report every month, a thank-you within 48 hours of every gift, a personal call for gifts of $250 or more, and an impact update every quarter.

Before the IRS letter. When the 501(c)(3) application is approved, deductibility generally reaches back to the date of incorporation if we file within 27 months. Until then we tell donors the status plainly, and use a fiscal sponsor for larger gifts if needed.

Budget

$150,000 in year one, $300,000 in year two.

The help line and direct help to clients are the two largest lines. The founders are unpaid in year one. These are starting estimates, refined with our bookkeeper.

LineYear oneYear two

Help line staff (part-time, then full)

$36,000

$70,000

Program staff

$60,000

Direct client help (Together we RISE!, emergency needs)

$30,000

$55,000

Fundraising and events

$15,000

$25,000

Technology (Hope, AI, phone, website, email)

$12,000

$18,000

Legal, state filings, insurance

$9,000

$12,000

Bookkeeping and CPA

$8,000

$12,000

Merch inventory

$8,000

$10,000

Volunteer program (background checks, training)

$6,000

$10,000

Marketing and printing

$6,000

$10,000

Office and miscellaneous

$5,000

$8,000

Operating reserve

$15,000

$10,000

Total

$150,000 year one · $300,000 year two

If year one raises less, we cut in this order: the reserve, events, then the timing of program staff. Direct help to clients and the help line are protected.

Legal and compliance

Incorporate, bank, then apply for 501(c)(3).

Fees are approximate and checked at each step. A nonprofit attorney or CPA reviews the articles and the IRS application.

1Utah nonprofit corporation
Articles of Incorporation with the Utah Division of Corporations ($59), with purpose and dissolution clauses that meet IRS 501(c)(3) rules. At least three directors.
2EIN
From the IRS online, free, the same day.
3Bylaws and first board meeting
Adopt bylaws, elect officers, adopt core policies, approve the bank account.
4Bank account
In RISEaid's name with two signers (the Treasurer and one founder); connect Stripe for online giving.
5501(c)(3)
IRS Form 1023 (about $600). The streamlined 1023-EZ is only for groups expecting under $50,000 a year, and our goal is higher.
6Utah annual renewal
$18 a year with the Division of Corporations. Utah ended its separate charitable solicitation permit in 2024; the renewal now includes our latest Form 990 or 990-N, or the IRS letter in our first years.
7Utah tax exemptions
Sales tax exemption on purchases (Form TC-160, after the IRS letter); our CPA confirms how merch sales are handled.
8Insurance
General liability, directors and officers, volunteer accident, and abuse and molestation coverage for mentoring.
9Every year
Form 990, the Utah annual renewal, and conflict-of-interest forms from every director.

Before fundraising in another state, we register there too; most states require it.

Brand protection

RISEaid looks clear to register. "Together we RISE!" does not.

A first-pass search of federal trademark records (October 2026) found no filing for RISEAID or RISE AID. But a foster care charity, Together We Rise Corporation (now Foster Love), registered TOGETHER WE RISE in 2015 for charitable fundraising and foster care awareness, and still uses the name. That is our exact use and one of our six programs, so we replace the tagline and the sponsorship program name before the cards go to print. This is a screen from public records, not a legal opinion; a trademark attorney confirms before we file.

What's already out there

"RISE" is crowded in nonprofit services, so each owner's rights are narrow. We can likely coexist, and we protect RISEAID as one word, never RISE alone.

Mark	Owner	Services	Status
TOGETHER WE RISEConflict	Together We Rise Corp. (Foster Love)	Charitable fundraising; awareness for children in foster care	Registered 2015
RISE	Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality	Charitable services on race relations	Registered 2017
RISE LIFE SERVICES	Aid to the Developmentally Disabled, Inc.	Supportive housing, food pantry, counseling	Registered 2019
REACH & RISE	YMCA of San Francisco	Mentoring children and youth	Registered 2014
RISE RECOVERY	Rise Recovery	Mentoring and help with substance use	Pending, filed 2023
RISE PROGRAMS	AGI Business Group	Counseling, including at-risk youth	Pending, filed 2019
RISE RELIEF	Rise Relief Inc.	Charitable fundraising (clean water abroad)	Pending, filed 2022
RISE (Renew, Inspire, Support, Empower)	Fyli Tribe Inc.	Mentoring and coaching for women	Pending, filed 2021

Statuses from Justia's copy of USPTO records, which can lag. Two older look-alikes, RISE Restoring Individuals Safely and Effectively and The Rise Initiative, were cancelled.

