Introduction
The assisted living project offers holistic care to individuals with challenges in conducting activities of daily living due to mobility or other physiological challenges. A care facility improves the quality of life of its residents by ensuring that they are independent and able to perform their activities of daily living without requiring external support. This grant request aims to generate funds for acquiring three new wheelchair-accessible vans for a new assisted living project. The project has a primary aim of offering support services for people living with mobility disability to be economically empowered.
The requested vans will help transport people with physical disabilities to places such as interviews and work-related commitments which is challenging without the specialized vans. Previously, vans without the necessary ramps did not offer freedom to people with disabilities and needed additional personnel to move the wheelchair users to the cars.
The project’s primary purpose is to make people with disabilities independent and able to access employment opportunities. Acquiring the special cars will be paramount in increasing the support offered to the residents of the care homes. Figure 1 below shows the estimated budget and the given expenses. Figure 2 shows the graphical representation of the breakdown on how the money will be utilized to operationalize the vans.
This grant proposal requests $150,000, which will be utilized for different categories of vans for the assisted living project. The total sum requested in form of a grant is divided into three major categories which are defined, quantified and justified in the following sections.
It is imperative to note that the vans come with additional costs and are all covered under various categories in this project proposal. Each stated expense helps implement the assisted living project. The first category is the personnel-related expense, which breaks down the expenditure related to the employees managing the vans. The second category is the non-personnel direct expense, which deals with all other costs required for the vans’ day-to-day operations to aid mobility (Hassanpour et al., 2021). Finally, the third category includes the indirect expenses that are fundamental for the functions of the wheelchair-accessible vans. All the expenses are required for the smooth operations of the vehicles as they perform their mandate.
Category 1: Personnel Related Expenses
Definition
Personnel-related expenses are the costs that are incurred for hiring and maintaining workers to deal with the purchased wheelchair-accessible vans. This category offers financial due diligence to ensure that employees perform their duty well and enables the vans to serve their intended purpose in the care homes. The workers who deal with the vans include drivers, service mechanics, and a fleet manager. The quantities of the workers and their respective annual salaries are given in Table 1 below. The three categories of personnel dealing with the cars depend on each other for coordination and effective operations of the cars.
Quantification
Quantification determines how many people are required to perform the role for effective management. The quantity of each assists in allocating resources to ensure that all the wheelchair-accessible vans are always maintained. The total number of drivers needed is three because each van requires a driver. The three vehicles can easily be managed using one mechanic and a fleet manager. The projected annual costs for the personnel are as shown in the table below.
Table 1 – Quantification of the Personnel-Related Expenses.
Justification
The project requires trained and expert drivers to offer safe and reliable transport to the people in the caregiving homes. Since three vans may be required to operate simultaneously, transporting people from one place to another, three are needed to make each van available at any given point. Hiring qualified drivers is paramount because it ensures they meet the required safety standards for operations in the specified job assignment. Specially trained drivers are further needed to ensure they can effectively operate the ramps in the vans and offer the necessary aid to the passengers on board.
The project’s drivers must be amiable and well-cultured in order to provide support, as the goal is to enhance the inhabitants’ quality of life (Yuen et al., 2021). Unlike other facilities that hire part-time drivers to be applicable only when there is a need to drive, employing permanent drivers for the three vans offers consistency, reliability, and familiarity with the residents. The drivers will also offer accountability and professionalism, making the residents of the care home facility more comfortable.
Hiring service mechanics is justified by the ability of the people to respond to emergencies in the care facility. Inefficiency is likely to be witnessed if the drivers also serve as the mechanics, as in cost-saving budgets. For example, there will be no regular service due to other commitments. If an exceptional mechanic is designated to care for wheelchair-accessible vans, efficiency will likely be improved in the long run. It will further ensure compliance with regulations and that the vans will receive the required service for the safety and comfort of the users.
The job description of the service mechanic is to ensure that the cars are always in conducive working conditions. Consistent safety checks, preventive maintenance, and emergency repairs make the service mechanics important people required for the operation of the three wheelchair-accessible vans. The mechanic may also perform other emergency operations in the care home.
The proposed three vans in the facility are expected to serve about 50 wheelchair users with different plans and schedules. When the scheduling is left for the drivers to manage, there will be a collision, and the primary aim of achieving mobility for the people will be jeopardized. It is, therefore, essential to hire a fleet manager to schedule and ensure that the routes are all planned to enhance mobility for the people (Henry, 2020). A fleet manager must plan trips to ensure fleet efficiency correctly and that the residents are all transported to their areas of interest on time and without delay. Further, a fleet manager will help manage transport costs by optimizing routes and ensuring people constantly use more effective routes.
Since it is exclusive in their job description, they must improve the general outcome of the van usage in the organization. Time wastage is another challenge that will jeopardize the home’s operations and fail in its main objectives. It will be caused by improper panning and the delays caused by the high downtime (Hassanpour et al., 2021). A qualified and well-trained fleet manager ensures that vehicle selection for transport routes is optimized, time wastage is reduced using programmed allocation, and the ability to facilitate data-driven decision-making. Therefore, the fleet manager is crucial for effectively using the vans to meet the company’s obligation.
The last direct personnel expense is the benefits such as insurance and social security funding. It is a federal requirement that every employer remits social security and insurance funds to the designated bodies to ensure the security of the people. The cost allocation in this proposal ensures that the organization remains compliant with federal and state laws as it delivers its mandate to the people. The benefits will also motivate the employees to perform better and help the organization attract top talent.
Employee engagement, morale, and loyalty are essential parameters that must be utilized to ensure that the people workers perform their jobs diligently. The proposed benefits will likely motivate the employees and make them deliver better and higher-quality services in the long run. Finally, when the employees have reduced stress and financial worry, they are likely to be more productive, hence helping in offering top-notch service for the people living with mobility disabilities, hence improving their independence.
Category 2: Non-Personnel-Related Direct Expense
Definition
The non-personnel-related direct expense includes all the costs directly associated with the wheelchair-accessible vans and their operational efficiency. They are required to provide safe and efficient use of the newly purchased vans. Through the direct expenses, the vans will be road-worthy and able to move freely without causing delays. The costs that facilitate the movement of the vans include the vans, maintenance and fuel costs, and insurance funds. The qualification of the non-personnel related costs is as given in Table 2 below.
Quantification
The quantity of the specified cost determines the effective use of the vehicle purchased through this stated grant proposal. This quantification bale shown below shows the exact quantities of the products and service fee required for the effective operation of the purchased vans. The quantification is given as shown on the table below which include the three wheelchair accessible vans, a fuel package for the entire three vehicle and three different packages of the accessibility modifications.
Table 2 – Quantification of the non-personnel-related direct expenses.
Justification
The proper operation of the wheelchair-accessible vans depends on the availability of the three sub-items listed under the primary purchase. $39,000 will be used to purchase the three vans with special ramps to be accessed by the wheelchairs without any difficulty in operations. The fundamental justification for the vans is the ability to improve the quality of life among people with disabilities by increasing their mobility. The vans will improve the care home’s capacity and support the caregivers to optimize their care towards the people with disabilities (Yuen et al., 2021). It offers preparedness to handle extreme cases of disability for people who require 100% mobility support and helps the organization offer safe and professional services.
Maintenance costs are the most crucial direct expense that increases the quality of the services the car offers. For example, the vans’ reliability and safety depend on how well they are serviced and maintained. When poorly maintained, they are likely to perform poorly and operate for a short period. Within the last regulations, cars must undergo thorough periodic preventive maintenance to make them road-worthy (Velho, 2019). The maintenance also improves the vehicle’s longevity as all issues are detected on time and resolved effectively. Consequently, the vans will be able to serve the community for more time. Finally, the maintenance will assist in giving the occupants of the vans confidence and comfort when using them.
Furl is the most essential commodity for cars moving from one place to another. Due to the diverse schedule offered at the home where people are required to be transported from one point to another, the fuel will enhance the speedy transportation without time wastage. Fuel also enhances on-time transport and improves the efficiency of the service delivery agents as they will be comfortable knowing that fuel is available for transportation (Henry, 2020). Fuel considerations improve the longevity of the vehicles and make them perform better. When vehicles are well fueled and maintained, their environmental emissions are reduced, and they are likely to maintain a low carbon footprint, hence protecting the environment from degradation.
Car insurance is a legal requirement that all road vehicles must have in order to be able to operate. The three vans require updated insurance covers to cover all the liabilities and damage that may not be in the organization’s budget (Narayanan et al., 2020). The covers are essential for all forms of uncertainty associated with the conditions of the cars. In case of accidents, the covers use the principle of indemnity to ensure that the caregiver’s organization is unaffected by the uncertainties. The insurance covers all property damage and protects the health of the passengers and the uninsured motorists who may be involved in an accident.
