#MiracleWhip with #MustardSeed
Updated: Jul 5
July 2, 2023 – “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a noise came from heaven.” Acts 2 International Childrens Bible (ICB)
Executive Summary
#ThePentecostProject promotes an alternative timeline for engaging “believers” in achieving #NoPoverty2030. Sustainable Engagement is demonstrated daily by two or more of 2.4 billion believers posting #NoPoverty2030 #ThePentecostProject through social media engagement.
The Free African Society for the 21st Century (FAS2), a capacity building demonstration project of Youth Achievers USA Institute, proposes a UNSDG-17 global partnership to be headquartered in Maseru, Lesotho, Africa. The objective of this demonstration is to establish KEA LUMELA (I BELIEVE) as an asset for #KingdomFellowship with the #MountainKingdom. A hybrid virtual/physical facility supports the development of Generation X, Y, and Z Trustees for a replicable living trust model. The project seeks to reinvest $100 million USD through the Maseru Seed from World Bank Development Projects.
The proposed physical and mailing addresses for a global LEARN-2-EARN Center is:
c/o F C James Centre (FAS2 $115k Real Estate Investment)
Mpilo Boulevard and A1
Maseru, Lesotho
Post Office Box: 223, Maseru, Lesotho
Email: Isaiah617@fas2.net
U.S. Phone number: c/o FAS2 Trustee 678-752-1264
FY 2023 start-up funding supports staffing for immediate implementation. A $10,000 grant investment by Youth Achievers USA Institute (YouthUSA) funds development of the #TumeloFamilyTrust in partnership with the World Bank.
1-10 Microsoft Office 360 Software licenses
1 Generation Z Intern
2 Laptop Computers
Hi-Speed Internet Connectivity at FC James Centre
Project Website www.fas2.net
Lesotho Business License for Tumelo Family Trust operating as FAS2 Global
Office Space for 1 Community Asset Manager and 1 Intern at FC James
Respectfully submitted for consideration.
Eric Stradford
Program Officer
Youth Achievers USA Institute
#ThePentecostProject, a partnership program of Youth Achievers USA Institute, a national 501c3 public charity will have 7 FutureCorps7 members [serving as Community Asset Managers in Maseru, Lesotho, and 11 qualifying sites].
At the end of the 1st program year (2024), FutureCorps7 members will be responsible for community asset development to include on-line financial literacy and qualifying opportunity youth as assets to their community. In addition, the FutureCorps7 members will leverage an additional [7 FAS2 Partners (CAM) + 7 FutureCorps7 members (Intern) + 21 opportunity youth (beneficiary) + 420 Caring Adult Whole Village members (stakeholders) = 455 leveraged volunteers,] that will be engaged in [capacity building activities in support of the local partner’s community service mission.]
This program will focus on the CNCS focus areas of [Economic Opportunity and Capacity Building]. The CNCS investment of $[amount of request] will be matched with $[amount of projected match], $[amount of local, state, and federal funds] in public funding and $[amount of non-governmental funds] in private funding.
III. Narratives The narrative section of the application is your opportunity to convince reviewers that your project meets the selection criteria as outlined in the Notice. Below are some general recommendations to help you present your project in a way reviewers will find compelling and persuasive. Lead from your program strengths and be explicit. Do not make the mistake of trying to stretch your proposed program description to fit each funding priority and special consideration articulated in the regulations or the Notice.
B. Selection Criteria
Each application must clearly describe a project that will effectively deploy FutureCorps7 members to solve a significant community problem. Specifics about the selection criteria are published in the Notice.
RATIONALE AND APPROACH/ Program Design (50 percent) In assessing Rationale and Approach/ Program Design, reviewers will examine the degree to which the applicant demonstrates how FutureCorps7 members are particularly well-suited to solving the identified community problem.
The applicant, Youth Achievers USA Institute, presents “LEARN-2-EARN” as a theory of change to promote economic opportunity through national service. The applicant as well as the United States government and the World Bank recognizes basic financial literacy as a critical link for connecting low to moderate income citizens to economic opportunity. However, one logical, measurable approach to meeting the needs of economically disadvantaged Americans is Money-n-the-Bank, a written vision of the future.
