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Foundation Supports Future of Coral Gables with Impactful Grants Addressing Community’s Vital Needs Including Arts, Education, Workforce & Environment

Awards to area nonprofits, educators and working artists total nearly $300k.

CORAL GABLES, FL (June 2, 2023) – The Coral Gables Community Foundation has again escalated its support for the vital non-profit organizations that make Coral Gables wonderful,  with awards supporting everything from the arts to the environment and historic preservation. The Foundation’s Board of Directors made its most targeted, impactful investments ever, with greater awards and monitored, measurable grantee programs. Additionally, major grants from two funds managed by the Foundation will support working artists and adult education, creating an awards total of $286,000.

The magnitude of the flagship Community Giving Program exploded in 2023, growing from 26 to 39 awards and from $104k in 2022 to $161k today. Greater, more impactful awards are at the heart of the Community Giving Program. The average Community Giving Program award was $1,800 in 2021, and $3,800 in 2022. This year’s average award is $4,128. 

The awards are made possible by donations to the Foundation by its generous Merrick Society Donors, as well as great interest in fundraising events such as the Tour of Kitchens and Annual Gala which boosted the available funds for grant making. 

The Board of Directors selected 39 local organizations for grants totaling $161,000.: 

EDUCATION GRANTS ($27,000)

• Breakthrough Miami: “Breaking Through in the Gables” 
• Coral Gables Senior High School “College Campus Bus Tour” 
• Crystal Academy – “Playground Enhancements” 
• The Home Team Miami – Empowerment and Home Learning Help at Ponce de Leon Middle” 
• Ketáb – College Application Assistance at Coral Gables Library 
• UM Frost School of Music Advanced Piano Program: “Piano Activities and Scholarships” 

ARTS & CULTURE GRANTS ($31,000)

• Actors Playhouse at The Miracle “NARNIA, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” 
• Alhambra Orchestra “Italian Chamber Orchestra Concert” 
• City Theatre Miami – “City Reads” and “Short Cuts” Performances in Coral Gables
• Community Arts Program (CAP):  “Music for All Children” 
• Coral Gables Art Cinema: “Family Day on Aragon Film Screenings”
• Dranoff International 2 Piano Foundation “Piano Slam” 
• GableStage “Shakespeare Outreach at Coral Gables High” 
• Sanctuary of the Arts 2023-24 Concert Series
• Seraphic Fire: “Coral Gables Concert Season 21” .

PLACEMAKING & HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANTS ($12,000)

• Dade Heritage Trust: “Historic Biltmore Hotel Tours” 
• Miami Dade Public Library System – “Digitizing the Gables Women’s Club History” 
• Coral Gables Museum: “Local History Field Trips for 4th Graders” 

SOCIAL & HEALTH SERVICES GRANTS ($50,000)

• 305 Pink Pack – “Grocery Assistance for Woman Cancer Patients”
• AUM hOMe Shala – “Seniors’ Neuroplasticity Program”
• Bake-A-Wish Cakes Miami: “Birthday Cakes for Underserved Children”
• Camillus House – “Art Therapy Program”
• Chapman Partnership – “L.I.V.E.
• Friendship Circle of Miami – “Young Adult Program”
• G.W. Carver Elementary PTA – “Taste of Carver – A cultural expedition”
• Hunger & Basic Needs Program –  “Hunger Action & Basic Needs”  
• ICU Baby – “NICU Parent Mentor Program”
• Kristi House – “Keeping Coral Gables Kids Safe”
• Miami Childrens Health System – “ADAM Heart Safe School Program”
• Miami Lighthouse for the Blind – “Low Vision Services for Seniors”
• Miami Herald – “Economic Mobility Journalism Initiative”
• NAMI Miami-Dade – “Community Conversations / Ending the Silence for Youth” 
• UM-NSU Center for Autism & Related Disabilities – “Pediatric PAIR and FACT Programs” 
• YES Institute: “Youth Bullying / Crisis Prevention Training for Educators” 

ENVIRONMENT & RESILIENCE GRANTS ($41,000)

• Coral City Foundation (Coral Morphologic) – “The Sounds of Coral City” 
• Girl Scouts Council of Tropical Florida “Camp Mahachee Renovation Project” 
• Eagles Nest Fund for Coral Gables Preparatory Academy “Turf the Courtyard”
• Miami Waterkeeper: “Water Quality Talks in Coral Gables”

TRISTARR ADULT EDUCATION GRANTS ($75,000)

• Miami-Dade College Continuing Education – ESOL, GED and Citizenship classes etc
• Coral Gables Adult Education Center – ESOL, GED and Citizenship classes etc.
• Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden – Community Education Art, Science, Environment
• Coral Gables Adult Activity Center – Mind and Melody + Digital Literacy for Seniors Program
• LBW Homeowners Foundation – Senior Saturdays Educational Hours 
• Miami Film Lab – Filmmaking Masterclass Series