Accessibility modifications are tools that ensure that persons living with disabilities have equal access to the services just like other people have when using the vans. This aspect is justified by improving safety and the legal requirement for the inclusivity of the vans (Velho, 2019). Since they are purchased explicitly for wheelchair users, the modification requirement will be required. The requirement is essential as it will increase safety, promote independence, and offer equal access to all the people in the organization using the facility.
Category 3: Indirect Expenses
Definition
The indirect costs in the operation of the three proposed vans include all expenses not directly involved with the cars or the employees working on the cars. They are essential in ensuring that the vans always perform as expected and that all the planning and scheduling are done well, effectively, and on time.
The indirect expenses are required to ensure service delivery and top-notch coordination to assist the care home in achieving its primary objective. Some indirect costs proposed for the organization’s operation include office rent for administration, utilities such as water, electricity, and internet, and office supplies for managing the fleet. The quantification of the indirect cost is shown in Table 3 below.
Quantification
The quantification helps to break down the relevant costs that are associated with the effective use of the wheelchair-accessible vans that have been proposed. The specified quantities are justified in the following section to show why they are required for effective service delivery.
Table 3 – Quantification of the Indirect Expenses.
Justification
Rent is an essential requirement to ensure that the cars have a proper residence for parking and a place where the fleet manager and the service person will be staying to prepare the fleets and ensure that the cars are well managed. The rent covers the residential place for the people and ensures that the cars have continuous monitoring and services for better operation. The utilities also require adequate maintenance to ensure that the cars are always in good shape. The rent requirement is essential as it will house all the required care facilities to ensure that the cars operate optimally.
The most basic utilities required at the facility include but are not limited to water and electricity. Water use promotes health and hygiene in the place where the cars are operating. The essential services in the cars, such as washing and gardening, require clean water. Electricity is not only used for lighting but also to support the tools used by people with disabilities to move effectively from one place to another.
A sufficient supply of electricity is essential for ensuring that the day-to-day activities are well coordinated and that there is better performance when helping people with disabilities (Narayanan et al., 2020). Generally, the purpose of the utilities in the care home is to maintain the residents’ health, safety, and overall well-being. It must, therefore, be available to make the vans operate optimally by making the residents more comfortable.
Office supply is an essential need for the home and the management of the vehicles. Documentation and record keeping are made possible using the papers and other office supplies. The fleet manager needs the supplies to ensure the allocation of the vans for efficiency. Communication is also a key functionality when managing the fleet of cars, and it will be used to communicate the schedules and the people in charge of every trip to ensure that information is shared effectively in the organization (Velho, 2019).
Office equipment such as printers, papers, pins, and pens help manage the vans and the wheelchair control equipment. It is also a regulatory requirement that records are kept in order, and the supplies make it possible to achieve them. Documentation and notices are required for professionalism and to ensure that all the requests are printed for accountability. For example, every time a van undergoes preventive maintenance and service, the costs are supposed to be documented for accountability.
Conclusion
This grant proposal documents the request for $150,000 to facilitate the purchase and operation of the three wheelchair-accessible vans to improve the quality of life for the residents. The requested amount includes the purchase of the cars and the overall operation of the vans once acquired. The total amount is divided into three main sub-sections: $61,000 for personnel expenses, $63,600 for direct costs and $25,400 for office supplies. It involves the direct costs of purchasing the vehicle, the modification instruments, and the fuel needed for the day-to-day operations of the vans.
The other costs include the personnel related to the people working with the vans to offer effective transport to the people living with disabilities, the fleet management, and the service people helping in overcoming the challenges. The personnel-related direct costs are essential as they make the vans useful to the residents. Finally, the indirect costs are all the others, including the paperwork and office supplies that help in professional documentation and communication.
References
Hassanpour, A., Bigazzi, A., & MacKenzie, D. (2021). Equity of access to Uber’s wheelchair-accessible service. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, p. 89. Web.
Henry, S. (2020). Wheelchair accessible vehicles and adapted transportation: consideration and possibilities. Journal of Nurse Life Care Planning, 20(1). 24-28.
Narayanan, S., Chaniotakis, E., & Antoniou, C. (2020). Shared autonomous vehicle services: A comprehensive review. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, pp. 111, 255–293. Web.
Velho, R. (2019). Transport accessibility for wheelchair users: A qualitative analysis of inclusion and health. International Journal of Transportation Science and Technology, 8(2), 103–115. Web.
Yuen, K. F., Cai, L., Qi, G., & Wang, X. (2021). Factors influencing autonomous vehicle adoption: Applying the technology acceptance model and innovation diffusion theory. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 33(5), 505-519. Web.