Our Impact
St. Augustine/St. Johns County
Working Together in the Oldest City
Opening Our Eyes to History: Fort Mosé
Fort Mosé, the first legally-sanctioned town of formerly enslaved African Americans in the pre-Colonial United States, has been a relatively unknown jewel in St. Augustine. During the pandemic, we worked with the Florida State Parks Foundation to help fund a Trail of Freedom Interpretive Signage project. And most recently, we made a $25,000 grant to the Fort Mosé Historical Society toward the construction of a representation of the original fort on the property. Our grant served as a required match for the Florida State Parks Foundation’s proposal to build the fort, potentially leveraging $1.25 million.
Preserving the Environment: The Matanzas Riverkeeper
The Matanzas River is not only one of the jewels of St. Johns County, it’s also a vital artery for the environmental health of the region. We have made grants for specific clean water projects, including advocacy and actual pollution mitigation efforts, in partnership with the Matanzas Riverkeeper. We also invested in the Matanzas Riverkeeper organization to hire a part time coordinator and fund nonprofit management training. And by introducing an interested donor to the work of the Matanzas Riverkeeper, we helped facilitate a $25,000 donor-advised grant to build a river education program.
Small but Mighty Grants: Fostering Connections
Fostering Connections is a young nonprofit in St. Johns County and is just beginning to grow. It serves children and young adults ‘impacted by foster care or trauma, from birth to age 23.’ They provide support with essentials, educational programs, life skills and enrichment. To help the organization propel their mission, we made a small grant to help fund a professional facilitator who will help them create a 3-year strategic plan.
“The St. Augustine Art Association has benefited greatly over the years from grants from the Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, particularly from their JoAnn Crisp-Ellert fund. The grants, and invaluable support from Community Foundation staff, allow us to spend less time on financial concerns and more time focusing on our members, artists, and the St. Augustine community, to produce high-quality exhibitions and program opportunities.”
– Jennifer Flynt, Executive Director
Would you like to know more about our work in St. Augustine/St. Johns County?
Here to Help
For more information, contact:
