Who We Are.

Through collaborative partnerships, FutureMakers Coalition leverages collective impact strategies to advance system-level solutions that improve education and workforce outcomes across Southwest Florida, strengthening economic mobility and overall quality of life.

OUR PURPOSE

FutureMakers Coalition works to strengthen Southwest Florida’s education-to-workforce pipeline by advancing system-level solutions that improve outcomes from early learning through career attainment. Through collective impact, we align partners across sectors to build a skilled, resilient workforce that supports long-term economic mobility and quality of life for all residents.

FutureMakers operates along the cradle-to-career continuum, beginning with high-quality early childhood learning and continuing through K-12 success, postsecondary access and completion, credential attainment, and career connection. We focus on systems change that removes barriers to educational achievement, expands access to high-quality learning opportunities, and fosters a culture of career exploration and aspiration from an early age.

Education beyond high school is a critical driver of economic stability and upward mobility. Yet significant attainment gaps persist across race, ethnicity, income, geography, and citizenship status. Using a multigenerational and equity-centered approach, the coalition works to close these gaps by aligning policies, practices, and resources to ensure systems are fair, accessible, and designed to work for everyone.

OUR REGION

Southwest Florida needs more brain power. More than 60% of jobs require education beyond high school, and a skilled workforce is the best economic development incentive.

We have a wealth of untapped capacity and potential. Our five-county region includes tens of thousands first-generation students, underemployed adults, and people who never pursued or completed programs due to financial burdens, time constraints, and a multitude of other reasons.

The coalition has grown to over 300 FutureMakers representing business, education, government, nonprofits, philanthropy, residents, and students across Glades, Hendry, Collier, Lee, and Charlotte counties. Working regionally enhances the coalition’s ability to attract state and national funding and expertise. It also helps us share and coordinate best practices to maximize the knowledge and resources we already have. Hover over the counties below to see examples of work being accomplished by FutureMakers County Partners:

Glades – FutureMakers in Glades county use the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program to improve student achievement using research-based instructional methods, organizational strategies, Socratic tutoring sessions, mentoring, and postsecondary education preparation. AVID is a comprehensive system for instructing teachers at all grade levels how to inspire their students to be leaders, achievers, and team players.

Charlotte – County partners within the school systems and technical colleges work to remove barriers in attainment for in-demand jobs by targeting populations in greatest need for career connections.

Lee – The School System of Lee County has aligned their strategic plan to FutureMakers outcomes. Their mission is to ensure each student achieves his/her highest potential by striving for excellence, integrity, accountability, and professionalism. They aim to be a world-class school system that believes in and sets high expectations for its students.

Hendry – County partners within the school systems and technical colleges work to remove barriers in attainment for in-demand jobs by targeting populations in greatest need for career connections.

Collier – Future Ready Collier connects organizations, businesses, schools and community members to increase kindergarten readiness and assist every young so they can enter adulthood with a vision and plan to accomplish that vision.

OUR ROOTS

The FutureMakers Coalition builds upon a successful regional collaboration launched in 2013 to increase the number of graduating high school students completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, FAFSA, and tap into more than $3 billion in unclaimed federal college and post-secondary assistance.

The FutureMakers Coalition formed in March 2015 as part of the Southwest Florida region’s inclusion in Lumina Foundation’s Community Partners for Attainment, a program of 75 community cohorts throughout the country dedicated to significantly increasing the percent of residents with college degrees and post-secondary certifications and credentials.

TIMELINE

2025

Realigned coalition structure and established shared regional priorities and an overarching goal aligned with peer coalitions to strengthen accountability across the cradle-to-career continuum
Launched the IMAG After School Program with financial support from the Lee County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) to expand after-school STEM programming for local youth while enabling parents to upskill, re-enter, or maintain employment
Launched a regional literacy initiative in partnership with the Southwest Florida Library Network (SWFLN), funded through a grant from Suncoast Credit Union, to expand access to literacy programming in Hendry and Glades counties
Supported the City of LaBelle, a FutureMakers and Building Rural Communities partner, in its selection to the National League of Cities’ Municipal Action Cohort to strengthen strategies connecting adults to postsecondary training
Partnered with SHRM SWFL to present to 100 regional employers on the benefits of hiring adults with unique abilities
Convened 120+ C-suite leaders at the 10th Annual Breakfast of Champions
Served 8,000+ Reconnectors across the region
Placed 1,000+ Reconnectors into Good Jobs