What we file

The word mark RISEAID, owned by the RISEaid nonprofit corporation. A word mark covers the name in any font or logo; the heart logo can follow once the design is final.

Class	Covers	Basis
36	Charitable fundraising: donations, sponsorships, donor-funded help for members	Intent to use until online giving opens
45	Social services: connecting people in our six transitions with resources	In use
41	Mentoring and life-skills education for members	In use

Cost and timing

USPTO fees since January 18, 2025. Attorney fees are extra. First examiner review takes about 4.5 months and registration about 10 months from filing (USPTO, fiscal 2026).

Item	Fee
Application, per class	$350
Word mark RISEAID in classes 36, 41 and 45	$1,050
Statement of Use for class 36, after the first online gift	$150
Custom wording instead of the USPTO's pre-approved entries, per class	$200 (avoid)
Incomplete application surcharge, per class	$100 (avoid)
Heart logo as a second filing, per class	$350
Upkeep in years 5 to 6, then renewal every 10 years	$325 per filing, plus per class on renewal

Full plan and live checklist

Measuring impact

A few numbers, tracked well, every month.

Reported by program in The Rise Report and to every funder. Stories carry the numbers: one consented story per program each quarter, anonymous for domestic violence and trafficking.

Measure	Year-one target	Source
People helped	500	Counts from client records; never names in reports
Help line calls answered	1,500	Phone system
Connected to a service within 7 days	70%	Follow-up call
Still housed, employed, or in recovery at 90 days	Set the baseline	90-day check-in
Verified resource listings in Utah	1,000	Directory, re-verified every 12 months
Active volunteers / hours	40 / 3,000	Volunteer hours log
Donors / Rise Circle members	300 / 60	Giving records

Risks

The biggest risk is harm to a client, so safety comes before growth.

An abuser or trafficker finds a client through us

No street addresses kept for domestic violence or trafficking clients, anonymous stories only, safety plans, staff trained to spot it.

Client data leaks

Client records are encrypted and walled off; our AI never sees client names or notes; two-factor sign-in; access by role.

Someone in crisis reaches Hope at 2 a.m.

Hope gives 911, 988, and the domestic violence and trafficking hotlines first, and flags the contact for a person.

Bad or stale listings

Every listing is verified by a person and re-checked within 12 months.

Volunteer misconduct

Background checks, two-adult rules for mentoring, and a clear reporting line to the board.

Money runs short

Six revenue sources, a reserve, and a set order of cuts that protects the help line and direct help.

Founder burnout

Board seats filled early, a Director of Volunteers early, and everything documented in Hope.

Launch timeline

Help line live in Ogden by spring 2027. 500 people helped by fall.

Each phase ends at a gate. We don't start the next phase's spending until the gate is met.

Phase 1 · Oct – Dec 2026

Set up

Incorporate in Utah
EIN and bank account
Seat the first 5 directors
File Form 1023

Gate: Bank open, 1023 filed

Phase 2 · Jan – Mar 2027

Launch in Ogden

Volunteers onboarded
Help line staffed
20 volunteers trained
200 listings verified

Gate: Help line live

Phase 3 · Apr – Jun 2027

Grow

First grants submitted
Benefit dinner
5 corporate partners
2 more directors

Gate: 7 board seats filled

Phase 4 · Jul – Sep 2027

Prove it

500 people helped
60 Rise Circle donors
Year-one impact report
Plan the Wasatch Front

Gate: Go to year two

Launch checklist

Everything it takes to open the doors, by January 1, 2027.

