What CFY Pinellas does

CFY Pinellas (legally Clearwater for Youth Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, that serves youth across Pinellas County through three program pillars: educational scholarships, athletic and arts grants, and community-based programs including water safety instruction. The organization administers three scholarship pathways — the ROJ Postsecondary Scholarship, the CFY SPC Scholarship (a partnership with St. Petersburg College), and a Vocational/Trade Scholarship sponsored by Duke Energy — alongside an Athletic & Arts Grant Program that accounts for approximately 75% of community investment. Additional programming includes the Fred Fisher Water Safety Program delivered in Title I elementary schools and a partnership with the Long Center Foundation supporting recreation facility access.

The business model is fundraising-driven rather than revenue-generating. CFY Pinellas raises capital through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and event-based fundraising including the TopGolf Tournament with the Hulk Hogan Foundation and the Art Capogna Memorial Golf Classic. An endowment offsets administrative costs, enabling the organization to direct 100% of donations to programs. Financial disclosures indicate unrestricted reserves of $5,286,618 against annual expenses of $1,171,960, a 4.5x reserve ratio that signals operational durability.

The technology footprint is intentionally lean and consists of third-party tools: Bloomerang as the donor management platform (SOC 2 Type II and PCI-DSS compliant) and Authorize.net for payment processing. The organization is supported by more than 50 community partners, including MLB and NHL franchises (Phillies, Blue Jays, Rays, Lightning), Duke Energy, Dick's Sporting Goods, KnowBe4, Pinellas County Schools, and the Hulk Hogan Foundation. CFY Pinellas serves more than 17,000 children annually and has earned third-party credibility recognition including the Charity Navigator 2024 Top Rated Award, BBB Accredited Charity status, and the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency.

Name

CFY Pinellas

Legal name

Clearwater for Youth Inc.

Website

https://cfypinellas.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CFY Pinellas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Clearwater, Florida that funds youth athletics, arts, education scholarships, and water safety programs for children across Pinellas County through donations, corporate sponsorships, and community events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• Educational scholarships
• Athletic grants
• Water safety education
• Nonprofit community services

Headquarters

HQ city

Clearwater

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: CFY Pinellas raises funds through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and event-based fundraising. The organization's endowment offsets administrative costs, allowing 100% of funds raised to support programs.
2. Athletic Grants Program: CFY distributes athletic grants to youth-serving organizations, with grants accounting for approximately 75% of community investment. Funds support registration reimbursement, equipment, and program costs.
3. Educational Scholarships: CFY provides postsecondary scholarships including ROJ Traditional Scholarship, CFY/SPC Scholarship, and Vocational/Trade Scholarship for Pinellas County high school seniors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CFY Pinellas (Clearwater for Youth Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises funds through donations, corporate sponsorships, and events, then redistributes them as athletic and arts grants to youth-serving organizations, postsecondary scholarships to high school seniors, and water safety instruction to K-2 students in Title I elementary schools across Pinellas County.

Product overview

CFY Pinellas is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of youth development programs consisting of three scholarship pathways (ROJ Postsecondary, CFY SPC, and Trade/Vocational scholarships), an Athletic & Arts Grant Program, and community initiatives including the Fred Fisher Water Safety Program and Long Center Foundation partnership. The programs are designed to serve Pinellas County youth across educational, athletic, and safety domains, with grants and scholarships funding access to youth athletics, education, water safety, and skill-building opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ROJ Postsecondary Scholarship Scholarship program providing postsecondary education funding for Pinellas County high school seniors, part of the Richard O. Jacobson Education Program.
• CFY SPC Scholarship Scholarship partnership with St. Petersburg College covering remaining tuition, books, and fees after other financial aid is applied.
• Vocational/Trade Scholarship Vocational and trade program scholarship sponsored by Duke Energy for students pursuing skilled trades rather than traditional four-year college paths.
• Athletic & Arts Grant Program Grants to help fund athletic and arts programs for youth-serving organizations in Pinellas County, accounting for nearly 75% of CFY's community investment.
• Fred Fisher Water Safety Program Water safety instruction and lessons for young students in Pinellas County Title I elementary schools, sponsored by Duke Energy, including transportation to remove access barriers.
• Long Center Foundation Partnership Strategic partnership supporting recreation facilities and youth development programs through the Long Center in Clearwater.

