Mission
To elevate the quality of life of the Latino community in Manatee and Sarasota counties through education, integration, and civic engagement.
Leadership
CEO/Executive Director
Ms. Luz Corcuera
Board Chair
Mr. Kelly Kirschner
Board Chair Affiliation
Eckerd College
General Info
Tax Exempt Status
Public Supported Charity
Incorporation Year
2011
State Charitable Solicitations Permit
Yes Mar 2017
State Registration
Yes June 2017
Financial Summary
Projected Revenue
$311,750.00
Projected Expenses
$311,030.00
IRS Letter of Determination
Needs Statement
UnidosNow is a small, but mighty,
organization of six team members. Much of our impact and success relies heavily
on dedicated, passionate volunteers who can serve in a variety of capacities.
We always need volunteers for the following:
· Mentors: to provide one-on-one advice and guidance for our students whose parents might not have the knowledge or background to assist their child in navigating/completing the college application process.
· Advisory Board Members: to serve on our Business and Strategic Development board to help create long term sustainability for the organization.
· Professional speakers: to serve on career exploration panels/discussions to educate students on their particular career area/profession.
In addition to volunteers, financial support is a critical need to keep our programming going and to be able to expand our college prep activities to elementary and middle schools in Manatee and Sarasota counties; 90% of our students are on free/reduced lunch. Examples of needed support include:
- College prep program scholarships: $5,000 sponsors the college tour for 30 students to visit 10 college campuses. For many, this is their first time away from home and their only experience being on a college campus; $1,300 sponsors one scholarship for one year of comprehensive college guidance, along with support for the student’s parents/guardians; $300 sponsors a one-time workshop for high school seniors, such as SAT/ACT preparation; $100 sponsors the purchase of 5 Fisk Guides for students.
- General operating gifts – of any amount – help support all of UnidosNow’s programs, including college prep, civic integration, and strategic initiatives.
Background Statement
In the fall of 2010, UnidosNow was founded to represent the integration needs of the region's fastest growing and most under-represented demographic: the Hispanic population. In the last 20 years, in Sarasota/Manatee counties, the Latino population has grown by 300%. However, integration of this community into the larger community's education, civic, economic, and cultural spheres has lagged heavily behind.
In the very foreseeable future , the ability of Latinos to secure a good education will have major ramifications on the safety and economic stability for both communities to prosper locally, statewide, and nationally. Unfortunately, despite the efforts of many well-meaning organizations, too many high-potential Hispanic/Latino students are being left behind and might continue to be left behind.
According to the Chronical of Higher Education, 43.5% of graduating seniors will be Hispanic, within the next 14 years. Currently, 66% of the adult Hispanic population in Manatee County and 60% of the adult Hispanic population in Sarasota County either dropped out of high school or only have a high school education ( Florida Department of Education, 2013).
Areas Served
Areas Served Comments
UnidosNow's present work is concentrated in the Sarasota-Manatee area, home to nearly 80,000 Hispanics. There are no other organizations doing education access and integration work that UnidosNow is doing anywhere in the vicinity.
Service Categories
Primary Org Type
Education
Secondary Org Type
Human Services
Tertiary Org Type
Civil Rights, Social Action, Advocacy
Statement from the Board Chair/Board President
If you look at the state of Florida and recognize the fact that a quarter of our population is now Hispanic, you should also quickly appreciate that there is a tremendous gulf in how our State is embracing this dramatic demographic shift. This is particularly true for southwest Florida and the Manasota region, where Latinos now number 80,000, representing the region's largest minority group. When speaking before groups in the area, we frequently use the analogy, "If you are a business, a government body, an arts organization, or a non-profit organization and you do not have a strategy to engage the exploding Hispanic population, it is akin to General Motors telling their shareholders they have no interest to invest or capture any market share in China or the emerging markets of Asia." In other words, the survival of vibrant communities and organizations over the next two to three decades will depend on this effort.
