FAQ Categories

Direct Service Program Enhancement Grant

This funding is to provide enhancement to existing programs that provide direct services to children/youth. It is beneficial if the service population to be addressed is demonstrated as a high-need community or population, or where some physical or safety factor prevents access to existing services.

• Required during the pre-application:
  • W9 form
  • EIN/SunBiz Verification - Active Status
  • 1:1 cash match /or in-kind contributions from other funding sources
• Required documents once an organization has been awarded:
  • Active Certificate of General Liability Insurance
  • Workers' Compensation Insurance - Only required for organizations that currently employ five or more employees
  • Automobile Insurance - Only required if the proposal includes transportation of children/youth

Promotion of Citizen Engagement, Advocacy, and Leadership Grant

This funding is to support collaborative community projects with the intent to develop and/or operate in partnerships that promote citizen-led engagement, advocacy, and governance. IMPORTANT: Any service proposed under this grantUpdated 10/4/23 that has children/youth present must have a parent or guardian in attendance and should be specified in the application.

• Required Documents during the pre-application:
  • W9 (pre-application)
  • EIN/SunBiz Verification - Active Status
• Required Documents once the organization is awarded:
  • Active Certificate of General Liability Insurance - Only upon request at the discretion of The Children's Trust

Community Outreach Grant

This funding is to support partnership and/or sponsorship of community outreach activities that align with the mission and values of The Children’s Trust. IMPORTANT: Any event/activity proposed under this grant that has children/youth present must have a parent or guardian in attendance and must be specified in the application.

• Required Documents during the pre-application:
  • W9 (pre-application)
  • EIN/SunBiz Verification - Active Status

Direct Service Program Enhancement Grant

• Existing summer camp or after school program (not funded by The Children's Trust Youth Development funding) that plans to add a robotics activity.
• A program with direct service to children and youth

Promotion of Citizen Engagement, Advocacy, and Leadership Grant

• Community feasibility study to test a potential idea for a new community initiative
• Promote census participation
• Promote advocacy and government best practices around services for children
• Any service that has children/youth present must have a parent or guardian in attendance

Community Outreach Grant

• A sponsorship of a community event that supports children and families in Miami-Dade
• Any event that has children/youth present must have a parent or guardian in attendance

A Provider/Organization is only eligible to apply if the following criteria is met:

• All proposed services will take place within Miami-Dade County.
• Organizations have an “active status” on Sunbiz.org.
• Provider/Organization is not a Miami-Dade County Public School or a charter school.
• All proposed services or events are planned to occur at least 90-days from the date of application submission (not pre-application submission). Example: If the application is completed on February 4th, the service/program/event cannot occur prior to May 5th.

A Provider/Organization shall not use any of The Children’s Trust funds to support any inherently religious activities, including, but not limited to religious instruction, worship, proselytization, publicity or marketing materials. Any such use by a Provider/Organization would require a return of funds to: Attn: Finance Department, The Children’s Trust, 3150 SW 3rd Ave, 8th Floor, Miami, Florida 33129.

Consider reviewing The Children’s Trust Strategic Framework found here: About Us

Yes, however, it is suggested to review The Children’s Trust Strategic Framework to ensure mission alignment, found here: About Us

Previously funded organizations will not receive priority status.

If a Provider/Organization requests The Children’s Trust to communicate at any point in the application or award process with additional parties, such as with a consultant or third party, they must list the contact(s) name and information in the application as anUpdated 10/4/23 Authorized User. The Children’s Trust will only discuss an application with those users authorized by the Provider/Organization.

Opportunities to apply for this funding occur bi-annually in a two-to-four-week window in the Fall and Spring.

To submit, begin by going to Community Engagement & Outreach Grants, select one of the three (3) grant types, and then clicking on ‘Click Here for Pre-Application’. You will be prompted to either create a username and password or login with existing credentials. It is important to save your credentials to access all of the pre-application, application and future reporting information.

Pre-applications, applications, contracting, agreements and email communication will be processed through the Trust Central system. Emails will come from NoReply@trustcentral.org. If you do not receive the confirmation email within a few minutes, please check your spam or junk folder. To ensure you receive future communications, mark NoReply@trustcentral.org as a "safe" or "not spam" email address in your email settings.

The Children’s Trust’s fiscal year operates from October 1st to September 30th of the consecutive year. Programs, services and events must operate within the year the Provider/Organization receives funding. The application will not allow you to enter dates outside of The Trust’s fiscal year.

