FLA BEVERAGE ASSOC. COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION GRANT PROGRAM

BACKGROUND

The Florida Beverage Association (FBA) and its member companies are pleased to announce the tenth year of the FBA Community Organization Grant Program. We are committed to improving the communities where we live, work, and play. We recognize that we cannot have a healthy and growing business unless the communities we serve are healthy and sustainable. The FBA supports local communities by providing grants to promote nutrition, physical activity and health initiatives, as well as environmental sustainability programs.

To find out more about FBA, its members, and objectives, visit www.flabev.org.

Grant applications should be submitted online by Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. In order to be considered for a grant, all nominees must meet the requirements listed in the “Grant Program Criteria.” Grant applications will be reviewed, and grant recipients will be selected by the FBA’s Board of Directors. General questions may be directed to Elizabeth DeWitt at 407.385.2708 or via email at fbagrants@flabev.org. The FBA Board and staff look forward to reviewing your proposals.

NOTE: We strongly urge you to compose all your responses in a saved Word document prior to filling out the online application so that you can easily cut and paste your responses (download the Word document HERE). If you leave the application to get additional information prior to submission, the data you already entered may be lost. We’ve provided a PDF version of the form so you can see all the questions for planning purposes before you attempt to fill out the online form. However, please note that we will only consider applications submitted through the online form. Download the PDF document HERE.

GRANT PROGRAM CRITERIA

The Florida Beverage Association thanks you for considering applying to the FBA Community Organization Grant Program. The Grant Program is designed to further the FBA’s goal of supporting comprehensive, balanced nutrition and environmental programs to create healthy citizens and communities.

Grant Requests not supported:

• Individuals
• Organizations that discriminate based on race, color, sex, gender identity and/or expression, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age or disability
• A state or local governmental entity that will NOT use the grant funds for a charitable cause
• Political, legislative or lobbying organizations
• Movie, film or television documentaries
• Website development
• Concerts or other entertainment events
• Beauty contests, fashion shows or hair shows
• Fraternal organizations and related events
• One-time fundraising events (i.e., tables at fundraisers, athletic races, etc.)
• Local sports or athletic teams
• Travel or organized field trips
• Family reunions
• U.S. based local schools, including charter schools, pre-schools, elementary schools, middle schools or high schools
• U.S. based organizations that do not have tax-exempt status under Section 501(c) (3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service Code, or the equivalent
• Organizations formed outside the U. S. that do not have a charitable equivalency status under the laws and provisions of their respective government

Does your grant request fall into one of the categories listed above? (required)
Yes       No

SPECIFIC GRANT POLICIES AND GUIDELINES

GUIDELINES

The Florida Beverage Association (FBA) uses the following guidelines for the FBA Grant Program:

1. FBA seeks grant applications from community organizations for programs and initiatives that work to advance the physical health of its local citizens and/or the environmental sustainability of its communities.
   1. The FBA’s Board and staff will evaluate and select organizations to be funded.
   2. There is no guarantee that a nominated candidate will receive an award.
2. Most grants will be for $25,000 or less. However, special programs and unique circumstances may justify a larger grant.
3. If a nominated organization is selected by the FBA to receive a grant, the organization will be required to file a follow-up report and a final report. The organization may work with FBA to prepare these reports.
   1. Reports:
      1. Grant recipients must provide a detailed report on the use of funds and the progress toward the program’s goals. This report must be received within 6-9 months from the date the funding is received.
      2. The FBA will require a final report when the program has ended so it can perform a final assessment of the positive impact its funding had on these communities. This report must be provided 12-15 months from the date funding is received.

HOW TO APPLY

1. Review the Grant Criteria to see if your organization is a good candidate for the FBA Grant Program.
2. Complete the application and click “submit” to send your application to FBA for review.

SELECTION PROCESS

1. Once applications are submitted, the FBA Grant Subcommittee will review the proposed grants to determine whether they fulfill the program’s criteria. The Subcommittee will offer recommendations of eligible candidates to the FBA’s Board of Directors. The FBA Board will select award recipients after considering the appropriateness of the candidates and the significance of the charitable projects for which funding is sought. The FBA Board will confirm candidate eligibility and review each application carefully.
2. Once all applications are reviewed, grant recipients, as well as all applicants, will be notified by the FBA as to the status of their proposal. Grant recipients will enter into a Grant Agreement with FBA.

MATCHING GRANTS

Some grant applications may be eligible for a matching grant from the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America (ABFHA). If FBA decides to submit your grant request to ABFHA for a matching grant, we will inform you of our decision. Decisions whether to award ABFHA matching grants are made at the sole discretion of the ABFHA Board.

GRANT CRITERIA

Grant applications will be evaluated and grants will be awarded based on an overall assessment of the application, including how well the organization meets the following criteria:

• Grant recipient must use grant funds for a health and wellness or environmentally-based initiative.
• Grant recipient will use grant funds for a program or initiative that reaches a significant number of individuals or significantly impacts a community with a documented problem or need.
• Grant recipient should create a communication plan (i.e., social media, newspaper, press release, website, etc.) to promote the benefits of the program within the local community.
• Grant recipient is a 501(c)(3) charity organization or a state or local governmental entity that will use the grant funds for a charitable purpose.

APPLY HERE