CORRAL & CATHERS ARTIST GRANTS ($50,000)

• Angela Bolanos – Abstract and Figurative Visual Art
• Jessica Gispert – Interdisciplinary art
• Adler Guerrier- Photography, collage, works on paper.0
• James Herring – Socially engaged functional ceramics
• Amanda Linares – Multidisciplinary, installation, sculpture, mixed media
• Jillian Mayer – Disciplinary sculpture and various forms
• Ruben Millares & Antonia Wright – Multidisciplinary Visual Art
• Robert McKnight – Multimedia contemporary art.
• Aurora Molina – Fiber Art
• Christina Pettersson – Activist community-based multi-media environmental 
• Donna Patricia Torres – Drawing, painting, textile design,  installation
• Julia Zurilla – Mixed media art

WAYS YOU CAN HELP 

Those who would like to assist in supporting these organizations can donate to the Coral Gables Community Foundation safely and conveniently online at https://gablesfoundation.org/donate/.

Volunteers – individuals, companies and schools – are welcome to join the restoration and planting project at Girl Scout Camp Mahachee in a series of work days planned this fall. Register  to volunteer on the PARKnership Fund web page, or donate to support the project here: https://gablesfoundation.org/parknership-fund/.

Merrick Society:  The Community Grants Program would not be possible without the generous unrestricted, annual gifts made by community leaders and philanthropists through the Merrick Society. Merrick Society is the main source for our Community Grants and Scholarship Programs. More on the Merrick Society is here: http://gablesfoundation.org/merrick-society 

A strategic victory for the Foundation has been the appointment of Katherine Caskey, a 20 year fundraising veteran known for innovation, as its new Director of Philanthropy. Katherine developed these organizations’ structure and strategic vision, thus growing extensive philanthropic support. Engaging donors in the vision set forth by boards and leadership is where Katherine excels.

THE TRISTARR ADULT EDUCATION FUND 

The Tristarr Ltd. Adult Education Fund at the Coral Gables Community Foundation made eight grants worth $75,000, supporting lifelong learning for those over age 30. Grants included two  $25,000 awards for Miami Dade College Continuing Education Division and Coral Gables Adult Education Center at Gables High. Others include Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden; Coral Gables Adult Activity Center; Thelma Gibson Health Initiative; Miami Film Lab; and LBW Homeowners Foundation of Coral Gables. More on Tristarr here: https://gablesfoundation.org/tristarr 

THE CORRAL & CATHERS WORKING ARTIST FUND 

The Corral & Cathers Working Artist Fund made twelve grants worth $50,000 to working artists selected by philanthropist, artist and entrepreneur Ray Corral with arts consultant Catherine Cathers.  Awardees were: Angela Bolanos, Jessica Gispert, Adler Guerrier, James Herring, Amanda Linares, Jillian Mayer, Robert McKnight, Ruben Millares and Antonia Wright, Aurora Molina, Christina Pettersson, Donna Torres, and Julia Zurilla. The awards ranged from $2,500 to $5,000 each. More on the Corral & Cathers Working Artist Fund here: https://gablesfoundation.org/corral-cathers 

THE COMMUNITY GIVING PROGRAM 

The Coral Gables Community Foundation Community Giving Program awards grants to deserving local non-profit organizations that address issues within the organization’s focus areas and serve those who live, work, learn and play in Coral Gables. The Foundation’s focus areas are Education, Arts & Culture, Placemaking & Historic Preservation, Social & Health Services and Environment & Resilience. The next opportunity to apply for grants in the Community Giving Program will be announced in Spring 2024. More: https://gablesfoundation.org/community-giving 

CAPACITY BUILDING AND DONOR SERVICE

The Board of Directors of Coral Gables Community Foundation included a major capacity upgrade in a strategic plan being implemented in 2023, which has led to a doubling of the staff and adoption of a new donor-management, grant-management and scholarship-management system called Foundant CommunitySuite. With these powerful resources the Foundation can offer improved philanthropic value and white-glove service to its valued donors and benefactors. It can also accept, evaluate and grant a higher volume of requests than previously possible, while also ensuring the highest level of diligence and trust in the grantees and their impactful programs.

ABOUT CORAL GABLES COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Established in 1991, the Coral Gables Community Foundation inspires impactful philanthropy through charitable funds and programs using local knowledge, expertise and trusted relationships.  More at www.GablesFoundation.org.

For more information or for media resources and interviews, please contact Marketing and Program Manager Robertson Adams, via robertson@gablesfoundation.org or 305-446-9670. . 

Links 

• Community Giving Program
  https://gablesfoundation.org/community-giving/ 
• Coral Gables Community Foundation on Instagram:
  https://instagram.com/CoralGablesCF  
• Coral Gables Community Foundation on Facebook: https://facebook.com/CoralGablesCommunityFoundation   

Past Community Giving Program grants:
Fall 2019 |  Spring 2021 | Fall 2021 | Fall 2022