For this assignment, imagine you are exploring the possibility of creating a program to address childhood obesity in your diverse community. You are seeking the support of potential funders and community stakeholders for the program and plan to present them with information that may help in their decision.
Read “Racial Disparities in Obesity Treatment Among Children and Adolescents.”
Write a 175-word (½ page) needs statement that defines the problem, describes the implications of the problem, and identifies the gaps in your community for stakeholders and potential funders of a childhood obesity program.
Describe existing childhood obesity programs that may serve as an example for your community.
Clearly identify the gap or problem within a specific community.
Use data and comparative statistics to provide an overview and snapshot of the prevalence of childhood obesity across various racial and ethnic populations in the United States.

Describe socioeconomic factors that influence racial and ethnic differences in childhood obesity.
Describe biological and cultural factors associated with racial and ethnic differences in childhood obesity.
Note: It would be advantageous to reference and review “Chapter 7: What Needs Fixing? The Needs Statement”  for ideas and inspiration in order to prepare your needs statement.
Ensure that your needs statement:
Uses language that is easily understandable by your target audience

Focuses on one main issue
Consists of short, concise paragraphs
Provides a case for sustainable action
N
Chapter 7
WHAT NEEDS FIXING?
THE NEEDS STATEMENT
Case Study: Hope For New Life
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The hypothetical application from Hope for New
Life is revisited, by examining the shortcomings
of the needs statement portion of its application.
A more effective sample will follow later in the
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From the hypothetical application for Community Development Block Grant Funds
submitted by Hope For New Life,
a social service agency serving Some Town, Ohio
B. Statement of Need
Hope for New Life’s approach is inspired by the federal welfare reform initiatives
of the early 1990s, which limited receiving welfare benefits to a period of only 24
months and required recipients to enter into educational or training programs to
prepare them to enter the workforce by the time their benefits period expired. Hope
for New Life wants to address these causes of poverty for the entire city and will
need substantial funds to build a program of that size. An established endowment
for future operations will allow the staff to devote all its efforts on serving the poor,
rather than constantly spending time on fund-raising.
The new rules have taken effect without consideration for whether there exist
enough education, training, and employment resources within a community to serve
the large number of people receiving welfare. Hope for New Life will provide a
training resource to help fill that gap for the residents of Some Town. The new rules
also provide little exception for those who may have undiagnosed disabilities that
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Case Study: Hope For New Life
underlie their inability to work. These requirements put a large number of recipients
at risk when their benefits expire and they may have not yet secured appropriate
employment. There is also some question as to whether the jobs they attain will
provide a living wage or health benefits.
Especially in the case of unwed mothers, many dropped out of high school in order
to care for their young children, and the lack of a high school diploma prevents
them from becoming employed at many companies. Without contributions from the
absent fathers, the mother cannot really support her growing family any other way
than through public assistance. The cost of long-term public assistance, including
healthcare, usually rent assistance, and food stamps is very expensive to our nation.
That is why the “Welfare-to-Work” initiatives were created.
There are other major drawbacks to forcing young, single welfare mothers into the
workforce. First of all, our town and its employment opportunities are widely spread
out and without complete access by public transportation. Most of our welfare
recipients also cannot afford private cars to get to a workplace that might be able to
hire them otherwise. Second of all, child care is very expensive, and most centers
already have full enrollment. Another child care-related issue is that no professional
child care providers offer care beyond standard day shift hours. Many companies
are transitioning to 24-hour service and often require newer employees to cover the
second- or third-shift operations.
There is need for employment for many young men in the community as well. There
are very few job training opportunities for young men who are no longer attending
public schools. The state’s general assistance cut out able-bodied men years ago.
When unemployed, they may double up living quarters with family or friends. If they
lack social skills or have substance abuse issues, they are at risk of living on the
streets. Hope for New Life would welcome these young men into its high school
equivalency program and auto mechanics training program.
Recent newspaper articles have told how today’s employers need skilled workers
and the public schools and existing social service network have failed to ensure
that young people receive the education and training they need to be successful in
life and in the workplace. The declining welfare assistance places many of those in
poverty at extreme risk of not living a decent life and further reduces their abilities
to raise themselves out of poverty unless the complicating factors of their lives are
also addressed.
