NextGen Changemakers announce grants for the CHILD Center at SWAG, GROW Hub, and Southern Scholarship Foundation

June 5, 2025

Press release from the Community Foundation of North Central Florida

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Community Foundation of North Central Florida and its third cohort of young philanthropists, the NextGen Changemakers, proudly announce that $25,000 in grant funding will go to support three local nonprofit organizations: the CHILD Center at SWAG ($15,000), GROW Hub ($5,000), and Southern Scholarship Foundation ($5,000).

Eight young leaders graduated from the third cohort in May 2025 after completing their six-month journey in the program, joining the alumni network of 24 emerging philanthropists who have completed the course since its inception in 2022.

“The $25,000 in grants from this year’s NextGen Changemakers cohort will have a significant impact in addressing the priority areas the group chose as their focus: education, health, and livability,” said Lesley Banis, Vice President of Community Engagement at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.

The $15,000 donation to the CHILD Center at SWAG will support their endowment fund and will be matched dollar-for-dollar through their matching donor. The $5,000 contribution to Southern Scholarship will aid in providing housing for University of Florida students in Gainesville. The $5,000 allocated to GROW Hub will support their programs for local students and adults with varying abilities who age out of the school system at 22 and face limited opportunities for meaningful employment.

About the 2025 Cohort

The NextGen Changemakers program is an initiative of the Community Foundation designed to engage, educate, and connect North Central Florida young leaders to take an active role in building thriving communities for all. The program launched in 2022 and now annually accepts applications from those interested in learning about strategic giving, grantmaking, and philanthropy.

“At the Community Foundation of North Central Florida, we want to foster a community of thoughtful, strategic, and collaborative individuals to actively redefine what philanthropy means to this next generation,” said CFNCF President and CEO Barzella Papa.

As part of their journey in philanthropy, participants had the opportunity to collectively grant $10,000 to area nonprofit(s) of their choosing. Through a guided exploration of community issues, the graduating cohort worked together to identify their priority areas. Participants then presented their nonprofit to a panel of local philanthropists. This year, the panel of philanthropists matched and increased the Foundation’s $10,000 to $25,000 for the NextGen Changemakers program.