The Children's Trust

What The Children's Trust does

The Children's Trust is an independent special district of Miami-Dade County government, established in 2002 by local voters and permanently reauthorized in 2008 with 86% voter support. The organization is funded exclusively by ad valorem property taxes and operates as a grant-making entity that allocates funds to agencies and partners delivering programs and services to children and families in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is governed by a 33-member volunteer board of directors and is authorized under section 125.901, Florida Statutes. The Trust does not deliver services directly but funds and coordinates a network of partner agencies across 350+ program sites serving more than 30,000 children and youth annually.

The Trust's core product portfolio spans early childhood development (Thrive by 5, Book Club, Books for Free, Parent Club, Jump Start), youth development (Youth Advisory Committee with 220 participants across six regional groups, Summer Youth Internship Program, Young Talent Big Dreams, Miami-Dade Soccer Initiative), school-based health (HealthConnect in Our Schools at 283 schools with $25.8M annual funding through six contracted healthcare agencies, Free Immunizations, Eye Exam & Eyeglass Program, University of Miami Pediatric Mobile Clinic), family support (22 Family and Neighborhood Support Partnerships programs, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, Trauma-Focused CBT), and special populations programming (All Children Together for children with disabilities, LGBTQ youth support, bereavement services). The underlying technology stack centers on Trust Central, an all-in-one portal for grant application, contract management, and provider collaboration, supplemented by the Trust Academy LMS for provider training and the ElevatEd online learning platform for early learning educators.

The revenue model is structurally unique: as a government special district, the Trust is funded by dedicated ad valorem property taxes and does not charge end users for any programs or services. All services are provided free of charge to children and families in Miami-Dade County. Distribution occurs through a tiered partner network: contracted healthcare agencies deliver in-school services, funded community organizations operate program sites, and families can directly enroll via the website's Find a Program tool. The organization is not privately owned, not venture-backed, and has no parent company; it is a public-sector entity with a 101-250 employee staff supported by a multi-million-dollar programmatic budget anchored by property tax revenue.

Name

The Children's Trust

Legal name

The Children's Trust

Website

https://thechildrenstrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Children's Trust is a Miami-Dade County independent special district funded by property taxes that grants funds to partner agencies delivering free health, education, and family support programs to over 30,000 children and youth across 350+ program sites and 283 schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child and Family Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Child Care Services (6244)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Subsidy & Funding Compliance (CCDF/child care assistance program requirements) (EDACAKAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Health, Safety & Compliance Training (CPR/First Aid, Safeguarding, Licensing) (EDACAIAH)

Keywords

• Child welfare services
• Youth development programs
• School health services
• Early childhood education
• Family support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ad Valorem Property Tax Revenue: The Children's Trust is a dedicated source of revenue supported by ad valorem property taxes. Local voters established The Trust in 2002, and 86% of voters permanently reauthorized it in 2008. As an independent special district authorized by Florida statute, the organization allocates funds to agencies in Miami-Dade County that operate for the benefit of children and youth.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Children's Trust is a voter-established independent special district of Miami-Dade County government that funds and coordinates a comprehensive portfolio of programs for children and families. It distributes resources through 350+ program sites and 283 schools, serving more than 30,000 children annually with health services, early childhood education, youth development, and family support programs. All services are provided free of charge to families and funded by dedicated ad valorem property taxes.

Product overview

The Children's Trust is a grant-making organization funded by ad valorem property taxes that operates as a portfolio of programs and platforms to serve children and families in Miami-Dade County. The organization functions through multiple integrated components: HealthConnect in Our Schools delivers comprehensive health services at 283 schools; Trust Central serves as the grant management and contract platform; Trust Academy LMS provides training and professional development; and various direct service programs including after-school programs, summer camps, parenting support (Parent Club, Book Club), youth development (Youth Advisory Committee, Summer Youth Internship Program), health services (immunizations, eye care, mental health), and family support (Family and Neighborhood Support Partnerships, Thrive by 5). The Trust also funds partner organizations for specialized services including mental health, bereavement support, and disability services. These offerings work together as a coordinated system with shared platforms for provider management and training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Thrive by 5: Early childhood development initiative focused on preparing children for lifelong success through quality education and support services.
• HealthConnect in Our Schools
• Champions for Children Awards
• Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)
• Book Club
• Parent Club
• Summer Youth Internship Program (SYIP)
• Zero Drownings Miami-Dade
• Trust Academy
• A$CEND
• ElevatEd
• Jump Start