Analysis: In the case of the Hope for New Life organization, it had conceived
of an interesting and multifaceted approach to address poverty with
Chapter 7: What Needs Fixing? The Needs Statement
143
Case Study: Hope For New Life
education, job training, child care, and transportation. Its needs statement, in addition
to other weaknesses, however, presents no firm evidence of the extent of poverty
in its community or even if the barriers it alleges are the real contributing factors
to economic security for those who might be experiencing poverty. The organizers
were constructing a program to address the poverty of single mothers with young
children. However, in some communities, those who suffer most from poverty are
the elderly and handicapped. The representative could not tell me the proportion
of single mothers to the total impoverished population of the community, how many
households were affected, if they were concentrated in particular neighborhoods,
or anything that amounted to actual data or experience with whether this was an
appropriate program for this community. He had not consulted with the welfare
office, other job training programs, or single mothers who needed jobs. There was
just no firm evidence to present to the reviewing committee about the need for this
program. Now in fact, when writing its grant the group could have taken responsibility
for researching and presenting the facts needed to support the case. But when the
executive director was advised to do this, he was annoyed and insisted that such
research was unnecessary, would take too much time, and deflected his efforts from
the important work he needed to do. Often grant seekers feel that way. The ones who
feel that way, like Hope for New Life, do not receive their funding.
In contrast, when a small city in the northern part of our state wanted to improve the
restroom facilities at its softball fields, it documented a clear need for the request.
First of all, federal legislation requires that all public facilities be accessible to people
with handicaps. The old restrooms at the city-owned park were constructed long
prior to this legislation and had stalls and wash stand areas that were too small to get
a wheelchair into, did not have grab bars, and were missing other requirements. The
law was clearly documented; the city group had drawings showing the dimensions
and layout of the restrooms as well as drawings showing the required dimensions
and the most feasible layout that would comply with the law. They had collected
census data about the number of adults and children in the community with mobility
impairments. They had collected data on the numbers of users in the park every
year and broken it down by several categories, including participants in the softball
leagues. From there they were able to project the number of people who would now
be able to attend and participate in events at the park if the restroom modifications
were constructed. All the data added up to a clearly documented need and receipt
of thousands of dollars in matching grant money to modernize the restrooms at the
softball fields.
Another more effective sample of a needs statement appears at the end of the
chapter.
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This chapter addresses how to write an effective needs statement. The
needs statement is the first detailed narrative to be written and may be the
most important section. The program synopsis or summary may appear
first, but the needs statement sets the stage for why the proposed project or
program was created and why anyone would want to fund it. This chapter
will cover ways to make a compelling case for a project by thoroughly
describing and quantifying the need that has been identified. It will show
how to effectively use statistics, facts, studies, graphs, tables, and real-life
stories to organize data and to help tell a convincing story.
Comparing the two organizations in the previous case study analysis, it
should be clear which is more likely to be funded. Although the first group
may actually have a substantial need to address, it did not appear to have
given it any real thought. The funder is not going to look up statistics on
the magnitude of a problem for the applicant, and the funder’s assumptions
and experience with the needs of the community may be entirely different
than those in the applicant’s community. In the second case, the staff of
the parks department had been keeping records over a period of time,
staying informed of new legislation, consulting with advocacy groups
for the handicapped, and had already researched the parameters of the
proposed restroom improvements. The group knew the size of the problem
in the community and how much effort was needed to make a reasonable
impact on improving the recreation program for the handicapped in its
community. The first group seemed to be making things up as it went
along; the second had done research and could prove the requested funds
would be effectively used.
The needs statement is the place to thoroughly describe the problem that
has been identified. How did this problem come to light? Is there evidence
that it has existed for some time, or is it a result of some recent upset in
the community? Are there sources or studies that can be cited that present
the problem in this community or in other places? Compare and contrast
the situation in this community versus what is being found in other places.
Chapter 7: What Needs Fixing? The Needs Statement
145
Can the proposed program fix the cause of the problem or specific events
or situations in a way that can be documented? Perhaps it is possible to
quantify the increase in negative impact or decrease in desirable features
that occurred after the event or change in the community.
The needs statement will quantify the current extent of the problem. How
many people are affected? Is the problem becoming greater? How much
does this problem cost, expressed in terms the reader can easily understand?
Are there measurable impacts on lost work time or productivity, incidence
of health problems, medical costs, graduation rates, incarceration rates, the
costs of incarceration, or perhaps the cost of lost opportunities?
