Leadership Palm Beach County is a nonprofit organization that brings together leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to build and steward a vibrant, interconnected community. Every year a class of community leaders from diverse backgrounds is selected to participate in our Engage program.
Engage Forward is the program through which each Engage class gives back to the community through projects in partnership with local organizations. They are energized to volunteer and help local non-profits reach the next level of success by collaborating with the organizations to tackle an issue facing that organization or community. Past Engage Forward projects have become successful and long-lasting programs or events within their organizations. The impact of Engage Forward has historically been significant and of lasting benefit to the participating organizations and the communities they serve.
Leadership Palm Beach County is looking for 501C(3) non-profits in Palm Beach County to apply for an opportunity to benefit from the influx of human capital that comes with each Engage class. Proposed projects need to have a budget, staff involvement, and an ongoing commitment to success. Non-profits can apply by completing our Request for Proposals and attending an informative workshop in the late spring/early summer of each year. The Leadership Palm Beach County Engage Forward Committee reviews the applications during the summer to provide each Engage Class with a group of non-profits’ projects to select from at their Opening Retreat in September. The project must be completed by May of the following year.
If selected for an Engage Forward project, the Engage Class may work with the organization at their location and will stay in constant contact with the organization through email, phone, and video conferencing to get the organization's input and ensure the project is on track and supported through completion.
Request for Proposals
The RFP for the 2025-26 Engage Forward Projects is now open.
Busch Wildlife Sanctuary
The Sanctuary rescues and rehabilitates natural Florida wildlife while educating the community about environmental conservation. This year the class is helping to spread that message by
Developing a collection of initiatives and sample events to build connections amongst groups outside their typical demographic of visitors.
aZul Fashion, Art & Design
aZul empowers adults of all abilities and their caregivers using Fashion, Art & Design to achieve artistic recognition, dignity, and financial independence. The class is working to enhance this by establishing a new creative entrepreneurship program that pairs students with working creative professionals, turning their art into a career.
Path to College
Path to College connects overlooked yet high-preforming students with college educations. To help the students along this journey and learn valuable and employable skills the class is helping to create a Tech Support program. This program will teach the students tech skills and certifications needed to make an income while going to college.
Philanthropy Tank
The class is creating and helping to execute The Changemaker Summit. This event will bring 100+ kids from all across Palm Beach County to learn about how they can make changes in their community through the nonprofit industry. This aligns with the mission of Philanthropy Tank to empower and inspire youth to find solutions to problems impacting their community.
Clinics Can Help
This organization helps to distribute medical equipment to individuals that may not have the means or ability to access such equipment. The class is helping to expand and refine their mobile distribution and drop off network from a pilot program to a county-wide effort, bringing equipment right into the communities that need it the most.
Extraordinary Charities
Extraordinary Charities helps small non-profits get started and become sustainable. They teamed with the class to develop the “Recipes for Success” program that helps neuro-typical and neuro-atypical individuals get careers in the culinary arts and hospitality industries.
The Hands & Feet
When a foster child is placed in a new home, the foster parents often do not have the supplies needed. The Hands & Feet delivers necessary supplies in a timely manner. The class is working with the organization to refine and expand their intake and distribution system for supplies and expand their community relations efforts.
The amount of knowledge and impact we have received has been absolutely phenomenal working with Leadership PBC. We are beyond thankful, it has been HUGE for a tiny grassroots organization like ours!
- Bailey Hughes , Executive Director and Co-Founder The Hands and Feet
Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches & Treasure Coast
Providing skills to empower youth entrepreneurship and financial literacy is what this organization excels at. The class was brought on to help create the first “Women’s Entrepreneurship Month” and execute programming specifically about women for women in Palm Beach County.
The Pink Queen Foundation
Mission: Connect families to cancer resources
Project: Help grow their support program for underserved families impacted by cancer
Richard David Kann Melanoma Foundation
Mission: Prevent skin cancer
Project: Create a youth-centered educational presentation on the prevention of skin cancer
Vita Nova
Mission: Eliminate youth homelessness
Project: Establish an entrepreneurship program for teens exiting foster care or homelessness
Wellington Cares
Mission: Support seniors who wish to age in place
Project: Modernize operations, processes, and policies to prepare them for future growth
Palm Beach County Ethics Awards - FAU LeRoy Collins Public Ethics Academy
This collaboration with FAU and the Ethics Coalition will define and create processes for annual awards for ethics in Palm Beach County.
Red Apple Supply Online - Education Foundation of Palm Beach County
The class will create an online ordering system and update warehouse organization, policies, and procedures to better serve the neediest schools in our community.
Veteran Ambassadors - Wounded Veterans Relief Fund
The class will develop a program and manual to place volunteer ambassadors in the community to connect veterans with the help they need.
Bicycling for Health - Jack the Bike Man
The class will design the program, process, partnerships, and promotional opportunities to help distribute bicycles to those needing them as therapy for chronic and mental health issues.
Students Speak Up for Kids - Speak up for Kids
Children in and exiting the foster care system often need the support of peers and the community. The class will create materials to promote advocacy amongst supporters for these youth.
Take Stock in Children
The class will help the organization refine and create best practices for mentor recruitment, retainment, and recognition.
Path to College
The class will help create a program to place their low-income, high-achieving students in internships with local business partners.
Habitat for Humanity
After a fire destroyed the organization's furniture thrift store, "ReStore," they needed help. The class will help to redesign the store, plan a marketing campaign and grand opening celebration.
Els for Autism
With adult clients capable of working in our community, the class will help kickstart an employment recruitment program to place them with jobs.
Barky Pines Animal Rescue & Sanctuary
One of the county’s largest no kill animal shelters needs help building community and awareness, so the class will create a 5K run.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Palm Beach and Martin Counties
The waitlist and demand for mentors at an all-time high, yet there is a lack of willing mentors. The class created a “Big for a Day” program to pair volunteers with kids for one day of interactive mentorship experiences.
Families First of Palm Beach County
Many relatives are being forced back into parenting their loved ones children, due to incarceration or personal struggles. The class created a “Kin Support Kit” to empower these second time parents with the knowledge of resources available to help them.
Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches
The elderly population MOWPB services is often neglected, isolated and food insecure. The class helped bring awareness to this organization and the seniors that they help through a marketing initiative.
Opportunity Early Childhood Education & Family Center
The LPBC class of 2004 planted a community garden for this organization and their students. With a move to a new facility, the class of 2019 created a new garden to continue the legacy of healthy eating and healthy minds.
Unicorn Children’s Foundation
This organization helps to give mentally disadvantaged children the real world skills needed to feel empowered and contribute to society. The class chose to help commemorate the work this organization has done over the past 25 years of their existence.