Once the pre-application is submitted, an email will be sent to the applicant via NoReply@trustcentral.org with a decline or approval response. If the pre-application is approved, the email will contain a link for the Provider/Organization to officially apply for the funding opportunity in the Trust Central system using the same login credentials. The official application must be submitted:

• Within one of the two (2) application windows (Fall and Spring)
• At least 90 days prior to the proposed program, service, or event

Once the two-to-four-week application window closes, an internal review process is conducted. The Provider/Organization can expect to receive an email notification from NoReply@trustcentral.org.

We utilize a multi-step review process for this funding opportunity to select and award Providers/Organizations in an open and fair manner. Each application is independently reviewed and scored by a team of reviewers from various departments within The Children’s Trust.

Organizations that demonstrate a high-need or overlooked community or population, a necessary service in which barriers exist, or where some physical or safety factor prevents access will be given priority. The geographical location of services is also considered during funding recommendations to ensure there is no duplication or saturation of services in any particular area. The review team may determine that more information is needed before a recommendation can be made, in which case the additional information will be requested for consideration.

There is no appeals process for this funding opportunity.

If any changes are made to the approved funded service/program/event, a written request with written approval is required. This will also prompt a second review and determination of funding.

If the Provider/Organization is experiencing technical issues with the pre-application or application, email helpdesk@thechildrenstrust.org

Yes, you can begin your application, save it and then come back to it. However, once you press the submit button, you can no longer modify your application. The application is not complete until the submit button is pressed.

Review the tutorials under the Prepare to Apply section of The Children’s Trust webpage: Community Engagement & Outreach Grants

Once the pre-application and/or application is submitted, the applicant will receive an automatic response from NoReply@trustcentral.org indicating receipt of the submission and any required next steps. If you don't receive the confirmation email within a few minutes, please check your spam or junk folder. To ensure you receive future communications, mark NoReply@trustcentral.org as a "safe" or "not spam" email address in your email settings.

The Provider/Organization must demonstrate a 1:1 match in dollars and/or in-kind funds. For example, if an organization is requesting a $10,000 grant award, then the total program expenses should be at least $20,000. This not applies to the Direct Service Program Enhancement Grant.

These grants are intended to support organizations not currently receiving funding through The Children’s Trust for investment areas. Providers/organizations that are funded by The Children’s Trust through other initiatives such as Thrive By 5, Youth Development, Family Neighborhood Supports Partnerships, to name a few, are only eligible for grant funding under the Community Outreach grant.

October 1st through September 30th of the following calendar year. For example, October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Each agency can only be awarded once per fiscal year per funding opportunity. If an organization decides to apply for two (2) funding opportunities, here are the funding combinations allowed:

• Direct Program Enhancement Grant combined with the Promotion of Citizen Engagement, Leadership and Advocacy Grant.
• Direct Service Program Enhancement Grant combined with the Community Outreach Grant.
• No provider/organization can apply for a combination of the Community Outreach Grant and the Promotion of Citizen Engagement, Leadership and Advocacy Grant
• There can be no duplication of participants between programs with similar scopes of services (i.e. two (2) summer camp programs cannot serve the same participants at one site)

• Direct Service Program Enhancement - $20,000
• Promotion of Citizen Engagement, Leadership and Advocacy - $10,000
• Community Outreach - $5,000

Generally, transportation and food are not covered under the Community Engagement & Outreach Grant opportunities. For further information on allowable and unallowable costs, please check The Children’s Trust Budget Guidelines and Procurement Policy section 2008 and 2010 via: Community Engagement & Outreach Grants

Review the Children’s Trust Procurement Policy and Budget Guidelines found under the Prepare to Apply section of The Children’s Trust website: Community Engagement & Outreach Grants

Once funds are depleted, applications for the Community Engagement and Outreach funding opportunity will close until the next fiscal year.

Provider/Organizations may use a fiscal agent. However, the fiscal agent will be the applicant, the contract/agreement authorizer and will receive the funds from The Children’s Trust, if awarded.

A Provider/Agency can reapply for funding each year with an acknowledgement that after three (3) years of consecutive funding, organizations will not be eligible for a fourth year of funding and will not be considered for a grant award, until the following fiscal year, when the organization may reapply.

The intent of this process is to allow for a wide variety of organizations to have a chance to apply and receive funding and to ensure programs are diversifying funding sources.

• Sign up for The Children’s Trust Weekly Provider Bulletin for up-to-date opportunities via: Subscribe
• Check The Miami Foundation and United Way websites for opportunities.
• Visit any public library and request assistance with www.Candid.org to review other local funding opportunities.
• Reapply during the next funding opportunity.

