Central Florida Foundation

06/12/2026

Today marks 10 years since the Pulse tragedy, a heartbreaking event that forever changed our community.

We remember the 49 lives lost, honor the survivors, and hold close the families, friends, and loved ones whose lives were profoundly affected.

In the aftermath of Pulse, Central Florida came together in extraordinary ways. Alongside many dedicated partners, Central Florida Foundation helped coordinate the philanthropic response and support long-term recovery efforts. The journey toward healing has been shaped by both profound grief and remarkable resilience.

As we reflect on this solemn anniversary, we invite you to explore our Better Together Report, which shares stories of heartbreak, hope, and recovery from the years following Pulse.

You can view the report here:https://cffound.org/2020/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Better_Together_Report_WEB-2.pdf

Together, we remember. Together, we heal. Together, we move forward.

06/08/2026

Last week, we had the pleasure of speaking at a Charitable Gift Planners Central Florida luncheon at the Winter Park Community Center.

And, you might have guessed it, we talked about one of our favorite topics: donor advised funds.

Steven J. Jerina, MPA, CAP® delivered "DAF 101 - Community Foundation Bootcamp" and the goal was to demystify donor advised funds and the organizations that sponsor them, while also sharing how working with your local community foundation can benefit your organization.

Key takeaways for the nonprofit and fundraisers in the audience included:

🙂 If you know donors who use a DAF for their charitable giving, the best strategy is to simply get to know that donor. No special cultivation strategy required.

💸 DAF donors are fantastic planned gift prospects! Those DAF dollars need to go somewhere once the donor passes away, and what better choice than the nonprofits they love and care about.

📈 With the Great Wealth Transfer underway, it's time for nonprofits to ramp up their planned giving program and build sustainability through endowments. Your local community foundation can help!

📢We love chatting on all things charitable. If you think we can help in a philanthropic scenario, reach out.

Thank you to Rollins College for sponsoring such a great opportunity to connect and learn!

05/29/2026

📢 Calling all local nonprofits: Join us for an Ask Us Anything virtual meeting!

🖥️

Ask Us Anything, June 9th, 10-11am, Zoom

Learn about our upcoming grant opportunities
✅Grassroots Grants
✅Winter Park Community Grants

Plus, ask us your questions!

Registration required. RSVP now: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FuSt7w8aRBW53oYKQ4pK-A

05/18/2026

Mental health challenges require more than short-term responses. They demand sustained, strategic investment in both immediate care and long-term recovery.

As Central Florida Foundation President/CEO Mark Brewer shared:
“A strong community is one where care is accessible, stigma is reduced, and every individual has the opportunity to heal. These grants represent a dual approach to solving complex issues: meeting urgent needs while advancing long-term solutions across Central Florida.”

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re highlighting how thoughtful grantmaking can strengthen systems of care, expand access, and support healthier futures for our region.

Keep reading to learn about two recent grants to Mental Health Association of Central Florida and NAMI Central Florida!

Read the full article here:

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It is a time to elevate conversations that too often happen in silence and to recognize the role each of us can play in

04/16/2026

Our nonprofit partners are driving meaningful progress in mental health across Central Florida, including the Mental Health Association of Central Florida. We’re proud to support work that’s expanding access, strengthening well-being, and building a healthier community for everyone.

🌟 A Powerful Investment in Mental Health Access! 🌟

We are thrilled to announce that the Mental Health Association of Central Florida’s new Sanford Outlook Clinic has received a $25,000 grant from Central Florida Foundation to support providing psychiatric medications for uninsured adults in our community.

This grant is more than financial support — it is a lifeline.

For many adults living without insurance, the cost of psychiatric medications is the barrier that stands between crisis and stability. Thanks to this generous investment, more of our neighbors will have access to the medications they need to manage their mental health, stay safe, and move toward healing.

💙 We extend our deepest gratitude to Central Florida Foundation for their steadfast support of MHACF and their unwavering commitment to the mental health and well‑being of our community. Their leadership continues to open doors for those who need it most.

At the Sanford Outlook Clinic, we believe that everyone deserves compassionate, high‑quality mental health care — regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. This grant strengthens that promise and expands the hope we can offer.

Learn more about our mission and services at mhacf.org or to make an appointment at the Sanford Outlook clinic contact our Connections team at (407) 898-0110 Ext. 110

04/13/2026

100 Women Strong at Central Florida Foundation's Elevate Summit is next week, and we hope to see you there!

The Summit is a one-day gathering centered around "Creating a Healthy Community." You'll hear from dynamic speakers covering topics such as healthcare access, local journalism & mental health, addiction, connection, pelvic health, letting go of guilt and more.

Plus, join in on roundtable discussions, get to know local nonprofits, and learn more about our strategic giving circle.

Check out the event website here: https://cffound.org/engaging-community/100-women-strong/elevate-summit-2026/

Grab your tickets here: https://cff.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list/event?event_date_id=2650

03/31/2026

Thriving Together Collaborative, Session 5!

The Collaborative is an initiative focused on engaging nonprofits around design thinking education and place-based community projects. For this session, CFF's Sandi Vidal led a workshop centered around theory of change, building prototypes, and fundraising strategies.

Thank you to Central Florida Urban League for hosting us (and being a participant)!

With only one more classroom session left, our nonprofit teams will start to transition to designing their real-world community projects soon! We're excited to keep sharing this journey.

Neighborhoods with community projects:
➡️Bithlo
➡️Holden Heights
➡️East Winter Garden
➡️Azalea Park
➡️Pine Hills

Learn more about this initiative here: https://cffound.org/thrive/thriving-together-collaborative/

03/16/2026

Collective giving is having a moment, and women are helping lead the way!

At the recent Philanos PowerUP! conference, giving circle leaders from across the country shared insights about the future of philanthropy, from building stronger member experiences to elevating diverse voices and embracing emerging tools for generosity.

CFF's Community Investment Manager, Alissa Mahadeo, was selected as an Opportunity Advocate and attended the conference on behalf of the Foundation and 100 Women Strong at Central Florida Foundation.

In our latest blog post, Alissa shares six key takeaways and how they connect to the work of 100 Women Strong, with a special contribution from 100WS Membership Chair Yeliza Centeio on a rise in Latina philanthropy!

If you care about the future of community-centered philanthropy, this one is worth the read.

🔗 Read the article:

What does it take to build a giving circle that delivers impact and a positive member experience? At this year’s Philanos conference, Power UP! Austin, giving

03/13/2026

We had a great Thriving Together Collaborative session this week, hosted at Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County!

Session 4 focused on "Problem to Project" as we prepare to move from the classroom to real-world community projects later this year.

You can learn more about the Collaborative here: https://cffound.org/thrive/thriving-together-collaborative/

➡️The Thriving Together Collaborative is made possible by our Thrive Economic Stability Impact Fund.

02/24/2026

Today’s Thriving Together Collaborative session focused on Human-Centered Design, and the conversations in the room were powerful.

We explored perception gaps (those post-it notes tell a story 👀) and discussed why it is critical to include the people we serve as true partners in identifying needs and shaping solutions.

Highlight from the session: Central Florida Urban League's team, which is focused on the Pine Hills neighborhood, took the 5 Whys framework we introduced in our last session and ran with it. They built out multiple real-life scenarios and actively workshopped them together. Now, THAT is initiative!

Thank you to our guest instructors, Emily Wray and Miriam Mengistie, for leading such a thoughtful conversation on perception gaps and meaningful feedback. We're grateful to Heart of Florida United Way for hosting us!

When we design with community, not just for community, better solutions follow.

You can read more about our Collaborative, powered by our Thrive Economic Stability Impact Fund, here: https://cffound.org/from-listening-to-action-an-update-on-the-thriving-together-collaborative/