Community Engagement and Outreach Grants

The Community Engagement and Outreach Grants offered by The Children’s Trust aim to strengthen community-based initiatives that serve children and families across Miami-Dade County, Florida. The Children’s Trust is a voter-approved local funding source dedicated to improving the lives of children and families in the area. With a mission grounded in the principles of inclusivity, accessibility, and high-impact local support, The Trust focuses its resources on initiatives that align with its strategic framework and bolster direct service programs and community outreach efforts. This grant program is structured around two main funding tracks. The first track, Direct Service Program Enhancement, supports improvements to existing direct service programs that work with children, youth, and families. Applicant organizations must already provide direct services and are encouraged to propose enhancements that address high-need populations, underserved areas, or services with notable barriers to access. Importantly, organizations currently receiving other funding from The Children’s Trust are not eligible for this grant unless they are funded through the Capacity Building (Small CBO) grants or the Innovation Fund. Additionally, only one award per organization is permitted annually, and duplication of participants across similar programs is prohibited. The second funding track focuses on Community Outreach. This portion of the grant supports partnerships and sponsorships for community-based outreach events. Eligible events must align with The Children’s Trust’s mission and values and serve to connect families to useful services or educational opportunities. Events whose primary focus is fundraising or distribution of giveaway items (e.g., toy drives or backpack distributions) are not eligible for funding under this grant. Both tracks are intended to supplement and elevate existing programs and events, rather than fund entirely new initiatives. The anticipated opening for the 2025 cycle is summer 2025, with program activities to be funded between October 2025 and September 2026. Key dates include a community information session on June 23, 2025, followed by the release of the pre-application and full application on June 24, 2025. Open Lab support sessions will be held weekly throughout July, with the pre-application deadline set for July 24, 2025, and the final application deadline on July 29, 2025. The internal debriefing will occur in August, and awards are expected to be announced in September 2025. The grant program does not support new programs but is designed to reinforce existing services and engagement activities. For the Direct Service Program Enhancement track, the typical award amount is under $20,000. For the Community Outreach track, awards typically do not exceed $10,000. Matching funds are not required for this opportunity. Applications must demonstrate alignment with The Children’s Trust Strategic Framework and a commitment to advancing services for children and families in Miami-Dade. Questions regarding the grant opportunity can be directed to the funder via email at customerservice@thechildrenstrust.org or by phone at 305-571-5700. The Children's Trust is located at 3150 SW 3rd Avenue, 8th Floor, Miami, FL 33129.