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Collier Community Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$32.6M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.0M
Decision Time
2mo

Collier Community Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $32.6 million (FY 2024)
  • Total Assets: $357 million
  • Decision Time: 60 days from deadline
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $15,000 (competitive grants); up to $100,000+ (special initiatives)
  • Geographic Focus: Collier County, Florida

Contact Details

Address: 1110 Pine Ridge Road, Suite 200, Naples, FL 34108
Phone: (239) 649-5000
Website: https://colliercf.org
Grant Portal: https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=cfcc

Pre-Application Contact: Laura Simmelink, Senior Director of Programs
Phone: (239) 307-4514
Email: Grants@colliercf.org

Overview

Established in 1985 with a $300,000 endowment, the Collier Community Foundation (formerly Community Foundation of Collier County) has grown into one of Southwest Florida's leading philanthropic institutions. The Foundation currently manages over 700 funds established by charitable individuals, corporations, and organizations, with total assets exceeding $357 million as of June 2024. Since inception, the Foundation has distributed over $392 million in grants to nonprofit organizations and community programs.

The Foundation's mission is to improve the quality of life in Collier County by connecting donors to community needs and providing leadership on critical community issues. Under the leadership of President and CEO Eileen Connolly-Keesler, the Foundation has made significant investments nearing $20 million in affordable workforce housing, early childhood learning, mental health, and career/technical education. The Foundation provides grant dollars to nonprofits for programs that show measurable results in addressing documented community needs, with grantmaking tied to relevant community data from Community Indicators reports and the Community Needs Assessment.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Competitive Grant Cycle (Annual)

  • Program Grants: $5,000 - $15,000 for specific programs or program expansions
  • Operating Support Grants: $5,000 - $15,000 for general operating support
  • Capacity Grants: $500 - $5,000 (requires 1:1 match; available only to nonprofits with budgets under $3M)
  • Application Method: Online portal, fixed annual deadline
  • Note: Organizations may apply for either one Program grant OR one Operating Support grant (but not both), plus one Capacity grant if eligible

Special Initiatives The Foundation periodically awards larger surprise grants through special events. Recent examples include four $100,000 grants to standout nonprofits and the first-ever $250,000 Provol Award Grant, totaling $650,000 in surprise funding.

Donor-Advised Funds The Foundation manages over 700 individual funds through which donors direct grants on an ongoing basis throughout the year.

Priority Areas

The Foundation invests grant dollars in programs demonstrating measurable results in these focus areas:

  • Arts/Culture
  • Environment
  • Education or Employment
  • Healthcare or Mental Health
  • Human Services

Programs must address documented community needs or gaps in services specific to Collier County residents.

What They Don't Fund

The Foundation explicitly excludes:

  • Grants to individuals
  • Pass-through organizations that fund other unrelated charities
  • Political campaigns or lobbying (non-partisan advocacy work is acceptable)
  • Scholarly research
  • Annual campaigns
  • Event sponsorships
  • Team or sport travel/sponsorships
  • Travel-related expenses
  • Organizations not serving Collier County, Florida
  • Religious activities (though tax-exempt religious organizations are eligible if grant-funded activities are non-discriminatory, non-sectarian, and benefit the larger community)
  • Multi-year grants through competitive grant cycles

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Eileen Connolly-Keesler, President and CEO
Oversees the Foundation's mission and addresses community needs by providing leadership and coordination through grantmaking and fund development. In October 2024, she stated: "We are deeply grateful to KeyBank Foundation for this bicentennial grant, which will help us expand our work to create more affordable housing and support small businesses in communities that have historically been left behind. This investment strengthens our ability to ensure that low- and moderate-income residents have access to the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, while also building stronger, fairer and more resilient communities."

Wendy Ponting, Chief Financial Officer
Provides executive leadership, vision, and strategic oversight for the Foundation's overall operating, financial, and administrative activities.

Laura Simmelink, Senior Director of Programs
Leads community grantmaking initiatives, ensuring the Foundation's funding aligns with strategic focus areas and mission. Primary contact for grant applicants.

Lindsey King, Vice President of Community Engagement
Provides strategic direction for community engagement by working with community stakeholders.

Julie Pinarski, Senior Director of Development
Leads initiatives related to fund development, professional advisors, community philanthropic partnerships, constituent relations, estate planning, and stewardship.

Cindi Withorn, Senior Director of Marketing and PR
Oversees the marketing, communications, and public relations efforts.

Board of Directors

William Barker - Founder of Barker Strategic Solutions, LLC with over 30 years of media industry leadership; former Florida Regional President of Gannett/USA Today Network and former publisher of the Naples Daily News

Dennis C. Brown - Senior counsel at Bond, Schoeneck & King in Naples specializing in trust and estate planning; serves on the Professional Advisors Council

Rob Funderburg - Recently retired business leader and entrepreneur with experience in financial services, real estate development, and agribusiness; co-chaired the "Your Passion. Your Collier." campaign

Brad A. Galbraith - Managing partner at Galbraith Weatherbie Law, PLLC; Florida Bar board-certified expert in Wills, Trusts and Estates Law

Dr. Vladimir J. Mathieu - Physician with over two decades of expertise in family medicine, geriatrics and hospice care at Millennium Physician Group/Naples Medical Center; chair-elect of Hope for Haiti board

