Questions & Answers
What is The Florida BRAIVE Fund?
Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice has received a $5 million grant to support central and southwest Florida military personnel who are serving or have served in Afghanistan and Iraq. Additional grants were awarded to Dade Community Foundation and The Community Foundation in Jacksonville, for a total of $15 million throughout the state. The grants were awarded through the Iraq-Afghanistan Deployment Impact Fund, a component fund of the Los Angeles-based California Community Foundation. The statewide initiative has been named The Florida BRAIVE Fund to focus on those who are serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.
How will the money be used?
The funds will support efforts that meet the needs of military personnel and their families in areas such as family readiness and support before and during deployment, support for military personnel and families transitioning after discharge, services for injured and disabled veterans, and support for surviving family members of fallen heroes. Priorities will include financial assistance, counseling, medical needs, childcare, and employment assistance.
Who will be eligible for funding?
The Foundation will provide grants to nonprofit organizations with a 501(c)(3) designation from the Internal Revenue Service in the counties of Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter, and St. Lucie.
How does my organization apply?
The grant application submission deadline has passed.
How would an activity duty, National Guard, Reserve, or veteran service member of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars go about obtaining funds or services?
Individuals are not eligible to directly receive Florida BRAIVE Fund grants from the Foundation, but they may receive services and possibly financial assistance from nonprofit organizations that serve this target population. For a list of nonprofit service providers, click here.
When is the deadline to submit my application?
The grant application submission deadline has passed. Funding decisions will be made based on the submission timing of application. Decisions for applications submitted in December 2009 will be made by January 29, 2010. If awarded a grant, funds MUST be completely spent by December 31, 2010.
How will applications be reviewed, and what is the decision making process?
Applications will be reviewed by Foundation staff. Funding decisions will be based on several factors, including but not limited to the need/benefit met by the program, capacity of the organization to administer the program, possibly a site visit to the program’s facilities, program alignment with the Foundation’s funding intent, and the organization’s ability to leverage additional resources.
When will I be notified if my application is approved or denied?
Foundation staff will notify the applicant when the application has arrived in our office. Following receipt, the application review, site visit, and approval process is anticipated to be completed within a four-week timeframe.
If my application is approved, when will my organization receive funding?
If the application is approved, the Foundation will issue a grant agreement to the grantee organization. Upon receipt of the signed agreement and adherence to any conditions set forth in the agreement, the Foundation will allocate grant funds.
Whom do I contact if I have questions about the Florida BRAIVE Fund application?
Please direct all questions to floridabraive@gulfcoastcf.org, or call the Foundation at 941.486.4600.
How can I contribute to this effort?
Donations to The Florida BRAIVE Fund at Gulf Coast Community Foundation can be made online or mailed to Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice (attn: Florida BRAIVE Fund), 601 Tamiami Trail South, Venice, FL 34285.
|
Through the Florida BRAIVE Fund, the Foundation supports efforts of existing nonprofit organizations who have established relationships with the military community and who currently serve Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom personnel and their families in Central and Southwest Florida. Funding priorities include the following for military personnel before, during, and after their deployment:
