Prior Grant Requests
| Organization Name | Grant Year | Cycle | Request Amount | Grant Awarded | Awarded Amount | Matching Funds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children First, Inc. | 2026 |
2026-1 |
$5,000.00 |
Organization Name: Children First, Inc.
Organization Website: http://www.childrenfirst.net
Year Established: 1961Â
Mission Statement:
Strengthening children and families by improving the quality of their lives through a comprehensive approach to development, education, health, and well-being.
Contact Name: Evan Ackerman Years in Position: 7
Contact Email: grants@childrenfirst.net
Contact Phone: 9419533877
Address: 1723 North Orange Avenue
SARASOTA, Florida 34234-8511
Have you previously received a grant? No If yes, please indicate the year(s): Â
How did you hear about our organization?
We learned about your organization through an article featured in Scene Magazine’s People & Business e-blast highlighting your most recent grant cycle and funded organizations. After reading the article, we visited your website to learn more about your mission and funding priorities.
What do you believe we can provide your organization?
The Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle has the opportunity to make a direct investment in children and families at the most critical stage of development. By funding scholarships for Children First’s comprehensive services, your support will remove financial barriers and ensure that children experiencing poverty have access to high-quality early education, health care, nutrition, and family support during their earliest years.
For the families we serve – many of whom are working but still unable to meet basic needs – access to these services is not just helpful, it is transformative. Your investment will provide stability, opportunity, and a pathway forward for families working to build better futures for their children.
What will the grant be used for?
This request is specifically for scholarships that support access to Children First’s comprehensive, multi-generational services for children and families in need. Scholarship funding ensures that families can fully participate in our integrated model of care, which includes:
• High-quality early learning through the HighScope curriculum, preparing children socially, emotionally, and academically for kindergarten and beyond
• Comprehensive health services, including screenings in vision, hearing, dental, and mental health, with on-site access to speech, occupational, physical, and behavioral therapies
• Nutritious meals, providing more than half of each child’s weekly nutritional needs
• Family Strengthening Services, where Family Advocates partner with caregivers to set and achieve goals related to education, employment, and financial stability
• Families First Institute classes, offering free instruction in parenting, budgeting, job readiness, ESOL, and life skills, with meals and childcare provided to remove participation barriers
These scholarships do not fund a single service – they ensure access to a full continuum of support that addresses the complex and interconnected challenges families face.
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Provide the grant amount you are seeking: $5,000.00
Do you provide services to Sarasota and/or Manatee County? Yes, No
What is the financial impact per individual/program this grant will provide?
The average cost to provide comprehensive, full-year services for one child and their family is approximately $14,100.
A $5,000 scholarship investment will partially fund comprehensive services for one child and their family, helping to cover critical components such as early care and education, health services, nutrition, and family strengthening supports. This funding plays an essential role in closing the gap between public funding and the true cost of delivering high-quality, comprehensive care.
Please provide the estimated number of women, children and families impacted.
This scholarship investment will directly support approximately 3–5 individuals, including one child and their caregiver(s), through access to comprehensive services.
Is there a matching grant? No If yes, indicate donation source:
May we tour your facility? Yes
What reciprocal benefit can you provide our organization:
Children First is proud to recognize partners who invest in access for children and families through:
• Recognition on our website and in digital communications
• Feature in our e-newsletter and annual Impact Report
• Social media recognition highlighting your investment in scholarships
• Invitation to tour our campuses and see your impact firsthand
• Opportunities for member engagement through volunteer or site visits
Proof of Non-Profit Status https://tlcwcf.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/15/501c3-Letter.pdf
Organization’s Logo https://tlcwcf.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/15/ChildrenFirst-65th-Logo-Vertical-150×150.png [110 show_image=1]
Project/Program-specific budget: https://tlcwcf.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/15/2026-Comprehensive-Services-Budget-1.xlsx
Guide Star Profile/Rating (if applicable): https://tlcwcf.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/15/candid-seal-platinum-2026-150×150.jpg
Anything else you would like to share with us?
Children First serves over 1,000 children and family members annually.
Eighty percent of the families we serve live below the Federal Poverty Level. Another 18% fall into the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) category, earning too much to qualify for public assistance but far too little to cover the cost of living. Altogether, 98% of our families face financial instability, struggling daily to meet basic needs such as housing, childcare, food, and transportation. The average family income is just $14,000 per year.
Many families face significant challenges, including single parenthood, limited education, housing instability, and language barriers.
The first five years of life are the most critical period for brain development, yet this is when children in poverty are most at risk of falling behind. Through scholarships supporting comprehensive services, Children First ensures that children receive high-quality early education, health care, nutrition, and family support during this vital stage.
Our multi-generational approach helps children enter kindergarten ready to succeed while empowering families to achieve long-term stability. Research shows that investments in high-quality early childhood education can yield up to a 13% annual return through improved academic, economic, and health outcomes.
With over 100 children currently on our waitlist, access to these services remains a critical need. Your support will directly help expand access and strengthen outcomes for children and families in our community.
In addition to funding, we welcome opportunities for the Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle members to engage through site visits, volunteerism, and connection to the families whose lives you are helping to transform.