CFK Foundation

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Mission Statement

The CFK Foundation assists in the achievement of the College’s mission by soliciting, administering, and optimizing through matching programs the private gifts, bequests, and donations to support CFK’s students and to enhance teaching and learning at the College.

History and purpose of the CFK Foundation

The CFK Foundation is a nonprofit corporation that was established in 1966. The Foundation contributes to the advancement of higher education through the support of private donors and public agencies. The purpose of the Foundation is to support the College by distributing its resources toward educational opportunities, programs, and services offered by the College and approved by the Board of Trustees.

What does the CFK Foundation do?

The CFK Foundation is dedicated to making the students of The College of the Florida Keys successful. Our sole purpose is to advance the mission of CFK by raising funds that support the college’s students, faculty, staff and programs.

To accomplish this, the Foundation actively supports the long-range strategic plan of The College of the Florida Keys by providing and encouraging growth in scholarships, cutting-edge technology, faculty grants, support of capital projects, programs to further enhance student accessibility, and improve the learning environment.

The Foundation is a separately incorporated 501(c)(3) organization and the officially designated means of making private contributions to the college.

Board of Directors

Lana Gaspari, Executive Director

Robert Stoky, Chair

Lisa Ferringo, Vice Chair

Bruce Halle, Treasurer

Alan Beaubien, Director

Dale Chasteen, Director

Carrie Groomes, Director

Debbie Leonard, Director

John Parce, Director

Mike Puto, CFK Trustee Representative

Yvette Talbott, Director

Rachel Oropeza, Recording Secretary

Frank Toppino, Chair Emeritus

Pat Miller, Honorary Board Member

Scholarships

One of our most important opportunities is to ensure that students seeking a better future through a college education find an open door at CFK. The Foundation provides many different scholarships as a key to opening that door of opportunity. Scholarships give students the boost they need to overcome financial obstacles and achieve a college dream that might otherwise elude their grasp.

Scholarships give academically talented students with demonstrated financial need the chance to successfully grow into their potential.
Scholarships help individuals receive the necessary training to start a new career or move forward in their current field.

By investing in scholarships through the Foundation, you can directly touch the life of someone whose only chance to fulfill academic and professional aspirations may be through the generosity of someone they have never met. The Foundation awards many types of scholarships through the charitable gifts of individuals, corporations and other foundations that believe that higher education should be accessible to all.

Ways to make a difference

The CFK Foundation serves as the recipient of all gifts made for the benefit of The College of the Florida Keys. Gifts to the college make the dream of a quality education a reality for many deserving students and help CFK sustain its tradition of excellence in providing academic programs and services to the residents of Monroe County. For more information on planned gifts, contact Lana Gaspari, Vice President of Advancement and CFK Foundation Executive Director at 305-809-3287 or foundation@cfk.edu.

Here’s how you can help

A donation of any size is appreciated. Endowments can be established so that your money keeps on providing support to CFK’s students and programs. Naming opportunities are available. Gifts of appreciated securities and real estate have significant tax advantages for the donor. Gifts of appreciated personal property, including works of art, books, jewelry, etc. held over a year, if related to CFK’s educational purpose, are also deductible. Become a member of our Board of Directors. We would be delighted to share our hopes and dreams with you and discuss ways to help enhance the programs you love and the students who will be our future. Thank you!

Named Gift Opportunities

The CFK Foundation offers many opportunities to those who wish to associate a family name or the name of a respected individual with the College. Significant gifts may provide an opportunity to name a building or facility at the College in accordance with the donor’s wishes. An outright gift or planned gift may be used to create a named-endowment fund, which in perpetuity will honor and memorialize the names placed on it.