Consortium of Florida Education Foundations Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $14.9 million (2023-2024 fiscal year)
• Total Member Fundraising: $100+ million annually
• Grant Range: $2,000 - $5,000 (STEM grants); varies by programme
• Geographic Focus: Florida statewide (63 member foundations across 67 school districts)
• Decision Time: Varies by programme
• Member Assets: $226 million collectively

Contact Details

Website: https://educationfoundationsfl.org/

Phone: 352-338-0250

Email: info@cfef.net

Grants Portal Contact: jaynemoraski@cfef.net

Address: P.O. Box 494266, Port Charlotte, FL 33949

Grants Management System: https://cfefgrants.educationfoundationsfl.org/

Overview

Founded in 1992, the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations (CFEF) serves as the professional association for local education foundations aligned with Florida's county-wide school districts. The organisation supports 63 member education foundations across Florida's 67 counties, collectively representing 99% of the state's 3 million K-12 students. With member foundations holding $226 million in assets and raising over $100 million annually, CFEF acts as a statewide convener, capacity builder, and grant programme administrator. In fiscal year 2023-2024, CFEF distributed $14.9 million through its grant programmes, impacting 1,234,178 students and 54,838 teachers across 106 funded projects. The organisation administers Florida's School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program, which has allocated over $81.8 million since 2001, and manages corporate-sponsored grant initiatives from partners including Florida Power & Light, Wells Fargo, and HCA Healthcare Foundation. Charity Navigator rates CFEF with a Three-Star rating (76%).

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program

• State-funded $1 for $1 matching programme
• $6 million in state allocation matched with $9.2 million in private sector investment (2023-2024)
• 57 school districts participated, funding 106 projects
• Applications submitted through member local education foundations
• Rolling basis as allocated by Florida Legislature annually

STEM Grants

• $2,000 - $5,000 per grant
• Up to six grants awarded annually
• Focus on innovative, hands-on K-12 STEM programmes
• Annual deadline typically in September
• Applied for through local education foundations

FPL EmPOWERing STEM Educators

• Corporate-sponsored programme
• Supports STEM education initiatives
• Annual deadline typically in June

Wells Fargo "Investing in Florida's Future"

• Corporate-sponsored programme
• Annual deadline typically in August

HCA Healthcare Foundation Career Pathways to a Healthier Florida

• $1 million over three years
• Funds 15 local education foundations
• Focus on nursing and allied health career pathways
• Individual foundation grants approximately $33,750 over three years

Florida Lottery "Lighting the Way to a Bright Future"

• Applications typically open and close in October

The Able Trust Partnership

• Focus on students with disabilities
• Annual deadline typically in September

Career Catalyst Program

• Applications typically open in August and close in October

Priority Areas

CFEF focuses funding on seven strategic priority areas:

1. Literacy - Reading programmes and literacy initiatives
2. Low Performing Students - Targeted interventions and support
3. Increasing Graduation Rates - Retention and completion programmes
4. Teaching Quality - Professional development, classroom grants (over $13.5 million annually), teacher resource stores, recruitment and retention
5. Career and Technical Education - Workforce development and career exploration
6. Student Resiliency - Social-emotional support (838,000 students impacted through Resiliency Through the Community initiative)
7. STEM Education - Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programmes

Additional areas of support include:

• Scholarship programmes (estimated $17.6 million annually distributed by member foundations)
• Digital literacy
• Financial literacy
• Healthcare career pathways

What They Don't Fund

• Food purchases (not a priority; must be paid by foundation's private donations, not state matching grant funds)
• Rewards or incentive prizes (not allowable from state matching grant funding)
• Individual students or families (grants flow through local education foundations to schools and programmes)
• Direct grants to schools outside the local education foundation network

Governance and Leadership

Board Officers

• Kim Jowell, Chair - Pinellas Education Foundation
• Rachael Tutwiler Fortune, Vice Chair - Jacksonville Public Education Fund
• Meghan Magamoll, Treasurer - Public Education Foundation of Marion County

Board Members (Selected)

• Thom Jones - St. Lucie County Education Foundation
• Janice Kershaw - Brevard Schools Foundation
• Jennifer Vigne - Education Foundation of Sarasota County
• Mike Grego - Former Superintendent
• Andrea Messina - Florida School Board Association

The Board of Directors is composed of up to 17 individuals elected by the membership, with at least three-fourths serving as chief executives of member education foundations. An Executive Committee, including officers and five members-at-large, governs the organisation and directs activities on behalf of all member foundations.

Staff

• Amity Schuyler - President/CEO
• Tracy Burger - Director of Organisation and Member Development
• Jayne Moraski - Director of Grants and Programmes
• Angel Adams - Director of Communications and Sponsorships
• Zuzana Lukackova - Director of Operations
• Lura Murfee - New Worlds Reading Program Coordinator

The organisation also maintains a Strategic Advisory Council with leaders from educational, governmental, and philanthropic sectors.

Mission Statement

"We envision a state where every student and teacher in all schools succeed." - CFEF Mission Statement

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: The Consortium of Florida Education Foundations does not accept direct grant applications from individual schools, teachers, or organisations. All grant applications must be submitted through your local county-wide school district education foundation.

