FORT MYERS, Fla. - TelAve -- Collaboratory is accepting applications until Nov. 12 for its Community Impact Rural Micro Grant program, which will award up to eight grants of $5,000 to eligible organizations serving Charlotte, Glades and Hendry counties. Supported by the Florida Blue Foundation, the program funds projects that address community challenges and advance systems-level change.

Eligible applicants include tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, colleges and universities, and governmental entities, state agencies and county health departments serving the three eligible counties.

Projects must demonstrate measurable short-term results and primarily align with at least one of Collaboratory's coalition system-level indicators:

• Prenatal Care First Trimester
• Uninsured Population under age 65
• Behavioral Health Workforce: Percentage of Community Need Met
• Housing and Transportation Affordability
• Food Environment Score
• Percentage of Residents with Access to High-Speed Internet
• Kindergarten Readiness Rate
• High School Graduation Rate
• Skilled Workforce Rate

Projects should also contribute to longer-term improvements, such as influencing policies, strengthening partnerships or improving how funding and information are shared.

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"This program unites Collaboratory's Health and Wellness, Community Infrastructure and FutureMakers coalitions for a common goal – addressing community challenges head-on," said Dawn Belamarich, president and CEO of Collaboratory. "We're grateful for the Florida Blue Foundation for entrusting Collaboratory to support exemplary organizations in creating a long-lasting impact across Southwest Florida."

Funded projects may run for up to 12 months. Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Nov. 12, 2026. Late applications will not be accepted, and selected applicants will be notified by mid-December.

For more information about eligibility or to apply for the Community Impact Micro Grant, visit Collaboratory.org/Grantmaking.

About Collaboratory
Collaboratory is Southwest Florida's regional community foundation and convener, committed to coordinating solutions to the region's most pressing social challenges by 2040. For more than 50 years, Collaboratory has mobilized philanthropy and stewarded more than $147 million in charitable investments across a five-county region by bringing together nonprofits, education, government and private-sector partners to drive systems-level change. Through grantmaking, scholarship administration, community research, capacity building and cross-sector collaboration, Collaboratory aligns resources, talent and data to ensure donor dollars are strategically invested for measurable, lasting impact and a stronger, more resilient Southwest Florida. To learn more and get involved, call 239-274-5900 or visit www.Collaboratory.org.

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