Mount Zion Christian Church

Good afternoon, ladies!

Thank you again for welcoming me into your conversation today. I truly enjoyed learning more about Mount Zion Christian Church, the Academy, daycare, food pantry, ministry programs, Family Life Center, and the vision each of you has for the future.

What impressed me most was not simply the number of ideas you have. It is that the work is already happening.

You are already educating children, caring for babies and families, feeding the community, developing young people, and serving Durham. Our opportunity now is to organize that impact, strengthen the infrastructure around it, tell the story clearly, and begin identifying funding partners whose priorities align with the work you are already doing.

🎥 Today's Meeting Recording

I've included our complete discovery-session recording so your team can revisit anything we discussed.

Mount Zion's Funding Opportunity

Our conversation revealed that Mount Zion is not approaching funding with one isolated project. You have the foundation for a multi-year, campus-wide funding strategy encompassing education, early childhood, food security, workforce development, accessibility, facilities, technology, youth development, and organizational capacity.

Mount Zion Impact Snapshot

1. Academy + Career & Technical Education

Mount Zion Christian Academy currently serves approximately 175 K–12 students, including day students and domestic and international boarding students.

Leadership shared a desire to expand Career and Technical Education (CTE) so students can gain practical skills, certifications, and workforce preparation before graduation.

Potential funding areas include:

• Technology and computer labs
• Health sciences
• Skilled trades
• Public safety and law
• Digital media
• Career certifications
• Work-based learning
• CTE equipment
• Additional instructional space
• Teacher/instructor development

2. Daycare + Inclusive Early Childhood

The daycare has operated since approximately 1986 and currently serves approximately 110 children from infancy through age five, with licensed capacity of approximately 180.

Leadership estimated that approximately 80% of families utilize subsidy or scholarship support, with approximately 20% private pay.

Priority needs identified:

• Replacement/modernization of aging playground equipment
• Inclusive equipment for children with disabilities and different sensory needs
• Sensory-friendly play areas
• Accessible play components
• Safer impact-absorbing playground surfacing
• Shade and seating
• Accessibility improvements
• Summer programming support

3. Food Pantry + Food Security

Mount Zion currently serves approximately 100 families each week through its food pantry.

At that level of service, Mount Zion could potentially represent approximately 5,200 family service encounters annually if services operate consistently throughout the year.

A larger dedicated pantry area/building has already been developed but requires additional infrastructure and equipment before it can be fully utilized.

• Electrical work
• Water/plumbing
• Refrigeration/freezers where needed
• Shelving and storage
• Food purchases
• Distribution equipment
• Facility improvements
• Expanded food-storage and distribution capacity

The strongest funding story is not simply “we need a building upgrade.” The case is that these improvements will allow Mount Zion to increase its capacity to safely store and distribute food to families experiencing food insecurity.

4. Campus Accessibility

Accessibility emerged as a need across multiple Mount Zion programs. Leadership described challenges accommodating children and students using wheelchairs and accessing portions of the campus beyond the primary floor.

Areas to evaluate may include:

• Accessible entrances
• Ramps
• Paths of travel
• Doorways
• Restrooms
• Playground access
• Movement between program areas
• Access to upper floors
• Other disability-access improvements

A professional accessibility assessment may ultimately help us establish a defined scope and realistic capital budget.

5. Family Life Center + Dormitory Expansion

Mount Zion's Family Life Center currently includes the gymnasium, student dormitory, portions of the daycare, infant programming, and middle/high-school programming.

Leadership identified an unfinished wing that could potentially support:

• Additional dormitory rooms
• Additional classrooms
• CTE instructional space
• Program space
• Other educational/community uses

Before pursuing major capital funding, we will need to further define the intended use, scope, estimated costs, accessibility requirements, ownership, and other applicable project requirements.

6. Youth Media + Music Workforce Development

Leadership expressed interest in developing internships through the ministry's media and music departments.

This may have an opportunity to grow beyond a traditional church internship into a structured youth workforce and work-based learning program.

• Paid youth internships
• Digital media
• Audio/video production
• Broadcasting and streaming
• Music technology
• Content production
• Mentorship
• Career exploration
• Employability skills
• Equipment and certifications

There may also be an opportunity to connect this initiative directly to the Academy's larger CTE strategy.

7. Technology, STEM + AI Education

Technology can become another component of Mount Zion's education and workforce strategy. Potential areas for exploration include computers, instructional technology, software, digital literacy, technology labs, AI education, STEM programming, teacher development, and career preparation.

Rather than simply seeking funding for computers, the stronger strategy will be to connect technology purchases to measurable educational and workforce outcomes.

8. Systems, Operations + Accountability

Our discussion also identified the importance of strengthening the systems required to manage and steward funding successfully.

• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Staff roles and accountability
• KPIs and measurable outcomes
• Data collection
• Participant records
• Grant calendars
• Reporting deadlines
• Restricted-fund tracking
• Grant documentation
• Internal grant-development capacity

As funding grows, Mount Zion will need the ability to demonstrate not only that activities occurred, but what changed because of the funded program.

9. Marketing, Communications + Visibility

Mount Zion has built a longstanding reputation largely through community presence and word of mouth. The digital footprint now has an opportunity to better reflect the organization's actual impact.

• The Academy currently has a website.
• The daycare currently does not have its own website.
• The church has an existing website that leadership indicated needs significant updating.
• Future communications should remain authentic to Mount Zion's culture and identity.
• Impact stories, photos, statistics, student milestones, pantry distributions, partnerships, and community outcomes should be documented consistently.

This is not about making Mount Zion look like another ministry. It is about making sure the outside world can clearly see the impact that is already happening inside Mount Zion.

Where We See Opportunity

✓ Food Security & Hunger Relief
✓ Early Childhood Education
✓ Inclusive Play & Disability Access
✓ K–12 Education
✓ Career & Technical Education
✓ Youth Workforce Development
✓ Technology / STEM / AI
✓ Campus Accessibility
✓ Facilities & Capital Improvements
✓ Organizational Capacity
✓ Systems & Grant Management
✓ Marketing & Communications

Complete Your Funding Readiness Profile

As promised, I would like each department/program leader to complete their own Funding Readiness Profile.

Please answer from the perspective of the area you represent.

Profiles should be completed for:
✓ Church / Ministry Leadership
✓ Academy / K–12 / CTE
✓ Daycare / Early Childhood
✓ Food Pantry / Community Outreach
✓ Operations / Marketing / Organizational Capacity
✓ Any additional department with a program, project, or funding need

Each leader should submit an individual profile.

What Happens After the Profiles?

1. Maximus will review each department's Funding Readiness Profile alongside today's discovery notes.

2. We will begin identifying readiness gaps, funding categories, and appropriate current opportunities.

3. We will organize the projects into priorities rather than attempting to fund everything at once.

4. We will determine the recommended funding strategy and scope for moving forward.

5. We will coordinate an in-person campus visit, tentatively during the early part of September, subject to scheduling, so I can see the playground, food pantry, Family Life Center, accessibility needs, classrooms, dormitory, and other areas firsthand.

A Final Note From Inga

There is a lot to unpack, and we will not try to do everything at once.

We will establish the vision, determine the priorities, make sure the organization is ready, and then begin building the funding pipeline strategically.

I am genuinely excited about what I heard today. Mount Zion already has the history, programs, people, facilities, and community impact. Now we begin the process of putting the pieces together so that the funding story reflects the magnitude of the work.

I look forward to reviewing each of your profiles and seeing what we can build together.

With purpose,

Inga N. Goodwine, PA
Maximus Financial Group LLC