September 2011           A monthly e-newsletter for people interested in Florida philanthropy      Headlines        Helios Invests Over $1.4 Million in STEM Education Recognizing the critical role STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education plays in better preparing students for postsecondary education and career success, Helios Education Foundation is investing over $1.4 million in two new Tampa Bay programs focused on teacher quality and content knowledge in STEM in Polk and Citrus counties.           The Mosaic Company Provides Leadership Gift for The Florida Aquarium's New Education Center The Mosaic Company made a $2.5 million leadership gift to The Florida Aquarium in Tampa for the creation of an education, conference and event facility - Mosaic Center. Mosaic's gift, part of the Aquarium's new Rising Tides capital campaign, is the single largest donation in the Aquarium's 16-year history.     > Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation Helps Meet Growing Food Needs The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation gave $250,000 to the Florida Association of Food Banks to help meet the growing need to put food on Florida families' tables. The funds will be used to distribute wholesome but unmarketable fresh produce donated by Florida's growers and packers to food banks throughout the state.      > The Miami Foundation Launches Engaged Youth Leadership Program The Miami Foundation is accepting applications for the inaugural class of Engaged Youth, a leadership development program geared toward high school juniors and seniors in Miami-Dade County. Engaged Youth will directly connect 75 students from diverse backgrounds with mentors and role models who also share a commitment to building a Greater Miami.     > Palm Beach Homeless Shelter Benefits From Community Foundation's Matching Challenge      > 33 Nonprofits Earn Endowment Fund at Community Foundation of North Florida     > Jaguars' New "Straight Talk" Grants Address Teen Health, Preventing Teen Pregnancy      > Health Foundation of South Florida Helps Substance Abuse/Mental Health Nonprofit Gain Efficiencies      Community Indicators       Florida Drops From 35 to 36 in Well-Being Rank for Kids Florida dropped from 35 to 36 in its well-being ranking for kids in the Annie E. Casey Foundation's latest KIDS COUNT Data Book. The report shows that 21% of Florida children are living in poverty, the 17th-worst rate in the country, and the number of Florida children living in poverty has increased 11% since 2000. About 10% of children in Florida have been affected by foreclosures since 2007, the report shows, ranking Florida second in the nation on that measure.   > Florida Ranks High in Food Hardship Florida ranks fourth among the 50 states and D.C. for the rate at which families were unable to afford enough food in 2010, according to the Food Research and Action Center. 30% of Florida families struggle to put enough food on the table, compared with a 23% national average. Of the 25 metropolitan areas with the highest rates of food hardship for families, five are in Florida: Orlando-Kissimmee (No. 2), Lakeland-Winter Haven (No. 3), Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach (No. 12), Cape Coral-Fort Myers (No. 20) and Jacksonville (No. 22).      Disaster Relief: Alabama Tornadoes       Convening Helps Alabama Leaders Build Relationships to Aid Tornado Recovery More than three months after 67 tornadoes devastated half of Alabama, local residents still face a long road to recovery, particularly as the state seeks to rebuild its housing stock. Those efforts received a boost recently as the Jessie Ball duPont Fund and Alabama Giving jointly sponsored a day-long conference designed to establish long-term relationships between local leaders and regional and national experts on disaster recovery and housing.   > Cape Coral Community Foundation, SEC Rivalries Fund Aid Alabama Tornado Victims The Cape Coral Community Foundation and the SEC Rivalries Relief Fund have partnered to make a $10,000 donation to the Community Foundation of West Alabama to benefit victims from the recent tornadoes. The money was raised through an event and donations made by area residents on the Cape Coral Community Foundation's website.     >  The Patterson Foundation to Match Up to $100K in Tornado Recovery Donations During a benefit event hosted by the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama in August, The Patterson Foundation announced a $100,000, dollar-for-dollar match for tornado recovery donations made to the community foundation. In May, Patterson contributed $50,000 to help rebuild efforts.       Economy Matters       Southeast Florida Nonprofits Continue to Suffer Adverse Effects of Recession, New Survey Shows Nonprofits in Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties continue to face unprecedented challenges as more people rely on their services and resources are more limited than ever before, according to the results of the third annual Nonprofits and the Economy Survey released by the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, in partnership with Allegany Franciscan Ministries and the Quantum Foundation. Mirroring results from the past two surveys, major challenges identified by nonprofits were obtaining funding, recruiting donors and covering employee costs. On the positive side, 39% of respondents showed an increase in total revenue, compared to 25% in 2010. However, this was offset by 66% of respondents reporting an increase in expenses as compared to 53% in 2010.   > Jacksonville's Arts/Culture Nonprofits Boost Local Economy, New Report Shows Jacksonville's nonprofit arts and culture industry contributed more than $60.8 million to the local economy in 2010, according to a recent study by the Northeast Florida Center for Community Initiatives at the University of North Florida.     >  "Triple Whammy" Drives Down Number of Meals on Wheels Volunteers Meals on Wheels officials say a "triple whammy" of economic factors means increasingly that there are not enough volunteers willing to give up a few hours a month to help deliver meals to homebound locals 60 and older who can't prepare their own meals.      