Demographics are characteristics summarized by statistics that describe the
population of people most affected by a problem or living in a particular
neighborhood. Demographics involve parameters, such as the number of
people in an area, type and amount of income, where they work or go to
school, and other measures of wealth, educational attainment, age, numbers
of people in a household, and ethnic identities. Demographic information
and comparisons lend themselves well to organization in table formats or
graphs for ease of comparison and for tracking changes over time. The largest
single collector of demographic data is the United States Department of
Commerce during the decennial census of population. Unique collections
of Census Bureau information are periodically published by the Bureau,
including the City and County Data Book and the North American
Industry Classification System (NAICS), which is used to categorize data
from detailed industrial and occupational sectors. Many local governments
report their most recent census as well as any estimated changes for the
period between the last census and the current date as part of their annual
financial report. Local governments sometimes also conduct periodic
surveys of citizen attitudes, including some demographic information
that can be useful for detailed and up-to-date information. These may
be published and made available in the local library, distributed to the
city council and other community leaders, and on its Web site. The local
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Board of Realtors and Chamber of Commerce may provide community
profiles and market data to their members as well as in media releases and
marketing materials, which may include population and economic data
gathered from many sources, including their own surveys. Many retailers
and other companies conduct various consumer surveys that almost always
contain some demographics in their data. These tend to be proprietary
but can sometimes be accessed from a company’s Web site or in its annual
report. Any member of your board of trustees may have access to data
gathered in specific ways by one’s primary business that he or she can make
available to you. The U.S. Department of Commerce also includes the
National Technical Information Service, which publishes a number of data
reports. Its Web site, www.ntis.gov, provides access to a number of its and
other government data publications. Though free information is readily
available, there are fee-based services that also provide this material already
formatted and that will sometimes provide customized comparisons of
communities. The U.S. Census demographic information is also available
via its Web site, www.census.gov. Many localities also reproduce the
most recent census information for their towns on their official Web site
as a marketing tool but which is available to anyone interested in the
community. Other sources of data for your community includes other
economic development organizations, regional planning commissions,
your State or County Department of Development, and local colleges or
universities. Other nonprofit organizations and school districts may have
and share data about the community as well as about the level of need or
costs related to their areas of specialty.
The U.S. Census Bureau also conducts a census of business activity every
five years, those ending in “2” or “7,” and compiles that information into
the Economic Census (also available on www.census.gov), and the U.S.
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov) publishes
data related to employment and unemployment trends at the national,
state, and county level. These can be used to gain insights into employment
trends, consumer behavior, and regional economic facts. For international
Chapter 7: What Needs Fixing? The Needs Statement
147
information the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) publishes the World
Fact Book, a reference manual of data on more than 260 nations and other
entities, complete with a set of maps. International aid groups as well as local
social service agencies also collect and disseminate data about the issues,
countries, and people that they serve. You might even be able to generate
statistics about your clientele from your records that will be especially
informative about the unique conditions affecting your constituents.
TIP: Be careful to attribute your statistics properly through
footnotes or endnotes. Note who compiled the data, the name of
the publication, the date of publication, the place of publication,
and page(s) where the fact(s) appeared.
Be sure to describe clearly any special circumstances about how study
data was gathered. The conclusions drawn about the study group may not
apply to your target population. Be sure to understand and highlight the
significant similarities or differences.
A few well-placed tables and charts can convey a point quickly and
sometimes more clearly than long narratives. It is true that a picture is
worth a thousand words. Using tables and charts can be especially helpful
if a proposal is required to be brief per the guidelines. Be sure graphs and
charts are well annotated and accurately labeled and that they cite the source
and age of data. Simple tables can be created in most word processing
programs. Integrated office suite programs have spreadsheet programs that
can be used to create a table and translate the data into various simple
graphs, which can then be inserted into the compatible word processor
program.
The following examples show three examples of presentation of the same
hypothetical data. The data set, which is the age distribution of fictional
This City in the year 2000 and 2007, can be presented in a table, a pie
chart, or in a 3-D bar chart. Note the two sources of data from 2000 and
2007 are cited. Tables allow large amounts of information to be organized
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and to show precise numbers. Charts allow the data to be perceived in
proportions, and with appropriate labels or accompanying tables, the data
is readily understandable.
