Guardianship Program of Dade County

What Guardianship Program of Dade County does

Guardianship Program of Dade County, Inc. (GPDC) is a Florida-incorporated nonprofit organization established in 1981 that operates as the court-designated Public Guardian for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in Miami-Dade County. Its core service is providing legal guardianship to incapacitated adults of limited financial means who lack family or friends able to act on their behalf — a population that includes the frail elderly, individuals with developmental disabilities, those with HIV, and an increasing number of younger adults with serious mental illness. The organization currently serves approximately 1,400 persons annually, representing roughly 45-50% of all Florida state guardianship cases and a caseload larger than the other 19 Judicial Circuits combined. Intake operates on an open basis regardless of medical diagnosis, personal history, mental stability, or case complexity, and services span healthcare decision-making, financial management, and daily-living support.

GPDC generates revenue across four streams: (1) primary government funding from Miami-Dade County and the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, supplemented by the federal Older Americans Act historically; (2) course tuition from state-authorized guardian education programs — a 40-hour Professional Guardian course at $450 (required under s.744.2003 F.S.), an 8-hour Family Guardian course at $75 (s.744.3145(2)), a 4-hour Family Guardian course for minor-property guardians at $50 (s.744.3145(3)), and a $65 course manual — delivered live via Zoom in English and Spanish and authorized across at least six Florida Judicial Circuits; (3) annual fundraising through the Golf Classic, with sponsorship tiers ranging from $300 to $5,250; and (4) individual donations accepted online. There is no disclosed proprietary technology platform, no app, and no API; the operating model is service-delivery rather than software.

The organization's competitive position rests on its court appointment, its statutory authorization as a guardian education provider, and four decades of operational track record. It maintains referral relationships with the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, the Office of Public & Professional Guardians, Adult Protective Services, the Florida State Guardianship Association, and the Dade County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service, and has been named a Sun Sentinel Top Workplace in South Florida for 2025 and 2026. Legal entity is Guardianship Program of Dade County, Inc., headquartered at 8200 NW 33rd Street, Suite 400, Miami, Florida 33122, with no parent company, subsidiaries, or institutional equity ownership.

Name

Guardianship Program of Dade County

Legal name

Guardianship Program of Dade County, Inc.

Website

https://guardianshipprogram.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Guardianship Program of Dade County is a Florida nonprofit, founded in 1981, that serves as the court-designated Public Guardian for Miami-Dade County's Eleventh Judicial Circuit, providing legal guardianship to approximately 1,400 incapacitated, indigent adults annually and authorized guardian education courses statewide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Guardianship Services

NAICS

Courts (92211), Parole Offices and Probation Offices (92215)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Guardianship & Conservatorship Services (FSAAANAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Guardianship, Conservatorship & Special Needs Trust Services (FSAEAKAG), Specialty CCRCs (e.g., Memory-Care-Focused, Veteran-Focused) (HLADAEAK), Financial Services & Insurance (FINRA, CFP, IAR, Insurance CE) (EDAAALAJ)

Keywords

• Public guardianship services
• Guardian education courses
• Professional guardian training
• Elder care advocacy
• Incapacitated adult 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, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and County Funding: GPDC receives financial assistance from Miami-Dade County and the State of Florida, Department of Elder Affairs. The organization was initially funded through the federal Older Americans Act. This represents the primary funding source for guardianship services.
2. Donations: The organization accepts monetary donations from individuals and organizations. Donation options on the website include preset amounts ($10, $25, $50) and custom amounts via credit card or check.
3. Annual Golf Classic Fundraiser: Annual charity golf tournament generating sponsorship revenue and participant fees. Includes various sponsorship tiers from $300 to $5,250, golf foursome ($1,200), individual golfer ($300), and dinner/happy hour attendance ($110).
4. Guardian Education Courses: GPDC charges fees for court-required guardian education courses: 40-hour Professional Guardian Course ($450), 8-hour Family Guardian Course ($75), and 4-hour Family Guardian Course ($50). Also sells course manual ($65).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

GPDC serves as the designated Public Guardian for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, providing court-appointed legal guardianship services to incapacitated adults of limited financial means in Miami-Dade County. The organization also delivers state-authorized guardian education courses (4-hour, 8-hour, and 40-hour) meeting Florida statutory requirements under Chapter 744, offered live via Zoom in English and Spanish. Approximately 1,400 wards are served annually, comprising roughly 45-50% of all Florida state guardianship cases.

