2025
ANNUAL
REPORT
WHO WE ARE For over 60 years, Grafton has been leading the way in delivering high-quality, person-centered care! We are proud to provide exceptional education, residential, and community-based services for individuals with intellectual, developmental, and complex mental health challenges. At Grafton, we believe in creating safe and comforting environments, where both our staff and clients can thrive and reach their fullest potential!
MISSION Creating solution-focused opportunities for individuals challenged by complex disabilities.
VISION Grafton is committed to excellence in the delivery of person-centered care and value-added services.
VALUES ADAPTABILITY We respond in a quickly-changing environment. We shift our focus and react thoughtfully to new challenges and assignments. HUMAN DIGNITY We recognize and respect the inherent value and unique qualities of every individual. We treat everyone with compassion, empathy, and respect. INTEGRITY We commit to doing the right thing, even when no one is watching or acknowledging our actions. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of honesty and ethical behavior. ACCOUNTABILITY We earn and build trust by taking responsibility for our statements, actions, and outcomes. We recognize our mistakes and apply the lessons learned to foster continuous improvement. EXCELLENCE
We innovate to achieve the highest quality results. We strive for continuous improvement, inspiring and bringing out the best in everyone.
MESSAGE FROM LEADERSHIP Welcome to Our 2025 Annual Report We are thrilled to share the amazing work that our team has accomplished this year. As you flip through, you will feel the heart that our employees put into helping our individuals succeed, the GRIT that it took to achieve incredible outcomes, and you will see the growth that we have seen as a result of our continued efforts. We have worked hard to not only produce great results this year but to also ensure fidelity throughout our programs. Strengthening fidelity is important to us, as we want our individuals to receive the best care possible and for our employees, stakeholders, and community to be proud of Grafton.
As you browse through the report, we hope that you take great pride in what we have been able to accomplish together! We hope to continue to build a stronger Grafton for not only our individuals but our employees as well. We Are Grafton!
James Stewart
Grafton CEO & President
MEET OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM Growing with Integrity! We recently updated our team page to not only spotlight our incredible Grafton leaders, but also our outstanding board members! We are thrilled to shine the spotlight on the individuals who help Grafton grow and blossom. It is through their strategic initiatives and expertise that we are able to enhance our services and continuously improve to support our efforts of being a provider and employer of choice.
James Stewart
Angela Brown
Stephanie Dixon
Allyson Davis
CEO & President
Chief Financial Officer
Chief HR Officer
Chief Education Strategy Officer
Kent Houchins
Vanessa Lane
Kim Sanders
Tony Sanders
Chief Operating Officer, Community-Based Program
Chief Administrative Officer
Chief Operating Officer, Staff Training; President, Ukeru Systems
Chief Operating Officer, Facility-Based Program
Browse our new team page and htjoin ps:/ www.grafton.org/abouus t-us/our-team/ in recognizing our exceptional leaders!
MEET OUR BOARD MEMBERS
Brian Partlow
Annie Medina
Dr. Bernadine Dykes
Gemma Brooks
The Partlow Insurance Agency, Inc.
Healthcare
Shenandoah University
Blue Ocean Brain
Chair
Vice Chair
Treasurer
Secretary
Chelsea Hester
Daniel Carto
Deborah Cagle
John Willingham
Joni Baldwin
Project myVibe
Business Consultant
Centerstone Health System (Retired)
Greenfield and Craun Commercial Brokerage
Education
Kevin Callanan
Matthew Collins
Mina Fonseca
Peter Warren
Wayne Easterwood
CES, LLC
Advantia Health
BioRender
United Bank
Technology
TEAM GRAFTON The Staff That Help Us Bloom Our staff are the root of Grafton’s success! Their heart and GRIT each day is the reason that our individuals are able to grow and blossom. It is through their passion, creativity, and perseverance that we are able to achieve groundbreaking results.
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Music as Therapy: Featuring Berryville's Music Therapist, Milo Levine!
A Lot Has Happened Since 1949:
A Mental Health Awareness Month Discussion Featuring Richmond's Clinical Administrator, Stefanee Lambert!
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A Field Veteran's Perspective on Ukeru Implementation and Growth: Featuring Cold Spring, Minnesota's Executive Director, Dave Alley!
