Tallahassee — Today, Volunteer Florida announced $100,000 in grant awards to increase student achievement in Florida’s rural communities. Volunteer Florida’s Rural Community Assets Fund will help build the capacity of 12 organizations so that they can provide important educational programming to students.

Governor Rick Scott said, “Florida is proud of the hard work and service of our many selfless volunteers, and the volunteer organizations receiving these grant awards are helping make a difference in Florida’s rural communities. I am proud to recognize their dedication to preparing our students for future success.”

Volunteer Florida Chief Executive Officer Chester W. Spellman said, “Volunteer Florida is thrilled to announce the recipients of this new grant funding today. The Rural Community Assets Fund will broaden our impact and help rural communities meet the needs of local students. We look forward to working with innovative organizations in Florida’s rural areas so that they can more effectively put volunteers to work to serve underserved students.”

Grantees will serve students in areas designated by the Governor as “rural areas of opportunity.” These areas include rural communities or regions that have been adversely affected by an extraordinary economic event, severe or chronic distress, or a natural disaster or that presents a unique economic development opportunity of regional impact.

The following organizations received Volunteer Florida’s Rural Community Assets Fund grant funding:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend- $10,000
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast- $10,000
Franklin’s Promise Coalition- $10,000
ICE Foundation- $10,000
Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay- $10,000
Monticello Opera House- $10,000
Unity Family Community Center- $10,000
United Way of Palm Beach County- $10,000
Boys & Girls Club of North Central Florida- $5,000
Communities in Schools of Bradford County- $5,000
TCC Foundation- $5,000
United Way of Collier County- $5,000

More about the Volunteer Florida Rural Community Assets Fund:

Volunteer Florida’s Rural Community Assets Fund allows grantees to recruit, equip and mobilize volunteers in eligible rural areas across the state to address the acute educational needs of underserved children and youth in early childhood education settings or within the K-12 education system.

For additional information on the Rural Community Assets Fund, please click here.