September 2009        
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A monthly e-newsletter for people interested in Florida philanthropy
    
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Nursing Program   Blue Foundation to Help Address Nursing Shortages
The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida is one of 10 foundations nationwide to receive funding from Partners Investing in Nursing's Future, a unique national initiative to help address the long-term shortage of available nurses across the country. The Blue Foundation will use the two-year, $250,000 grant, which will be matched by funds from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, to promote the use of simulation technology in Florida nurse education.
 
> Sarasota Community Foundation Launches Initiative to Boost Nonprofit Capacity
The Community Foundation of Sarasota County has launched a $1 million initiative to help local nonprofits maintain their levels of service during these difficult economic times. The multi-tiered initiative will provide fundraising training, promote increased volunteerism, provide grants to help nonprofits sustain core services, and help meet the critical demand for direct human services.
     
> Accountant’s Bequest Brings Much-Needed Support to Manatee Nonprofits
A former accountant who drove a non-descript car and lived in a modest ranch house bequeathed more than $2 million to the Manatee Community Foundation - the single largest donation in the foundation's 11-year history.
      
> AT&T Increases Community Investments During Economic Downturn
AT&T announced new social and environmental investments totaling $865 million for education, environmental, and volunteerism programs that strengthen communities, stimulate economic growth, and ensure the nation's global competitiveness.
     
> Gulf Coast Community Foundation Focuses Grants on Operating Support
In its first round of grants focused exclusively on providing operating support, Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice awarded more than $2.1 million in grants to 25 local nonprofits - the most funding ever awarded by the foundation in a single grant cycle.
      
> New Knight-Funded Study Reveals 1 in 4 Tallahassee Graduates Stay in Region
The study provides key baseline graduate retention data for the region against which any future gains or losses can be compared.
    
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Focus On: Education Funding
    
Learning to Finish Logo   Initiative Helps Jacksonville Students Stay on Track to Graduate
About 1,700 incoming sixth- and ninth-grade students at six Duval County public schools will get extra help this year to keep them on a four-year graduation track, thanks to a new initiative by the Learning to Finish Collaborative. Led by The Community Foundation in Jacksonville, the collaborative is made up of representatives from the school system, community, government and nonprofits. The group identified risk factors shared by students who don't graduate with a standard diploma, which served as the basis for identifying participants in the pilot program.
    
> Collaboration to Help Pinellas Seventh-Graders Master Algebra I
Helios Education Foundation, SRI International, and the University of South Florida St. Petersburg will partner with the Pinellas County school district in a half-million-dollar project to get more kids ready for Algebra I by the end of seventh grade.  The initiative will merge high-tech software with cutting-edge curriculum and top-notch teacher training.  The Helios Education Foundation will provide $400,000 for the first year of the five-year project.
      
> Clinton Calls for Education Reform at Inaugural Lawton Chiles Leadership Corps
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton gave the keynote address at the inaugural Lawton Chiles Leadership Corps on August 8-9 in Orlando.  Organized by the Lawton Chiles Foundation, the Corps is a new a student leadership program for high school and college students in Florida.  Clinton urged the students to be "citizen activists" to improve education and other issues in Florida, and suggested introducing community service as part of the public school curriculum.  The gathering attracted 260 students representing 130 high schools and 35 colleges.
    
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Economy Matters Across Florida
     
I Get It Jax   Jacksonville: New Web Site Rallies Support for Nonprofits.
The Jacksonville nonprofit community has launched a new Web site, www.IGetItJax.com, to capture responses of support for arts and social services as part of the city budget, as the City Council considers cutting $50 million. Social service and cultural groups worry that the cuts could mean fewer dollars for many programs that provide vital safety-net services for the poor and underprivileged. Nonprofits also held a joint news conference outside of Council chambers during a recent Council meeting, telling the Council to "Stop Taking Us for Granted." And a group of 18 Jacksonville foundations sent a letter to Council members to explain that private funders cannot make up for city cuts to nonprofits.
    
> Miami: Nonprofits Launch "Penny Wise Miami" Campaign.
Echoing activities in Jacksonville, Miami's nonprofit Human Services Coalition has launched a campaign, Penny Wise Miami, aimed at stopping Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez's plans to cut funding for community-based organizations concerned with social services, the environment and the arts. In other news, the Children's Trust has reduced funding for many of its programs and eliminated contracts with many others.
      
