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, Community Foundation of Collier County) 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 Work Group leads the overall vision and alignment of resources. 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 and every young person enters adulthood with a vision and plan to accomplish that vision.

Our Goals

1. Ensure all children are Kindergarten ready.

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

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

Backbone Organization Facilitating the Collaboration

Champions For Learning (CFL), The Education Foundation of Collier County is an independent, community-based, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that creates life-changing learning experiences for every student. With a vision of a community that is 100% engaged in support of student success, CFL has a unique and important role to be a community catalyst and convener around student learning and community engagement. ChampionsForLearning.org

Timeline

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.

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