Council Update: 14 local nonprofits receive support through unique funding opportunity

Fourteen local, grassroots nonprofits will receive funding through Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County's Great Ideas Initiative, staff informed the board at its August meeting.

Since 2016, CSC has invested almost $3.5 million in the community through GII. These grants, funded with under-expenditures, provide an opportunity for local nonprofits to launch their great ideas on behalf of the county’s children and families.

The GII is open to local nonprofits with operating budgets of less than $1 million, which are working in partnership with local communities to achieve mutually agreed upon goals and aspirations. These funds encourage agencies to:

• Inspire young people to pursue their passions, truest intentions and daring ideas,
• Embrace community-inspired approaches that support parental engagement and empowerment,
• Improve/expand upon an existing innovation that addresses a community’s wants or needs,
• Create pathways to help families and communities courageously work to address racism, or
• Fuel innovative partnerships that help families leverage community resources.

Click here to view the list of this year’s awardees. 

In other business

DULCE Program: The Council approved CSC to contract with FoundCare to implement, manage and staff the DULCE Program in the next fiscal year, Oct. 1, 2023 – Sept. 30, 2024. The contract amount is not to exceed $410,000. The DULCE Program, based in pediatric clinics, supports healthy newborn development and provides specialized legal services, offered through Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, to families who may have specific legal, mental health, substance misuse or family violence challenges.  

Fatherhood Initiatives: The Council approved continued funding of up to $34,500 per agency for three fatherhood-focused programs: KTM Youth & Community Network, Livin’ the Dream International and West Palm Beach Center for Arts and Technology. All three are Great Ideas Initiative recipients. KTM promotes father involvement in the Glades area; Livin’ the Dream offers money management education for fathers and sons impacted by poverty; WPB Center for Art and Technology provides fathers and their children with creative opportunities to bond.

Substance Awareness: The Council approved CSC to contract for three years with Palm Beach County Behavioral Health Coalition, from Oct. 1, 2023 – Sept. 30, 2026, in an amount not exceed $150,000 in total. The program recognizes the risks of teen substance misuse and supports awareness and education activities.