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Advancing Our People and Culture Strategy For FY25, the HR team has made significant progress in strengthening our Employer Value Proposition (EVP) to clearly define and communicate what makes our organization a great place to grow a career. By aligning our messaging with our culture, values, and opportunities for development, we are enhancing both recruitment and retention in a competitive talent market. We also revamped our talent acquisition (TA) processes, introducing clearer minimum qualifications, improved qualifying questions, and streamlined internal workflows. These updates allow our recruiters to spend more time sourcing and engaging with top candidates, ensuring we hire individuals who align with our culture and goals. In addition, we launched a new Leadership Development Program designed to strengthen our leadership capability and reinforce a values-based culture. This initiative focuses on equipping leaders with the skills to inspire, engage, and support their teams—key drivers of long-term employee engagement and retention. Together, these efforts create a stronger foundation for attracting, developing, and retaining exceptional talent, ensuring our workforce continues to thrive well into the future.
Stephanie Dixon Chief HR Officer
EARLY INTERVENTION OVERVIEW Growth Starts Here! This has truly been a year of growth for our Early Intervention program! This year our team served 1,057 infants/toddlers and their families, which is over a 40% increase than last year. We are so proud to provide services to infants/toddlers and their families in the counties of Frederick, Clarke, Warren, Page, and Shenandoah and the City of Winchester. Our program continues to be a vital asset to these communities. Not only did our reach grow but so did our team! We are so pleased to reveal our new and improved team page to spotlight our talented and dedicated team members. Our team is made up of Service Coordinators, Speech Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Developmental Specialists, and Physical Therapists. We also have several bilingual employees to better support and reach our community. Our team page has blossomed, and we can’t wait for you to check it out! Click on the link below to get a glimpse of this strong team and what we offer!
View tips and resources from our Early Intervention team here! htps:/w w.grafton.org/early-intervention-team-2/
UKERU GROWTH AND SUCCESS
The development of the Grafton Annual Report is always a powerful moment - a chance to reflect on Ukeru Systems’ journey, our reach, and the impact we’ve made together. Each year, as we expand the number of customers we support through education, consultation, and equipment, we are reminded that the true transformation lies not only in the data, but in the shift of mindset and perspective we help create. Yes, the numbers tell a compelling story of outcomes and progress -but what fills me with the greatest pride are the voices behind those numbers: the stories of success, resilience, and hope. Every day, I have the privilege of working alongside an extraordinary team that is changing the world by caring for those who care, teach, and treat. By empowering teachers and providers with the tools and confidence they need, we give them the strength and determination to do remarkable things for the individuals who need us most.
Kimberly Sanders
Chief Operating Officer, Staff Training; President, Ukeru Systems
Ukeru is being utilized by over 1,123 schools/organizations across the United States and Canada. This is a 40.4% increase from last year. Ukeru’s Marketing Team exhibited and/or presented at 14 conferences and had 6 speaking engagements this year. The Marketing Team produced a ton of new content including 82 videos, 5 case studies, 3 posters, 15 blogs/spotlights, 7 podcast episodes, 12 newsletters, etc. helping to further generate brand awareness. With over 20,000 subscribers, Ukeru’s monthly newsletter averaged an open rate of 40%. January had a record high open rate of 53.4%. Ukeru’s Facebook following increased by 29%.
The Ukeru team added additional resources to support bus drivers and transportation staff, as this has become a huge need. The Ukeru team ramped up our internal support this year providing extra training, equipment, support in debriefings, assessments, and consultative services to our programs. Ukeru was approved as a crisis intervention system by North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services. Earlier this year, they launched a two-year pilot program in which 22 of their psychiatric residential treatment facilities for youth will be implementing Ukeru. The Ukeru team has partnered with them to not only provide training but to also provide cultural assessments and equipment recommendations to ensure they are successful. You can read QtAijV-Ph3ZqJwN0nuz_meagTsixU2vZYrtEu_KcAn3oikTdg7px1_-fchsNA6kp2PZl8V_M7RArBnSH1EZwN0YpxUMzF2STEklmciBAMxIQbF2uRHelS7cNwajx2YI=dilbf?hc-sergnital-drsevitanl-gempiargo-tleywshcnual-d/60852sealr-p/wenvog.shdcw/:pth more about this big collaboration in their press release here.
