Volunteer Florida is awarding 22 organizations across the state some significant matching funds to increase their volunteer base.
Volunteer Florida CEO Chester Spellman says through the Volunteer Generation Fund, his agency awarded $13,000 mini grants to different Florida nonprofit organizations. The award recipient then provides a dollar-for-dollar match—bringing the grand total to about $573,000.
“This grant program is focused on skills-based volunteers,” said Spellman. “So, looking at individuals who have professional skills, whether it’s in the area of IT consultants, an attorney, teachers, accountants…but, individuals who will be using their skills to support a non-profit organization. They’ll be doing things like providing STEM based education opportunities, helping jobseekers find employment, providing financial literacy programs, work readiness, and also, promoting entrepreneurship.”
This year’s grant recipients include Big Brothers Big Sisters, United Way, and some museums from South Florida to the Panhandle.
Local Recipients
Kristi Strickland is the Program Director for Junior Achievement of the Big Bend—one of this year’s 22 Florida recipients.
“And, we are always looking for volunteers to teach in the classroom. All Junior Achievement programs are taught from volunteers around the community, and we teach financial literacy in classrooms Kindergarten through 12th grade. We focus on entrepreneurship, work readiness, and personal finance.”
Other local recipients include Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science as well as “Communities in Schools of Florida,” a Leon County organization that helps at-risk students. They also includes Franklin’s Promise Coalition, an organization to help reduce negative behaviors among Franklin County youth. The Emerald Coast Science Center in Okaloosa County is another recipient as well.
For more information on all the grantees, click here.
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