Community Changemakers Fund Makes First Investment

Community Changemakers Fund Makes First Investment in Building a Culture of Health Network

Mar 29, 2024

The Community Changemakers Fund (CCF) at Palm Health Foundation announced its first 21 grant awards totaling $186,500. Seven local funders are supporting the fund, all part of a growing Culture of Health Network comprised of changemakers committed to improving Palm Beach County’s health. Funders include the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, the Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin Counties, the Frederick A. Deluca Foundation, Lost Tree Foundation, Palm Health Foundation, Quantum Foundation, and the United Way of Palm Beach County.

Funders were inspired to create the CCF after Palm Beach County won the 2020-2021 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize in recognition of the way residents take the lead in creating solutions to build healthier communities. The CCF is investing in the individuals, organizations, and businesses committed to community change and is connecting them with like-minded changemakers to share project ideas and resources.

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Judging by the initial response to the CCF application process, the Palm Beach County community is eager to create change. The CCF received an astounding 288 applications from individuals, small businesses, and nonprofits with operating budgets under $500,000 showcasing their ideas for improving health and well-being and their drive to create solutions in their communities. While 21 applicants received grant awards, all 288 will become part of a Culture of Health Network and have the opportunity for mentorship and connections with peers across the county.

“We have all seen how one person’s idea, given some funding and support, can grow into a solution that can impact an entire community,” said Lisa Williams-Taylor, CEO of Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County. “That’s the spirit of the CCF. Now Palm Beach County has an entire network of changemakers to share ideas and learn from each other as we build a culture of health, neighborhood by neighborhood.”

Funded projects address a wide variety of issues affecting health and well-being, including equitable access to behavioral health services; community violence; maternal health; fathers' rights as parents; funding for school uniforms; support for cancer and chronic illnesses; and healing through the arts.

“We listened to community voices for traditional and non-traditional ways to impact health and well-being,” said Patrick McNamara, President and CEO of Palm Health Foundation. “What’s different is that these are people who are personally connected to the issue they want to solve. We’re investing in their passion and power to unlock change.”

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About the Community Changemakers Fund

The Community Changemakers Fund invests in new approaches to grantmaking, and in place-based practitioners, changemakers, and community organizers. Palm Beach County grantmakers are exploring innovative ways to support local changemakers; this fund supports that work. Grounded in the work that led to our county's Culture of Health Prize win, and recognizing that changemakers often don’t have sufficient investment in their personal and professional development, this fund will honor the work of those committed to community change by directly investing in them.

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