This City, Age Distribution Table, 2000-2007
Age Group
Ages in 2000
Ages in 2007
Total #
Total #
< or = 25 17 85 26-35 91 88 36-45 89 80 46-55 75 85 56-65 58 45 Over 65 74 61 Totals 404 444 *Sources: U.S. Census of 2000 and Community Survey of 2007 Chapter 7: What Needs Fixing? The Needs Statement 149 TIP: Charts and graphics are one way to introduce color and design elements to add visual interest that will help to hold the attention of the grant reviewer. Another way to present evidence of need is through recounting the experiences and work of other organizations that have attempted to address this or a similar problem in the same community or elsewhere. Describe the level of success their efforts were able to achieve. Are those programs still in operation, and if not, why not? If this program’s chosen approach tackles the problem in a different way, for what reason was it chosen as an alternative approach? Why is this proposed program the better or best way to solve the problem, and does it address the root causes of the problem or at least alleviate suffering when a problem is too large? For example, this would be the difference between an immunization program to prevent a disease and a program to dispense medication that might not be affordable otherwise. Similarly, it may be possible to cite the work of a known expert in the field, results of his or her research, or a well-placed quotation. 150 The Complete Guide to Writing Effective & Award-Winning Grants Although data can illustrate quantifiable information quickly, sometimes little data is available or it does not convey the emotional toll that the affected people may be experiencing. Award-winning grants enable grant reviewers to connect with the situation emotionally, and that requires more that a simple statement of facts. It can be highly effective to show the reader the needs to be addressed and put a “human face” on the problem by using one or two personal stories. Interspersion of particularly well-phrased quotes from program clients or staff can help enliven the narrative and make a proposal much more compelling. But tell these stories simply and directly. Show respect and empathy for those profiled, not pity. Also, be sure to maintain confidentiality when telling someone’s personal story to a stranger. In our example of Hope for New Life, the organization had no first-hand accounts to use in support of its program. It gave no indication that it had ever encountered its target audience. Its case could have been stronger had it been able to tell a story similar to this: Joanne left school before she graduated to marry her boyfriend, and she discovered she was pregnant. He was already working at the auto repair shop, and she thought he would “take care of ” her and her baby. The marriage fell apart, and the father of her child left town with no forwarding address. She had no car, job, or training. Neither did she trust anyone she knew to take care of her twoyear-old daughter. Hope for New Life placed her in its General Education Diploma (GED) high school equivalency program and provided her with job training in its cosmetology career program. During this time she qualified for Aid for Families and Dependent Children (AFDC, often referred to as welfare) payments and a subsidized apartment. Hope For New Life provides free on-site day care in its child care training school while she is in class. When she graduates next month, Hope for New Life will assist her in securing permanent employment, continue to provide low cost child care, and if needed, allow her to acquire a vehicle donated and repaired Chapter 7: What Needs Fixing? The Needs Statement 151 by the auto-mechanics career program. Joanne will then have the tools to take care of her child and herself, graduate from public assistance and know the pride of her accomplishment. They should not say something like this: Joanne foolishly dropped out of school to marry her baby’s daddy. The irresponsible lout took off and went into hiding…. If the targeted funder is one of the few that accepts photos or video with submitted requests, feel free to use this media if possible. Be sure to get written permission from those shown in the images or from the parents or guardians if they feature children. When using personal accounts, only tell enough of the story to demonstrate the need or the point of the section being written. Too much information will obscure the point of the example and lessen its effectiveness. Above all, be sure the personal stories used clearly demonstrate the need for the program that is requesting the funds. A Good Needs Statement Example (Fictional) The J. M. McCoy Health Center Application to the Victor Donald Foundation 1. Needs Statement Meet Joanna. Joanna is 20 years old and until a few months ago lived in the Mill Quarter neighborhood with her mother. Her mother recently died at age 40 from breast cancer, which could have been averted had she received regular mammograms to diagnose the disease early. Joanna’ father died of gangrene, a serious complication of diabetes five years ago. His erratic behavior and frequent absences from work, probably the result of his untreated condition, hampered his ability to hold down a “regular” job, and thus the family did not have health insurance. Like many they simply tried to get by without regular care, depending on over-the-counter remedies for relief and the hospital emergency room when any medical problem seemed to become unbearable. Joanna has been left without support while she tries to attend the local community college to get certified as a Licensed Practical Nurse. Just five months short of her goal, Joanna is struggling to cope with her mother’s death, and has moved in with friends and increased her 152 The Complete Guide to Writing Effective & Award-Winning Grants A Good Needs Statement Example (Fictional) work hours so that she can support herself. She is still waiting to hear if she will be able to receive increased scholarship assistance in order to pay her tuition. In Mill Quarter, stories like Joanna’s are heard everyday and could have been averted if families had easy access to nearby and affordable healthcare and health education. There is a growing low income population of uninsured individuals and families in Columbia, Ohio, in particular its Mill Quarter neighborhood, and throughout the nation. The proportion of unemployed workers has increased along with