Community Foundation Of The Florida Keys

CONNECTING PEOPLE, RESOURCES & NEEDS THROUGH PHILANTHROPY.

THE ORGANIZATION IS FOCUSED ON MAKING MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE NOW AND IN THE FUTURE BY ENCOURAGING PHILANTHROPY AND MATCHING THESE ACTS OF CARING TO THE COMMUNITY NEEDS. IT WORKS WITH INDIVIDUALS TO DEVELOP PHILANTHROPIC PLANS TO SUPPORT NONPROFIT PROGRAMS IN THE FLORIDA KEYS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO SUPPORTS NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS BY HELPING THEM BUILD ENDOWMENT AND OPERATING RESERVE FUNDS. DURING 2021, 20 NEW FUNDS WERE ESTABLISHED, 400 GIFTS WERE RECORDED, AND 292 GRANTS WERE MADE. THE MAJORITY OF GRANTS WERE RECOMMENDATIONS BY DONOR ADVISORS AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. GRANTS IN 2021 SUPPORTED GENERAL OPERATING COSTS OF MONROE COUNTY NONPROFITS, SUMMER CAMP AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS, HEALTHY FOOD PROGRAMS, HOMELESS SERVICES AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS, MEDICINE AND NEW BORN INFANT PROGRAMS, DRAMA AND MUSIC PERFORMANCES IN THE SCHOOLS, AND MUCH MORE.

THE CENTER FOR NONPROFIT EXCELLENCE PROVIDES A WIDE RANGE OF RESOURCES AND SERVICES THAT STRENGTHEN AND SUPPORT LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS LOCATED IN THE FLORIDA KEYS. THE LEADERSHIP SUCCESS ACADEMY PROVIDES SPECIFIC LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE SKILLS BUILDING TO NONPROFIT BOARD MEMBERS. DURING 2021 THERE WERE 34 PARTICIPANTS FROM 20 ORGANIZATIONS. THIS MARKS THE 14TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR THE LEADERSHIP SUCCESS ACADEMY HAS TRAINED OVER 500 MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA KEYS COMMUNITY TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE BOARD LEADERS SINCE ITS INCEPTION. TO RECOGNIZE VOLUNTEER EFFORTS, THE ORGANIZATION FOR THE LAST 21 YEARS HAS CONDUCTED AN UNSUNG HEROES / VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR LUNCHEON TO RECOGNIZE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF INDIVIDUALS SERVING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. IN 2021 THE EVENT WAS VIRTUAL AND WE RECOGNIZED 86 VOLUNTEERS REPRESENTING 83 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT MONROE COUNTY.

THE THIRD PROGRAM IS TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS UNMET NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY AND WORK WITH OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO MEET THOSE NEEDS. IN 2021, THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED TO ACT AS THE FISCAL AGENT FOR MONROE COUNTY LONG TERM RECOVERY GROUP WHICH PROVIDED MAINTENANCE OF THE VOLUNTEER VILLAGE THROUGHOUT 2021. THE VOLUNTEER VILLAGE WAS CREATED IN 2017 TO ASSIST WITH HURRICANE IRMA RECOVERY EFFORTS. IN 2021, THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FORMED REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILS IN THE UPPER, MIDDLE, AND LOWER KEYS. IT ALSO CREATED THE UPPER KEYS FUTURE FUND, THE MIDDLE KEYS FUTURE FUND, AND THE LOWER KEYS FUTURE FUND TO RESPOND TO UNMET NEEDS IN THOSE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS AND OFFERED A 1:1 MATCH TO DONORS OF THESE FUNDS. THE UPPER KEYS ADVISORY COUNCIL IDENTIFIED AN URGENT NEED TO ADDRESS YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FOLLOWING SEVERAL SUICIDES AND OVERALL ISSUES FOR STUDENTS FOLLOWING THE HEALTH PANDEMIC. GRANTS OF $12,000 WERE MADE TO SUPPORT SPECIAL PROJECTS, PROGRAMS AND EVENTS MANAGED BY EACH SCHOOL IN THE UPPER FLORIDA KEYS.