Subject:
Title
Funding Recommendation and Agreements with Seven Community Agencies for the Social Action Funding Grant Program.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval of the funding recommendations and Agreements with seven community agencies for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Social Action Grant Funding.
• Seven community agencies are recommended for awards in the priority areas of food/nutritional services; homeless and housing services; human services for disadvantaged residents, and supportive services for an aging population. A breakdown of recommended awards is attached. The grant award will be for one-year project period commencing October 1, 2026.
• Pinellas County Human Services administered a competitive, online grant application which opened March 2, 2026. Fifty-nine applications were received totaling $5,298,664.00 in requested funding.
• On May 6, 2026, following review and ranking of the applications, the Social Action Funding Advisory Board voted to recommend awards to 17 projects. However, to accommodate competing community and budgetary interests for the upcoming fiscal year, available funds allow for the award of seven of the recommended programs who were previous awardees in FY26 to continue operations. Awards range from $77,115.00 to $99,999.00.
• If not approved Pinellas residents will experience a decrease in community services including veteran home starter kits, support services for homeless/runaway youth (16-24), vision services for seniors, companionship for seniors, after school educational opportunities for at risk youth, support services for chronically homeless, and support personnel expenses for the largest food bank in Pinellas County.
• An amount not to exceed $667,403.00 in funding is included in the FY27 Proposed Budget for Human Services within the General Fund. A fiscal non-funding clause is included in each agreement should funding not become available.
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Strategic Priorities:
Healthy and Safe Communities
2.1 Improve public health.
2.2 Enhance community safety.
Prosperity and Opportunity
3.1 Increase the availability of attainable housing.
3.3 Increase workforce opportunities.
3.4 Enhance educational and cultural opportunities.
Summary:
Summary
Seventeen (17) community agencies were recommended by the Social Action Funding Advisory Board (SAFAB) for Social Action Grant funding across the priority areas of food and nutritional services, homeless and housing services, healthcare for disadvantaged residents, human services for disadvantaged residents, and supportive services for an aging population.
Due to competing community and budgetary interests, available funds in FY27 allow for the award of seven (7) of the recommended programs. These selections were made based on agencies that received funding last year FY26 and were recommended again during this funding cycle FY27 for continued operations. A detailed breakdown of the recommended awards is attached. The grant award will cover a one‑year project period.
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Background Information:
Social Action Grants are available to qualified non-profit social service organizations desiring to provide services to homeless and low-income residents of Pinellas County to address their health, economic and social well-being. Pinellas County Human Services administered a competitive, online application process for Social Action Funding through Neighborly Software. The grant solicitation was posted on March 2, 2026, and a standard application form was used to promote effective review and scoring. Agreements will be for one year and will include a fiscal non-funding clause.
The SAFAB was established in 2023 to serve in an advisory capacity to the Board of County Commissioners and one of its primary duties is to review applications and recommend projects to be funded by social service funds. The SAFAB consists of members from Central Florida Behavioral Health Network, Florida Department of Health- Pinellas County Health Department, the City of St. Petersburg, Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, Pinellas Community Foundation, the Juvenile Welfare Board, Pinellas County School Board, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the Public Defender, and the State Attorney. Pinellas County Human Services will work with the agencies to collect performance outcomes and reporting guidelines.
Fiscal Impact:
An amount not to exceed $667,403.00 in funding is included in the FY27 Proposed Budget for Human Services within the General Fund. A fiscal non-funding clause is included in each agreement should funding not become available.
The individual funding amounts in alphabetical order are as follows:
Abilities of Florida $99,000.00
Boley Centers Inc. $77,115.00
Family Resources, Inc. $99,000.00
Preserve Vision Florida, Inc. $99,500.00
Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay, Inc. $99,999.00
Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation, Inc. $93,789.00
St. Petersburg Free Clinic $99,000.00
Staff Member Responsible:
Karen Yatchum, Director, Human Services
Partners:
Abilities Inc. of Florida
Boley Centers Inc.
Family Resources, Inc.
Preserve Vision Florida, Inc.
Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay, Inc.
Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation, Inc.
St. Petersburg Free Clinic
Attachments:
SAF 27 Reduced Funding Recommendation List
Abilities Inc. of Florida Agreement
Boley Centers Inc. Agreement
Family Resources, Inc. Agreement
Preserve Vision Florida, Inc. Agreement
Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay, Inc. Agreement
Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation, Inc. Agreement
St. Petersburg Free Clinic SAF Agreement
Reduced Recommended Summary Chart FY27
SAFAB Recommendation List FY27
SAFAB Scoring FY27
SAFAB Applications SAFAB Recommended for Funding FY27
SAFAB Applications Reviewed not Recommended by SAFAB FY27
FY26 Recommendation List