Veterans Adventure Group General Information Contact Information Nonprofit Veterans Adventure Group Address 3161 Towne Village Road Antioch, TN 37013 1296 Phone (615) 806-4566 Web Site Web Site Facebook Facebook Email justin.m@veteransadventuregroup.org At A Glance Year of Incorporation 2016 1
Mission & Impact Statements Mission Veterans Adventure Group is a non-profit that connects veterans with nature using extreme sports. V.A.G. is grounded in the idea that military service trains personnel to think, act, and live at exceptional levels, strengths that should be upheld in veterans after separation from service. Extreme sports are used to connect veterans to their peers, the outdoors, and their local community, thereby increasing participants' sense of purpose as catalysts for change in their environment. Free of charge, V.A.G. outfits and trains veterans in small teams for a group mission, such as mountaineering in Washington State, scuba diving in Florida, or running a 100-mile trail race in Alabama. The overarching mission of the organization is to empower veterans to find their next mission in life. Impact In 2017, we sent 12 veterans up Mt. Rainier-one of which was single leg amputee. We also sent 3 veterans through AFF training to earn their class A skydiving rating, sponsored a veteran to race in a 50 mile ultra marathon, created a SCUBA team, lead multiple caving trips, participated in Operation Heartland, added a drag racing team, added a kite surfing team, and completed numerous smaller objectives. In 2018 we are taking over 20 veterans on our Mt. Rainier climb, expanding our teams to offer white water rafting, mountain biking, and rock climbing, as well as adding a new skydiving team in the northeastern US. Our primary goal has been expanding to other states and opening up more opportunities through various activities. Needs A stable source of funding is our primary need, followed by more volunteers to help with administration work. A secondary need is a group of passionate individuals dedicated to upholding our mission on an executive board. Above all, we would love more veterans to engage in the longevity of the organization itself. Other ways to donate, support, or volunteer In-kind donations of equipment and event space are accepted and appreciated. You can also support us by purchasing t-shirts and stickers on our website. Direct donations can also be made through our online store. Volunteers are welcome at our events. The link to our square store is: https://squareup.com/store/veteransadventure-group Service Categories Primary Organization Category Recreation & Sports / Alliances & Advocacy Secondary Organization Category Mental Health & Crisis Intervention / Alliances & Advocacy Areas of Service Areas Served TN - Davidson TN - Montgomery Primarily based out of the Middle Tennessee area, but we also currently serve teams out of Northern Alabama, Southern Florida, and the Pacific Northwest. Ultimately we hope to serve all veterans across the nation. CEO Statement We want to inspire veterans to find a team and mission to which they can dedicate their lives again. We are 2
unique because we are group-focused, creating and supporting local teams of veteran athletes who ultimately operate independently of the help of the nonprofit. 3
Programs Programs Mountaineering Description We select a team of local veterans and provide them with the equipment and training for mountaineering, ultimately preparing them for a challenging culmination exercise. A 2016 team of Tennessee veterans successfully climbed to the summit of Mount Rainier. We are currently training a new team of veterans based out of the Pacific Northwest for a similar mission. Budget 17500 Category Recreation & Sports, General/Other Population Served,, Short Term Success Long term Success Program Success Monitored By Examples of Program Success Teams will exhibit proficiency in mountaineering to be successful on their culmination exercise. Ultimately we hope our mountaineering teams will continue to be active in the climbing community and seek to conquer more challenging peaks. Teams will be given a survey before, during, and after a culmination exercise. They will also have monthly check-ins with the president of the organization. A previous team member on this program was able to overcome his substance abuse problem by training with his teammates and accomplishing their mission. The 2016 mountaineering team has continued to go on subsequent climbing exercise and remained physically fit. 4
Skydiving Description We help a team of veterans get their Class A skydiving license and the proper equipment required. We also connect them with local drop zones in the community. Budget 22000 Category Recreation & Sports, General/Other Population Served,, Short Term Success Long term Success Program Success Monitored By Examples of Program Success The 2017 group of veterans will successfully obtain the Class A skydiving license so that they may carry out solo jumps. We also hope to introduce veterans to the local dropzone community. The skydiving team will continue to safely engage in jump activities and advance in their rating. Additionally, we hope this team will engage the local community in the sport of skydiving and collaborate with the local dropzone community. Team members will continue to be monitored using survey assessments that gauge their sense of belonging. They will also be successful if they continue to progress towards obtaining advanced ratings. After joining the skydiving team, one member was able to reduce his need for psychotropic medication that treated his post-traumatic stress. Another member was able to reduce his anxiety as a result of obtaining his license. S.C.U.B.A Diving Description We train a team of veterans to obtain their open water certificate and engage them in a culmination exercise at a challenging dive site. Budget 16000 Population Served,, 5