2024

Launched Charlotte County Regional Action team
4,000+ Reconnectors served
Executed Partnership for Sustainability Employer-led Request for Proposals for the SWFL Equitable Jobs Pipeline project
Launched the Employer Recruitment Continuum Team
Elsa & Peter Soderberg Charitable Foundation, matched by Lee County IDA, funding to support the Employer Recruitment Continuum work
Launched Rural County Coalition team to work across all coalitions funded by the Building Rural Community Systems grant
Awarded ECMC grant through FCAN for the FAFSA First team

2023

Support increased from 3 to 11 FTEs
1,000 Reconnectors served
SWFL Equitable Jobs Pipeline 33% complete
Hurricane Ian response
Skills-based hiring project team launched
Lee County Schools “Out of School Programming” Launched
Partnered with Hendry County School District for dedicated navigator
Replicated FMC model and launched 2 complementary coalitions
Second chance hiring program launched

2022

Launched Graduate! SWFL Navigators Program
Awarded Building Rural Learning Systems Grant
Launched Hendry County Action Team
FGCU Return to the Nest and FSW Second Look launched to bring back students who stopped-out before earning degree
Pilot Program to help stop-outs finish
Challenge grant from Esla & Peter Soderberg Charitable Foundation matched by Lee County IDA
FGCU and FutureMakers awarded $22.9 M U.S. EDA Grant to create SWFL Equitable Jobs Pipeline

2021

Florida Southwestern Sate College Student Voice Summit
Expansion of Lee County Pre-K transition Program
Equity Action Team engages 2000
Bank of America $300k investment in capacity of FutureMakers Coalition
Southwest Florida Workforce Ecosystem prepared by EnSite

2020

Southwest Florida Talent Hub
Conversations on Structural Racism & Implicit Bias Pilot Launched
COVID Lock-downs begin
HR Poll reveals demand for qualified workers
Equity and COVID Conversation Series launched
Glades County Schools & FSW Collegiate High School Punta Gorda designated FL FAFSA Champions
Regional Educational and Workforce Outcomes Report – first time combine FutureMakers and WorkforceNow Report

2019

Recalibrated Collaborative Structure & Distributed Leadership Model
Early Learning Parent Communication Project Funded
FGCU Action Team Formed
Internships Project Team Formed
Equity Action Expert Team Formed
Hospitality System Alignment Team Formed
Received Invitation to Apply for Talent Hub Community Designation from Lumina Foundation

2018

FutureMakers Endowment Established
Technical Colleges Pilot Impact of Emergency & Gap Funding
Lee County Action Team Formed
Held Inaugural Dream Summit
Finding Your Path to Success: College and Career Readiness Project Piloted

2017

Early Learning Effort to Increase Kindergarten Readiness Piloted
Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce Chrysalis Award – Education
Workforce Now Merged with FutureMakers
Hodges Professional Effectiveness Certificate Piloted

2016

Released Baseline Data Report – Establishing Regional Outcomes
Future Ready Collier Officially Launched
Healthcare System Alignment Project Piloted
FAFSA first! Campaign Launched
Held Inaugural Student Voice Summit

2015

Awarded Challenge Grant from Richard M. Schulz Family Foundation
FutureMakers Coalition Officially Launched
Regional Action Teams Formed
Held Inaugural Breakfast of Champions Meeting

2014

Earned Designation as Community PArtner for Attainment from Lumina Foundation

2013

FAFSA Project Piloted

2012

3D Initiative Report REleased

OUR TEAM

Jane Gray

Partnership Manager

April Mesa

Navigator Coordinator

Luz Martinez

Navigator

Dariia Lukianenko

Grant Accountant

Miara Jean

Navigator

Lis Scott

Employer Recruitment Specialist

Geoffrey Chambers

Employer Recruitment Specialist

Coalition Values

The FutureMakers Coalition is built on the belief that strong education and workforce outcomes require shared ownership across sectors and communities. We work to drive meaningful, system-level progress by aligning partners around common priorities, clear goals, and a unified vision for the region.

Guided by shared indicators and local data, we focus on the most pressing gaps within Southwest Florida’s education-to-career pathway. This approach ensures efforts are aligned, resources are used effectively, and actions are focused on achieving measurable, meaningful results.

We cultivate a collaborative environment rooted in trust, shared learning, and accountability. By connecting partners across education, workforce, economic development, and community organizations, we surface what works and expand those efforts—strengthening pathways from cradle-to-career and increasing economic opportunity for individuals and families across Southwest Florida.

The FutureMakers Coalition’s Backbone Organization and Guiding Team convene leadership and nurtures relationships between content experts and key stakeholders, who make up Expert, Regional Action, and Project Teams. The work drives our collaborative structure and teams morph as needed to make progress towards transforming Southwest Florida’s workforce.