> Orlando: Downtown Orlando Performing Arts Center Faces Uphill Fight.
Supporters of a new $425 million performing-arts center in Orlando are facing mounting political and financial challenges, a reality reflected in tax records that show a steep drop last year in the private donations needed to build the complex.
       
> Palm Beach: Palm Beach County Arts Groups Chase Dwindling Public Funds.
The arts are taking a financial hit in Palm Beach County as well.  The region's arts and cultural organizations are turning to government to help to make up for a drop in donations.  But with municipal budgets tight, arts groups likely will be disappointed.
    
Find More Resources at FPN's Economy Matters page.
    
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Florida Stimulus Funding News
 
Race to the Top Map   Education: In a new report by The New Teacher Project, Florida is one of only two states rated as "highly competitive" (Louisiana is the other) for receiving stimulus funds from the U.S. Department of Education's $4.3 billion “Race to the Top” grant program.
    
> Housing: City officials in Bradenton are gearing up to spend more than $2.5 million in federal stimulus funds to try to reverse the deterioration of neighborhoods hit hard by foreclosures.
     
> Workforce Development: The $27 million in stimulus money allocated to the Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation will provide on-the-job training with qualified employers across the state for people with disabilities.
    
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Calendar
    
> October 19-23, 2009
The Grantsmanship Center Workshop

Competing for Federal Grants
Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties
West Palm Beach
     
> November 20-21, 2009
2009 BoardSource Leadership Forum
Orlando
BoardSource will convene leaders from the volunteer, public and private sectors to examine the dynamics and implications of the changed economic environment - stimulating rich analysis as well as practical insights and approaches that will influence all sectors.
    
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Jobs
New job postings on FPN's Jobs Board:
    
> Administrative & Member Services Associate, Florida Philanthropic Network
   
> Contract Bookkeeping/Accounting Support, Florida Philanthropic Network
   
> Development Associate/Consultant, Housing Authority of the City of Miami Beach
    
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Seeking Board Applications
    
Winter Park Health Foundation Seeks Applications for Student Seat on Board
The Winter Park Health Foundation is searching for a graduate-level student to fill the newly created student seat on its board of trustees.  Applicants must be from Central Florida and be students in a graduate degree program - preferably health-related - in a local college or university.  Application deadline: Sept. 21.  For more information and an application, visit the foundation's Web site.
    
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People
    
HFSF Logo    Health Foundation of South Florida has appointed three new members to its board of directors: Loreen Chant, president of Johnson & Wales University, North Miami Campus; Ana Mederos, chief executive officer of Palmetto General Hospital; and Claudia Puig, senior vice president and southeastern regional manager for Univision Radio.
    
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Giving Trends
     
CNCS Logo    Volunteering in U.S. Remains Strong, Report Finds
Fueled by the commitment of young adults and neighbors working to address community problems, volunteering in the United States continues to grow despite the recession, a new report from the Corporation for National and Community Service finds. The report shows that Florida continues to lag behind in its volunteerism rates, with 19.6% of Floridians volunteering (49th among the 50 states and DC) and an average of 29.7 volunteer hours per resident (44th).  Download the report's data on Florida volunteerism.
    
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New Resources
     
KIDS COUNT Florida   KIDS COUNT Data Book
The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 20th annual KIDS Count Data Book indicators show that national trends in child well-being have improved slightly since 2000, although not on par with improvements seen in the late 1990s.  Florida is 36th in the report's state ranks for overall child well-being, down from No. 35 last year and No. 32 in 2007.  Download the report's profile of child well-being in Florida.
     
> 2009 CEO Compensation Study
Leaders of more than 5,400 mid to large U.S. charities earn an average salary of $158,075, a 6.1% increase from the previous year, according to Charity Navigator’s fifth annual analysis of CEO compensation.  The study breaks down the average CEO salary for two Florida cities: Miami ($179,020) and Orlando ($131,064).
    
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Call for Proposals
     
Blue Foundation Logo

IMPACT Health Care Grants Program
The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida welcomes applications for community-based solutions to improve access to health care, with a current focus on community-based health clinics and outreach programs. Winter 2009 grant cycle application deadline: Sept. 11.
    
    
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Welcome New Friends of FPN
         
Anchin Center Logo    David C. Anchin Center
College of Education, University of South Florida
Tampa
    
    
Florida Philanthropic Network is a statewide association of grantmakers working to strengthen philanthropy through research, education and public policy.
   
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