If awarded, there will be a series of expectations including but not limited to:

• Relationship management with The Trust staff.
• Contract/Agreement management via the Trust Central system.
• Further collection of documents (outlined above in the criteria).
• Account set up with The Trust’s Finance Department.

All awarded Provider/Organizations will have to review and sign a Contract or Agreement outlining the terms and conditions of the funding opportunity.

The Children's Trust expects the Provider/Organization to maintain the service/program/event dates indicated in the awarded application. The Provider/Organization will be required to contact The Children’s Trust customer service liaison via email with the request and be subject to a second review should any changes occur to the service/program/event.

• Direct Service Enhancement Grant and the Promotion of Citizen Engagement, Advocacy and Leadership Grant information can be communicated through NoReply@trustcentral.org or CEGrants@thechildrenstrust.org.
• Community Outreach Grant information can be communicated through Trust Central NoReply@trustcentral.org or Outreach@thechildrenstrust.org.

The funded Provider/Organization agrees to return all funds provided by The Children’s Trust within five (5) days if the program does not comply with the scope of work outlined in the approved grant application. The funds are to be made payable to The Children’s Trust and are to be returned, within five (5) business days upon determination that the Provider/Organization is not operating in compliance, to the following address:

The Children’s Trust

Attn: Finance Department

3150 SW 3rd Ave, 8th Floor

Miami, Florida 33129

All Provider/Organization(s) are expected to enroll in The Children’s Trust’s direct deposit program. Payments may be withheld until enrollment is complete. The direct deposit program requires that all payments received from The Children’s Trust are directly deposited into the Provider’s designated bank account held at a financial institution located in the United States. Information regarding direct deposit may be found in The Trust’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Please visit ACH Direct Deposit

All funded organizations are required to maintain original records documenting actual expenditures and services provided according to the Scope of Services and may be requested by The Children’s Trust. Any supporting documentation shall be made available and provided to The Children’s Trust upon request. The Provider/Organization agrees to deliver such assistance as may be necessary to facilitate a review or audit to ensure compliance with applicable accounting, financial and programmatic standards.

Provider/Organization receiving the Direct Service Program Enhancement Grant shall keep accounting records that conform to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

All public records must be retained by the Provider/Organization for five (5) years after the end date of the program. The above referenced record retention policy does not apply to the Promotion of Citizen Engagement, Advocacy and Leadership Grant nor the Community Outreach Grants.

Visit the "Community Engagement and Outreach Grants Marketing and Communications Compliance" document available at Community Engagement & Outreach Grants under the corresponding grant type. This web page also has information about logos, media kits, consent for video and photography, among other marketing and communication related items.

Prior authorization is required for all materials incorporating The Trust logo or mentioning The Trust via the Communications Compliance Form available at Communications

The Children’s Trust’s Trust Academy Learning Management System (LMS) is a resource for funded providers that assists with online courses, training activities and professional development. Funded providers may access the list of suggested courses: CE TrustUpdated 10/4/23

Academy Courses at no cost to the Provider/Organization. Once the contract/agreement is complete, the Provider/Organization will be given instructions on how to access Trust Academy using: www.TheChildrensTrust.org/TrustAcademy. As part of the Community Engagement and Outreach Closeout Report, Provider/Organizations will be requested to upload their certificates of course completion. This does not apply to Provider/Organizations with Community Outreach grants.

Yes, a staff member of The Children’s Trust will visit the program site during the duration of the activities to allow for interaction with the program staff and participants. The Provider/Organization will share successes, challenges, show evidence of record retention and offer a facility walk-through.

Funded organizations will be expected to complete a Closeout Report at the end of their program. This report contains a detailed narrative of how the award funds were used and how the funds directly impacted the communities your program was intended to serve. This includes all services or activities rendered, number of participants/beneficiaries, accomplishments, impacts, challenges, obstacles, and will also include the ability to upload photos, videos and documents.

• Direct Service Program Enhancement grantees:
  • Will be encouraged to upload their Trust Academy certificates to show evidence of Capacity Building course completion
  • The Closeout Report will be required for the Provider/Organization to receive its final payment
• Community Outreach and Promotion of Citizen Engagement, Advocacy and Leadership grantees:
  • Must complete the Closeout Report within 45 days of completion of the service/program/event.

The Closeout Report is accessed through the Provider/Organization Trust Central account. Login to your account on www.TrustCentral.org using your saved login credentials. Your Closeout Report will be on your portal