March 2012        
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A monthly e-newsletter for people interested in Florida philanthropy
    
FPN News
  
The Giving Show   FPN in the News
FPN President David Biemesderfer Talks About Philanthropy on The Giving Show
FPN President & CEO David Biemesderfer was interviewed recently by Michael Chatman on The Giving Show on Bloomberg Radio. He talked about the upcoming Foundations on the Hill event in Washington, DC, the role of philanthropic advocacy, and the need to continue growing philanthropy in Florida and nationwide.
     
FPN Giving in Florida Report       FPN Research
Florida's Charitable Giving Hit Hard by Recession, But Outlook Is Brighter, According to New FPN Research
The economic recession has taken its toll on charitable giving in Florida, according to a new "Giving in Florida" report by Florida Philanthropic Network. The report confirms that the combined charitable giving of individuals, foundations and corporations in Florida dropped 8.6% between 2008 and 2009, which follows a double-digit decline the previous year. However, the state's charitable giving is estimated to have stabilized in 2010 and rebounded slightly in 2011.
 
> FPN Research
Florida's Top 50 Grantmakers
FPN has updated its rankings of Florida's 50 largest grantmakers, ranked by both grants paid and total assets.
    
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Headlines
  
The Giving Partner   Southwest Florida Foundations to Launch New Online Giving Tool With $501,000 Community Challenge
Four Southwest Florida foundations have joined together to power The Giving Partner, a free online tool to share community knowledge about charitable organizations in Southwest Florida, helping donors and citizens make more informed decisions about their philanthropy. The Giving Partner is set to publicly launch with a 36-Hour Giving Challenge on March 27, during which more than $501,000 will be available to match online donations. The Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Manatee Community Foundation - with support from The Patterson Foundation - are collaborating on The Giving Partner.
       
Healthy Central Florida   Dr. Oz Helps Launch Healthy Central Florida
Healthy Central Florida (HCF) - a community-based partnership aimed at helping Central Floridians move more, eat healthier and get connected - launched before a crowd of 500 on Feb. 6 with Dr. Mehmet Oz, cardiothoracic surgeon and host of The Dr. Oz Show. Founded by the Winter Park Health Foundation and Florida Hospital, HCF is dedicated to making the local community the healthiest in the nation, with a primary focus on policy and environmental change.
   
> Lightning Foundation to Fund New Sports Management MBA Program
The Lightning Foundation has committed to funding a new sports and entertainment MBA program at the University of South Florida for the next four years. The program will emphasize the business fundamentals of the sports and entertainment industry and provide graduate students with paid internships in the field.
    
> Grantmakers Help Launch New Palm Beach County Food Bank
The Palm Beach County Food Bank was launched in February to help fill an estimated annual food gap of about 30 million pounds needed to feed all of the area's hungry residents. Among the grantmakers that helped create the food bank are The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Quantum Foundation, Allegany Franciscan Ministries, United Way of Palm Beach County, and The Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County.
   
> Community Foundation of North Florida Has Record Year
The Community Foundation of North Florida received a record $7.7 million in new contributions in 2011, increasing the foundation's total assets to almost $20 million. A portion of the new contributions established the largest charitable fund ever created at CFNF. The foundation also received its first large unrestricted gift and a major grant from Knight Foundation.
    
> Campaign Sets New Fundraising Record to Help People Facing Homelessness
The Season of Sharing campaign, a joint project of the Herald-Tribune Media Group and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, has raised a record $1.6 million to help people facing homelessness in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties. When donations reached $1.1 million, it prompted a $500,000 match by The Patterson Foundation.
    
> BCBSF Foundation Honors Excellence in Addressing Community Health Care Needs
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation presented its annual Sapphire Awards in February to honor eight organizations and individuals for positively impacting the health of their fellow Floridians. Top winners were Dr. Charles Mahan (individual award, $30,000); Teen Xpress (program award, $100,000) and the Primary Care Access Network (organization award, $100,000).
    
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Focus On: Older Adults
   
BJ Buntrock   Community Foundation of Broward Awards Celebrate Encore Careers
Elizabeth "BJ" Buntrock was named the winner of the 2012 For Good Awards by the Community Foundation of Broward. Buntrock, 77, was honored for her work supporting seniors in Broward who survive on low, fixed incomes. In her "encore career" Buntrock opened the doors to the Pantry of Broward to provide food and support services to seniors. She received $30,000 to invest in the Pantry of Broward. Also honored were Mari Mennel-Bell, and Charles "Chuck" A. Nicholls, who each received $10,000 for the nonprofits of their choice. The awards are part of the foundation's Re-engage for Good movement aimed at ensuring new retirees can use their skills and interests to make a difference in their communities.
 
