Florida · Private / Regional Grant

The Children's Trust

The Children's Trust is Miami-Dade County's dedicated children's services council, funding education, after-school, and STEM enrichment programs for children and youth across Miami-Dade County.

Funding

$25,000–$500,000+

Eligibility

Miami-Dade County nonprofits and schools

Grade Focus

K-12

Subject

After-school / STEM / Youth development

Deadline

Annual RFP (check thechildrenstrust.org)

Type

Private / Regional Grant

About This Grant

The Children's Trust is funded by a dedicated property tax levy in Miami-Dade County, making it one of the most reliably funded children's services organizations in Florida. It funds hundreds of programs each year across education, health, enrichment, and family support — with after-school and out-of-school STEM programming a consistent priority.

STEM and technology enrichment programs in Miami-Dade schools and community centers are well-aligned with The Children's Trust's mission. The Trust prioritizes programs that serve children from low-income families, English language learners, and students in underserved neighborhoods — populations well-represented in Miami-Dade's diverse school communities.

Organizations funded by The Children's Trust gain access to a robust support infrastructure including program monitoring, training, and data systems. This is a high-accountability funder that expects grantees to deliver results, track data, and engage families. Programs that can demonstrate strong outcomes and deep community relationships are most competitive.

View The Children's Trust →

Eligibility

Miami-Dade County nonprofits with established track records in children's programming
Programs serving children and youth in Miami-Dade County, prioritizing low-income families
After-school, weekend, or summer programs with qualified staff and safe facilities
Organizations able to meet The Children's Trust data reporting and compliance requirements

Allowable Uses

Physical computing hardware (coding kits, micro:bits, robotics)
CS and AI literacy curriculum
Teacher professional development
Family engagement activities, nutrition support, and transportation

Forward Education Products for This Grant

Forward Education offers classroom-ready kits that align with Florida CS standards and fit cleanly into grant budgets. All kits include teacher guides and curriculum.

micro:bit Starter Kit — Entry-level physical computing, perfect for introducing coding and computational thinking.
MicroChat AI Literacy Kit — Hands-on AI literacy curriculum covering machine learning concepts for K-12 classrooms.
Coding for Good Kit — Project-based learning kit connecting coding skills to real-world community challenges.
micro:bit Robotics Kit — Advanced robotics and engineering challenges for deeper CS exploration.

Keep in Mind

The Children's Trust runs a formal RFP process — read the guidelines meticulously and respond to every required element.
Data tracking is non-negotiable; invest in good program management systems before applying.
Build relationships with Trust program staff before your first application — they're accessible and will give useful pre-application guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does The Children's Trust fund programs outside Miami-Dade?

No. The Children's Trust exclusively funds programs serving Miami-Dade County children and families.

Can a school apply directly?

Some programs are school-based, but the applicant is typically a nonprofit. Schools often partner with nonprofits to access Trust funding.

What's the application process like?

The Trust runs a formal RFP process with detailed requirements. Applications are reviewed by program staff and a volunteer committee. Plan at least six weeks for a quality application.

Can STEM enrichment be the entire program?

STEM enrichment can be a core program component, but Trust-funded after-school programs typically include academic support, enrichment, and family engagement as integrated elements.

How can Forward Education help?

We provide curriculum alignment documents mapped to Florida CS standards, pricing letters for grant budgets, and letters of support for qualifying applications. Reach out before you apply.