Honors       Walt Disney World Resort Named Among 10 Best Companies for Supporting the Arts in America Walt Disney World Resort has been named one of the 10 best companies supporting the arts in America for 2011 by the Business Committee for the Arts (BCA), a division of Americans for the Arts. BCA praised Disney's multi-faceted approach in supporting arts, citing its $12.5 million capital investment in the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and its 2010 grants totaling $565,000 for the local arts community, including Disney Helping Kids Shine grants to support local youth arts programs.      Government & Policy Watch     > Nonprofits Critical of Miami-Dade Mayor's System for Proposed Cuts to Social Services An increasingly vocal group of charitable and nonprofit groups are criticizing the way in which Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez plans to cut funding to social services. Under Gimenez's plan, nonprofits are grouped into categories and those deemed to be serving elderly and children, along with offering food, get funded at the same level as a year ago. All other groups are slated to be cut by 50%.      People        Cindy DeSilva        David Fischer        Creed Black   > Susan Beaven and Linda Saul-Sena have joined the board of the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay. Saul-Sena served five four-year terms on the Tampa City Council. Beaven is a family medicine doctor and current chair of the Community Foundation of Greater St. Petersburg Council.     > Danielle Blangy Cameron has been appointed to the newly-created position of vice president for personal and family philanthropy at the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. Cameron is a 20-year veteran of the foundation.     > Cindy DeSilva has been appointed director of development for the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. She joins the foundation after 10 years as director of annual programs for Hospice of Palm Beach County.     > David J. Fischer has announced his intention to retire as president and chief executive officer of the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, a position he has held for the past seven years. During his tenure, Fischer oversaw the increase of the foundation's assets from $90 million to over $145 million. He also steered the organization toward increasing support for at-risk youth, making lives better through programs which were successful, innovative, cost effective and portable. Fischer will remain in his role until later this year.     > Elizabeth Miller has been appointed communications associate for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, where she will be working to help engage audiences online.     > Audrey McKibbin Moran announced her resignation as a trustee of the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. Moran will leave her position as CEO of Jacksonville's I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless to become vice president for social responsibility and community advocacy at Baptist Health, which is an eligible grantee organization of the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. The Fund's policies prohibit trustees from employment at an eligible organization.   In Memoriam   > Creed Black, a veteran newsman who helped transform the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation into a major philanthropic enterprise, died on Aug. 16 at age 86. Black served as the foundation's president and CEO from 1988 to 1999 and oversaw the move of its headquarters from Akron to Miami. Under his leadership, the foundation's endowment grew to almost $1.2 billion, its grantmaking budget rose from $16 million to $42 million, and its staff increased from five to 30. His legacy as a philanthropic leader includes the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, the Knight Chairs in Journalism program, and the National Community Development Initiative.      Jobs Recent job postings on FPN's Jobs Board:      > Director of Marketing and Communications, Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties.     > Director of Public Relations & Communications, The Community Foundation of Sarasota County.      > President & Chief Executive Officer, Southwest Florida Community Foundation.      > Vice President of Community Investment, The Community Foundation of Sarasota County.      Funding Opportunities   > John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Donor Advised Fund of the Community Foundation of North Florida The Knight Fund's priority area of interest is informed, engaged communities in the geographic area of the Community Foundation (Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor or Wakulla County). Proposed projects must help foster an informed, engaged community and have an impact in one or more of the counties listed above. Grant application deadline is Oct. 19.     > Informed & Engaged Communities: John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Donor Advised Fund of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties Requests considered eligible for consideration by the Knight Committee will create new opportunities to participate, support and develop community leadership and provide leadership in understanding engagement in communities. Letters of inquiry due by Sept. 30.     >  STEAM Initiative, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fund of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties The foundation is particularly interested in STEAM (Science - Technology - Engineering - Arts - Math) efforts that address current and local, strategic efforts for improving educational outcomes for residents. Letters of inquiry due by Sept. 16.      Welcome New FPN Members     > The Community Foundation for Ocala Marion County, Ocala.        Follow FPN on Twitter @flphilanthropy    Follow FPN on our new Facebook page      Florida Philanthropic Network is a statewide association of grantmakers working to strengthen philanthropy through research, education and public policy.     Join Florida Philanthropic Network.    Not a Grantmaker?  Become a Friend of the Network.