an increase in the incidence of poverty in the inner-city neighborhoods. The three existing neighborhood health centers have reached their capacity and increasingly find it difficult to adequately serve everyone who appears at their doors for treatment. The Mill Quarter neighborhood is home to an increasing number of recent immigrants who are difficult to serve because of cultural and language barriers. It is the only quadrant of the city that does not have a community-based healthcare center. There are no doctors’ offices or non-subsidized healthcare facilities within a three-mile radius of the proposed location of the J. M. McCoy Health Center. There is public transit available in this neighborhood, though the service to other parts of the city is limited, and many of the residents are elderly or have limited mobility. This further limits their access to proactive, primary care health services. Columbia is in a growing region of Ohio. The city is home to the county government offices and several colleges, universities, and technical schools, including a university’s school of medicine and several schools of nursing. The city hosts a professional lacrosse team, the Blues, as well as the Small Towners, a minor league baseball franchise, and numerous theater, musical, dance, and arts organizations. It is regarded as a community that is economically well diversified and buffered from extreme fluctuations of the state and regional economy. Nonetheless, almost two-thirds of the residents of the Mill Quarter neighborhood have annual incomes of less than 80 percent the area median of $54,000. One-fourth of the residents of the neighborhood arrived in this country in the last five years and are still establishing their families and employment. An estimated 25 percent of the population is over age 65, compared to the citywide average of only 14 percent over age 65. Approximately one-third of these seniors have been unable to access Social Security or Medicare. The remaining low income residents, if working, are working in low wage, low skill positions that are often part-time, intermittent, or otherwise do not provide health insurance plans. According to a recent City Health Department Chapter 7: What Needs Fixing? The Needs Statement 153 A Good Needs Statement Example (Fictional) survey, an estimated 40 percent of this neighborhood does not have access to health insurance. This creates a tremendous need for free or low cost primary care throughout the neighborhood. The three other neighborhood health centers report steady increases in visits and can no longer schedule appointments in less than one week. This can be a critically long delay in treatment of some conditions. Even with limited transportation, residents of the Mill Quarter neighborhood accounted for 17.5 percent of neighborhood health center clientele, an increase from 12.5 percent in 2003. Low income populations and those with inadequate health coverage are more likely to have complications from manageable health conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and sexually transmitted diseases. Simple primary care interventions and education from trusted healthcare providers can significantly reduce the complications of these and other conditions. Examples of how the low income have less access to various forms of healthcare are frequently reported in the media. For example HealthDay News reports that 154 The Complete Guide to Writing Effective & Award-Winning Grants A Good Needs Statement Example (Fictional) recent studies show that only 35 percent of patients eligible for internal defibrillators received these devices after a hospitalization for heart attacks. The figure varied by ethnic groups as well, with only 28 percent of black women obtaining the devices, 29 percent of white women and 33 percent of black men, but 43 percent of white men were able to obtain this treatment. Researches hypothesized that being low income may be a contributing factor. Another study, this one of children who “age out” of foster care with no economic support, show lowered access to health insurance and therefore healthcare, compared to the general population of their age group. “While approximately 30 percent of young adults in the general population report an episode of being uninsured over the course of the past year, we found that more than half of emancipated participants were uninsured, with rates ranging as high as 76 percent of the participants with an experience of homelessness,” the researchers wrote. In addition “More than one fifth of former foster children reported an unmet need for medical care, compared to only 14 percent for youth with stable housing,” the research team noted. The study appeared in the October 2007 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. Healthcare treatments given at the primary care level early in a disease process are shown to be as much as 50 percent less expensive than treatment by hospitalization or by emergency. Chronic diseases such as diabetes, if managed, are 47 percent less expensive than treating the severe complications that can result without medical management. In approximately 17 percent of cases, premature death can occur from unmanaged illnesses. The estimated loss of household income due to premature loss of a wage earner is estimated to be as much as $308 million each year nationally. This creates an economic, social, and emotional strain on their families. This neighborhood, with its population of approximately 35,000 mostly low income and under- or uninsured residents easily justifies the location of a new neighborhood health center. More important, the health, welfare, and economic benefit of access to better healthcare will have direct impact on the economic and social stability of the residents and the neighborhood itself. The personal and community benefits of prevention more than outweigh the costs of providing the care. Chapter Summary • Describe the problem your program intends to address. Chapter 7: What Needs Fixing? The Needs Statement 155 • Quantify the size or frequency of the problem. • Use outside sources of data to reinforce your claims. • Summarize large amounts of data into charts or tables. • Clearly document your sources. • Use a few well-picked personalized accounts. • Follow proper protocol. • Aim to make a compelling but not overly wrought case for your request. 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