Lesotho is a small, mountainous, and landlocked country, surrounded by its much larger neighbor, South Africa. It has a population of almost 2.3 million and nominal gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of $1,045.9 in 2022.
A lower-middle-income country, Lesotho is mostly highlands, with its lowest point 1,400 meters above sea level. Previously a British protectorate, the nation gained independence on October 4, 1966. Lesotho is a constitutional monarchy, ruled by a king as Head of State and a Prime Minister as Head of Government. A 33-member Senate and a 120-member National Assembly govern Lesotho. A new government was established in November 2022.
Lesotho has been affected by multiple shocks, which have constrained growth. Its development prospects are affected by the challenging global environment characterized by the war in Ukraine, rising global geopolitical tensions, climate change, and the abating COVID-19 pandemic. Political instability has contributed to its weak economic performance.
Nonetheless, economic activity is expected to pick up in 2023, underpinned by the construction sector, particularly Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP-II), which includes the construction of a water transfer tunnel, the Senqu River bridge, and the Polihali dam. GDP is expected to expand by 2.6% in 2023, 3.1% in 2024, and 3.3% in 2025, as construction activity in the LHWP-II reaches its peak.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the world’s shared plan to end extreme poverty, reduce inequality, and protect the planet by 2030. Achieving any of the 17 SDGs begins with one or more people believing the goal can be achieved.
#ThePentecostProject emphasizes the value of more time as an asset to engage more people in believing the goals can be achieved. More people means inclusion of all living generations as equitable stakeholders. U.S. Programs such as Assets for Independence, Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, and Alliance for Economic Inclusion all promote reasonable approaches to equitable economic inclusion.
However, most fail to address one critical issue for win-win governing. At the core of a $32 trillion national debt problem are attitudes and behaviors stemming from a need for trust. Past actions and attitudes can be attributed to current realities such as economic “haves” and “have-nots.” Virtually every measurable societal problem stems from a demonstrated behavior to distrust.
Evidence of effective experimentation dating back to 1712, still serves a model for behavioral economics. “I shall assure you that DISTRUST IS STRONGER THAN TRUST AND ENVY STRONGER THAN ADULATION, RESPECT OR ADMIRATION. The Black slaves after receiving this indoctrination shall carry on and will become self-refueling and self-generating for HUNDREDS of years, maybe THOUSANDS,” according to the infamous “Making of a Slave” speech.
This speech was delivered by Willie Lynch on the bank of the James River in the colony of Virginia in 1712. Lynch was a British slave owner in the West Indies. He was invited to Virginia to teach his methods to slave owners there. The term “lynching” is believed to have derived from his last name. The effect of the Lynch experiment is now being quantified by Census data and economic surveys. Empirical evidence reflects long-term economic disparities, sustained by a nation’s failure to address a problem endured by 13% of the U.S. population.
Historically disadvantaged survivors from the 1963 March On Washington admonished one another and remnant leadership to reconsider Martin Luther King Jr.’s soul piercing theme. The “content of character” dreamed for, emerged after half a century through Dr. King’s youngest daughter. The Reverend Dr. Bernice A. King challenged America with a choice for national security intervention. In her father’s words, “CHAOS OR COMMUNITY: Where do we go from here?”
The applicant has since consulted with local and national leaders of the historic Southern Christian Leadership Conference and African Methodist Episcopal Church to address concerns about economic security threats. In cooperation with the National Council of Churches, the applicant is calling on a few good veterans, social entrepreneurs, faith and government leaders, youth beneficiaries, caring adults and philanthropists to demonstrate grassroots community reinvestment where believers live, learn, work and worship.
The applicant, in collaboration with L2E partners in (Lesotho and 11 other sites) will recruit, train, equip and deploy veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, college students, and caring adults from the faith community to engage economically disadvantaged young adults[i] and opportunity youth in asset-building activities. FutureCorps7 members will operate from each of 7 L2E partner sites with two common objectives. Within the MSY (1700 hrs), each FutureCorps7 member will qualify as a Community Asset Manager for three YouthUSA beneficiaries.
The members will access an on-line capacity building application to qualify three YouthUSA beneficiaries to include one opportunity Youth to complete the online FDIC Money Smart Financial Literacy course of 10 interactive modules. A Certificate of Completion for each module will be uploaded by the FutureCorps7 member to an online virtual facility used for project and event management.