Every step to form RISEaid, bank, apply for 501(c)(3), and sign up for the free and discounted tools nonprofits get. The IRS usually takes months to approve a Form 1023, so steps marked "Needs IRS letter" may finish after the goal date.

0%complete

0 of 43 steps done

Goal: set up by January 1, 2027 · 83 days left

▲ due by today 0%

On pace12 waiting on the IRS letter

Checking your sign-in…

Form the organization

0/7

Confirm the name RISEaid is available in Utah
Search the Utah business registry, and the USPTO trademark search for RISEaid and Rise Aid.
Due Oct 23Open site ↗
Seat the first 5 directors
Board Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and Legal. Utah requires at least 3; a majority should be independent of the founders.
Due Oct 31
File Utah Articles of Incorporation ($59)
Nonprofit corporation with the IRS 501(c)(3) purpose and dissolution clauses and a registered agent. File online through UtahID.
Due Oct 31Open site ↗
Get the EIN from the IRS (free)
Use the exact legal name from the approved Articles. Never pay a third-party site.
Due Nov 3Open site ↗
Write the bylaws and core policies
Bylaws, conflict of interest (IRS sample), whistleblower, document retention, gift acceptance, client privacy and safety, volunteer and background-check policy.
Due Nov 7
Hold the first board meeting
Adopt bylaws and policies, elect officers, approve the budget, name bank signers, authorize the Form 1023. Keep signed minutes.
Due Nov 14
Collect signed conflict-of-interest forms from every director
Repeat every year.
Due Nov 14

Money and banking

0/5

Open the RISEaid bank account
Bring the Articles, the EIN letter, bylaws, and the board resolution. Two signers: the Treasurer and one founder.
Due Nov 21
Create the Stripe account and connect it to riseaid.org/donate
Rand creates the account; Claude adds the keys and webhook in Hope > Integrations.
Due Nov 21Open site ↗
Set up bookkeeping and engage a bookkeeper
Chart of accounts with restricted funds for Together we RISE! and program grants; monthly reconciliation.
Due Nov 30
Engage a CPA
Reviews the Form 1023 budget, receipts wording, merch sales tax, and the yearly Form 990.
Due Nov 30
Bind insurance
General liability, directors and officers (D&O), volunteer accident, and abuse and molestation coverage for mentoring.
Due Dec 15

IRS 501(c)(3)

0/4

Prepare Form 1023
Narrative of activities, 3-year budget, Articles, bylaws, conflict policy. Use the full 1023: the 1023-EZ is only for groups staying under $50,000 a year.
Due Dec 5
Attorney or CPA reviews the Form 1023
Filing within 27 months of incorporation makes approval reach back to the date of incorporation.
Due Dec 12
File Form 1023 on Pay.gov ($600)
Save the confirmation. Approval usually takes months, so the letter likely arrives after January 1.
Due Dec 15Open site ↗
Update donation receipts and the website with our status
Say plainly that the application is pending and that approval is generally retroactive to incorporation.
Due Dec 15

Utah compliance

0/4

Put the Utah annual renewal on the calendar ($18)
Utah no longer issues a charitable solicitation permit (ended 2024). Instead, each annual renewal includes our latest Form 990 or 990-N; a new charity uploads its IRS letter.
Due Dec 31Open site ↗
Ask the CPA how merch sales are taxed in Utah
Whether RISEaid needs a sales tax license for merch sold at events and online.
Due Dec 31
Join the Utah Nonprofits Association
Dues start at $65 a year for small budgets; training, discounts, and peer support.
Due Dec 31OptionalOpen site ↗
Apply for the Utah sales tax exemption (Form TC-160)
Exempts RISEaid's purchases. Needs the IRS letter. File online at Taxpayer Access Point.
Due Dec 31Needs IRS letterOpen site ↗

