“For four decades, the South Florida Progress Foundation has focused its financial resources on the area’s most significant civic and economic development issues.”
Barry E. Johnson
President/CEO
Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce

“Contributions to the South Florida Progress Foundation enable private foundations, local businesses and national corporations to make a difference for those who live and work in South Florida.”
Art Noriega
Executive Director
Miami Parking Authority and
Chairman, South Florida Progress Foundation

About South Florida Progress Foundation...

The South Florida Progress Foundation is a Florida-based corporation and has been registered as a not-for-profit charitable organization in the state since June 26, 1968. The Foundation’s board of directors is culturally and professionally balanced to not only reflect the marketplace, but to provide the Foundation with diverse viewpoints and strong leadership.

History

Roots of the South Florida Progress Foundation go back to 1968 when members of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce established the organization “to conduct projects, programs and studies deemed to be in the interest of providing the best possible urban environment for all citizens.” The foundation was redirected in 2006 to proactively address issues considered paramount to the area’s progress and performance as the sixth largest Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in the nation and reputation as a gateway for international trade and commerce.

For nearly four decades, the foundation has had programming for projects concerning improving race relations, cooperation among local higher education institutions, hurricane recovery, the immersion future leaders in South Florida topical issues, intervention programs for at-risk youth, the identification of future high paying jobs and the corresponding educational preparation needed for career entry into these fields, and the establishment of scholarships for students interested in pursuing a career in business, law or government. These initiatives have included:

• Cultural Summit & E-Pass 
• Education Summit
• Goals Conference
• Good Life Youth Mentor Program
• Haitian Business Scholarship Fund
• Jeanne Bellamy Scholarship
• Maloof Family Scholarship 
• Leadership Miami
• One Community One Goal®
• South Florida Consortium for Higher Education
• Transportation Summit
• Youth Leadership Miami

Mission

The Foundation works to leverage its relationship with South Florida professionals and civic leaders to identify top issues, prioritize them through consensus and then develop and implement solutions through programmatic activity, all funded by member donations, endowments and grants.

Through strategic partnerships with local organizations committed to the betterment of South Florida, the effectiveness of and need for the Foundation's various initiatives are reviewed and prioritized annually. These initiatives include:

1. South Florida quality of life issues: