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The Florida Prosperity Report - February 2026

CommunityPress ReleaseGeneral News Article

February Update on the Florida Prosperity Initiative's Efforts to Replace Childhood Poverty with Prosperity and Self-Sufficiency
 
New Florida Prosperity Initiative Analysis Shows Childhood Poverty Declines Again
 
The Florida Prosperity Initiative, in partnership with the Florida Chamber Foundation's research team, just released its analysis on Florida's latest childhood poverty figures, offering a powerful snapshot of where our state stands—and where we must continue to push for local outcomes.
 
In the most recent reporting period, the number of children living in poverty declined from 714,768 to 711,576, representing another step forward on the long-term goal of cutting childhood poverty in half by 2030—a cornerstone objective of the Florida Prosperity Initiative.
This progress reflects the collective impact of business, community, nonprofit, and policy leaders working together to expand economic opportunity and remove barriers for families pursuing self-sufficiency here in Florida.
 
Yet, while the decline is encouraging, the data reminds us that poverty still affects hundreds of thousands of Florida’s children, with deeper challenges persisting in many neighborhoods. As we reflect on these numbers, we are doubling down on our commitment to providing data-driven, localized solutions—because behind every statistic is a child, a family, and a community counting on us to deliver opportunity and hope.
Watch the new Florida By The Numbers, analyzing the new poverty data, featuring Florida Chamber Foundation Senior Research Economist, Sheridan Morby, and Kristina Donohue, Director of Mission Advancement & Board Development for the Florida Chamber Foundation's Florida Prosperity Initiative.


Read our press release on Florida's latest poverty data.


Beyond the Numbers: Turning Florida's Poverty Data Into Action



How Data Helps Us Tackle the 10 Root Causes of Poverty


By: Sheridan Morby, Senior Research Economist, Florida Chamber Foundation 


When we dig into Florida’s poverty data, our goal is to go beyond the headlines and focus on what the numbers are really telling us. Data should do more than inform—it should guide action. By looking at long-term trends alongside what’s happening at the local level, we aim to translate complex figures into clear insights that leaders, employers, and community partners can use to make smarter, more effective decisions. The data not only helps us understand where Florida is making progress, but where families and children are still being left behind.


What we know is that Florida's childhood poverty saw a slight drop: 35 counties have reduced their childhood poverty, 31 counties saw an increase in childhood poverty, and 1 stayed the same. The numbers are both encouraging and challenging. Florida is moving in the right direction, but prosperity is not reaching every community at the same pace. Our initial analysis makes it clear that sustained zip code-level solutions, workforce investment, regional collaboration, and policies that support economic self-sufficiency are essential to moving from incremental improvement to lasting prosperity for all Floridians.


The Florida Prosperity Initiative and the Florida Chamber Foundation’s research team are continuing to analyze the new data and will provide a full report next month. 


In the meantime, see county-level poverty rates ranked from least to highest year-over-year here.
  
If you are new to the movement, watch this short video to learn more about the Florida Prosperity Initiative and read on to learn how we are uniting business and community leaders to focus on tackling the 10 root causes of poverty—once and for all.
Learn How You Can Make An Impact In Your Community
 
 
10th Annual Florida Prosperity & Economic Opportunity
Solution Summit Set for June 9 in Tampa 
 
Registration is open – agenda now available!


We are once again uniting hundreds of business and community leaders on the path to prosperity at our Florida Prosperity & Economic Opportunity Solution Summit on June 9, 2026, in Tampa! Join us to make valuable connections and gain insights into the future-focused solutions that are successfully tackling the 10 root causes of generational poverty in Florida, one zip code at a time. 


Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is confirmed as one of our keynote speakers, as is our very own Statewide Director of Community Engagement for the Florida Prosperity Initiative, Heather Cogar. Be sure to register now, as this event sells out!  
View important highlights from our 2025 Solution Summit.


Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Contact Justin Sandlin.
Register Now
ICYMI: Prosperity In the News
 
Florida Prosperity Initiative WXJB Radio Interview with Statewide Director
Heather Cogar


In this interview with Richard Spires, host of Nature Coast Morning News, our Statewide Director, Heather Cogar, discusses the Florida Prosperity Initiative's mission, her personal tie to the mission, and why the business community should lead zip code-level efforts to cut childhood poverty in half.
 