Products and services

• HealthConnect in Our Schools School-based health initiative providing nursing care, physical and mental health services, telehealth, and mobile unit services at 283 schools across Miami-Dade County, delivered free of charge to students.
• Trust Central Integrated online platform for grant application, contract management, program management, and provider collaboration with The Children's Trust.
• Trust Academy LMS Learning Management System providing course catalogs, live trainings, and professional development access for funded service providers.
• Book Club Free book delivery program for children from birth to 4.5 years in Miami-Dade County, with monthly home delivery.
• Parent Club Free parenting workshops offered in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole, including exclusive giveaways, community events, and parenting resources.
• Summer Camps Directory and funding of hundreds of summer camps across Miami-Dade County including STEM, sports, arts, and enrichment activities for children.
• Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) Youth leadership development program with six regional YAC groups (Central, North, South, Far South, West Kendall, West) and approximately 220 participants across Miami-Dade County.
• After School Programs After-school activities for grades K-12 including homework help, reading support, STEM activities, sports, and enrichment.
• Free Immunizations Free up-to-date vaccinations available through various providers, clinics, and mobile units for children in Miami-Dade County.
• Summer Youth Internship Program (SYIP) Real-world work experience program providing five-week paid internships for high school students in Miami-Dade County.
• Free Tutoring and STEM Program Free tutoring and STEM activities provided through Miami-Dade County Public Library's STEM program in partnership with The Children's Trust.
• Eye Exam & Eyeglass School Program Free eye exams and prescription glasses for financially disadvantaged children in Miami-Dade County schools through the Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program.
• Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) Individual parenting program for families with children aged 2-12 utilizing live coaching for immediate feedback, delivered through the University of Miami Mailman Center for Child Development.
• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) Comprehensive treatment for children and adolescents aged 3-18 addressing post-traumatic stress and related emotional issues, delivered through FIU Center for Children and Families.
• Jump Start Infant and early childhood mental health consultation to build capacity of child care providers to support social-emotional development and manage challenging behaviors.
• Family and Neighborhood Support Partnerships (FNSP) Deep-end intervention programs providing screening, assessment, care coordination, and family stabilization funds across 22 programs in Miami-Dade County.
• Thrive by 5 Early childhood development initiative supporting early reading experiences, vocabulary building, and literacy-rich environments for children to be reading at grade level by third grade.
• ElevatEd Online learning platform and professional workforce registry for early learning educators with courses, scholarships, financial awards, and career pathway options.
• Connecting Assessments with Intentional Teaching (CAIT) Free assessment training and implementation support for early childhood educators through the Teaching Strategies GOLD assessment system.
• Future Bound Miami Free savings accounts for all kindergarten students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools to promote college and career readiness.
• Free Immunizations Program Pediatric immunization services delivered at no cost to families through partner providers, clinics, and mobile health units across Miami-Dade County.
• University of Miami Pediatric Mobile Clinic Comprehensive and free medical care for uninsured children at local schools and community centers via the University of Miami Pediatric Mobile Clinic.
• A$CEND Salary Supplement Program Salary supplement award program for early childhood educators at Thrive by 5 programs, rewarding education, professional development, teacher-child interactions, and longevity.