Thomas R. Oliveri - President of the West Florida Region for Northern Trust

Jeffrey J. Diermeier - Past president/CEO of CFA Institute; former global chief investment officer of UBS Global Asset Management; founder of Canna Investment Management, LLC

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Tax-exempt nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) serving Collier County, FL residents
  • In operation for two full fiscal years with filed nonprofit tax returns
  • Complete and updated profile in the Nonprofit Directory
  • Programs demonstrate strong measurable outcomes
  • Programs address documented community needs or gaps in services
  • Organizations working directly with minors must perform background checks on staff and volunteers
  • Must agree to the Community Foundation's Statement of Diversity

Application Process:

  1. Review eligibility guidelines and ensure your organization meets all requirements
  2. Update your profile in the Nonprofit Directory
  3. Download application question packets and budget templates in advance (optional)
  4. Submit application online through the grant portal at https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=cfcc
  5. Applications can be stopped, saved, and returned to at any time before the deadline

Time Investment: The Foundation estimates that if applicants have all needed information on hand, the application should take no longer than 1-2 hours to complete. Hiring a professional grant writer is acceptable but not necessary.

Application Window: The competitive grant cycle opens annually with a specific deadline. Applicants should check the "Apply for Grants" page for current dates.

Decision Timeline

Notification Period: Applicants should allow 60 days from the deadline before receiving notification of grant decisions.

Notification Method: Via email through the grant portal system.

Success Rates

The Foundation receives far more requests than their grant budget allows them to fund, making this a highly competitive process. In FY 2024, the Foundation awarded $32.6 million in grants. Recent surprise grant events selected 4 recipients from 36 impressive applicants for major awards, suggesting strong competition for special initiatives.

Specific acceptance percentages are not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

Applications are usually not turned down because they are 'bad' applications. The Foundation emphasizes that intense competition means many strong proposals cannot be funded due to budget constraints.

Organizations that were not funded are welcome to reapply in subsequent grant cycles. The Foundation recommends that reapplicants:

  • Consult guidelines carefully before resubmitting
  • Contact Laura Simmelink to discuss program alignment with current priorities before investing time in a new application
  • Ensure the program continues to address documented community needs

There is no specified waiting period for reapplication.

Application Success Factors

Foundation-Specific Priorities

  1. Demonstrate Measurable Outcomes: Grant committees evaluate proposals heavily on both quantitative and qualitative measures of impact. Clearly state expected results and how success will be measured.

  2. Align with Community Data: The Foundation's strategic plan ties grantmaking to relevant community information from the Community Indicators report, the Community Needs Assessment funded by the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, and other reports relevant to specific areas. Reference these documented needs in your application.

  3. Show Sustainability: Grant committees consider how programs will continue beyond the grant period and their long-term impact on Collier County.

  4. Address Documented Needs or Gaps: Be sure your program addresses a documented need or gap in services rather than duplicating existing programs. For new nonprofits, the Foundation looks favorably on organizations that actively partner with other Collier County nonprofits and can demonstrate they are not duplicating existing services.

  5. Provide Detail on Fund Usage: Requests must provide specific detail on how grant dollars will be used. Vague descriptions will not be competitive.

  6. Complete Your Nonprofit Directory Profile: A complete profile enables shorter applications and increases visibility to potential donors beyond the grant cycle.

Recent Grant Recipients as Examples

Recent grants (December 2024) illustrate the Foundation's priorities:

  • Books for Collier Kids, Inc. - $3,000 for literacy programs at elementary schools
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast - $5,000 for mentoring programs
  • Grace Place for Children and Families - $30,000 for Bright Beginnings early childhood program
  • The Shelter - $15,000 for unrestricted emergency shelter expenses

These awards demonstrate the Foundation's support for programs serving children, education, direct services to vulnerable populations, and organizations with clear community impact.

Direct Advice from the Foundation

The Foundation's FAQ emphasizes: "If you have any questions about whether your program is eligible, contact Laura Simmelink prior to beginning an application." This proactive consultation can save time and increase the likelihood of submitting a competitive proposal.

Organizations working with minors must demonstrate compliance with background check requirements - this is a non-negotiable eligibility factor.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Pre-application consultation is encouraged: Contact Laura Simmelink before applying if there is any uncertainty about program eligibility or alignment with current priorities
  • Data-driven proposals win: Ground your application in documented community needs from the Foundation's Community Indicators report and Community Needs Assessment rather than anecdotal evidence
  • Competition is intense: With far more requests than available funding, only the strongest proposals demonstrating clear, measurable outcomes will be funded
  • Update your directory profile first: A complete Nonprofit Directory profile is required and makes applications shorter while increasing year-round visibility
  • Choose your grant type carefully: Organizations can apply for either a Program grant OR an Operating Support grant, but not both - select strategically based on your greatest need
  • Think beyond the competitive cycle: With over 700 donor-advised funds, building relationships with individual donors through the Foundation's network may create additional funding opportunities
  • Non-sectarian requirement is strict: Religious organizations are eligible only if grant-funded activities are completely non-discriminatory, non-sectarian, and benefit the larger community

References

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