The combination of practical tools and a trauma-informed mindset has made the difference. Ukeru gave our staff a clear, compassionate way to respond in the moment without putting hands on clients. We’ve seen safer days, stronger therapeutic relationships, and a palpable lift in staff morale. Dr. Amanda Coffey, Owner/CEO/Executive Clinical Director Behavior Network
OUR PROGRAMS Growth in Action Our regions are blooming with exciting new environments, initiatives, events, and enhancements. Each of our regions have been working hard to elevate our environments and increase our outings and offerings for our individuals. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community and the vision of our employees, this was a memorable year for Grafton. A longstanding dream became a reality! In May of this year, members of our Winchester team opened the doors to a project close to their hearts. Within Grafton’s Ruth Birch Center’s walls, Winchester staff from multiple disciplines worked hard to strategically and creatively develop our new regulation room. The purpose of the regulation room is to create a safe and comforting space where students can regulate, learn about their emotions, and engage in calming therapeutic activities. Hit play to explore our regulation room or continue reading more in our blog hhere! tps:/w .grafton. rg/stories/creating-calm-explore-uth-birch-scho ls-regulation-r om/
Our Minnesota region is feeling so much love from the community! Thanks to the incredible generosity of community donors, our Minnesota team was able to install a colorful, cutting-edge new playground. As you can imagine, this has been a hit for our kids bringing endless smiles to their faces. This meaningful donation will continue to benefit our children for many years to come. Additionally, our Minnesota campus has also received tickets to the Minnesota Children’s Museum and a Minnesota Twins’ baseball game, thanks to Tickets for Kids. We can’t thank this phenomenal community enough for welcoming us with open arms and supporting our mission. Minnesota isn’t the only region who broke ground this year – our Berryville campus hit the ground running on a project that is near and dear to so many of our hearts! As many of our Grafton family know, we lost one of our very own at the beginning of this year, Donnie Davis. Donnie, a member of our Admissions team, dedicated a remarkable 30 years to Grafton. He truly left a lasting impact on all of Grafton, and we are forever grateful for all the time, effort, and love he put into our mission. We are happy to reveal our plans and progress to commemorate his legacy. Our Berryville campus is in the process of completing a special project which will include new basketball and pickleball courts for our students. Donnie will have the best seat in the house, as we will be dedicating a memorial garden with a courtside bench and additional seating in his honor. Here is a glimpse of the project below. We look forward to sharing more in the future! Our Berryville and Winchester students participated in the SUPERB basketball league again this year! This has been a phenomenal program for our students. In addition to basketball, we also put together a cheer team where our students could root on their peers. This league gives our students something to look forward to not just on the court but off the court as well. Our SUPERB athletes have also participated in fun outings including a fishing trip and bowling outing. We greatly appreciate all of the efforts from Sam Butler, Winchester Case Management Administrator, and Chris Rhone, league owner, along with numerous other staff for coordinating an amazing experience and memories for our students. Click here htps:/w .inchestra.com/winhestr_a/bsketal-progm-iveskd-withspecal-ndsalegu-oftheirwn/aticle_6bf514d-07fb54-afb 2e1d79.html to read more about our SUPERB superstars!
FAMILY IMPACT The Roots of Success: Family Our team of dedicated, talented professionals take great pride in delivering high-quality care at Grafton. We understand the gravity of caring for your loved ones and appreciate the level of trust that goes into it. Nothing warms our hearts more than when we are able to help our individuals grow, thrive, and achieve extraordinary outcomes. This year we had the honor of sitting down with two families to discuss the tremendous growth they have seen in their loved ones, since enrolling them in Grafton. Our staff have taken great pride in helping these individuals flourish. Our first video is of the Calleja family and is a story of hope, perseverance and love. This family, from Washington state, first learned of Grafton when searching for a more comforting and therapeutic placement for their daughter, Isabella. At Grafton, this family found not only the care Isabella needed, but also a team who celebrates her strengths and encourages her growth every day. In this video, Isabella’s mother and staff share heartfelt reflections on her infectious personality, progress, and bright future!
Grafton Family Spotlight: The Calleja Family!
“Bella’s team is unique because they really know Bella. From her triggers and likes to her dislikes, from her favorite food to her favorite outfit. The team wraps around me and the family, and I feel like I am also a team member.” Sophia Calleja, Grafton Parent
If the first story didn’t tug at your heart strings enough, this one certainly will. Coming to us from Richmond, VA, the Thorne family enrolled their son, Aron, in Grafton feeling hopeful and optimistic for progress and growth. In this video, Aron’s mother shares the profound impact Grafton has had on their son and the hope she holds for his future. Aron’s team also shares the growth they have seen and what makes him special. More than just a story about one family, this video is a testament to the power of love, teamwork, and the importance of the multi-disciplinary team in the progress of the individuals in our care.
Grafton Family Spotlight: The Thorne Family!
“I think the best part is that we get pictures sent home and he’s smiling, participating, and playing with the other kids. It just feels like he belongs and he has friends. He’s just happy!” Menesha Thorne, Grafton Parent
GROWING BY THE NUMBERS Individuals Served 1,057
571
*Over a 40% increase from FY24
*across all service lines
Infants & Toddlers
99
Children & Adolescents
Adults
10.18%
23.99% For FY25, 23.99% of Grafton’s employees have been with the company for over 10+ years. *This metric reflects the deep loyalty, experience, and commitment of our team members who continue to drive our success.
