Program areas at CFFK
Philanthropic services - the Community Foundation is deeply committed to enhancing the quality of life in monroe county, Florida, both now and for generations to come. Through fostering philanthropy, it actively connects acts of compassion to the specific needs of the Community. Collaborating closely with individuals, the Foundation helps shape philanthropic plans to bolster nonprofit programs across the Florida Keys. A total of 451 grants made in 2022 provided support for diverse causes, including animal welfare, arts and culture, education, environmental preservation, health and human services, housing, music, recreation, scholarships, teacher awards and youth programs. the majority of these 2.3 million in grants stemmed from the thoughtful recommendations of donor advisors and not-for-profit entities. the Foundation empowers nonprofit organizations by assisting them in establishing endowments and operational reserve funds. In the year 2022 alone, 28 new funds were opened, 23 of which are non-profit endowments augmented by a matching program made possible by the estate of peter macdougall.
Unmet Community needs - ever-vigilant to the pressing needs of the Community, the Community Foundation consistently identifies and addresses unmet gaps in partnership with other organizations and compassionate individuals. Responding swiftly to the devastation caused by hurricane ian in september 2022, the Foundation within days granted 7,500 each to the Florida Keys outreach coalition for its loaves & fishes food pantry and the key west housing authority to support low-income housing residents with essential food and supplies. the Foundation continues to sustain regional advisory councils in the upper, middle, and lower Keys, which play a vital role in identifying and responding to unique challenges in these respective areas. the Foundation facilitated a 1:1 matching program throughout 2022, effectively multiplying the impact of donors' contributions to the upper Keys future fund, middle Keys future fund, and lower Keys future fund. A total of 46,000 in grants were invested in the Community through these three regional funds. Notably, the Community Foundation also assumed the role of fiscal agent for the key west bicentennial celebration, successfully commemorated on march 25, 2022.
Center for nonprofit excellence - empowering the Florida Keys' nonprofit organizations, the Community Foundation offers an array of invaluable resources and services aimed at fostering strong leadership and effective management. At the heart of this effort lies the annual leadership success academy, a crucial program dedicated to equipping nonprofit board members with essential leadership and governance skills. In 2022, the 15th edition of this transformative training took place for the first time in the upper Florida Keys, marking a milestone in its enduring success. A true beacon of recognition for local volunteers, the Community Foundation has been hosting the esteemed unsung heroes celebration for 22 years now, with 80 inspiring nonprofits participating in the 2022 event. the commitment to promoting volunteerism further took shape with the august 2022 launch of the Florida Keys volunteer center-a dedicated online platform, volunteerkeys.com, ingeniously connecting passionate volunteers with meaningful nonprofit opportunities. It was an immense honor when the federal government entrusted the Community Foundation with two full-time americorps vista employees to spearhead outreach and marketing for the volunteer center.