About FRC

Our Story

In 2015, a collaborative opportunity emerged to do more for children and families. Leaders at key organizations (Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce, Naples Children & Education Foundation, Collier Community Foundation) connected with Champions For Learning and Collier County Public Schools, and a spark was created.

How can we collectively address barriers and opportunities for all children in Collier in order to maximize our impact, and do more?

This question has led to more than 60 organizations working together to ensure every child is Future Ready, through concrete goals and strategies that are aligned and leveraged across organizations.

The Strategic Partner Steering Committee leads the overall vision and alignment of resources. Individual network partners join Action Teams focused on specific objectives. To see a list of the partners involved, click here.

What We Do

Future Ready Collier is a network of more than 60 organizations, businesses, schools and community members working to ensure every child in Collier County, Florida, is ready for kindergarten, students are supported during their school years, and every young person enters adulthood with a vision and plan to accomplish that vision.
The work of Future Ready Collier is accomplished through Action Teams with the support of Network Partners and facilitated by the Future Ready Collier Director. The seven Action Teams span from early learning to access to post-secondary education and align under the shared goals.

Backbone Organization Facilitating the Collaboration

Founded in 1990, the Education Foundation of Collier County – Champions For Learning’s mission is to serve as a catalyst for educational success by investing in Collier’s students and educators. Our Student Programs are designed to equip and prepare students for their future learning and career goals, and our Educator Programs are designed to value, empower, and support our educators to experience professional success. Recognized as the education foundation serving Collier County by the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, Champions For Learning serves a unique role as a conduit for students, educators, principals, schools, and the community to ensure student and educator success.

Our Goals

Ensure all children are kindergarten-ready.

  • Engage families with tools and resources to support the early development of their children.
  • Improve the quality of existing early childhood education providers.
  • Increase the number of high-quality early childhood education spots available to low-income families.
  • Identify and/or develop appropriate data indicators for early learning goal and priorities.

Ensure all youth are provided support during their elementary and middle school years.

  • Provide support between early development and college & career to assure student success.
  • Support access and availability of quality out-of-school activities and programs.
  • Provide support to families and students to navigate opportunities and information.
  • Identify and/or develop appropriate data indicators for school success during elementary and middle school years.

Ensure all young people are career-ready by graduating high school on track to obtain a degree or credential.

  • Increase the % of students completing the FAFSA.
  • Develop and connect community strategies to keep students engaged in school, on track for college and/or career ready.
  • Provide local internships for 100% of career academy and other interested students.
  • Connect students to community-based support in post-secondary experiences.

Timeline

timeline_pre_loader

2005

The Naples Children & Education Foundation conducts a study on the needs of children and well-being in Collier County and brings beneficiary organizations together to work collaboratively around strategic initiatives.

2007

Champions For Learning initiates a community-wide engagement effort, supported by Alan and Beverly Horton and Mrs. Lavern Gaynor, called Connect Now. This initiative produced a Community Statement about the aspirations for education published in the Naples Daily News in 2009.

2012

Champions For Learning learns about the Florida College Access Network through the Consortium for FL Education Foundations and Florida College Access Network (FCAN) shares Collier County data. This inspires college access models led by Champions For Learning, with Collier County Public Schools and others.

2013

Southwest Florida Community Foundation launches the FutureMakers Coalition to address degree attainment challenges. Champions For Learning named as Collier’s lead partner.

The Community Foundation of Collier County, Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce, and Champions For Learning begin informal discussions around collaborative opportunities in Collier.

2014

Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce releases the Opportunity Naples study with “building an education pipeline” for talent as a key component.

2015

The ongoing informal conversations between the Community Foundation of Collier County, Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce, and Champions For Learning, become more formal and add Collier County Public Schools, Naples Children & Education Foundation, and United Way of Collier and the Keys.

The partners secure funding for capacity to collaboratively develop collective goals for Collier County in alignment with the regional FutureMakers Coalition. Champions For Learning coordinates. Organizations across Collier County are invited to be part of the conversations.

Regional FutureMakers Coalition becomes part of the Lumina Foundation’s Community Partnership for Attainment.

2016

More than 35 organizations convene monthly for a year to engage in deep discussion about the shared goals and strategies that will move community results in Collier. The group decides to call the Collier-based network, Future Ready Collier.

2017

Priority strategies for both the Early Learning goal and the College and Career Readiness goal are determined with priority teams focusing on those efforts; baseline indicators for Future Ready Collier are established.

Hurricane Irma made landfall in Collier County, and post-storm, the groups quickly reconvene to re-prioritize to stay on track.

The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation funds and conducts, in partnership with the Community Foundation of Collier County, a county-wide Community Assessment.

2018

Community Assessment for Collier County released, identifying key opportunities in education that provide more alignment and information for Future Ready Collier.

Future Ready Collier partners increase to more than 60 aligning with and contributing to the priority strategies.

2020

The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 forces schools and organizations to close and adjust operations. FRC members begin virtual conversations to ensure efficient allocation of resource and support to community members. Throughout 2020 and into 2021, the FRC network regularly assesses shifting priorities and collaborates for maximum impact.

2021

A new Goal Group emerged as a bridge between Early Development and College & Career Success: Future Ready Collier now has a third focus on School Success addressing support systems throughout elementary and middle school years.

2022

Hurricane Ian, in September 2022, brought new devastation to Southwest Florida, with historic storm surge flooding homes and businesses. Future Ready Collier and network partners again rallied to gather and distribute resources, including much-needed funding.

2023

Future Ready Collier hired its first dedicated director in early 2023. At the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, Goal Groups were replaced with subject matter-specific Action Teams, to enable participants to engage in more targeted and efficient ways.