At each site, FutureCorps7 members will participate in capacity-building activities aimed at enhancing Organizational Development for local faith and community organizations, Leadership Development using evidence-based Christian Leadership strategies, and revenue-generation based on grassroots community reinvestment and social enterprise.
L2E supports and actively promotes the Interagency Working Group on Youth Program (IWGYP) vision for Positive Youth Development (PYD) as a Community Engagement intervention in developing Economic Opportunity.
This collaboration of twelve federal departments and agencies including CNCS define positive youth development as an intentional, pro-social approach that engages youth within their communities, schools, organizations, peer groups, and families in a manner that is productive and constructive; recognizes, utilizes, and enhances youths' strengths; and promotes positive outcomes for young people by providing opportunities, fostering positive relationships, and furnishing the support needed to build on their leadership strengths. Video testimonies will offer evidence of PYD as means of developing today’s Opportunity Youth as tomorrow’s Community Assets.
Since 1996, all YouthUSA beneficiaries have demonstrated added value to their community. “MONEY-N-THE-BANK” is a seven-part written vision of each qualifying YouthUSA beneficiary. The program supports a FutureCorps7 where members are economically endowed to achieve their goals. Each applicant to THE ANNUAL YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS writes a Spiritual Goal, a Physical Goal, Social , Financial, Educational and Recreational Goal.
The applicant demonstrates capacity building by raising a Whole Village of 20 caring adults. The applicant is supported by a parent, a Community Asset Manager (CAM), and a Caring Adult Mentor to be an asset to the community. Partnering organizations, families and ministries benefit through increased local capacity for getting things done. Youth savings accounts establish a base value for asset-building activities.
Scalable, replicable deployment of boots-on-the-ground will require a win-win partnership with federal agencies collaborating as the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs (IWGYP). CNCS is the first among IWGYP collaborating agencies to review our affordable, locally sustainable intervention to help low income Americans LEARN-2-EARN.
2. Organizational Capability (25 percent) Reviewers will assess the extent to which the applicant demonstrates organizational background and staffing, sustainability, compliance and accountability, enrollment and retention (for current and former grantees), consultation with State Commissions (not required for Indian Tribes), and operating and member service sites (as indicated in the Notice.)
Free African Society for the 21st Century (FAS2) is an intellectual property of Youth Achievers USA Institute (YouthUSA). The proprietary circular capacity building strategy is based on a common vision to “carry out the spirit of the original Free African Society,” from which the worldwide African Methodist Episcopal Church evolved.
The YouthUSA organization evolved from consultations between The Reverend Dr. Donald Vails, Director of Music for Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church, Ft. Washington, MD and Stephanie A. Walker Stradford, the former business manager for the mega church. In 1994, the two shared a “vision of the future” in which music ministry could help to prepare disadvantaged people for value-added community service. Under the servant leadership of The Reverends Grainger and Jo Ann Browning, Ebenezer The Beautiful, a physical facility was established at 7707 Allentown Rd, Ft. Washington, MD which accommodated a vision for a 300 voice choir.
Presenting evidence of a “Miracle on Allentown” and quantifying the growth within government language called for additional consultation with former U.S. Congressman, The Reverend Floyd Flake, Allen Cathedral AME Church, Jamaica Queens, NY, former Assistant Labor Secretary Arthur Allen Fletcher, Father of the Affirmative Action Enforcement Movement, former Assistant Commerce Secretary Larry Irving, former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum, I Toni Thomas, a former regional director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Affairs, church lay and ministry leaders.
Youth Achievers USA Institute is current in its registrations at CNCS EGrants and System for Awards Management (SAM.gov). The organization has maintained 501c3 recognition by Internal Revenue service (IRS) as a public charity since its incorporation. Guidestar, now Candid measures a charity’s commitment to transparency. Since 1996, YouthUSA has qualified low to moderate income youth as beneficiaries to an inclusive vision of America’s future. Since 2002, YouthUSA has maintained access to corporate information via collaboration software. Through an alliance with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) we have administered online financial literacy since 2009.