Nonprofit tools and discounts

0/15

Create the TechSoup account
Free to join now. Courses and webinars are open while the application is pending; product discounts unlock when the IRS letter is sent to TechSoup.
Due Nov 30Open site ↗
Open an Idealist organization account for volunteer listings
Free volunteer listings. VolunteerMatch merged into Idealist in 2025.
Due Nov 30Open site ↗
Register RISEaid as a cause on Benevity
Free. Lets employees at partner companies give and get their gifts matched.
Due Dec 15Open site ↗
Claim the Candid (GuideStar) profile and earn the Bronze Seal
Free. Bronze needs mission, contacts, donation info, and leadership; it also turns on Apple Pay donations. Silver adds programs and area served.
Due Dec 31Open site ↗
Apply to Google for Nonprofits
Free Google Workspace for Nonprofits and the gateway to Ad Grants, YouTube, and Maps credits. Verified through Goodstack.
Due Dec 31Needs IRS letterOpen site ↗
Activate Google Ad Grants ($10,000 a month in search ads)
Rules: keep a 5% click-through rate, at least one conversion a month, location targeting, and two or more sitelinks.
Due Dec 31Needs IRS letterOpen site ↗
Join the YouTube Nonprofit Program
Needs Google for Nonprofits and the RISEaid channel. Review takes about 2 to 14 business days.
Due Dec 31Needs IRS letterOpen site ↗
Register with Microsoft for Nonprofits
Business Basic free for up to 300 users, Business Premium $5.50 a user per month, and $2,000 a year in Azure credits. (The free Business Premium grant ended in 2025.)
Due Dec 31Needs IRS letterOpen site ↗
Apply for Canva for Nonprofits
Free Canva Pro for a team of up to 50 people.
Due Dec 31Needs IRS letterOpen site ↗
Apply for Slack for Nonprofits
Free Pro for up to 250 members; verified through TechSoup.
Due Dec 31Needs IRS letterOptionalOpen site ↗
Apply for Zoom Cares (50% off)
Half off annual Zoom plans and webinars; verified through Goodstack. No longer offered through TechSoup.
Due Dec 31Needs IRS letterOptionalOpen site ↗
Request Stripe nonprofit pricing
Contact Stripe support with the subject Non Profit pricing, the account ID, EIN, IRS letter, and a statement that at least 80% of volume is tax-deductible donations.
Due Dec 31Needs IRS letterOpen site ↗
Enroll in PayPal Giving Fund and the PayPal nonprofit rate
Turns on donations through Facebook and Instagram fundraisers. Nonprofit rate is 1.99% plus $0.49 after PayPal approves.
Due Dec 31Needs IRS letterOpen site ↗
Request AWS nonprofit credits through TechSoup
Up to $5,000 in credits a year.
Due Dec 31Needs IRS letterOptionalOpen site ↗
Salesforce Power of Us (10 free licenses)
Only if we outgrow Hope's built-in contacts and donors.
Due Dec 31Needs IRS letterOptionalOpen site ↗

Ready to serve

0/8

Recruit the Director of Volunteers
Owns recruiting, onboarding, background checks, and scheduling.
Due Dec 15
Choose a background-check vendor
Required for every volunteer who talks with clients.
Due Dec 15
Send the first issue of The Rise Report
Launch news, the plan, and how to help.
Due Dec 15
Verify the first 100 Ogden resource listings
Each one called and confirmed by a person.
Due Dec 31
Staff the 888-860-RISE help line schedule
Help Line Lead named, hours set, after-hours handoff to Hope tested.
Due Dec 31
Train the first volunteers
Orientation, confidentiality, and trauma-informed and safety training for DV and trafficking work.
Due Dec 31
Publish the first Together we RISE! story
With written consent; anonymous for DV and trafficking.
Due Dec 31
Sign the first 5 partner organizations
Shelters, treatment centers, employers, and churches in Weber County.
Due Dec 31

Rise from here. Together.

Give to the launch, bring your company in as a partner, take a board seat, or volunteer. Questions about this plan go to hello@riseaid.org.

Give Partner Volunteer

Sources

Figures were read on each source in October 2026. Where data is preliminary or dated, the figure says so. Budget, fundraising, and impact targets are RISEaid's own estimates.