Application Process:

1. Identify Your Local Education Foundation - Connect with the education foundation aligned with your county-wide school district. CFEF has 63 member education foundations across Florida's 67 counties.

2. Register on the Grants Portal - Applications are submitted through the CFEF Grants Management System at https://cfefgrants.educationfoundationsfl.org/

3. Complete Online Application - Save applications as "DRAFT" while completing required information and uploading attachments. Once complete, save as "FINAL" to submit.

4. Work Through Your Local Foundation - Your local education foundation will review, approve, and submit applications on behalf of eligible schools and programmes in their district.

Typical Application Deadlines by Programme

The corporate-sponsored grant programmes follow annual deadlines throughout the year. FPL EmPOWERing STEM Educators applications typically close in June; Wells Fargo "Investing in Florida's Future" in August; STEM Grants and The Able Trust in September; and Career Catalyst Program and Florida Lottery "Lighting the Way to a Bright Future" in October.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines vary by programme. Applicants should expect:

• Mid-Year Reports: Typically due January-February (specific dates vary by programme)
• Final Reports: Typically due April-June following the grant year

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is not publicly available. In 2023-2024:

• 57 school districts participated in the State Matching Grant Program
• 106 projects were funded
• $14.9 million total investment distributed

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are not explicitly documented. Contact your local education foundation or Jayne Moraski at jaynemoraski@cfef.net for guidance on reapplication procedures.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Priority Areas

Projects must clearly address one or more of CFEF's seven strategic priorities: Literacy, Low Performing Students, Increasing Graduation Rates, Teaching Quality, Career and Technical Education, Student Resiliency, or STEM Education.

Demonstrated Impact

Based on the 2024 Annual Report, successful projects demonstrate:

• Direct impact on students and teachers (2023-2024 grants impacted 1,234,178 students and 54,838 teachers)
• Measurable outcomes - local education foundations must report measurable outcomes for their initiatives
• Innovative approaches to classroom learning
• Support for workforce development and career pathways

State Matching Grant Specifics

For the School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program:

• Projects must serve low-performing students and literacy initiatives
• Must encourage STEM and career/technical education
• Should improve teaching quality and/or increase graduation rates
• Private sector match must be secured before application submission
• Foundation must certify that cash match is secured when submitting

Budget Restrictions

• Food purchases are not a priority and must be funded through private donations, not state matching grant funds
• Rewards or incentive prizes are not allowable from state matching grant funding

Institutional Support

Successful applicants benefit from:

• Strong relationship with their local education foundation
• Alignment with school district priorities
• Community partnerships and volunteer engagement (member foundations engaged 14,328 volunteers in 2023-2024)
• Local private sector matching contributions

Contact for Assistance

Applicants requiring assistance should contact:

• Jayne Moraski, Director of Grants and Programmes: jaynemoraski@cfef.net or 352-338-0250

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Work through your local foundation - You cannot apply directly to CFEF; all applications must go through your county's local education foundation member organisation.

• Leverage the state match - The School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program provides a powerful 1:1 match, effectively doubling private sector investment. Secure your private match before applying.

• Focus on the seven priorities - Projects should clearly demonstrate impact in at least one of the seven strategic priority areas, with particular emphasis on measurable student and teacher outcomes.

• Think statewide impact - CFEF administers corporate-sponsored programmes that reach across Florida. Strong applications demonstrate potential for broader impact beyond a single classroom or school.

• Budget carefully - Avoid including food or incentive prizes in state matching grant budgets; these must come from private funds only.

• Emphasise innovation and hands-on learning - Particularly for STEM grants, successful projects feature innovative, engaging approaches that increase student skills and career pathway interest.

• Plan for reporting - Successful applicants must submit mid-year and final reports with measurable outcomes. Build evaluation metrics into your project design from the start.

References

• Consortium of Florida Education Foundations Official Website: https://educationfoundationsfl.org/ (Accessed January 7, 2026)
• CFEF Grants Management System: https://cfefgrants.educationfoundationsfl.org/ (Accessed January 7, 2026)
• Consortium of Florida Education Foundations 2024 Annual Report: https://issuu.com/cfef4/docs/2024_annual_report (Accessed January 7, 2026)
• GuideStar Profile for CFEF (EIN 65-1086820): https://www.guidestar.org/profile/65-1086820 (Accessed January 7, 2026)
• Charity Navigator Rating for CFEF: https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/651086820 (Accessed January 7, 2026)
• Cause IQ Profile: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/consortium-of-florida-education-foundations,651086820/ (Accessed January 7, 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/651086820 (Accessed January 7, 2026)
• HCA Healthcare Foundation Press Release on $1M Grant: https://investor.hcahealthcare.com/news/news-details/2024/HCA-Healthcare-Announces-HCA-Healthcare-Foundations-1-Million-Grant-to-the-Consortium-of-Florida-Education-Foundations/ (Accessed January 7, 2026)
• Education Foundation of Palm Beach County - Matching Grant Program Information: https://educationfoundationpbc.org/school-district-matching-grant-program/ (Accessed January 7, 2026)