  1. AOL: Florida’s Bold Bet On Zip Codes Pays Off As Child Poverty Hits New Lows
  2. Tampa Free Press: Florida’s Bold Bet on Zip Codes Pays Off As Child Poverty Hits New Lows
  3. Newsbreak: Florida Chamber Foundation’s Florida Prosperity Initiative’s New Analysis Shows Florida Making Continued Progress on Replacing Childhood Poverty with Prosperity
  4. Target News Service: Florida Chamber Foundation's Florida Prosperity Initiative's New Analysis Shows Florida Making Continued Progress on Replacing Childhood Poverty With Prosperity
  5. Florida Politics: Last Call for 2.4.26 – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida
  6. Florida Politics (syndicated in Spot on Florida): Florida Chamber: Childhood poverty continues to decline
  7. Florida Daily: Florida’s Economy Looking Good in 2026
  8. Targeted News Service: Florida Chamber Foundation's Florida Prosperity Initiative's New Analysis Shows Florida Making Continued Progress on Replacing Childhood Poverty With Prosperity

 
The Florida Model: Addressing the 10 Root Causes of Generational Poverty

Each of Florida’s 983 zip codes is different and so are the unique challenges to breaking the cycle of generational poverty. Learn about each of the 10 root causes of poverty below:
 
As we double down on replacing childhood poverty with prosperity, here is an overview of the 10 Root Causes of Poverty. Each newsletter highlights best practices in zip codes and communities throughout Florida so other leaders can replicate these ideas throughout our state and eventually the nation. Soon, we will host regular webinars highlighting the impact of the root causes, and we hope you will help us spread the word to others who want to put Florida families in need on the path to prosperity.  
Click here to learn about each root cause.


Learn how the 10 Root Causes of Poverty are impacting your zip code on 
The Florida Gap Map.
 
Root Cause Model Testimonial: Mike Bays, State Farm Agent


Mike Bays, a prominent Citrus County business and community leader, explains, “The genius of the Prosperity Initiative approach is it lets local business leaders collaborate together with their local Sheriff, chamber, United Way, schools, food pantries, and others to create zip code-level solutions based on the unique needs of our zip code (34465) here in Citrus County. As a local State Farm Agent, I want what’s best for our community, and the Florida Chamber Foundation Prosperity Initiative’s 10 Root Causes Model allows businesses in my zip code to focus our time and resources on what will make the biggest difference in cutting childhood poverty in half.” 
Our Statewide Director of Community Engagement, Heather Cogar, grew up in poverty, was in Florida’s foster care system, and has broken the cycle of generational poverty, and is now engaging business and community leaders as we grow the Florida Prosperity Initiative in all 983 zip codes and would love to connect with you. 
  
“I know firsthand that abuse, foster care, and poverty do not have to define a child’s future. When caring adults, businesses, and community leaders show up with intention and data-driven solutions, the cycle of generational poverty can be broken. We are creating pathways to opportunity that truly change lives for generations, one zip code at a time, one family at a time.” 


Read why business leadership matters in creating pathways to prosperity in Florida.
Contact Heather Cogar to Engage in Our Root Cause Efforts
 
What's Working in Our Zip Codes Today?

As our President & CEO, Mark Wilson, often says, “Florida has pockets of excellence, but we need patterns of excellence.” Finding best practices in one area that can be replicated and scaled across Florida’s 983 zip codes is what the Florida Prosperity Initiative calls a “promising practice.” We know that government programs alone won’t solve our challenges, and we know that the ingenuity of local businesses needs to be amplified, replicated, and scaled through our promising practices platform. 
 
Prosperity Initiative Advisory Board Member Spotlight: How Collaboratory Southwest Florida and Dawn Belamarich, President & CEO, Leverage Strategic Philanthropy in the Fight Against Poverty


A Data-Driven Approach to Addressing the 10 Root Causes of Poverty


As President & CEO of Collaboratory and member of the Florida Prosperity Initiative Advisory Board, Dawn Belamarich uses the Florida Gap Map because it turns complex poverty data—grounded in the Florida Prosperity Initiative’s 10 Root Causes of Poverty—into clear, actionable insights that help pinpoint where children are most at risk and which barriers are holding families back from economic stability. These insights help their communities intervene and advocate for earlier and more effectively.


“We unite business, non-profit and community leaders in our five Southwest Florida counties and the Prosperity Initiative’s 10 Root Causes of Poverty allow us to focus our time, resources and action where and how it’s needed most,” said Dawn Belamarich, President & CEO of Collaboratory.


By visualizing gaps in income, education, workforce access, and basic needs across Southwest Florida, the Florida Gap Map helps Collaboratory align business, philanthropic, and nonprofit leaders around shared priorities. This data-driven approach ensures resources are targeted, measurable, and focused on addressing poverty at its source—helping reduce barriers for families, strengthen pathways to self-sufficiency, and create lasting opportunity for children in the communities they serve.
  
Learn more about Collaboratory’s work to address the 10 root causes of poverty
 
Our Director of Mission Advancement & Board Development, Kristina Donohue, works with our Florida Prosperity Initiative's statewide advisory board to lead our targeted efforts to end generational poverty in Florida. We invite you to reach out to Kristina directly to learn how your organization can help lead the charge.
Contact Kristina Donohue to Explore Advisory Board Opportunities

Organization Spotlight: How Prosperity Broward Removes Barriers at the Zip Code Level to Economic Opportunity



The Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance Foundation’s Prosperity Broward initiative, under the leadership of President & CEO Bob Swindell, seeks to empower prosperity for all by leveraging the county’s booming economy to benefit individuals in six economically challenged zip codes: 33311, 33309, 33313, 33319, 33069, and 33023. By engaging municipal leaders, funders, educational institutions, social service and faith-based organizations, business leaders, and residents, Prosperity Broward works to dismantle barriers to economic mobility and build a more inclusive economy.


“At Prosperity Broward, we focus on the zip codes where poverty and workforce gaps are most concentrated, aligning business leadership, education, and workforce strategies to create measurable pathways to economic mobility. Through alignment with the Florida Prosperity Initiative, our local action connects to a statewide framework—strengthening Florida’s long-term competitiveness while breaking cycles of generational poverty,” said Bob Swindell, President & CEO, The Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance Foundation.
 
This initiative’s six focus areas are education/training, employment, small business development, employer engagement, support services, and policy.  Click here to learn more.


See More Promising Practices
UP NEXT: Highlighting Unattainable Housing as a Root Cause of Poverty 

In next month's newsletter, we will feature leaders in Florida who are finding solutions to address Unattainable Housing as a root cause of poverty. If you, or an organization you know, are helping a zip code overcome one or more of the 10 root causes of poverty, please send them to us so we can learn more and potentially share them in The Florida Prosperity Report. Simply send a short description to Kristina Donohue.
 
Partnerships in Florida Showing How the Collective Impact Model Works
 
United Way Driving Measurable Change in Florida's Fight 
Against Poverty
Melissa Nelson and our partners at United Way of Florida are deeply committed to improving outcomes around the 10 Root Causes of Poverty by using data and research—such as ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed)—to better understand the financial realities facing working families across our state.
 
Through statewide advocacy, local partnerships, and targeted initiatives that advance education, income stability, health, and basic needs, United Way is addressing the underlying barriers to economic self-sufficiency and access to quality education and workforce opportunities.
 
Key efforts include ALICE research and advocacy, early learning and school readiness initiatives, financial stability and workforce readiness programs, and health, housing, and basic needs collaboratives. By aligning local United Ways with partners and policymakers, United Way of Florida is moving communities beyond short-term relief toward long-term, systems-level solutions—closely aligned with the Florida Prosperity Initiative and its focus on tackling poverty at its roots and creating lasting pathways to prosperity.
With Over 600 Employers in Network, Hope Florida Continues to Address Lack of Job Opportunities as a Root Cause of Poverty
Employers across Florida are helping to build momentum around creating paths to economic opportunity for all Floridians by addressing barriers to seeking employment. Job creators such as TECO, CITY Furniture, Publix, Moore, Walgreens, Chick Fil-A, KPMG, and more, have joined the Hope Florida Employer Network to help illuminate the path to self-sufficiency.


Want to learn how you can become a Hope Florida employer, joining these companies in supporting individuals and families? Click here.
Citrus County and Commissioner Rebecca Bays All In on Breaking the Cycle of Generational Poverty
The Prosperity Citrus initiative, a localized extension of the Florida Prosperity Initiative, is a county-wide effort launched in the spring of 2021 to unite business, non-profit, and county government leaders in providing residents with an opportunity to break the cycle of generational poverty. The initiative connects volunteer coaches with Citrus County residents living in poverty to provide resources aimed at helping them create a path to self-sufficiency.


In this short video, Citrus County Commissioner Rebecca Bays shares why Citrus County is all in on breaking the cycle of generational poverty as she announces our Statewide Director of Community Engagement, Heather Cogar's February 10 presentation at the Citrus County Board of Commissioners Meeting. Commissioner Bays has long been committed to finding real solutions to break the cycle of generational poverty in Citrus County. Her passion for building a strong, capable workforce and strengthening the local economy continues to drive her commitment to initiatives like this that focus on early, proactive intervention. More on the Citrus County difference in our "All Around Florida" update below.

 
The Florida Prosperity Initiative Around Florida
 
Florida Prosperity Initiative Statewide Director, Heather Cogar, Discusses Replacing Poverty With Economic Self-Sufficiency at Citrus County Board of County Commissioners Meeting
This week, our Statewide Director of Community Engagement, Heather Cogar, highlighted the direct connection between long-term economic growth and reducing childhood poverty at the zip-code level to the Citrus County Board of County Commissioners.


A special thank you to Commissioner Rebecca Bays for the invitation, her continued leadership in mental health advocacy, and dedication to strengthening the economic future of Citrus County. Her long-standing commitment to families and community well-being reflects the type of leadership required to move meaningful, data-driven solutions forward.