UnidosNow is looking to get ahead of such an erosion and lead this conversation now. As our name suggests, we lead the discussion in both Spanish and English - believing that the rapprochement is a two-way street, or indeed, a two-way obligation. We are a convening body, looking to bring together faith based-leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, students, government officials, and aligned communities that push for the greater integration of Hispanic and mainstream communities in southwest Florida, that will ultimately benefit the stability and prosperity of the region for all.
Statement from the CEO/Executive Director
CEO/Executive Director
CEO/Executive Director
Ms. Luz Corcuera
CEO Term Start
Jan 2016
CEO/Executive Director Email
luz@unidosnow.org
Experience
Luz has a proven track record in community-building and engagement. She served as Program Director for Healthy Start Manatee and as a Community Health Director for the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County. Luz is passionate about education, health, cultural competency, and understanding the social determinants influencing socio-economic wellbeing. Her significant work includes developing and overseeing diverse community-based initiatives to empower underserved and at-risk communities. Luz moved from Toronto, Canada in 2000 where she practiced family therapy and remains a member of the Ontario Society of Psychotherapists. As an immigrant woman, Luz knows firsthand the challenges of integrating into a new community and sees education as the path out of poverty- values that she instilled in her own children from a very early age. She is committed to working with any individual and organization that promotes opportunities for our young population. Luz has been recognized with numerous awards for building strong relationships in the Manasota region with private, public, faith-based, and civic organizations to close the education achievement gap, reverse negative health and education trends and empower people to take a proactive role in civic life.
Former CEOs/Executive Directors
Staff & Volunteer Statistics
Full Time Staff
3
Part Time Staff
0
Staff Retention Rate %
100
Professional Development
Yes
Contractors
3
Volunteers
50
Management Reports to Board
Yes
CEO/Executive Director Formal Evaluation
Yes
Senior Management Formal Evaluation
Yes
Non-Management Formal Evaluation
Yes
Collaborations
UnidosNow collaborates with Hispanic churches in Sarasota and Manatee as well as the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, New College, Catholic Charities, Gulf Coast Legal Services, the Asolo Repertory Theater, Healthy Teens Coalition of Manatee County, Sarasota and Manatee County school districts, NAACP-Manatee, Saraota Sheriff's Office, Sarasota Police Department, Talent for Tomorrow, Community Youth Development and Manatee Community Foundation.
External Assessments and Accreditations
Risk Management Provisions
Government Licenses
Organization Licensed by the Government
No
Plans
Fundraising Plan
No
Communication Plan
No
Strategic Plan
Yes
Strategic Plan Years
5
Strategic Plan Adopted
May 2014
Management Succession Plan
No
Continuity of Operations Plan
No
Policies
Nondiscrimination Policy
Yes
Whistle Blower Policy
Yes
Document Destruction Policy
No
Directors and Officers Insurance Policy
No
Policies and Procedures
No
Board Chair
Board Chair
Mr. Kelly Kirschner
Company Affiliation
Eckerd College
Board Term
Jan 2016 to Jan 2018
Board Chair Email
kirschkm@eckerd.edu
Board Members
Constituency Includes Client Representation
No
Board Ethnicity
African American/Black
0
Asian American/Pacific Islander
0
Caucasian
3
Hispanic/Latino
3
Native American/American Indian
0
Other
0 0
Board Gender
Male
4
Female
2
Unspecified
0
Governance
Board Term Lengths
2
Board Term Limits
2
Board Orientation
No
Number of Full Board Meetings Annually
4
Board Meeting Attendance %
100
Board Self-Evaluation
Yes
Written Board Selection Criteria
No
Board Conflict of Interest Policy
Yes
% of Board Making Monetary Contributions
100
% of Board Making In-Kind Contributions
100
Fiscal Year Projections
Fiscal Year Begins
2017
Fiscal Year Ends
2017
Projected Revenue
$311,750.00
Projected Expenses
$311,030.00
Organization has Endowment
No
Capital Campaign
Currently In a Capital Campaign
No
Campaign Purpose
Campaign Goal
Campaign Dates
0 to 0
Amount Raised To Date
0 as of 0
Audit/Financial Documents
Historical Financial Review
CEO/Executive Director Compensation
Tax Credits
No
Solvency
Short Term Solvency