Initiatives

Current Grantmaking Initiatives

Art Ventures Initiative

Fostering Vitality in the Arts — The Foundation seeks to support both arts organizations and individual artists.

• Organizations — Grants are available to support the artistic and administrative development of small arts organizations.
• Individual Artists — Grants are available to support individual artists as they advance their work.

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Nonprofit Capacity Building Initiative

The Capacity Building Initiative seeks to assist nonprofit organizations strengthen their programmatic and administrative capabilities through reflective practice. The process is open to all nonprofit organizations in Duval County with preference given to youth serving nonprofit organizations or nonprofit organizations that have a youth serving component.

Grants of up to $40,000 will be awarded to organizations who wish to pursue this initiative. Funded activities may continue for up to 24 months.

Under this initiative, grants will not be made for:

• General operating support to existing programs;
• Construction or renovation of facilities;
• Purchase of capital equipment;
• Support of food programs;
• Purchase of tickets for fundraising activities

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Community Theater Initiative

The Tom Nehl Community Theatre Initiative is designed to improve the quality of community theater productions in Northeast Florida. Community theaters that meet eligibility requirements will be invited to apply to this initiative.

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Early Childhood Initiative

The Early Childhood Initiative seeks to improve the quality of child care services and programs for children ages 0-6 in Duval County. The initiative supports activities that enhance parenting skills, enhance the skills of child care staff and enhance overall care of this population.

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Education Initiative

The Quality Education for All Initiative is a 10-year initiative that seeks to positively impact public education in Duval County by improving the performance of all public school students in Duval County, with particular attention to closing the achievement gaps between minority and majority students, and poor and non-poor students.

The Quality Education for All has three components:

• Community Learning — Bringing together key citizens and leaders to address the challenges facing public education;
• Direct Investment — Identifying opportunities to invest in programs to positively impact Duval County Schools;
• Advocacy and Public Policy — Building public will and shaping public policy in support of improved public education in Duval County.

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• About the Initiative
• One-Year-Update
• Two-Year-Update

Seniors Initiative

The Seniors Initiative seeks to improve the quality of life for Duval County seniors by:

• Expanding non-traditional services such as educational seminars, spiritual training, peer interaction and opportunities for volunteerism that build confidence and enrich the lives of senior citizens.
• Expanding services that promote the mental and/or physical well-being of senior citizens.
• Promoting services that are culturally sensitive to senior citizens' communities.

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Women and Philanthropy Initiative

The Women and Philanthropy Initiative is funded through the Women's Giving Alliance, an organization of women who collaboratively fund research and programs benefiting women and girls in Northeast Florida.
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Other Initiatives

The Community Foundation has made multi-year commitments to strengthen neighborhoods through a grant to LISC (Local Initiatives to Support Corporation) in Jacksonville; and to build the capacity of non-profit organizations through a grant to the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida, Inc.

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