Funding is part of this year’s $1.7 million competitive grant cycle which supported 58 nonprofit projects
Tampa, Fla. (July 27, 2023) — The Community Foundation Tampa Bay has awarded $204,720 in funding to ten nonprofits for projects designed to empower women and girls. In addition, two of the organizations received multi-year opportunities totaling $140,000 in additional investments.
Empowering Women and Girls is one of five targeted focus area for the competitive grant process this year. Under this targeted focus area, the Community Foundation Tampa Bay focuses on projects that address safety and security; health and well-being; and economic opportunity for at-risk women, girls, and their families. Funded projects may include support for domestic violence victims, access to health and mental wellness resources; and programs designed to improve economic status of women and girls.
The ten organizations receiving grants for projects under the Empowering Women and Girls Targeted Focus area are:
ALPHA House received $20,000 for critical services and residential maternity housing for homeless and at-risk teen girls and women.
Empowherment Community Center received $22,720 to provide no cost therapy sessions for the women and families they serve.
Enterprising Latinas, Inc. received $50,000 for Project 2025: Preparing Women for the Workforce & Self-Sufficiency to increase the economic prosperity of 100 low- to moderate-income women living in the South Hillsborough County communities of Wimauma, Ruskin, Riverview, and Gibsonton, particularly Black & Latina women who face multiple barriers to economic prosperity and wealth building.
Girl Scouts of West Central Florida, Inc. received $17,000 for the Community Troop Program, which allows them to target underrepresented areas currently with little to no Girl Scout footprint. The target population of the project is girls, grades K-8, living in Port Richey targeted zip code 34668.
Girls on the Run Greater Tampa Bay received $10,000 for the Program Expansion Initiative which will ensure that girls who would not typically have access to quality youth programming have the opportunity to participate in Girls on the Run (3rd to 5th graders) or Heart & Sole (6th to 8th graders). Each 10-week curriculum includes lessons that specifically target helping girls improve in Competence, Confidence, Caring, Character, Connection, and Contribution.
PACE Center for Girls – Citrus County received $10,000 for Pace Art Empowers which will provide opportunities for mental health improvement and potential future economic self-sufficiency to the community’s most vulnerable including girls who have already experienced trauma.
PACE Center for Girls – Hillsborough received $15,000 for PaceWorks, an enrichment program designed to help girls attain career goals, develop vocational skills, and pursue higher education for a brighter future. All girls enrolled in PaceWorks receive an elective credit through Hillsborough County Public Schools upon successful completion of the course.
Selah Freedom received $10,000 for Selah Freedom Assessment Solutions. Selah Freedom operates and owns an “assessment home” established in an undisclosed location in Hillsborough County. This home address is not publicized because the women and girls who go there for their initial assessment and program service intake are highly vulnerable and are often escaping from a very dangerous situation relating to human trafficking. Funding will help continue providing a safe and nurturing environment dedicated to providing a period of pause, rest, and reflection.
United Food Bank of Plant City received $25,000 for the Feeding Our Legacy program in which 275 vulnerable seniors, including a majority of elderly women of color, who are low-income and live off of minimal, fixed-income resources, in East Hillsborough County, will have access to healthy food, food security, and resource navigation that can keep them stably housed, in better health, and secure.
West Florida Center for Trafficking Advocacy, Inc. DBA Justice Restoration Center received $25,000 for Tampa Bay Area Survivor Empowerment. The JRC focuses on the restoration, well-being, and life improvement of trafficked women and girls through the provision of critical legal services. Those legal services are provided at no cost to the survivor.
To learn more about the competitive grant process and how to apply visit:
https://cftampabay.org/annual-competitive-grants/
To view the summaries of all grants awarded please visit:
https://cftampabay.org/previous-grants/
About the Community Foundation Tampa Bay
For more than 30 years, the Community Foundation Tampa Bay has been dedicated to making giving easy and meaningful for donors as a way to strengthen nonprofit organizations and build a better, more vibrant community. Since its inception, its donors have enabled the Community Foundation Tampa Bay to award more than $355 million in grants to nonprofit organizations across the country.