> Health Foundation of South Florida Grants Help Older Adults Stay Healthy & Independent
Sixteen nonprofits throughout Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties received grants of up to $284,000 from the Health Foundation of South Florida to help older adults stay healthy and independent. The grants, which totaled more than $1.24 million, are part of an initiative that offers nationally recognized prevention programs focused on chronic disease self-management, falls prevention, depression and physical activity.
    
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People
    
> Deborah "Debi" Braendle, John Gamba and Charles "Charlie" Green have joined the Southwest Florida Community Foundation's board of trustees. A retired executive of the Dow Chemical Company, Braendle currently co-owns Bonita Boarding Kennel and Pet Camp. A serial entrepreneur, Gamba has founded, funded, managed and exited five Internet companies in his 20-year career. Green currently serves as the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Lee County.
   
> Kelly Williams-Puccio was named executive director of Publix Super Markets Charities, where she will be responsible for the strategic direction of the foundation, managing foundation giving policies and processes and maintaining the charitable legacy of company founder George Jenkins. Williams-Puccio joined Publix in 1979 as a cashier in Boca Raton. She has been director of associate relations since 2000.
   
> Kate Wilson Martin has been appointed community affairs officer for Wells Fargo in Central Florida.
    
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Jobs
Recent job postings on FPN's Jobs Board:
    
> Community Investment Specialist, CSX Corporation, Jacksonville, FL.
    
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Resources
 
Knight Report Cover   How Foundations Partner Effectively to Address Their Community's Information Needs
As community foundations become active leaders in local news and information, many are learning they don't need to go it alone. A variety of different partnership models are emerging and they are detailed in a new report by FSG for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, "Collaboration and Connection: How Foundations Partner Effectively to Address Their Community's Information Needs."
 
> New Study Commissioned by Gulf Coast Community Foundation Identifies Cost Savings & Improvements for Sarasota Schools
A new study commissioned by Gulf Coast Community Foundation on behalf of a group of community investors and business groups identified cost-savings opportunities of more than $23.1 million over five years in the Sarasota school district in the areas of educational programs, facilities and human resources. The objective evaluation, conducted in cooperation with the school district, is intended to help the Sarasota School Board grapple with an anticipated fifth consecutive annual revenue shortfall.
    
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Funding Opportunities
 
> Charlotte Community Foundation 2012 Grants Program
The Charlotte Community Foundation welcomes letters of intent for its 2012 grants program, which supports innovative solutions for the citizens of Charlotte County through projects and programs that address specific identified needs of the community and demonstrate a widespread positive impact on its residents. LOI deadline: April 9.
   
> Knight Arts Challenge Miami
The Knight Arts Challenge Miami is accepting applications for 2012. The five-year, $40 million initiative is looking for the most innovative and engaging ideas in the arts in South Florida. The program is open to anyone: individuals, nonprofits, for-profits. There are three simple rules: your idea needs to be about the arts; your project must take place in or benefit South Florida; you must find funds to match Knight's commitment. Deadline: March 19.
   
> Knight News Challenge
The 2012 Knight News Challenge has opened for applications, with the theme of Networks and an application form on Tumblr. Through the challenge, Knight Foundation aims to accelerate innovation in news and information by funding the best breakthrough ideas and supporting them through its network of peers and advisers. In 2012, the revamped News Challenge will have shorter, more focused rounds to bring it closer to the speed of innovation and to provide innovators with faster access to funding. Close to $5 million will be awarded over the course of the three rounds in 2012. Anyone - including businesses, nonprofits and individuals - can apply. The first round application - which consists of just seven questions - will close on March 17.
   
> Social Innovation Fund FY 2012 Competition for Grantmakers
In FY 2012, the Corporation for National & Community Service will award a limited number of Social Innovation Fund grants to outstanding grantmaking institutions, which will match every federal dollar of the grant award in cash. The funds will be invested in promising community-based nonprofits working in low-income communities in one or more of the following areas: youth development, economic opportunity and healthy futures. Deadline: March 27.
    
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Call for Nominations
 
> 2013 Hilton Humanitarian Prize
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation seeks nominations for its 2013 Hilton Humanitarian Prize, which is the world's largest humanitarian award at $1.5 million and is presented annually to an organization anywhere in the world doing extraordinary work to alleviate human suffering. Created in 1996, the Prize helps recognize and advance the efforts of the recipient organizations, and calls attention to the worldwide need for humanitarian aid and support. Nomination deadline: March 30.
    
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Welcome New FPN Members
   
> Community Foundation of Northwest Florida (formerly Greater Escambia Community Foundation), Pensacola, FL.
   
> CSX Corporation, Jacksonville, FL.
    
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