Miami Beach Rising Above Grants

Clean Miami Beach - Beach Cleanups ($12,000) 
Clean Miami Beach is dedicated to keeping our community and natural habitats free of garbage and harmful pollutants, with a focus on single-use plastics. Their goal is to teach residents and educate the youth on how everyone can reuse, re-purpose, and reduce the consumption of plastic. They will complete 12 beach cleanups with this grant funding and will record the most common items of trash to inform interested parties.

Debris Free Global, Inc. and Ascendance Sustainable Events - Custom Sustainability Plans for Special Events ($17,000*)
Debris Free Global dba Debris Free Oceans is an organization that inspires local communities to responsibly manage the life cycle of plastics and waste as part of a global initiative to eradicate marine debris from our beaches, reefs, and oceans. Ascendance Sustainable Events utilizes its diverse backgrounds in event production, marketing, and marine science to implement comprehensive, scientifically sound, and integrity-driven sustainability programs for events of all sizes. In collaboration, they will provide 10 large-scale events with free short- and long-term sustainability plans and important education on successful implementation.

Friends of the Everglades - Exploring the Everglades and lmmersive Learning Kits ($12,000)
Friends of the Everglades was founded in 1969 to preserve, protect, and restore the only Everglades in the world. They firmly believe in the power of youth education and have reached more than 100,000 students through the previous iteration of their Young Friends of the Everglades program, founded in the mid-1990s. Their deliverables include engaging with five Miami Beach fourth-grade classes with a field trip experience, two classroom presentations, and Everglades Learning Exploration Kits for each class.

Institute for Regional Conservation - Plantings to Restore Coastal Biodiversity($15,000)
The Institute for Regional Conservation (IRC) is dedicated to the protection, restoration, and long-term management of biodiversity on a regional basis, and to the prevention of local extinctions of rare plants, animals, and ecosystems. They will host three ecological restoration events, drawing on community volunteers to help restore critical beach dune ecosystems, along with four educational events focused on coastal conservation.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center - Field Trips ($15,000)
The Biscayne Nature Center has been offering quality, memorable, and exciting environmental education programming for over 38 years. Through this grant, the Biscayne Nature Center will host 400 Miami Beach school children for a full-day, hands-on, and immersive nature field trip; this grant will cover all program costs including bus transportation, nutritious lunch served on sustainable materials, and program equipment such as nets, life jackets, nature journals, water shoes, and binoculars.

Miami Beach Fienberg-Fisher K-8 Center - School Butterfly Garden ($4,600)
Miami Beach Fienberg-Fisher K-8 Center is an International Baccalaureate school located in the heart of South Beach. The grant funding will help to transform its outdoor Children of the World Park and its environs into a flourishing butterfly garden, enriching local biodiversity and promoting environmental stewardship. This butterfly garden project will also support youth engagement and education.

Miami Beach South Pointe Elementary School - Sustainable Party Decorations ($1,300)
As a Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics (STEAM) and International Baccalaureate (IB) school, Miami Beach South Pointe Elementary is a leader among Miami-Dade Public Schools in sustainable thinking, with a Dream in Green designation, and a Green Apple designation. The school aims to plan events that utilize more sustainable decorations and elements. This grant will fund the purchase of water coolers and cover the difference between more sustainable decorations compared to wasteful items such as balloons.

Miami-Dade Coastal Cleanup and Recycle Across America - Standardized Recycling Signage ($15,000)
Miami-Dade Coastal Cleanup dba VolunteerCleanup.org is widely known in the community as a long-time leader in the environmental and beach cleanup space, and as part of its core strategy, has developed and supported a network of people taking leadership roles in their own community. Recycle Across America created the first-and-only society-wide standardized labels for recycling, compost, and trash receptacles which prove to be the most effective, easy, and low-cost solution available today to help solve the waste crisis. These non-profit organizations will work together to implement the Recycle Across America standardized labels on multi-family home recycling carts.

The CLEO Institute -- Climate Resilient Schools Program ($15,100)
Over the past 13 years, the Climate Leadership Engagement Opportunities (CLEO) Institute has made significant contributions to statewide climate literacy, engagement, and advocacy in Florida, particularly for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), women, and youth. This grant will fund Climate Resilient School programming in Miami Beach public schools, including several Climate 101 trainings at Miami Beach Senior High School.

Download the Application Form Guide Below:

2023-Grant-Application

Download the budget form below:

MRA Grant Budget Template

Frequently Asked Questions

• What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
  • The Miami Beach Rising Above grants are specifically for non-profit organizations with a 501(c)(3) status.
• If I am a private organization or I am not a registered non-profit, can I partner with a non-profit to apply?
  • Yes, but the lead applicant would have to be a non-profit.
• What is the max amount that can be requested in our proposal?
  • Proposals should range from $2,000 to a maximum of $30,000.

• What is the timeline for proposed projects/programs to be completed?
  • Ideally, all proposals should have programs/projects that are completed within one year of the grant agreement approval.
• When will awardees be announced?
  • Awardees will be announced on September 24. However, this date is subject to change.
• What costs are not funded through the grant?
  • The Miami Beach Rising Above grants will not fund executive salaries.
• How are the funds dispersed?
  • 50% of the funds will be given upon execution of the grant agreement, the remaining 50% will be given after the initial grant report is submitted.
• What supporting documents do I need to submit?
  • All applicants must submit the application, detailed budget sheet, proof of their 501(c)(3) status, and verification of coverage/certificate of insurance.
• Who do I contact If I have questions about the grant or application?
  • Email: sustainability@miamibeachfl.gov or call: 305.673.7084

Pelican Harbor Seabird Station - Wildlife Protection ($18,000) - Pelican Harbor Seabird Station (PHSS) has served as the only full-service native wildlife hospital within Miami-Dade County for the past 40 years. Roughly 14% of the 2,364 injured or orphaned native birds and wildlife were rescued from Miami Beach since 2020. This represents over 430 patients. Grant deliverables will include funding wildlife conservation, rescue, and educational efforts for animals within the City of Miami Beach. This will involve continuing fishing abatement programs, hosting community events, organizing bird releases, and working with local schools on education.

