Help Build the First Forge.
A veteran-led training, wellness, workforce, and community-response hub designed to restore purpose, strengthen resilience, build employable skills, and return trained people to meaningful service.
Mission
“To forge strength, restore purpose, and build community - one veteran, one family, and one mission at a time.”
The Phase 1 Model
A specialized 5,400-square-foot training and resource center
Connected to an established local fitness partner - not a competing general-purpose gym.
The need
Veterans, first responders, healthcare professionals, and other service-minded people often face isolation, loss of mission, burnout, and fragmented access to recovery and career pathways. At the same time, communities need more trained, trustworthy people who can support safety, youth, events, crisis-resource navigation, and prevention.
The solution
BJJ/MMA, defensive skills, professional education, workforce preparation and leadership development.
A 24/7-access mission lounge, peer connection, AA, Warriors Anonymous, mentoring and crisis-resource pathways.
Qualified members move into jobs, service roles, partner organizations and structured community-support assignments.
Train. Connect. Deploy.
Three pillars, one mission
TRAIN
BJJ/MMA, defensive skills, professional education, workforce preparation and leadership development.
CONNECT
A 24/7-access mission lounge, peer connection, AA, Warriors Anonymous, mentoring and crisis-resource pathways.
DEPLOY
Qualified members move into jobs, service roles, partner organizations and structured community-support assignments.
The member pathway
Restore purpose, then return value
The Forge is not only a place to receive help. It is a structured pathway that helps members regain stability, develop skills, earn credentials, build relationships and contribute to their community.
| Pathway | What it means | What we measure |
|---|---|---|
| CONNECT | Peer connection, mission, mentoring, and resource navigation. | Members engaged, sponsored access, referrals |
| STABILIZE | Routine, belonging, recovery support, and coaching. | Retention and referral follow-through |
| TRAIN | Professional education, skills, leadership, and workforce preparation. | Training hours, completions, credentials |
| SERVE | Employment, mentorship, volunteer service, and community assignments. | Placements, retention, and service hours |
The Mission Lounge is not a hospital, emergency department, licensed crisis center, or substitute for 911 or 988.
Community flex-out model
Trained members strengthen the surrounding area
As members are ready and appropriately qualified, The Forge can connect them to structured opportunities that strengthen the surrounding area. Examples include event support, safety presence, youth mentoring, preparedness education, partner-facility support, resource navigation, recovery mentorship and workforce placements.
- Community roles are matched to training, experience, licensure and readiness.
- Licensed security, clinical care, emergency response and law-enforcement functions remain with authorized providers and agencies.
- Partners may contract directly for defined services through properly licensed or insured entities.
- The Forge tracks participation, training completion, placement, retention, referrals and community service outputs.
Use of funds
The $500,000 Founding Campaign
The Forge is seeking $500,000 in founding capital to activate the first location, establish the operational model, provide sponsored access, and protect the launch year while recurring revenue develops.
12-month lean operating reserve
$240,000
Occupancy, utilities, insurance, lean staffing, core administration and essential programming.
Property activation & occupancy
$45,000
Deposits, permitting, professional fees, change-of-occupancy work and startup costs.
Modular build-out & life safety
$75,000
Dojo separation, private rooms, acoustics, accessibility, signage and required improvements.
Dojo, training & scenario equipment
$40,000
Mats, heavy bags, training props, storage, protective equipment and classroom needs.
Technology, security, AV & furnishings
$25,000
Controlled access, cameras, connectivity, presentation systems, lounge and office furnishings.
Sponsored fitness/member access fund
$25,000
Launch-year fitness memberships and access support delivered through approved partners.
Program launch & community engagement
$15,000
Opening campaigns, partner onboarding, recruitment, events and outcome measurement.
Contingency & stabilization reserve
$35,000
Unexpected construction, compliance, operating or launch needs.
The founding ask
$500,000 to open the first Forge, protect the launch year and prove a nationally expandable veteran-led community model.
Donate NowHow the model sustains itself
A blended-revenue model
Donations and grants launch access and subsidize high-need participants; earned revenue supports dependable operations. No single funding source is expected to carry the facility.
| Revenue stream | Mature monthly target | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Professional training & certification | $10,000-$15,000 | TACTBook programs, public-safety and healthcare education, instructor-led certifications, workshops and facility rentals. |
| Memberships & sponsored access | $4,000-$7,000 | Forge membership, corporate memberships and donor-sponsored access for veterans and first responders. |
| BJJ/MMA & specialty instruction | $4,000-$7,000 | Adult/youth classes, defensive-skills programs, private lessons and seminars. |
| Corporate & agency contracts | $5,000-$10,000 | Retainers, workforce services, wellness packages, partner programming and community-support agreements. |
| Coaching, rooms & partner services | $2,000-$5,000 | Executive coaching, meeting/classroom rental, partner office hours and approved service-provider agreements. |
| Showroom, events & mission retail | $2,000-$4,000 | Product demonstrations, partner activations, events, apparel and mission-aligned retail. |
| Recurring sponsors & philanthropy | $5,000-$10,000 | Founding partners, membership underwriting, program sponsorships, grants and recurring gifts. |
Operating targets
- Planning occupancy cost: approximately $9,000 per month, pending written lease and NNN verification.
- Lean first-year operating target: approximately $20,000 per month before founder compensation or debt service.
- Responsible steady-state operating range: approximately $25,000-$30,000 per month.
- Sustainability target: $35,000-$40,000 in monthly blended revenue, with a growing share under recurring contracts or memberships.
- Capital reserves are drawn down only as revenue ramps and are governed through an approved operating budget.
The financial thesis
Use founding capital to open correctly, protect the first year, and build recurring earned revenue - not to create permanent dependence on fundraising.
Founding partners
How partners can participate
Founding gifts and multi-year pledges
Program, room or cohort sponsorships
Sponsored memberships for veterans and first responders
Equipment, technology, professional services and tenant-improvement support
Contracts for training, workforce, wellness or community-support programming
Strategic partnerships that contribute space, referrals, instructors or measurable participant pathways
Strength. Purpose. Community.
$500,000 to open the first Forge, protect the launch year and prove a nationally expandable veteran-led community model.
Become a Founding Partner