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Community Foundation For Palm Beach & Martin Counties Inc

Annual Giving
$21.7M
Grant Range
$9K - $0.1M
Decision Time
6mo
Success Rate
52%

Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $21.7 million (2023)
  • Assets Under Management: $270 million (2023)
  • Decision Time: Approximately 6 months from LOI to award
  • Grant Range: $8,500 - $100,000
  • Geographic Focus: Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Florida
  • Applications: 159 grants awarded in 2025 from competitive process

Contact Details

Website: https://yourcommunityfoundation.org

Phone: (561) 659-6800

Address: 700 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 200, West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Key Contacts for Grantmaking:

Overview

Founded in 1972 by visionary Palm Beach residents Winsome and Michael McIntosh with a $50,000 endowment, the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties has grown to become one of Florida's largest community foundations. With $270 million in assets under management and 630 charitable giving funds, the foundation has distributed over $200 million in grants and scholarships over its 53-year history to more than 3,500 nonprofit partners. In 2023, the foundation provided $21.7 million in grants to the community, supporting 558 unique nonprofit organizations through 1,079 grants. The foundation strengthens communities by amplifying philanthropy and catalyzing solutions through direct work and partnerships with donors, nonprofits, and the community. President and CEO Danita R. DeHaney, Ph.D., who joined in 2021, leads the organization with a focus on strategic philanthropy that supports frontline nonprofits and creates lasting community impact.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Year-Round Grants: Up to $100,000 (two-step process: Letter of Inquiry followed by full proposal invitation)

  • Support programs or general operations
  • Applications open November, decisions announced May
  • 93 organizations funded in 2025

Summer Program Grants: $8,500 - $75,000 (one-step application process)

  • Support seasonal programming expansion
  • 20 nonprofits funded in 2025

Multi-Year Literacy Grants: Up to $100,000 (distributed over two years)

  • Dedicated funding for youth literacy programming
  • 6 organizations funded in 2025

Micro-Grants: Flexible amounts (typically smaller grants)

  • Designed to expand services or address immediate needs
  • Target smaller and emerging nonprofits
  • 23 organizations funded in 2025

Capacity Building Grants: Up to $100,000

  • Support nonprofit management and leadership development
  • Professional coaching, mentoring, and guidance programs
  • Infrastructure and organizational strengthening

Discretionary Grants: Variable amounts

  • Awarded throughout the year for urgent needs
  • 17 nonprofits funded in 2025

Priority Areas

Education and Youth: Early childhood education, youth literacy, access to education, high school completion, vocational training, and post-secondary career pathways

Economic Opportunity: Workforce development, vocational training, industry certifications, adult literacy, and programs that advance household and business financial growth and stability

Thriving Communities: Programs promoting communal health, wealth, safety, and revitalization projects

Crisis Preparation and Response: Direct-response grants to urgent needs within communities facing disaster or threat to safety and life

What They Don't Fund

  • Annual appeals
  • Capital campaigns
  • Event underwriting
  • Agency endowments
  • Debt reduction
  • Programs that have already received three consecutive years of funding (must wait one year or apply with a different program)
  • Organizations with discriminatory policies based on race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, abilities, socioeconomic status, or national origin

Governance and Leadership

President & CEO: Danita R. DeHaney, Ph.D. (since 2021) - brings 25 years of experience in higher education fundraising and team leadership

Board Chair: Jeffrey A. Stoops

Board of Directors: 22 trustees including Susan P. Brockway, Dennis S. Hudson III, Sheree Davis Cunningham, Julie Fisher Cummings, Michael J. Bracci, Nancy G. Brinker, Timothy D. Burke, James "Chip" DiPaula Jr., William E. Donnell, Earnie Ellison Jr., Phyllis M. Gillespie, Tammy Jackson-Moore, Joanne Julien, Marti M. LaTour, David Mérot, Elizabeth R. Neuhoff, Kevin Powers, Pam Rauch, Gabrielle Raymond McGee, Laurie S. Silvers, and Kenneth West II

Leadership Quotes:

Dr. DeHaney on the foundation's strategic approach: "It's simple: We move with the intent to improve the lives of all local residents alongside the nonprofits on the frontlines, and we do it through philanthropy that allows us to make a difference now and in perpetuity."

