The Miami Foundation Accelerator Grants Ideas

EyeTalker is a pair of glasses with an embedded camera that captures printed text and delivers it as audio to the visually impaired. EyeTalker helps the blind “hear” text printed in books, magazines, restaurant menus and any other printed media. EyeTalker assists the visually impaired to acquire knowledge, shop for many basic necessities, earn a living, and gain a higher level of dignity, freedom and independence.

The South Florida Digital Alliance (SFDA) has launched a comprehensive “digital empowerment” initiative called the South Florida Technology Learning Center project (TLC). The goal of TLC is to better prepare our community to participate and compete in the new digital society and digital economy by helping our residents become more adept at using new technologies. The TLC program provides access to technology, training,... more »

Project Panther LIFE: Learning Is For Everyone is a certificate, non-degree program of study which allows students with Intellectual Disabilities to access and participate in a variety of FIU courses, varied job shadowing opportunities throughout campus, supervised employment internship experiences in the community, and other required program and community activities (e.g., Summer Residential Program, online academic... more »

Coverage to Care Miami will be an extensive community education and social media initiative targeted to Miami-Dade residents informing them of their health insurance coverage options as well as how to access healthcare once insured. Numerous studies document the poor health outcomes of the uninsured and the significant challenges the newly insured experience navigating the health insurance maze in order to access healthcare... more »

The Liberty City Digital Commons (LCDC) proposes the creation of a Wi-Fi network in Liberty Square, the largest public housing development in Miami’s Liberty City, a historically African American, culturally significant community where fewer than thirty percent of households have Internet access. The initiative will be launched using open technologies for wireless communications, such as mesh networking, to allow for... more »

Paid employment and independent living – support TLE (The Learning Experience School) in its drive to help its adult students to pursue these goals and to become happy, productive members of the community.

Miami Dade College (MDC) Single Stop program is a “One Stop Shop” for students to connect to social services, mentoring programs, and academic counseling. Established in 2010, MDC Single Stop program proactively works to assist low-income students to obtain a college degree. MDC and its partners provide necessary counseling and coaching for participants from pre-registration to graduation and job placement. The program... more »

Our GOALS:
1. Engage 10,000+ Volunteers per year.
Every project is designed to:
2. Make Miami a better place to live today.
3. Make Miami's future safer from Sea-Level Rise and Climate Change.

Urban Paradise Guild (UPG) has fielded hundreds or thousands of Volunteers every year from 2009-2014.
Now, we are ready to grow!

UPG is a Volunteer-Powered Organization: 100% of our Staff and Workers are Volunteers!
In the... more »

Kiva Zip is a crowd-lending platform that enables financially excluded small entrepreneurs to access loan capital. These entrepreneurs are able to crowd-fund a loan of 5 to 10K with 0% interest on our platform. Through our platform more than 35,000 lenders from around the world have lent to entrepreneurs in the United States. In addition to the financial capital, our borrowers also connect with thousands of lenders who... more »

We are growing a new pathway for professional success in Miami. According to recent studies, Miami is the hardest city in the country to find a job. Young people go into debt getting college degrees, to then find themselves underemployed or unemployed, working most frequently in entry-level roles where they learn from the lowest ranking managers in a company. That's a backward way to build a vibrant talent force.... more »

Housing affordability is a major factor in where people choose to live and how well they live. When housing isn’t affordable, people can’t afford to buy a home or must choose housing far from their job. The affordability of housing in Miami-Dade County remains as an obstacle to ownership and affordable rentals. Another major obstacle to our low-moderate residents is the lack of knowledge about subsidy programs that help... more »

The existing approach to product development/manufacturing is in dire need of a paradigm shift. Resources and labor have been outsourced to such an extent that the carbon footprint associated with consumer products is through the roof. Not to mention legislation, companies and organizations are pulling together to demand a more eco-conscious approach to daily practices and protocol.

D Squared Engineering seeks to improve... more »

In celebration of FIU’s upcoming 50th Anniversary in 2015, the university’s renowned Center for Leadership and Service (CLS) will challenge its students, employees, alumni, family and friends to “GIVE 50” – 50 hours of service to the community in recognition of FIU’s 50 years in the community. The massive community engagement project intends to spark a commitment to a life of active citizenship that will promote a long-range,... more »

Miami Children’s Museum is preparing to launch a new initiative that will help express the importance for children to PLAY, LEARN, IMAGINE and CREATE. The Museum’s in-house theatrical group has put together an ensemble of characters that embody each of these qualities. Similar to SUPERHEROES, with their bright and fancy costumes, but actually ORDINARY, each character’s mission is to share their knowledge and ability with... more »

On October 30th there was a large fire at Arch Creek which caused the main picnic shelter to burn down. Along with this damage the remaining shelters were damaged due to deterioration. Arch Creek Park is a historical, archaeological, and natural preserve. It was founded by the Arch Creek Trust and Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces in 1982 Arch Creek Park would like to rebuild these structures as well as... more »