Quantifiable outcome

• 283 schools receiving comprehensive health services through HealthConnect
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Miami-Dade County Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2025Primary education partner for HealthConnect in Our Schools initiative, providing school-based health services at 283 schools. Partnership enables delivery of nursing, mental health, and telehealth services to pre-K through 12th grade students across Miami-Dade County.
• Florida Department of Health Miami-DadecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2025Government health partner collaborating with The Children's Trust and Miami-Dade County Public Schools to enable six healthcare agencies to provide comprehensive school health services including nursing, social work, and mental health services.
• Advocacy Network on Disabilities (AND)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplements the All Children Together (ACT) program providing capacity-building resources to educate and support all funded agencies in serving children with disabilities appropriately.
• University of Miami Mailman Center for Child DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHouses the Jump Start program for infant and early childhood mental health consultation. Also provides Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) training and implementation support.
• Florida International University (FIU) Center for Children and FamiliescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing evidence-based interventions for children including trauma-focused CBT and hosting FIU Reading Explorers program for youth development coaching.
• Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/MonroemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for ElevatEd online learning platform and Thrive by 5 early childhood initiative, working to elevate quality of child care in Miami-Dade County.
• Nova Southeastern University Project RISEsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth development partner providing programming and support services for youth development initiatives.
• YWCA South FloridasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers The Ripple Effect program as part of Trust Academy's Social and Emotional Wellness/Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (SEW/REDI) content area.
• The Pontis GroupsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Program Management Leadership Academy and capacity building support for selected providers as part of Trust Academy quality supports.
• Training and Implementation Associates (TIA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers Family and Neighborhood Support Partnerships (FNSP) and Family Strengthening programming as part of Trust Academy's Family Services content area.
• Injury Free MiamisupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides injury prevention and safety training and resources for providers and parents as part of Trust Academy quality supports.
• Miami Book Fair at Miami Dade CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Books for Free program providing free books to children in Miami-Dade County.
• Miami-Dade County LibrariessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner providing free tutoring and STEM activities through the library system's STEM program for children.
• United Way Center for Excellence in Early EducationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerManages and coordinates Teaching Strategies GOLD assessment training as part of the CAIT (Connecting Assessments with Intentional Teaching) program for early childhood educators.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• First 5 California: California's voter-mandated commission (Proposition 10/56) funded by tobacco taxes to fund programs for children ages 0-5. The closest structural analogue to The Children's Trust: dedicated tax stream, grant-making role, statewide geographic mandate, and focus on early childhood systems.
• First 5 LA: County-level First 5 commission serving Los Angeles County children and families. Operates a similar grant-making model across health, education, and family support, making it highly comparable in mandate and portfolio structure.
• The Children's Forum: Florida-based statewide early childhood organization providing training, technical assistance, and quality supports to child care providers. Comparable as an ECE capacity-building and professional development intermediary operating in the same state.
• Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade: Local coalition serving pregnant women and children 0-3 in Miami-Dade with maternal/child health, family support, and case management services funded by state and local sources. Operates within the same county and overlaps on maternal/child health.
• United Way Miami: Local United Way affiliate serving Miami-Dade; a current financial partner of The Children's Trust (co-funding $1.5M mobile unit expansion). Operates a parallel community-funded grant-making model targeting children and families in the same county.
• Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe: Local child care resource and referral organization and current strategic partner of The Children's Trust (ElevatEd, Thrive by 5). Comparable in child care subsidy administration and provider support functions within the same region.
• DC Children & Youth Investment Trust Corporation: Washington DC-based intermediary that funds and coordinates youth-serving programs. Comparable as a public-purpose grant-making entity targeting children and youth with a structured portfolio approach.

Regional players

• Family Services of Miami: Regional social services organization serving Miami-Dade families with counseling, case management, and youth programs. Comparable in client population and service mix but funded differently (private nonprofit grants vs. property tax).

Broad incumbents

• The Ounce of Prevention Fund: National early childhood policy and program organization focused on high-quality birth-to-five programming. Comparable in its systems-level approach to ECE funding and advocacy but operates at national scale rather than single county.
• Child Care Aware of America: National network supporting child care access and quality. Operates at broader scale than The Trust but shares the role of child care resource and referral intermediary.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thechildrenstrust
• Xx.com/childrenstrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thechildrenstrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Children's Trust