On grant partnerships: "Our nonprofit partners know firsthand the needs of those who live and work here. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we are proud to provide flexible funding that empowers these organizations to deliver transformative, real-time results."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Year-Round Grant Process (Two-Step):

  1. Submit Letter of Inquiry (LOI) through online portal

    • Opens: November 1
    • Deadline: Mid-December (5 p.m. ET)
    • Should summarize project and outline the challenge being addressed

  2. Full Proposal by Invitation Only

    • Invitations sent: Early February
    • Deadline: Early March (5 p.m. ET)
    • Requires detailed project approach, staffing, budgets, and projected outcomes

Summer Program Grant Process (One-Step):

  • Single application outlining project, challenge, approach, staffing, budget, and projected outcomes
  • Same deadline as LOI (mid-December)

Grant-Seeker Sessions: The foundation hosts multiple information sessions each November at locations throughout Palm Beach and Martin Counties (Belle Glade, Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, Stuart) plus a virtual option. These sessions help applicants understand the process, requirements, and grantmaking categories.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations in good standing with Florida (or use fiscal sponsor)
  • Located within or directly benefiting residents of Palm Beach and Martin Counties
  • One proposal per organization per cycle
  • No discriminatory policies

Decision Timeline

  • November 1: Applications open
  • Mid-December: LOI and Summer Program applications due (5 p.m. ET)
  • Early February: Full proposal invitations sent
  • Early March: Full proposals due (5 p.m. ET)
  • March-April: Site visits conducted (in-person or virtual, typically 60 minutes)
  • Late May: Award notifications sent
  • Total timeline: Approximately 6 months from initial LOI to award decision

Success Rates

The foundation awarded 159 grants in 2025 totaling $5.6 million. While specific application numbers are not publicly disclosed, the two-step process for year-round grants indicates competitive selection, with staff reviewing all LOIs and inviting only a select number to submit full proposals. In 2025, for summer grants specifically, 40 applicants sought more than $1.7 million, with 21 organizations ultimately receiving $460,000 (approximately 52% success rate for summer grants).

Reapplication Policy

Organizations can reapply after being denied, with each application considered independently. Organizations that have received three consecutive years of funding may reapply after a one-year gap, or may apply with a different program without waiting.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Priority Areas: Successful applicants demonstrate clear alignment with the foundation's four priority areas: Education and Youth, Economic Opportunity, Thriving Communities, or Capacity Building. The foundation explicitly states that proposals must address these focus areas.

Recent Examples of Funded Projects:

  • Education: Boca School for Autism, Breakthrough Miami, Reading To Be Ready, Roots and Wings, Edna W. Runner Education Center (multi-year literacy grants)
  • Youth Development: Achievement Centers for Children and Families, Young Singers of the Palm Beaches, Center for Child Counseling
  • Economic Opportunity: El Sol Neighborhood Resource Center, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship
  • Community Services: Feeding South Florida, The Lord's Place, Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Catholic Charities, Boca Helping Hands
  • Capacity Building: Organizations supporting nonprofit management, leadership development
  • Emerging Nonprofits: Braveheart Farm, Delray Beach Children's Garden, Jack the Bike Man, inSight Through Education (micro-grants)

Strong LOI Components: The foundation emphasizes that the Letter of Inquiry should "summarize your project and outline the challenge you will solve" - successful applicants clearly articulate both the problem and their proposed solution.

Relationship Building: The foundation encourages organizations to "keep Community Impact staff informed about current projects." Maintaining ongoing communication with the Community Impact team throughout the year, not just during application season, can strengthen applications.

Site Visit Preparation: For year-round grants, site visits are a key component of the evaluation process. Organizations should be prepared for 60-minute visits (in-person or virtual) where they can demonstrate their capacity and impact.

Geographic Focus: Applications from smaller communities like Belle Glade, Stuart, and other underserved areas of Palm Beach and Martin Counties are actively encouraged - the foundation hosts grant-seeker sessions in these locations specifically to reach diverse applicants.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls: Review the "What They Don't Fund" list carefully. Many applications are declined because they request funding for ineligible purposes like capital campaigns, event underwriting, or annual appeals rather than programmatic or operational support.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Start with the LOI strategically: Since year-round grants use a two-step process, focus on crafting a compelling Letter of Inquiry that clearly articulates the problem and solution - staff will review all LOIs but only invite selected applicants to full proposal
  • Attend grant-seeker sessions: The foundation offers multiple information sessions each November at various locations; attending demonstrates engagement and provides critical insights into evaluation criteria
  • Emphasize community impact: The foundation's mission centers on strengthening communities - proposals should demonstrate how projects will create "transformative, real-time results" for Palm Beach and Martin County residents
  • Consider timing strategically: Organizations receiving three consecutive years of funding must wait one year or apply with a different program; plan multi-year funding requests accordingly
  • Leverage different grant types: Smaller or emerging organizations should consider micro-grants; established organizations can pursue larger year-round grants; youth literacy programs have dedicated multi-year funding
  • Build relationships year-round: Keep the Community Impact team informed about your work throughout the year, not just during application cycles - the foundation values ongoing partnerships
  • Align with foundation values: Demonstrate how your organization embodies the foundation's five core values: Impact, Collaboration, Equity, Integrity, and Exceptional Service

References

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