Client WIN! How Family Promise of Brevard Won the Sapphire Award

Last week at the Florida Blue Community Health Symposium, Family Promise of Brevard was honored with the 2025 Sapphire Award from the Florida Blue Foundation and received a $100,000 investment.

Their recognition is a reminder of the power of combining impactful programming + strong leadership + clear success metrics + compelling storytelling.

The secret to a winning proposal?

We often get asked: “What makes a proposal stand out?” 

Measurable outcomes.

Innovation in programming.

A clear, human-centered story that connects the dots between the problem, your solution, and real lives impacted.

Family Promise of Brevard’s pitch did just that. They didn’t just present numbers—they illustrated how housing is healthcare, and how their model brings together housing stability, healthcare access, childcare, education, and financial literacy under one roof to break the cycle of poverty for families.

What this means for nonprofits seeking funding

If you’re applying for a major award or grant, here are a few lessons from this win:

✅ Your outcomes matter—but so does the way you frame them. Funders want to see results, but they also want to understand why your work matters and how it changes lives.

✅ Tell a cohesive story. Every piece of your application should reinforce your mission, vision, and impact. From your budget to your program description to your letters of support, it’s all part of the narrative.

✅ Connect your work to broader systems change. Family Promise’s framing of housing as healthcare helped reviewers see their work in the larger context of community health and social determinants of health.

✅ Strong leadership counts. Funders invest in leaders as much as they invest in programs. Highlighting your leadership’s expertise, track record, and vision adds credibility.

Congratulations again to Family Promise of Brevard on this statewide recognition. It’s an honor to be a small part of their journey, supporting the strategy, storytelling, and grant writing behind their work.

If your organization already has proven programs and outcomes but is ready to scale, sustain, and deepen your impact, let’s talk. At SDC Strategies, we specialize in helping mission-driven organizations refine their story, strengthen their strategy, and secure the next level of funding to expand their reach and influence!

November 2024 Update

At SDC Strategies, we are passionate about helping mission-driven leaders do more good. We're proud to share an update on our impact over the past three years. We've secured $9.93 million in grant funding for our clients, with an average of 58.3% of grants awarded.

Our client's success is built on a foundation of services tailored to their needs that includes grant writing, interim leadership and financial management, and planning, design, and implementation support.

These results represent more than just numbers—they reflect the lives and communities positively impacted by our clients' work. From securing funds for housing programs to advancing health education and addressing systemic inequities, SDC Strategies is helping our clients achieve lasting change.

And now more than ever, we remain committed to supporting those fighting for equity, reproductive health, housing for all, environmental protection, and basic human rights. Together, we continue to tackle the tough stuff.

Year 1 Impact

In less than a year, my vision of starting a business aimed at empowering social impact organizations to amplify their impact has become a reality. As a seasoned Executive Director, I recognized the need for external support in areas that often overwhelmed or consumed too much of my time. I also understood the value of fresh perspectives offered by external consultants when addressing complex challenges. Now, a year later, I am so proud of the accomplishments achieved in collaboration with my initial clients. Together, we have tackled some wicked issues, including housing and homelessness, maternal child health, diaper need, illiteracy, and more. I embarked on this venture unsure of its success, but the numbers speak for themselves. Excited for year 2!