We would also like to extend our appreciation to the entire Board of County Commissioners for their thoughtful engagement during the presentation and their clear enthusiasm for aligning efforts around measurable, community-driven solutions.
Florida Prosperity Initiative Hosts Citrus County Prosperity Roundtable Turning Momentum Into Motion
Citrus County hosted its second Prosperity Roundtable focused on what it truly looks like to move the needle on cutting childhood poverty in half at the zip code level. The meeting was hosted by our Statewide Director of Community Engagement, Heather Cogar, accompanied by Kristina Donohue, our Director of Mission Advancement & Board Development.
 
Sheriff David Vincent, Superintendent Scott Hebert, and Citrus County Chamber President Josh Wooten joined a table of respected community leaders committed to working together to create real, measurable change.
 
Commissioner Rebecca Bays, also in attendance, has already followed up with a pledge to lean into early childhood intervention and explore funding opportunities with community and state partners, including the Citrus County School Board and local Education Foundation, to directly impact the zip codes in her district.
Florida Prosperity Initiative Highlights Impact of Poverty on Economic Opportunity with Jackson County Economic Development Committee
Heather Cogar recently had the opportunity to share the Florida Prosperity Initiative mission virtually with the Jackson County Economic Development Committee, where she focused the discussion on the impact of poverty on workforce, economic growth, and long-term community sustainability. The engagement produced thoughtful questions, valuable feedback, and a shared interest in how local leaders and businesses can work together to address the 10 root causes of poverty using zip code-level data. Jackson County has 2,817 children living in poverty and we are hopeful this meeting further engages Jackson County leaders to replace childhood poverty with prosperity. 


As a result of Heather’s economic development presentation, Heather will be back in March as the keynote speaker for the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce luncheon where our Prosperity Initiative will be raising awareness, connecting dots and seeking zip code and root cause volunteers for each of Jackson County’s zip codes. 
Stitching Hope Together: Florida Prosperity Initiative Unites With Tallahassee College Students to Support Children Facing Poverty
Krimson Comfort Factory, hosted by the Beta Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. in collaboration with the Alpha Xi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., brought the community together for a powerful, hands-on service initiative focused on child poverty at the Florida A&M University Ballroom.
 
Participants created handmade fleece blankets for displaced children and those living in shelters, while engaging in guided discussions about economic instability, limited access to basic resources, and the long-term impact poverty has on families and economic development. Kristina Donohue, our Director of Mission Advancement & Board Development, had the opportunity to share local and statewide childhood poverty data, highlighting how barriers affect children at every level. She also outlined practical ways individuals and organizations can support vulnerable youth.
Request Heather or Kristina to Speak at Your Next Event
 
Understanding Your Community: 
America's Best Zip Code and County-Level Data & Tools
 
Leaders don’t know what they don’t know and they can’t manage what they don’t measure. Let us help you take a deeper dive into the 10 root causes of generational poverty and how you can address them, one by one, in your zip code. Thanks to the Florida Gap Map, millions of dollars of philanthropy has already been redirected and focused directly into the zip codes and root causes where they will make the biggest impact on lives and outcomes. 
 
These data-driven resources are empowering business leaders, nonprofit administrators, and policymakers to move beyond one-size-fits-all solutions by pinpointing the distinct barriers to opportunity in each zip code. By aligning strategies and investments with the specific needs of each community, leaders can make measurable progress toward eliminating poverty and ensuring every Floridian has an opportunity at earned success. 
 
To get a pulse on Florida and your community, access our data tools below: 
 
Visit TheFloridaScorecard.org to view your county’s progress on the path to prosperity. Metrics include overall Poverty Rate, Children in Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, and more. 
 
Visit TheFloridaGapMap.org to take a deep dive into the 10 root causes of poverty and how they are impacting your community at the zip code level. 
 
 
Thank You to Our Florida Prosperity Advisory Board!
Interested in joining these leaders and companies in securing the path to prosperity in Florida? Contact Kristina Donohue at kdonohue@flchamber.com.
Meet the Florida Prosperity Initiative Team!
 

Kristina Donohue, Director of Mission Advancement & Board Development



Kristina leads mission advancement for our Florida Prosperity Initiative, including fundraising and partnership investment. Kristina works with our Prosperity Advisory Board to implement targeted efforts to cut Florida childhood poverty in half by 2030.


Contact Kristina to learn more and get involved.

Heather Cogar, Statewide Director of Community Engagement



Heather leads our Florida Prosperity Initiative's zip code and county-level efforts to replace childhood poverty with prosperity and self-sufficiency. She travels the state building strategic “root cause” solutions between business leaders, community organizations, and families in need. 


Contact Heather to learn more and get involved.
 
We're securing the future of Florida every day.
Connect with us to see how!

The Florida Prosperity Report - Febru...
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