Thursday, February 20th Generation IMPACT an affinity group of the Community Foundation and United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties (CF UWVFC) held their 7th annual Social Innovation Fund (SIF) pitch competition. SIF provides local high school, college or vocational school students with mini-grants in order to implement innovative projects that address critical challenges in Flagler and/or Volusia counties.
To be a part of the Social Innovation Fund pitch competition, students submitted their proposal in the fall of 2024 to Generation IMPACT to have their projects approved and pitch ready.
All projects must work to improve the lives of the ALICE population (Asset Limited Income Constraint and Employed), in addition to focusing on one of the areas of health, education, financial stability or DEI. The students were then paired up with a mentor from Generation IMPACT to prepare for the competition. Through CF UWVFC funds, the projects were able to receive $10,000 in min-grants. Generous donors provided an additional $1,300 in donations to ensure these projects become a reality in our community.
This year the SIF Pitch Competition featured four student-led projects:
- Community Garden- Flagler Palm Coast High School- $2,300
- Community Outreach Mobile Salon- Daytona State College- $3,000
- JCC Connect- Junior Chamber of Commerce- $3,000
- Spring Hill Beautification Project- Stetson University- $3,000
CF UWVFC Board Chair Jan Miller shared, “It was an impressive evening to see the high school and college student groups so well prepared for their pitches. The Generation Impact mentors ensured the groups were ready to answer any questions that came their way. I am inspired to see the future generations creating these impactful projects and making them a reality.”
“The Daytona State College Community Outreach Mobile Salon captured a great idea to support ALICE households. By taking cosmetology services to children in Title I Schools, this allows those families to prioritize their budget to meet other household needs. It was neat to see their whole cheering squad of DSC students and faculty supporting this initiative.”
“Many of these groups realized that their goals for the projects would need to be completed in phases. The Spring Hill Beautification Project with Stetson University was a great example of a project that will continue in phases. The student and her faculty mentor understood that the type of long-term project will need continued investment.”
To donate to one of the projects please visit: https://fundraise.givesmart.com/e/w-JuJA?vid=1hd2o6
