Four Local Nonprofits Deepen Their Impact - Starting With Their Own Teams

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 70% of people globally will experience a potentially traumatic event during their lifetime. Trauma-informed care is an approach to human services that understands, recognizes, and responds to the effects of trauma. Made possible by a $1 million gift from an anonymous donor, Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s innovative Project HEAL: Helping Everyone Align with Love recently completed three transformative years of trauma-informed care training, helping four local nonprofits deepen their impact — starting with their own teams.

In 2024, the Project HEAL participants entered Phase Two, Trauma Informed Care: From Learning to Living. Family Promise of South Sarasota County, Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness, Community Assisted and Supported Living (CASL), and Harvest House have remained committed to becoming trauma-informed organizations for their own staff and everyone they serve. It has been inspiring to watch these impactful organizations address major operational challenges with curiosity and grit.

Project HEAL guided participants through a detailed examination of their organizational processes and policies resulting in meaningful changes. The leadership team at CASL described it as a “paradigm shift” for their organization. They no longer focus on their clients’ needs as a task to be completed but rather as a way to help a person move forward. They also implemented a Client Advisory Committee with representatives from all three of CASL’s regions in recognition that hearing and valuing their clients’ voices results in improved outcomes for all involved.

The State of Nonprofits 2024 survey conducted by the Center for Effective Philanthropy reveals that 95% of nonprofit leaders surveyed cited staff burnout as a top concern and almost 60% of nonprofit leaders who responded were struggling with staff burnout or attrition due to higher-paid offers. Family Promise of South Sarasota County listened to their team, analyzed their operations, and decided to transition to a four-day work week. At the end of week one, the staff described the new schedule as “awesome.” They have more opportunities for client appointments during the 10-hour days and more time for personal appointments and self-care during their three-day weekends. Family Promise has experienced increased productivity, increased participant satisfaction ratings, and no staff turnover since December 2023.

In the fall of 2022, before beginning their trauma-informed care journey, all employees participated in the anonymous Trauma Informed Culture Assessment. When the assessment was repeated in late 2024, we saw growth across all six categories of trauma-informed culture: safety, trustworthiness, choice, empowerment, collaboration, and sustainability. Notably, collaboration emerged as the most improved area, a testament to the power of shared learning and mutual support.

In a sector often stretched by increasing needs and limited resources, this kind of intentional collaboration, rooted in trauma-informed principles, has become essential. Especially as nonprofit organizations continue to navigate challenges like reduced public funding and workforce burnout, strong relationships and a culture of care are critical for long-term sustainability.

Thanks to the vision and generosity of the anonymous donor and the steadfast Gulf Coast Team, Project HEAL has not only equipped these organizations with new tools and strategies but has also fostered a network of leaders committed to operating with kindness, resilience, and authenticity. The true measure of Project HEAL’s impact isn’t just in policy changes or new procedures, it’s in the creation of workplace cultures where people feel seen, valued, and empowered to thrive.

As these four organizations trailblaze to new heights, their work serves as a powerful reminder: when we invest in the people doing the healing, we strengthen the entire community. And that’s how transformation begins — from the inside out.