1.U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Recidivism of Prisoners Released in 24 States in 2008: A 10-Year Follow-Up Period (2008–2018)
2.U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Recidivism of Prisoners Released in 34 States in 2012: A 5-Year Follow-Up Period (2012–2017)
3.U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Prisoners in 2023, Table 9
4.New England Journal of Medicine (Binswanger et al., 2007). Release from Prison: A High Risk of Death for Former Inmates
5.Prison Policy Initiative. Out of Prison & Out of Work
6.Prison Policy Initiative. Nowhere to Go: Homelessness among formerly incarcerated people
7.Utah Department of Corrections. Recidivism of 2019 releases (public meeting packet)
8.Utah Foundation. Utah bets big on Day 1 reentry push to slow prison revolving door
9.Criminal Justice and Behavior (Lutze, Rosky & Hamilton, 2014). Homelessness and Reentry: A Multisite Outcome Evaluation of Washington State's Reentry Housing Program
10.National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: Treatment and Recovery
11.CDC National Center for Health Statistics. Provisional drug overdose deaths, 2025 (May 2026 release)
12.Utah Office of the Medical Examiner, report to the Utah Legislature. Overdose deaths, July 2024 to June 2025 (preliminary)
13.SAMHSA. 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, annual national report
14.DePaul University Center for Community Research (Jason et al.). Oxford House recovery home randomized study
15.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. AFCARS FY2025 dashboard (preliminary)
16.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Youth in Transition Database outcomes, Cohort 3 (ages 17, 19, 21)
17.Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago (Courtney et al., 2011). Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth: Outcomes at Age 26
18.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Child Welfare Outcomes: Utah
19.Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago. CalYOUTH: Outcomes at age 21
20.U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 2025 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Part 1
21.U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Part 1
22.Utah Department of Workforce Services. 2025 Point-in-Time Count release
23.Utah Office of Homeless Services. Key findings
24.Utah Refugee Services Office. FFY2024 annual report
25.J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab). Housing First policy review
26.CDC National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. 2023/2024 Intimate Partner Violence Data Brief
27.CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 66(28), 2017. Racial and Ethnic Differences in Homicides of Adult Women and the Role of Intimate Partner Violence
28.American Journal of Public Health (Campbell et al., 2003). Risk Factors for Femicide in Abusive Relationships
29.National Network to End Domestic Violence. 20th Annual Domestic Violence Counts Report (census day Sept. 10, 2025)
30.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Domestic Violence and Homelessness: Statistics (2016)
31.Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Violence and Injury Prevention Program. Intimate partner and domestic violence
32.National Human Trafficking Hotline. National statistics
33.National Human Trafficking Hotline. Utah statistics
34.International Labour Organization, Walk Free and IOM. Global Estimates of Modern Slavery (2022)
35.Polaris Project. National Survivor Study findings on criminalization (2023)

Help exists. Getting to it is the hard part. We fix that.

One place to find the next step, and a person who follows up.

The first days after a transition decide a lot.

Six transitions. The same missing piece.

Incarceration

Foster Care

Addiction

Homeless

Domestic Violence

Human Trafficking

Find it fast. Talk to a person. Get a call back.

A nine-seat volunteer board, with lived experience at the table.

Founders and volunteers first. The help line is the first paid hire.

$150,000 in year one, from six sources, so no single funder can sink us.

$150,000 in year one, $300,000 in year two.

Incorporate, bank, then apply for 501(c)(3).

RISEaid looks clear to register. "Together we RISE!" does not.

What's already out there

What we file

Cost and timing

A few numbers, tracked well, every month.

The biggest risk is harm to a client, so safety comes before growth.

Help line live in Ogden by spring 2027. 500 people helped by fall.

Everything it takes to open the doors, by January 1, 2027.

Form the organization

Money and banking

IRS 501(c)(3)

Utah compliance

Nonprofit tools and discounts

Ready to serve

Sources

Someone you know needs this. Pass it on.