Category: News

  • Lealman Exchange hosts fourth annual STEAM Day

    Young people gathered Wednesday at the Lealman Exchange to learn more about science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. The Exchange, in the unincorporated community of Lealman, provides resources to local residents. The center is a public-private partnership between Pinellas County and the St. Petersburg Foundation. A variety of Tampa Bay area organizations participated in the fourth…

  • Science Center of Pinellas County Earns Florida Heritage Marker

    The former Science Center of Pinellas County has been named a Florida Heritage Site, joining a statewide program that recognizes places central to the state’s history. The designation comes through the Florida Historical Marker Program, administered by the Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources. The program places a metal marker at qualifying sites…

  • Free Tech Support Program at Lealman Exchange Draws Steady Crowd of Seniors

    A free weekly technology help desk at the Lealman Exchange has found a consistent audience since launching in March, drawing seniors and community members who need hands-on help navigating smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Community Tech Desk runs every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon and is co-sponsored by CodeBoxx Foundation and Unique IT Pro. The…

  • St. Petersburg Foundation Welcomes Julie Mastry to its Board of Directors

    St. Petersburg Foundation is proud to announce the appointment of Julie Mastry to its Board of Directors. Julie Mastry brings more than five decades of distinguished service to Pinellas County — a career built from the classroom up and defined by leadership across public education, philanthropy, and the arts. She began as a teacher and…

  • Looking at structural risks beneath property tax reform proposals

    Nonprofit leaders must look beyond the rhetoric of tax relief to understand longterm implications. Welcome to the Catalyst’s Community Voices platform. We’ve curated community leaders and thinkers from all parts of our great city to speak on issues that affect us all. Visit our Community Voices page for more details.  A recent statewide briefing on potential property tax…

  • What High-Capacity Donors Are Teaching Tampa Bay’s Nonprofits

    A recent webinar hosted by the Pinellas Community Foundation, “Decoding the Motivations and Strategies of High-Capacity Philanthropists,” offered a revealing look at how affluent donors are shaping the charitable landscape. Two members of the Catalyst Impact Council—Pinellas Community Foundation CEO Duggan Cooley, who served as moderator, and Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco…

  • St. Pete Science Center Earns Florida Historical Marker Designation

    A once beloved pillar of Pinellas County’s educational history has received one of the state’s highest heritage honors. The St. Petersburg Science Center has been officially designated with a Florida Historical Marker, recognizing more than sixty years of innovation, exploration, and community impact. The Science Center’s story began in 1953, when Massachusetts retiree and passionate…

  • Community Navigators: The Hidden Backbone of Nonprofit Resilience

      When devastating hurricanes swept through Pinellas County last summer, they left behind more than debris—they exposed a crucial gap in our community infrastructure: the need for human connectors. At the heart of the Lealman Exchange stood a Community Navigator, someone who, though perhaps unexpected, became a linchpin in the post-crisis response. This role—often overlooked—is…

  • Building a Stronger Future Through STEAM and Community

    At the St. Pete Foundation, we believe building community starts with strong relationships, shared goals, and a deep investment in the future. That commitment was front and center at our third annual STEAM Day at the Lealman Exchange, where over 130 local youth engaged in hands-on exploration designed to spark curiosity and inspire the next…

  • St. Pete Foundation Awarded $25,000 Grant from Community Foundation Tampa Bay to Expand Lealman Swim Program

    The St. Petersburg Foundation has been awarded a $25,000 grant from Community Foundation Tampa Bay as part of its most recent competitive grant cycle. The funding will support the continued expansion of the Lealman Swim Program at the Lealman Exchange, a life-saving initiative that provides free swim lessons to residents of the Lealman community. This…