Rappelling Description We train a team through the basics of caving until they have mastered the advanced skills to rappel 846 feet at Bridge Day in West Virginia. Budget 12000 Category Recreation & Sports, General/Other Recreation & Sports, General/Other Population Served Other Named Groups,, Short Term Success Long term Success Program Success Monitored By Examples of Program Success The team of veterans will successfully acquire the skills needed to safely engage in the extreme sport of rappelling and operate independently of the financial support of the organization. On the team-level, we hope that teams of veterans will continue to be athletes in the sport of rappelling and function as a tight-knit support network for each other over the long term. We measure the success of the program by surveys before, during, and following their work with our nonprofit. We also conduct monthly check ins on teams following our program to address any needs and continue to inspire them to achieve new goals. This program will be successful if we create a stable chapter of veterans in Alabama who are active in the sport of rappelling. We would love to see an increased sense of purpose and belonging in our veterans as well. Mountain Biking Description Our mountain biking team is based out of Knoxville, TN and focuses on getting veterans on bikes, providing the training and equipment needed, and fostering a community around mountain biking. Budget $5000 Category Recreation & Sports, General/Other Cycling Population Served Adults,, 6
Governance Board Chair Board Chair Justin Matejcek Company Affiliation President & Board Chair Term Jan 2016 to Jan 2020 Email Justin.m@veteransadventuregroup.org Board Members Name Affiliation Status Dustin Humphrey Vice President Voting Daniel Schenstrom Director of Operations Voting Shannon Thompson Secretary Voting Sean White Treasurer & CFO Voting Board Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black 0 Asian American/Pacific Islander 0 Caucasian 4 Hispanic/Latino 0 Native American/American Indian 0 Other 0 Board Demographics - Gender Male 4 Female 1 Unspecified 0 Governance Board Term Lengths 2 Board Term Limits 3 Board Meeting Attendance % 75% Written Board Selection Criteria? Written Conflict of Interest Policy? Percentage Making Monetary Contributions 100% Percentage Making In-Kind Contributions 100% Constituency Includes Client Representation Number of Full Board Meetings Annually 4 7
Board CoChair Board CoChair Company Affiliation Brett Keck Vice President & Co-Chair 8
Management Executive Director/CEO Executive Director Term Start Jan 2016 Email Mr. Justin Matejcek justin.m@veteransadventuregroup.org Experience Justin Matejcek is the founder and Executive Director of Veterans Adventure Group. He has served 5 years on active duty in the Army and completed two combat tours in Afghanistan. He is a certified personal trainer, and has served as a business owner and director of operations for another local company. He has created a cash flow income base which allows him to commit his time to Veterans Adventure group as a volunteer without pay. He is very active in extreme sports, and consistently takes those less experienced on trips with him. Co-CEO Co-CEO Brett Keck Term Start Jan 2016 Experience Brett Keck is the Co-Executive Director of Veteran's Adventure Group and a former U.S. Army Infantryman. He deployed to Afghanistan with 101st CAB Pathfinder Company of the 101st Airborne Division. He left the Service in 2011 and has since moved into a successful career as a K-9 officer with a local law enforcement agency. He is passionate about the success of the organization and understand the foundation of Veterans Adventure Group. Staff Full Time Staff 0 Part Time Staff 0 Volunteers 8 Contractors 0 Retention Rate 100% Plans & Policies Does the organization have a documented Fundraising Plan? Under Development Does the organization have an approved Strategic Plan? Under Development Number of years Strategic Plan Considers N/A In case of a change in leadership, is a Management Succession plan in place? Does the organization have a Policies and Procedures Plan? 9
Does the organization have a Nondiscrimination Policy? Does the organization have a Whistle Blower Policy? Does the organization have a Document Destruction Policy? No Senior Staff Sean White Title Experience/Biography Chief Financial Officer Sean White is the Chief Financial Officer of Veterans Adventure Group and a former U.S. Army Apache Mechanic. He left the Army in 2001, and went on to a successful career in the financial sector, specializing in mortgage banking. His background in the financial sector makes him an ideal candidate as our treasurer. Sean is also passionate about the mission of Veterans Adventure Group. He has consistently helped with raising awareness and promoting our cause. Daniel Shenstrom Title Director of Operations Experience/Biography 10
Financials Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Start Jan 01 2018 Fiscal Year End Dec 31 2018 Projected Revenue $204,650.00 Projected Expenses $96,302.00 Endowment Value $0.00 Endowment Spending Percentage (if selected) 0% Detailed Financials Revenue and Expenses Total Revenue $0 $50 $100 Total Expenses $0 $0 $0 Revenue Sources Foundation and Corporation $0 $0 $0 Contributions Government Contributions $0 $0 $0 Federal $0 $0 $0 State $0 $0 $0 Local $0 $0 $0 Unspecified $0 $0 $0 Individual Contributions $0 $50 $100 Indirect Public Support $0 $0 $0 Earned Revenue $0 $0 $0 Investment Income, Net of Losses $0 $0 $0 Membership Dues $0 $0 $0 Special Events $0 $0 $0 Revenue In-Kind $0 $0 $0 Other $0 $0 $0 11
Expense Allocation Program Expense $0 $0 $0 Administration Expense $0 $0 $0 Fundraising Expense $0 $0 $0 Payments to Affiliates $0 $0 $0 Total Revenue/Total Expenses -- -- -- Program Expense/Total Expenses -- -- -- Fundraising Expense/Contributed Revenue -- 0% 0% Assets and Liabilities Total Assets $150 $150 $100 Current Assets $150 $150 $100 Long-Term Liabilities $0 $0 $0 Current Liabilities $0 $0 $0 Total Net Assets $150 $150 $100 Short Term Solvency Current Ratio: Current Assets/Current Liabilities -- -- -- Long Term Solvency Long-Term Liabilities/Total Assets 0% 0% 0% Top Funding Sources Top Funding Source & Dollar Amount -- Contributions, Gifts and Grants $50 Contributions, Gifts and Grants $100 Second Highest Funding Source & Dollar -- -- -- Amount Third Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount -- -- -- Capital Campaign Is the organization currently conducting a Capital Campaign for an endowment or the purchase of a major asset? No Capital Campaign Goal $0.00 State Charitable Solicitations Permit TN Charitable Solicitations Registration Exempt - Expires June 2019 GivingMatters.com Financial Comments Financial figures taken from Form 990. Form 990 was prepared internally by the nonprofit. Comments provided by Kathryn Bennett 2/28/17. Created 06.13.2018. Copyright 2018 The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee 12