36.4% Grafton has a 36.4% Internal Mobility Rate for FY25. 36.4% of our headcount were promoted or transferred to other opportunities within the fiscal year. *Internal mobility is a metric that measures the ability of employees to advance their careers by moving to new roles or functions within the organization.
Numbers are for all 4 regions: Berryville, VA, Richmond, VA, Winchester, VA, and Cold Spring, MN
VA
Grafton has an average 10.18% Employee Growth Rate over FY24. Employee growth rate is a metric that measures the percentage change in a company’s workforce. *A positive number can indicate the ability of the organization to attract and grow its workforce.
32.1% Voluntary Turnover for FY25 was 32.1%, down from 33.50% in FY24
MN Purple pinGrafton location
FINANCIAL WELLNESS Financial Growth Leads to Greater Impact Grafton School Statement of Activities and Changes in Net Assets 2025
2024
Program service fees, net Contract program revenue Contributions and grants Other revenue
$72,044,741 165,047 1,387,152 5,133,054
$66,854,501 166,790 2,340,198 4,190,653
TOTAL REVENUES
$78,729,995
$73,552,142
Salaries and benefits Program operations Non-operating expenses
$59,152,965 14,356,950 2,868,526
$53,017,372 13,402,311 2,783,002
TOTAL EXPENSES
$76,378,440
$69,202,685
Nonoperating gains (losses) and Other changes in net assets
$796,649
$1,745,823
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
$3,148,203
$6,095,281
2025
2024
$8,392,523 12,044,500 12,141,649 4,261,858 4,554,050 221,126 26,696,988
$7,083,893 13,149,000 11,079,673 3,290,430 4,370,056 206,060 25,844,816
$68,312,692
$65,023,930
$7,635,871 6,413,137 192,506
$6,586,793 7,418,928 95,235
$14,241,515
$14,100,955
Total net assets without donor restrictions Net assets with donor restrictions
$53,673,273 397,905
$50,548,966 374,008
TOTAL NET ASSETS
$54,071,177
$50,922,974
$68,312,692
$65,023,930
REVENUES
EXPENSES
Grafton School Statement of Financial Position ASSETS Cash Investments Accounts receivable, net Other assets, net Investment in subsidiaries, net Intangible assets, net Land, buildings and equipment, net
TOTAL ASSETS LIABILITIES Accrued expenses and other liabilities Notes and bond payable Other liabilities
TOTAL LIABILITIES NET ASSETS
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
From the bright and cheerful playground that was opened at the campus in Cold Spring, Minnesota, to the continued modernization and updates to schools and residential homes, Grafton planted "seeds" of infrastructure investment totaling over three million dollars during the year. Looking forward, these infrastructure investments will nurture our commitment to provide the highest quality of services in environments that support maximum growth and positive outcomes for the individuals and families we serve. With the resiliency that has been built through decades of commitment to financial integrity, Grafton's fiscal performance will allow opportunities for our programs to adapt and thrive amidst the expected environment of change in the broader special education and behavioral healthcare industries. Angela Brown, Chief Financial Officer
90 CENTS OF EVERY DOLLAR DONATED TO GRAFTON IS USED TO DIRECTLY SUPPORT OUR PROGRAMS.
79 CENTS OF EVERY GRAFTON SERVICE REVENUE DOLLAR IS GENERATED BY IDEA SERVICES.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING US GROW We would like to recognize and extend a heartfelt thank you to our incredible FY2025 donors. As a result of their generosity, we were able to enhance many of our environments, including improving and adding playground equipment, upgrading living spaces for our residential sites, and taking residents on memorable outings. We greatly appreciate your impactful contributions to our mission.
Organizations 7X24 Exchange
Hendrickson Foundation
Berryville Main Street
Herbert Family Trust
Catoma Baking Projects LLC
MWP Recreation
Fraternal Order of Eagles Winchester Aerie
Stephens City Loyal Order of Moose
FrontStream
Tickets for Kids
Game Time
Individuals & Families Allyson Davis
Joyce Hammond
Rhonda Richardson
Angela L. Brown
Kathy A. Cresegiona
Ryan Cascio
Anne Roach
Kent Houchins
Sharon Foltz
Harry Smith
Kim Biancheri
Susan Jones
James Stewart
Kimberly Sanders
Tracy Kuhn
Jerry Partlow
Laura Ford
HELP US BLOSSOM
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