Product overview

Guardianship Program of Dade County is a private, non-profit agency providing guardianship services rather than a technology product company. The organization operates as the Public Guardian for Miami-Dade County, Florida, offering a portfolio of guardian education courses (8-hour, 4-hour, and 40-hour professional guardian courses) and direct guardianship services for incapacitated adults. The education courses are delivered live via Zoom with state-authorized instruction meeting Florida statutory requirements, while the core guardianship service handles approximately 1,400 persons annually representing roughly 45-50% of all Florida state cases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Guardianship Services Court-appointed legal guardianship for indigent adults adjudicated incapacitated in Miami-Dade County, providing a full range of services covering healthcare, finances, and daily living decisions.
• 40-Hour Professional Guardian Course State-required 40-hour training program for individuals pursuing Professional Guardian registration in Florida, taught by attorneys David Mangiero, Chris Papa, and Professional Guardian Barbara Reiser. Meets statutory prerequisite for state certification examination.
• 8-Hour Family Guardian Course Court-mandated 8-hour training course for family members or other adults appointed as guardian for an incapacitated adult, meeting Florida Statute s.744.3145(2) requirements.
• 4-Hour Family Guardian Course Court-mandated 4-hour training course for guardians of property of a minor child, meeting Florida Statute s.744.3145(3) requirements.
• Professional Guardian Course Manual (July 2025 Edition) Printed course manual (July 2025 Edition) accompanying the 40-hour Professional Guardian Course, sold separately for $65.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served over 10,000 individuals since inception over 40+ years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting, historical and minor.

• Miami-Dade CountycoreOthersPrimary government funding partner providing essential financial assistance for guardianship services. GPDC receives financial support from Miami-Dade County as part of its public guardianship operations.
• State of Florida, Department of Elder AffairscoreOthersGovernment oversight and funding body providing financial assistance and regulatory oversight. GPDC receives financial assistance from the Department of Elder Affairs and is regulated by the Office of Public & Professional Guardians (OPPG) within this department.
• Eleventh Judicial Circuit of FloridacoreOthersGPDC serves as the Public Guardian for Miami-Dade County, appointed by the Chief Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. The Probate and Guardianship Division hears guardianship cases.
• Office of Public & Professional Guardians (OPPG)coreOthersOPPG is housed within the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and oversees Professional Guardian registration and standards. GPDC is a state-authorized provider and regulated entity under OPPG.
• Florida State Guardianship Association (FSGA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit statewide organization for guardianship professionals. GPDC staff attend FSGA conferences for continuing education and the organization is a member.
• Florida Department of Children & Families - Adult Protective ServicessupportingOthersCharged with protecting vulnerable adults from harm under Chapter 415, F.S. Provides referral pathways for guardianship services and abuse/neglect reporting.
• Dade County Bar Association Lawyer Referral ServicesupportingOthersProvides referrals in Miami-Dade County for legal services related to guardianship proceedings.
• Jewish Family and Children ServiceshistoricalOthersGPDC began operating in 1980 as a pilot project administered and housed by Jewish Family and Children Services. Historical organizational origin.
• Miami Springs Golf & Country ClubminorOthersVenue partner for the Annual Guardianship Golf Classic event. Located at 650 Curtiss Pkwy, Miami Springs, FL 33166.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Alzheimer's Association Southeast Florida Chapter: Regional nonprofit serving dementia patients and families in Southeast Florida; comparable to GPDC in serving cognitively impaired adults in Miami-Dade and frequently intersecting as a referral partner for incapacity cases.
• Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community Services: Florida nonprofit providing elder care, mental health, and guardianship-related services; comparable to GPDC in heritage (Jewish family services origin, similar to GPDC's founding under Jewish Family and Children Services) and in serving vulnerable adults.
• Bay Area Legal Services: Florida-based nonprofit legal services organization serving low-income residents across multiple counties; comparable to GPDC in providing legal advocacy and fiduciary-related services to vulnerable populations in Florida.
• Senior Resource Alliance: Central Florida Area Agency on Aging providing elder services and advocacy; comparable to GPDC in mission and target population, but operating in Orange/Seminole/Osceola counties rather than Miami-Dade.
• Lutheran Services Florida: Florida nonprofit delivering human services including elder care, disability services, and refugee support; comparable to GPDC as a regional social-services nonprofit operating under government contracts to serve vulnerable adults.
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami: Miami-based faith-affiliated social services nonprofit providing elder, family, and guardianship-adjacent support; comparable to GPDC in operating as a Miami-Dade nonprofit serving indigent and vulnerable populations, including elderly clients.
• Office of Public and Professional Guardians (OPPG): Florida state office that registers professional guardians and oversees guardianship standards; directly comparable to GPDC as the regulatory and ecosystem counterpart governing the Professional Guardian certification GPDC teaches.
• ElderSource (Northeast Florida Area Agency on Aging): Area Agency on Aging serving Northeast Florida seniors; comparable to GPDC as a Florida aging-services nonprofit that supports the same population at risk of incapacity, though operating in a different region.

Others

• National Guardianship Association: National membership and standards organization for the guardianship profession; comparable to GPDC as the national ecosystem body whose standards and certification pathways shape GPDC's Professional Guardian Course and service delivery.
• Florida State Guardianship Association (FSGA): Statewide professional association for Florida guardians; comparable to GPDC because it convenes the same professional guardian community, drives guardianship education standards, and is a referral/partner of GPDC staff.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/guardianshipprogram

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 Guardianship Program of Dade County