The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida

Why They're Part of This

The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida didn't just show up for The Fashion PAWty — they helped make it possible. Through their Small Organization Grants program, the Foundation awarded funding to Eye Spy Foundation that enabled the event to grow into the celebration it is today. That kind of early-stage support from an established philanthropic institution is rare and deeply meaningful: it signals confidence in the mission, opens doors with other funders, and lets a small team focus on doing the work rather than scrambling for resources. The Fashion PAWty Music Stage carries their name because they helped build the foundation that made the whole PAWty possible.

What They Do

The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida has served as the region's philanthropic backbone for decades, managing endowments, connecting donors with causes, and running grant programs that invest in nonprofits across Duval, St. Johns, Clay, Nassau, and Baker counties. Their Small Organization Grants are specifically designed to support newer and smaller nonprofits — organizations doing meaningful work that may not yet have the infrastructure to attract larger funders. By investing in Eye Spy Foundation at an early stage, the Community Foundation is doing exactly what it was built to do: building a stronger, more equitable Northeast Florida, one grant at a time.