Quantifiable outcome

• 17,000+ children served annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, major, minor and operational.

• Duke EnergycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDuke Energy sponsors the Fred Fisher Water Safety Program, providing crucial water safety instruction and lessons to local youth in Pinellas County.
• PhilliesflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerMLB team partner supporting youth athletics and programs in Pinellas County through community engagement and sponsorships.
• Toronto Blue JaysflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerMLB team partner with community presence in Clearwater, supporting youth sports and development programs.
• Tampa Bay RaysflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional MLB team partner supporting youth athletics and community programs in Pinellas County.
• Tampa Bay LightningflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerNHL team partner supporting youth hockey and sports programs in the Tampa Bay area.
• Long Center FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing recreation facility access and supporting youth development programs at the Long Center in Clearwater.
• Dick's Sporting GoodsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for the Art Capogna Memorial Golf Classic and supporter of youth athletics.
• KnowBe4minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting CFY programs and community initiatives.
• Pinellas County SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner enabling water safety programs in Title I schools and scholarship recruitment.
• Hulk Hogan FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presenting sponsor for TopGolf Tournament with $10,000 scholarship in memory of Hulk Hogan.
• Chi Chi RodriguezGTM or Marketing PartnerChi Chi Rodriguez Golf Club hosts the Art Capogna Memorial Golf Classic and First Tee Program.
• BloomerangoperationalTechnology or IntegrationThird-party donor management platform providing SOC 2 Type II and PCI-DSS compliant data storage.
• Authorize.netoperationalTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing provider for donations and event registrations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay: Regional youth mentoring nonprofit serving the Tampa Bay area. Comparable as a youth development nonprofit with overlapping donor base and regional scope.
• United Way Suncoast: Regional United Way affiliate serving Pinellas and surrounding counties, funding youth and education programs through partner nonprofits. Comparable mission and donor-base overlap with CFY Pinellas.
• Pinellas Community Foundation: Community foundation serving Pinellas County that administers charitable funds and grants. Directly comparable as a regional grantmaking nonprofit operating in the same geography and overlapping donor base as CFY Pinellas.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Pinellas County: Local affiliate of the Boys & Girls Clubs network providing youth programming in Pinellas County. Directly comparable geographic peer serving overlapping youth populations through athletic and educational programs.
• Take Stock in Children: Florida statewide scholarship and mentoring nonprofit serving low-income students through postsecondary scholarships. Closely comparable to CFY's college scholarship pathways and youth development focus.
• Community Foundation Tampa Bay: Regional community foundation covering the broader Tampa Bay area with grantmaking and scholarship programs. Comparable as a peer community foundation serving overlapping youth and education causes in the Tampa Bay region.
• Champions for Children: Tampa Bay-based nonprofit focused on preventing child abuse and supporting at-risk youth and families. Comparable regional youth-focused nonprofit with similar donor pool and beneficiary demographics.

Regional players

• Foundation for a Healthy St. Pete: Place-based foundation in St. Petersburg focused on health equity and youth outcomes. Comparable as a regional grantmaking and community-impact nonprofit serving overlapping Pinellas/Tampa Bay populations.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Home Society of Florida: Large statewide nonprofit serving children and families through prevention, early learning, and scholarship programs. Comparable in youth services mission and Florida footprint, though broader scope than CFY Pinellas.
• Step Up For Students: Large Florida-based scholarship organization administering state-funded education choice scholarships. Comparable in scholarship distribution mission but operates at significantly larger scale than CFY Pinellas.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cfypinellas

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 CFY Pinellas