Partner With Us

Community Partner Application Guidelines

2026-2027 Cycle

The Junior League of Miami, Inc. (JLM) will begin accepting Community Partner applications for the 2026-2027 cycle on October 8, 2025. All applications must be submitted by November 12, 2025, at 5:00pm EST.  Each year, our organization provides volunteer support and funding for Community Partners that fit within our focus area or additional areas of impact. **Note that the applications for grant funding partners and community partners are separate applications.**

MISSION STATEMENT

The Junior League of Miami, Inc. is an organization of women committed to advancing women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

FOCUS AREA

Food Insecurity

ADDITIONAL AREAS OF IMPACT

Homelessness

Family violence

Children and women’s health

Early childhood education

Foster care

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Annually, the Junior League of Miami matches member volunteers with Community Partners selected in accordance with the eligibility criteria below. Each Community Partner can expect to receive several volunteers along with potential funding for project activities. League volunteers  are expected to devote between two (2) to four (4) hours each month while serving on  a Community Partner placement.  These volunteers are not intended to fill existing organizational or agency staffing needs, nor to take part in any fundraising activities. The League’s active season is September through May, the summer months are used for inter League planning.

Each Community Partner term typically begins in September.  The League may support a Community Project for up to three (3) years, however, the organization must reapply each year.

Organizations selected for a Community Partner will sign a contract with the Junior League of Miami, Inc. This contract requires the organization to indemnify, release and hold harmless our volunteers and the League, and to add the League and its volunteers to any insurance coverage. It also requires disclosure and accountability on the use of League funds. The Junior League of Miami, Inc. reserves the right to terminate its contractual relationship with any Community Partner.

After a successful relaunch of the Community Grant program, the Junior League of Miami will continue its tradition of awarding grants to deserving local nonprofits.  Funding will support the projects whose goals and objectives align with the League’s focus area of food insecurity and/or additional areas of impact.

FINAL REPORTING if selected

Community Partner recipients are required to submit a Final Partnership Report no later than 30 days following the end of their grant period (August 31, 2027). The report should provide: (1) documentation of completed deliverables, activities, and expenses from the grant period; (2) thoughtful feedback related to the JLM Strategic Plan, and (3) submit a minimum of five high-quality photos that JLM may use for external communications and marketing purposes.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

All eligibility criteria must be met for an application to be considered:

  • Community Partners must fall within the League focus area or additional areas of impact as described above.
  • Applying organizations must have current 501(c)(3) status and must be registered with the Department of Agriculture to solicit funds in Florida.
  • All funds and volunteer hours for Community Partners must be for the benefit of a Miami-Dade County project.
  • League funds may NOT be used for:
    • Capital costs
    • Fundraising
    • Operational expenses
    • Insurance
    • Tuition or individual scholarships
    • Religious or political activities
  • Have a representative in attendance at the Junior League of Miami Community Breakfast scheduled for October 7th. (Can be a staff member or active volunteer)
  • If organization was awarded funds in previous year they are not eligible for the upcoming grant cycle (2026-2027).

COMMUNITY PROJECT AND COMMUNITY GRANT SELECTION PROCESS

  1. All applications undergo an initial review by the Program Development Committee.
  2. Semi-finalists for Community Partners may be asked to make a presentation.
  3. Final Selection:
  • Community Partner final selection is made by a vote of Junior League of Miami members at a General Membership Meeting.
  • Community Grants final selection is made by the Junior League of Miami Board of Directors.

APPLICATION DEADLINE & INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION

The deadline for submissions is Friday, November 12, 2025 at 5pm. The Community Partnership Application will be considered a complete by submitting the application and required documentation into one pdf in order of request. Note that incomplete applications will not be read by the committee.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP APPLICATION COMPONENTS

  • Organization Introduction: Describe the applicant organization, including mission, current major programs, population served, and area(s) of expertise.
  • Annual Operating Budget: Include the applicant organization’s annual operating budget.
  • Statement of Need: Identify the need this project seeks to support. Include a description of how this project relates to the Junior League’s focus area of food insecurity or one of the additional areas of impact.
  • Implementation: Describe the activities, intended outcomes, and community impact for the project. For Community Project Applicants, please describe the role of Junior League volunteers in the proposed project, including a description of the specific task(s), location, times and flexibility, if any, for the volunteer work.
  • Requested Funding Amount: State the total amount of funding that your organization is requesting for the proposed project. (Max funding for a Community Project is $10,000 and is provided to the JLM committee for use toward project activities).
  • Financial Narrative: Present a line-item budget reflecting all expenses and funding sources that clearly identify how the Junior League of Miami’s funds will be used for the project.
  • JLM Volunteers: Specify the number of volunteers requested for the project and tell us whether you have flexibility with how many volunteers are provided (e.g. any limitations on the number of people present for a volunteer shift). Give an estimate of the amount of volunteer time required per month. Additional questions will be asked on the volunteer experience for JLM members.
  • Project Restrictions: Describe any restrictions on location, date or timing for the proposed project.
  • Special Training and Clearance: If a special training or security clearance is  required, please indicate and describe the time frame for each process.

 REQUIRED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

In addition to the background and narrative responses, the following documents must be submitted with the application:

  1. An IRS letter setting forth the organization’s current tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3).
  2. A copy of the organization’s registration with the Florida Department of Agriculture for solicitation as a charitable organization.
  3. A list of the organization’s current Board Members.
  4. Current financial statement(s).
  5. Detailed budget for requested funds.

TIMELINE

  • November 12, 2025 – Applications due by 5pm
  • November 2025 – February 2026 – Review and follow up with applicants
  • April 2026 – Applications approved
  • July 1, 2026 – Grants distributed
  • July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 – Community Partner activation with League volunteers
  • August 31, 2027 – Final Grant Report Due

For more information, please contact ProgramDevelopment@JLMiami.org