Community Foundation For Brevard Philanthropic Connections
Brevard County residents love to give back to their community, so it is not surprising that an organization such as the Community Foundation for Brevard exists in such a big-hearted area.
CFB has, since its formation in 1982, guided individuals, families and businesses in their charitable giving to the tune of more than $22 million in grants for positive change. A majority of these grants were made in the last decade and most of the money remains in Brevard.
“Our mission is to maximize the impact of local philanthropy,” said president and CEO Theresa Grimison.
One of more than 750 similar groups in the United States, Community Foundation for Brevard is itself a nonprofit, and thus attuned to the challenges charitable groups routinely face.
Community foundations help the donor support their particular charitable passions, from animals and the environment to health, education and the arts. Tax-deductible gifts and bequests make up the permanent endowment of community foundations, and annual income from investment of that endowment is used to match donors’ charitable interests with needs in the community through grants and scholarships.
The Foundation provides the expertise, network of partners and information to empower philanthropists to maximize their impact to meet the community’s most pressing needs.
“I really didn’t know what I was doing as a philanthropist and didn’t’ have a framework for giving,” said donor Myles Wilkinson, who was directed to CFB through both his CPA and his attorney.
Wilkinson has relied on the Foundation to make the utmost good with his donor-advised fund since 2007, adding more to the fund on an annual basis.
CFB stewards 130 funds, each one representing a unique set of interests. The Foundation makes sure donors’ wishes are followed.
In Grimison’s office is a photograph of a little girl she never met, but whose memory has positively changed the lives of many.
“Janice died in childhood in the 1950s, but her mom established a fund through the Foundation to help children with disabilities,” Grimison said.
For years, the fund established in Janice’s memory has helped groups such as No Limits Academy, the Melbourne school that provides innovative education to children with complex physical disabilities.
Janice’s photo reminds Grimison daily of the Foundation’s continuing power for good.
The work of the Foundation falls into the categories of community transformation, education and the arts. Some donors opt to give to one category, while others prefer the Foundation to direct funds where need is greatest. The late Yonne Bixby, for example, established an unrestricted fund in her name for critical community needs.
On behalf of its donors, the Community Foundation of Brevard additionally annually awards competitive grants to local agencies. Averaging $10,000 each, the grants infuse heartily welcomed funds to a broad range of nonprofits. A group of 53 volunteers select applicants that are then reviewed by the Foundation’s board of directors.
“Each grant is a step towards mending, empowering and enhancing a part of the world that’s within our reach,” Grimison said.
This year, the Foundation awarded 43 grants totaling $304,207 for a wide range of projects. With Foundation grants:
- Brevard Symphony Orchestra can broaden the horizon of every fifth grade student in Brevard through a special concert.
- Brevard Humane Society can install badly needed artificial turf where homeless dogs can exercise while awaiting adoption.
- Candlelighters of Brevard can assist families with the travel expenses critical for their children to receive the cancer treatment they need.
- Club Esteem can help high-poverty minority students achieve academic and personal success.
- Brevard County Legal Aid can provide free legal services to disadvantaged persons in Brevard.
- Neighbor Up Brevard can add a mental health program for children living in Melbourne’s poorest neighborhood.
- St. Francis Reflections Lifestage Care can expand its support group sessions for children dealing with the loss of a loved one.
These examples are just a small number of the nonprofits CFB supports annually.
Family Promise of Brevard, which combats family homelessness through innovative shelter models, has received about $300,000 in grants and donor-advised funds from the Community Foundation since 2017.
“Community Foundation for Brevard has given us the ability to tackle the issues of poverty and affordable housing,” said Tara Pagliarini, executive director.
“CFB understands that to create sustainable change, it will require innovative solutions and collaborative community support. As a result, we are repurposing a firehouse in 32922 — where 73% of residents face housing instability — and turning it into a hub of services that not only stabilize a family during a housing crisis, but also help elevate them out of poverty through education and training. The support of CFB has been critical to leveraging other private and federal funds to meet our $1.8M renovation budget.”
The Community Foundation has also joined United Way for Brevard, Space Coast Health Care Foundation, Career Source Brevard and Bank of America in Elevate Brevard — a collaboration to empower residents by increasing their access to post-secondary educational opportunities and sustainable employment. Family Promise of Brevard serves as the initiative’s backbone organization.
“This is one of the best bets to move the needle in getting out of poverty,” Grimison said.
The Foundation was also invited to join the Florida Philanthropic Network Board, a major organization composed of corporate, private and community representatives. It will further enhance CFB’s capabilities.
“It’s exciting to have Brevard at the table of these bigger funders,” Grimison said.
As it evolves, Community Foundation for Brevard has become a win-win for both donors and the charities they support.
“It has grown from a custodian of funds to also a resource for donors and for charities,” Wilkinson said.
Community Foundation for Brevard
1361 Bedford Drive, Suite 102, Melbourne
321-752-5505
Facebook: /communityfoundationforbrevard
LinkedIn: /community-foundation-of-brevard
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