The L2E partnership model supports organizational capacity building for a “FutureCorps7” which identifies, trains and qualifies local community leaders as advisors and or corporate directors for Youth Achievers USA Institute. Each of our local L2E partners manages social enterprise operations in one of seven categories of service which establishes local staffing and volunteer support for implementing and sustaining the project. The L2E partner’s designated representative, a qualifying Community Asset Manager of 24 FutureCorps7 Members and any of 900 “leveraged volunteers” can qualify as equity partners in a for-profit social enterprise.
YouthUSA is a Delaware corporation established 9-11-2006. Professional staffing capabilities are reflected in the professional backgrounds of our board members, beneficiaries, stakeholders and partners. Our board of directors has included legal advisors, a communications strategist, a U.S. Marine Corps Information Specialist, economists; and ministers from the faith community. Capacity building for the L2E partnership has resulted in an increased access to potential board members and advisors. At the same time, L2E partners benefit through information sharing as advisors to their respective entities.
Eric Stradford is a retired veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He is the managing member of a verified U.S. Veteran Owned Small Business. TheEnterpriZe, LLC is registered in the System for Awards Management as company providing Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (NAICS 541611). The company primarily provides trust administration services to family trusts with a fair market value of $5 million USD or less. The company also provides program and compliance services for small charities, foundations, faith-based entities and microbusinesses.
Since 1992, “The Gunny” has applied acquired DoD training and experience as a broadcast information specialist in the development of cost effective, Internet-deliverable capacity building and media programs. He administers an online portal integrating OTC software applications into an operating virtual corporate facility. The virtual facility replicates a $1M social enterprise model establishing small business ownership for equity members of limited liability companies. It provides partners with transparent on-demand access to L2E development assets.
Stephanie A. Walker Stradford is the founding chair and Chief Executive Officer of Youth Achievers USA Institute (YouthUSA). She is a managing member of TheEnterpriZe LLC and a fiduciary trustee for The Evelyn Walker Armstrong Living Trust and GrandMentors’ Living Trust. Stephanie has served as a communications professional since beginning her career a NBC Washington, DC. A graduate of the prestigious Philadelphia School for Girls and University of Maryland, she has served as church administrator for Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church, Ft. Washington, MD, and consultant to the AME Church Second Episcopal District. She owned and operated Starstep Communications, a small business which continues to add value to today’s social enterprise model. A list of successfully completed projects include Community Economic Empowerment Conference for the Collective Banking Group of Prince Georges County, MD, Washington, DC’s Adams Morgan Day, grand openings for the original DC Convention Center, Metro Center, coordination of community, state and federal assets on the $800 M expansion of DC Metro system’s Blue Line and the designation of Garrett Morgan Boulevard Station. Mrs. Stradford’s specialties include: Non-profit organization management and conceptualization of Positive Youth Development Programs. Conference and event management, public relations, contract and vendor negotiations, utilization of digital technology for project management, advertising, media relations, media production, community relations, capacity-building, writing, and editing.
INSERT PROFESSIONAL PROFILES ON L2E PARTNERS
FAS2 HEALING -- Rev. Dr. Miriam J. Burnett, MD, MDiv, MPH, CHCQM, FABQAURP, currently serves as Supervisor of Missions for the 18th Episcopal District and Medical Director of the International Health Commission of the worldwide African Methodist Episcopal Church. Under the Episcopal Stewardship of the Right Reverend Francine Brookins, 141st elected, consecrated bishop of the AME Church, in a line of succession dating back to Bishop Richard Allen in 1816. The 18th Episcopal District includes Generation Z and Generation A believers in Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland and Botswana.
Dr. Burnett serves as the Supervisor of the Eighteenth Episcopal District In June 2020, she was appointed by the National Council of Churches, USA (NCCUSA) representative to the World Council of Churches Consultation with its ecumenical partners on health to discuss our responses to COVID-19 and its implications on the future of the health and healing ministry. This consultation is beginning active partnership with the World Health Organization. In addition, Dr. Burnett continues to work with the National Volunteer Agencies Active in Disaster (NVOAD). She is an ordained Itinerant Elder in the AME Church.
Dr. Burnett is a service-disabled veteran of the United States Army. She serves as the President of Resource And Promotion of Health Alliance, Inc. (R.A.P.H.A., Inc.), a non-profit Health Education and Promotion Consulting Company with 30 years of experience aiding faith-based (FBO) and community (CBO) organizations as they strive to optimize health for their communities. As a minister and medical doctor, Rev. Dr. Burnett is a strong advocate of ‘holistic health,’ a concept that embodies physical, psychological, social, economic and spiritual health, and is powerfully explained in her speeches across the US and the globe.
She sees faith-based organizations as specifically empowered to create this possibility and has put the power of her commitment to support their efforts.
In 2009, Dr. Burnett collaborated with fellow veteran, Eric Stradford, YouthUSA, and Dr. Patricia Ann Morris DeVeaux, Supervisor of Missions for the 6th Episcopal District of the AME Church to develop and deploy a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) conference strategy for Healing, Wholeness, and Healthcare Promotion. Dr. Burnett’s ministry, at the time, was the Faith and the City program at Atlanta’s Interdenominational Theological Center under the presidency of now U.S. Ambassador To Tanzania, Michael Battle.
3. Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy (25 percent) In assessing Cost Effectiveness and Budget Adequacy, reviewers will examine the degree to which the intervention being proposed is cost effective and the budget is appropriate for the program being proposed.
C. Evaluation Summary or Plan
Under Development
BUDGET SCENARIO 1: The cost per Member Service Year (MSY) represents the cost to the Corporation for National Service. The máximum MSY for a full time FutureCorps7 member (1700 hours of service) is $24,200. Project Scenario `1 discusses 50 full-time FutureCorps7 (1700) for a period of three years. Each FutureCorps7 member qualifies a mínimum of three (3) youth beneficiaries per year via THE ANNUAL YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS capacity-building program. Each beneficiary qualifies 20 caring adult stakeholders to include 2 low income citizens, 2 veterans, 2 seniors, 2 disadvantaged “minorities,” and 2 opportunity youth to complete FDIC Internet accesible financial literacy. Each FutureCorps7 member provides a mínimum of 300 hours in the partner’s selected service area (Healing, Feeding, Housing, Learning, Earning, Living, Giving).
24,200 Max Cost per MSY
50 Total number of FutureCorps7 members
3 Total number of years
3,630,000 Sub-Total
544,500 (15% Project Administration)
4,174,500 Total Project Cost
1001880 Applicant Share
3172620 Federal Grant Funding
21,150 Cost per MSY
Partners should use the following table to propose alternative budget scenarios.
BUDGET SCENARIO 2: The cost per Member Service Year (MSY) represents the cost to the Corporation of thisFutureCorps7program. This Project scenario supports ___ full-time, ___ Half time, ___ Reduced Half-time, _____ Quarter-time, _____ Minimum-timeFutureCorps7for a period of three years.
24,200 MAX F/T Cost per MSY
12,800 MAX H/T Cost per MSY
9,600 MAX R/T Cost per MSY
6,400 MAX Q/T Cost per MSY
4,260 MAX M/T Cost per MSY
_______ Total number of F/TFutureCorps7members
_______ Total number H/T
_______ Total number R/T
_______ Total number Q/T
_______ Total number M/T
_______ Total number Summer Hires
3 Total number of years
_______ Sub-Total
_______ (15% Project Administration)
_______ Total Project Cost
_______ Applicant Share
_______ Federal Grant Funding
_______ Cost per MSY
LEARN-2-EARN (L2E) is the national service component of an economic security demonstration. The project values local youth as Community Assets where they live, learn, work and or worship. The service project engages 1-12 Community Asset Managers (CAM[ii]), responsible for local capacity building and connecting low to moderate income neighbors to FDIC Internet accessible Money-Smart Financial Literacy curriculum. Local communities, organizations, and faith partners host L2E sites where Community Asset Managers access Full Internet via computer to achieve asset-building and financial literacy objectives. Each partner selects one of seven service areas related to its individual mission.
Capacity building objectives for the project align with a common vision for Positive Youth Development articulated by federal agencies of the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs. IWGYP defines PYD as an intentional, pro-social approach that engages youth within their communities, schools, organizations, peer groups, and families in a manner that is productive and constructive; recognizes, utilizes, and enhances youths' strengths; and promotes positive outcomes for young people by providing opportunities, fostering positive relationships, and furnishing
[i] An economically disadvantaged youth is valued as less than equal by either income, net worth, access to capital, credit or equity. An economically disadvantage is reversed through economic inclusion in a grantor’s living trust. [ii] Community Asset Manager