Upper Keys Advisory Council

Upper Keys Future Fund

The Upper Keys Future Fund supports grants to local nonprofits based in or specifically serving Key Largo, Islamorada, and Tavernier. The Fund expands CFFK’s impact, increases its resources, and provides grants to benefit Upper Keys residents.

Bonus: All gifts to the Upper Keys Future Fund will be matched 1:1 by CFFK, up to $25,000. That means a gift of $1,000 will provide $2,000 in grant monies available to Upper Keys nonprofits. This is indeed the power of collective giving in action. You may make a donation to the Upper Keys Future Fund by clicking on the button below.

GIVE TO THE UPPER KEYS FUTURE FUND

Treasure Village Montessori Charter School

2023 Upper Keys Grants Program

The Community Foundation of the Florida Keys has funds to offer small grants, normally up to $3,000, for specific programs, projects, and/or urgent needs for 501(c)(3) nonprofits and faith-based organizations in the Upper Keys.

Only 501c3 charitable nonprofit organizations and faith-based organizations are eligible to apply. Grants must serve the Upper Keys exclusively. Please contact the Community Foundation with any questions you have about the eligibility of your organization or grant-proposal idea. Grants must be for a current project and not to be used for a structure or a capital campaign, or to cover regular administrative costs.

Only one application per organization per year is allowed.

Click to apply for Upper Keys Grant

Upper Keys Advisory Council

We are committed to building a strong presence throughout Monroe County. The Upper Keys Advisory Council is critical to helping us expand our mission, grantmaking, donor base, and public awareness in the Upper Keys.

The Upper Keys Advisory Council plays an integral role in helping identify potential applicants and advising the CFFK Grants Committee on grant recommendations.

“If you’ve ever wondered what you can do to make a difference, here is your opportunity,” said Laura Lietaert, CFFK Board Member and member of the Upper Keys Advisory Council for CFFK.  “All our generous donors who support the fund will double the impact of their gifts, help as many people as possible, and positively enhance the future for our Upper Keys residents and community.”

Nine Upper Keys civic and business leaders are the charter members of the new Upper Keys Advisory Council, part of a series of initiatives to continue broadening CFFK’s mission, grantmaking, philanthropic donor base, and public awareness in Key Largo, Islamorada, and Tavernier.

Advisory Council members, who meet bi-monthly throughout the year, specifically help build philanthropy in the Upper Keys, raise awareness and advocate for the Community Foundation, advise CFFK on local needs and initiatives, identify potential nonprofits as grant applicants, and advise the CFFK Grants Committee on funding recommendations.

Members of the Upper Keys Advisory Council:

Isis Wright, Chair

Isis Wright is a brand developer and digital marketing executive. She recently launched two new brands based out of the Keys, B. Ready, a travel and leisure wellness online marketplace, and Italian Food Company, an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria with their first location in Key Largo. Isis has over 20 years professional experience in business development and marketing. Her past volunteer work includes Rotary, Rotary Interact clubs, Leadership Miami, and Junior Achievement. Isis has an MBA degree from the University of Miami and is a proud mom to an eight-year-old, which she considers her most significant contribution to creating a better world.

Suzi Youngberg

Suzi Youngberg currently serves as President of Upper Keys Business and Professional Women and represents Keys Life Magazine as a Sales Executive. She is a 23-year resident of the Florida Keys, who worked for many years in corporate financial insurance. When her husband when through cancer treatment, they began volunteering for the American Cancer Society, serving as event chairs for Relay for Life in 2016 and 2017. Suzi later served as the Florida Keys Development Manager for the American Cancer Society organizing events, volunteers, and donors. Today, she still volunteers for ACS and other charities and community events.

Pasta Pantaleo

Roberto “Pasta” Pantaleo is an artist and owner of Pasta’s Gallery in Islamorada. He spent most of his childhood in an Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY. To Pasta, the sea represented an escape from what he saw was a dismal way of urban life, and in 1970, as a young teenager, Pasta was instrumental in convincing his family to migrate to South Florida. By the late seventies, Pasta had become a world-class airbrush artist. In 2001, he was commissioned to create a painting on canvas as a commemorative poster and t-shirt design for a fishing tournament. That request became a catalyst for a life-changing career move and Pasta’s phone began to ring with requests to learn about the yet-to-be-recognized marine artist who created it.

Dr. Aimee Stough

Dr. Aimee Stough, DNP, is a dual-certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner specializing in Pediatric Primary and Acute Care. She works at the Florida Keys Pediatric & Adolescent Center in Tavernier. She obtained her Bachelor’s in Nursing from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and quickly found her passion for pediatrics and wanting to help more children. She continued at UAMS and completed her Masters in Nursing Science and Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP). Dr. Aimee also goes on medical mission trips to Honduras to help children in economically deprived areas. Dr. Aimee and her husband, Stuart, live in Tavernier, with their youngest son, Morgan.

Joe Molinaro

Joe Molinaro is a licensed certified public accountant and entrepreneur. He owns several businesses and practices as a CPA. He held numerous senior positions in finance working for Deloitte and AIG for over 20 years in New York, Tampa and Tokyo. A Coral Shores High School graduate, Joe and his family moved back to the Keys in 2018 when they purchased Kitchens & Bath Specialists in Tavernier. Joe is a board member for the Islamorada Rotary and the Coral Shores head baseball coach. When he is not working, he enjoys cooking, boating and fishing with his family and friends.

Laura Lietaert

Laura Lietaert is Principal of Key Largo School and CFFK’s first board member from Key Largo. She was named Monroe County School District “Principal of the Year” in 2018, and again in 2023. Laura currently serves as Board President of the Rotary Club of Key Largo and she is active in The Upper Keys Business and Professional Women, Key Largo Chamber of Commerce, and the Islamorada Chamber of Commerce.

Billy Hart

Billy Hart is a real estate professional with Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty. Born and raised in the Florida Keys, Billy is a 31-year native to Islamorada. Leaving the islands for his post-secondary education, Billy is a proud alumni of the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. Since then, he has returned home to serve his community in the real estate sector and through local philanthropy. His hobbies include fishing, sailing, real estate development, and volunteering for local organizations.

Tim Ervin

Tim Ervin is a consultant to nonprofits, governments and businesses, splitting time between residences in the Florida Keys and Michigan. He served in State Government and was a Congressional Liaison. Tim is now more involved in philanthropy, nonprofits and higher education. He served as Trustee, President and Chair of the Manistee County Community Foundation, among others. Since May 2020, he has partnered with a nonprofit financial institution to raise funding for grants to small businesses that have urgent needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Foundation Liaison

Elizabeth Brown, VP of Philanthropy

Elizabeth Brown is an executive nonprofit professional with a passion for community engagement, philanthropy, and sustainable organization development. She brings over 15 years of experience with a variety of nonprofits including leadership and consulting roles. Elizabeth was most recently the Deputy Director of Advancement for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Asian Art. Elizabeth has a Master of Public Policy from Duke University; her undergraduate education includes both a Bachelor of Industrial and Systems Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Auburn University. She also holds a Sunshine Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the Florida Association of Nonprofits.

Regional Advisory Councils

Learn more about the role of Regional Advisors and how the Advisory Councils are helping CFFK here.

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Upper Keys Future Fund