More Than Hope Foundation seeks to invest in high impact and high growth real estate projects and opportunities within the anti-trafficking community. The goal is not to invest in good ideas, but rather to inject capital into proven organizations’ building campaigns and real estate developments that will leverage funds for rapid response or maximum impact and return.
Strategic Focus
- Rescue facilities
- Preventative anti-trafficking facilities
○ Children’s homes
○ Trafficking shelters
○ Schools
○ Training and job creations facilities - Operations/investigation centers
Institutional Focus
More Than Hope awards grants to organizations with a data driven record of success and high growth potential. Organizations seeking funds must have a direct tie to anti-trafficking work, data demonstrating value over time, a clear strategic plan for growth, and a recommendation from a trusted vetting institute or organization.
More Than Hope considers grant proposals from organizations that:
- Demonstrate a significant impact on the populations they serve
- Have a historic record of impact
- Show a clear plan of attack for future growth
- Can show major and overcomable needs for a vulnerable population
- Are requesting a grant proposal strategically designed to:
○ increase the number of people served
○ increase the quality of life for those served
○ increase organizational effectiveness, reach, or impact - Deliver direct service to those they serve
More Than Hope generally will not consider grant proposals that:
- Address financial problems within an organization
- Come from organizations lacking a demonstrative history of success
- Fund:
○ Larger institutions
○ Awareness-only campaigns or activities
○ Advocacy-only operations
○ Ongoing operating expenses
Vetting
More Than Hope works closely with a number of select US-based 501c3 organizations and foundations, for sound investment recommendations; namely Unseen and New Horizons Foundation.
Unseen was founded in 2011 and is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, public charity, organized and operated under the laws of North Dakota. As an anti-trafficking accelerator, Unseen’s model for strategically partnering with organizations who have a history of success and clear vision for growth has proven effective with an average return on investment of 459% over that last 4 years.
The New Horizons Foundation, founded in 1989, is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, public charity, organized and operated under the laws of Colorado for the purpose of helping individuals accomplish their charitable objectives in religious, educational, scientific, benevolent, and health-related activities. With more than 850 operating projects in 120 countries, New Horizons Foundation has a unique vantage point for some truly impactful work in the anti-trafficking and humanitarian relief sectors.
New Horizons helps facilitate positive impact to cities with charitable business initiatives, creative projects, charitable giving, and meeting particular local needs. This helpful outreach even extends to the nations around the world with projects that bring help and healing to needy situations. As teams work in partnership they discover that it all develops better together.
Prior grant selection with More Than Hope, each applying organization must meet the criteria for investing:
1. Impact on Human Trafficking
○ Fighting human trafficking or serving people very vulnerable to trafficking
2. Organizational Growth Potential
○ Strong and compelling vision + leadership
○ Growing reach and impact on more people
○ Effective use of resources with demonstrable growth
○ Strong communication - consistent, fast, easy.
1. Impact on Human Trafficking
Mission Alignment
❏ Their mission is clearly and directly tied to fighting human trafficking, or, they are addressing root causes and impacting the lives of very vulnerable people who have very few options for safety and support.
❏ Their work moves More Than Hope’s portfolio composition forward toward goals of effectively fighting human trafficking and its root causes.
2. Organizational Growth Potential
Strong Compelling Vision and Deliverables
❏ Their application and ongoing vision are compelling. They have a clear and concrete plan and can articulate how they’ll get there.
History of Success
More Than Hope invests in growing organizations who have established programs and proven leadership
❏ Their work is effective. They are achieving what they’ve set out to accomplish.
❏ They have a history of success—making a demonstrable impact in the lives of vulnerable people.
Success Criteria / Minimum Best Practices
Characteristics that lead to organizational growth and a successful partnership:
❏ They are set up to receive checks and online donations.
❏ They have 100+ potential donors/leads in their contact list.
❏ More Than Hope does not invest in operation costs, therefore an organization must show that the viability of program activities is solid prior to a project or building launch.
❏ They can provide a key point of contact within their organization who speaks excellent English.
❏ They are a registered 501c3 in the U.S. or are registered as a nonprofit in their organization's country.
❏ Safety / Financial Accountability Standards:
Required
❏ They have policies and systems in place to protect children and vulnerable people.
❏ They have submitted a tax form 990 or equivalent.
Preferred
❏ They are a registered 501(c)3 or equivalent. \
❏ They follow our safety policy or have a child safety policy in place.
❏ They can submit a multi-year budget history.
❏ They have their financials independently audited.
Leadership and Staff
❏ They can supply a well-thought through org chart.
❏ Seeing who is overseeing various areas within the organization instills confidence, even if it’s an org chart of 2 people.
❏ They are strong, wise, humble, and effective leaders.
❏ Leadership articulates a strong desire to grow as an organization.
❏ They have at least one full time staff member.
❏ They have a talented, high capacity team.
❏ Does their team seem able to think through, strategize, plan, and make tough decisions?
More Than Hope can make a final determination regarding a grant proposal when the following is submitted:
1. Concise grant proposal highlighting the building project or capital campaign. A one-page executive summary must accompany all proposals. Please include a brief description of the ministry or organization, the amount of the request, and the specific use of the requested funds.
2. Copy of the organization’s current annual budget and list of the Board of Directors.
3. Copy of the organization’s IRS 501(c)3 designation letter.
4. Letter of recommendation from at least one international funding, supporting, or partner organization with data to show what vetting steps were taken in evaluating the requesting organization.
Fee structure:
More Than Hope operates as a project under the New Horizons Foundation, which is registered in Colorado Springs, CO. This partnership ensures minimal administrative costs (4% for donations under $100,000 and 1% for donations over $100,000), allowing for the maximum allocation of funds directly to each project. Additionally, a 2.5% fee, capped at $25,000, will be applied to all donations. This fee covers a range of expenses, including travel costs for site visits, interviews with organizational leadership, ongoing vetting of recipient organizations, and other operational necessities to ensure the effective implementation and success of each project.
More Than Hope invests in organizations who have shown they’re making significant impact for those they serve to expand the fight against human trafficking and its root causes.