Surfrider Foundation - Home Composting ($16,200) - For over 15 years, Surfrider has dedicated itself to protecting and enjoying the world's ocean, waves, and beaches. They have been an instrumental partner in restoring the city's dune system and reducing pollution and waste in the community. Their deliverables include promoting food waste diversion efforts by assisting homeowners in setting up their own backyard composting bins. Deliverables include installing 250 backyard composting bins and providing education.

Debris Free Oceans - #PlasticFreeMB ($15,000.00) - Debris Free Oceans (DFO) is the City's lead partner in the #PlasticFreeMB Businesses Certification Program. Deliverables include continuing to expand the #PlasticFreeMB program by educating more students about plastic pollution and engaging them in assessing #PlasticFreeMB businesses through plastic pollution presentations; bringing the community together at sustainability-focused lifestyle awareness events; providing personalized sustainability consulting to the 149 existing businesses and further advancing the reach of the #PlasticFreeMB certification to new businesses. This includes promoting the reach of the program through social media and making it uniquely identifiable on common search platforms, such as Yelp, Google, and Uber Eats. This will simplify consumer support of #PlasticFreeM B businesses and enhance the desirability for businesses to sign up for the program.

Clean Miami Beach - Community Cleanups ($11,300) - Clean Miami Beach is a volunteer-based environmental-action group full of educational opportunities. Deliverables include year-round beach cleanups and demonstrating the negative effects of plastics on ecosystems through education. Their programs will provide volunteers, and passers-by, with a rotating schedule of interesting events, education, and exposure to unique situations. Classroom on the Sand, Land & Sea, Clean the Beat and Sunset Meditation Cleanup/Sunrise Yoga Cleanup, are just a few examples of the weekly cleanup events.

Food Rescue - Food waste reduction ($10,000) - Food Rescue US Miami is helping reduce food waste and hunger. In Miami Beach, they partner with 45 food donors including Centerplate, Miami Beach Convention Center, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Fontainebleau, 1 Hotel, Red Steak South Beach, and the Strand Bar & Grill. They are requesting funding for a two-part project to increase awareness and reduce food waste. This includes expanding upon their existing school program by partnering with additional schools and collaborating with the Cleo Institute to launch a series of workshops in local hotels and restaurants to educate their staff on the importance of reducing food waste.

Citizens for a Better South Florida - Dune Signage and Data Collection ($10,000) - Citizens for a Better South Florida partnered with a team of Miami Beach residents to develop an interpretive signage trail to showcase the biodiversity of coastal dune ecosystems along the Beachwalk. Combining scientific data with attractive displays, they will design a set of informational panels that will educate and intrigue residents and visitors about the fragile, yet resilient coastal dune ecosystems.

VolunteerCleanup.org - Marine Debris Student Training ($10,000) - VolunteerCleanup.org engages volunteers to clean their neighborhoods, shorelines and waterways, to raise awareness about marine debris and encourage people to reduce their reliance on single-use disposable plastics. Through the grant, they will formalize an "Environmental Change-Maker" after-school mentorship program, where high school students acquire and practice valuable activism skills through the process of learning how to organize and lead their shoreline cleanup. Phase 1 of the program will include a background primer on the marine debris problem, and its sources and solutions. Phase 2 will plan, promote, market and execute a local shoreline cleanup. Phase 3 will lead a broader discussion (including guest speakers) on ways they can further engage individuals, businesses and government on marine debris or other issues they care about.

Miami Beach Botanical Garden - Native Orchid Display ($6,000) - The Miami Beach Botanical Garden (MBBG) will work on populating the garden with endangered or critically imperiled native orchids which will spread throughout the city through seed dispersal. Deliverables include the curation of educational materials and an art exhibit in the Garden and Collins Canal of photographs of these plants in the wild to bring awareness to the community by showcasing their beauty in their native ecosystems.

Friends of the Everglades - Everglades Curriculum ($5,000) - Friends of the Everglades was founded in 1969 by Marjory Stoneman Douglas to preserve, protect and restore the only Everglades in the World. Through this grant, they will revive their 'Young Friends of the Everglades' youth education program. Deliverables include creating lesson plans to provide information on the importance of the Everglades and Marjory Stoneman Douglas's teachings which are based on social equality and environmental stewardship. Lesson plans will be available to elementary school teachers.

Blue Scholars Initiative - Modeling a Reef ($5,000) - Blue Scholars Initiative is partnering with ARTSail to harness the power of visual art for environmental stewardship. Modeling the Reef, by artist Beatriz Chachamovits, is an interdisciplinary public education and art project designed to provide access to and awareness of the decline of coral reef ecosystems, and craft knowledge by youth in under-served communities. The project consists of three phases with distinct learning and material outcomes. Students will first discover Miami's underwater ecosystems through an interactive marine ecology lesson followed by a coral sculpting workshop led by the artist to craft their own ceramic coral sculptures.

South Pointe Elementary - School Composting Program ($3,500) - Miami Beach South Pointe Elementary has always prided itself on being a Green School and was the first school to join the City's #PlasticFreeMB program. The grant will allow the school to continue the maintenance and operations of its very successful compost program within the school. Students learn about composting while composting their food scraps during their lunch/snack breaks. Parents are also able to drop off food scraps throughout the school day.

For more information, please contact MBRisingAbove@miamibeachfl.gov