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Step Up For Students ranked 18th among America's Top 100 favorite charities
Step Up For Students continues to provide education choice to Florida schoolchildren from disadvantaged backgrounds and its efforts continue to garner national acclaim.
Step Up cracked the Top 20 in America's Favorite Charities, the Chronicle of Philanthropy's annual list of the Top 100 nonprofits. Step Up was ranked 18th, up from 31st last year and 42nd in 2017.
"It is an honor to be placed in this prestigious ranking by the Chronicle of Philanthropy," said Anne Francis, Step Up's vice president of development. "Being ranked 18th in the nation, and first in Florida, is a monumental achievement that has been made possible by our generous donors.
"In the last couple years, Step Up has grown from two scholarship offerings to five. Our largest program, the income-based Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, serves families with an average household income that is merely 8 % above poverty. Donors who invest in our scholarships and programs know their contributions change the lives of vulnerable children in Florida who seek a brighter future."
Step Up's total revenues in the 2018 fiscal year was $705.6 million, an increase over its $548.5 million in total revenue in 2017. This allowed Step Up to serve more than 125,000 pre-K through12 students across the five scholarships programs it manages:
The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship and recently created Family Empowerment Scholarship for lower-income families.
The Gardiner Scholarship for children with special needs or unique abilities.
The Hope Scholarship for students who have been bullied or a victim of violence at a public school.
The Reading Scholarship Accounts for children in grades 3-5 who struggle with reading.
In addition to the Chronicle of Philanthropy honor, Step Up was ranked 19th on Forbes' list of America's Top Charities 2018.
Charity Navigator and GuideStar, a pair of nonprofit watchdog groups, recognized Step Up in 2018 for its accountability and transparency.
Charity Navigator awarded Step Up a four-star rating for the eighth consecutive year, a credit that only 4 percent of charities have earned by the nation's top charity evaluator. Step Up has earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency with GuideStar, a public database that evaluates the mission and effectiveness of nonprofits.
Also, Step Up's Jacksonville office was ranked third among best places to work in that city for businesses with 100-249 employees by the Jacksonville Business Journal. Its Clearwater office was ranked eighth among large companies in the Tampa Bay area by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
November 5, 2019	in	Step Up For Students
Step Up For Students among best places to work in Tampa Bay
Step Up For Students has been recognized as one of the best places to work by the Tampa Bay Business Journal, placing eighth in the large business category.
"We are proud of this recognition," said Step Up president Doug Tuthill. "We strive for a work culture that is nurturing and joyful and allows our employees to perform their jobs to the best of their abilities."
Step Up employees celebrate the TBBJ's announcement April 12 at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
Sixty Tampa Bay area companies were nominated for recognition across four categories: Small (10-24 employees); Medium (25-49 employees), Large (50-99 employees); and Extra-Large (100-plus employees).
Quantum Workplace surveyed employees at the nominated companies and evaluated each in the areas of team effectiveness, retention risk, alignment with goals, trust with co-workers, individual contribution, manager effectiveness, trust in senior leaders, feeling valued, work engagement and people practices.
It described Step Up's company culture with the hashtag #caringpassionateandimpactful.
"That really sums us up," Tuthill said. "Our employees are passionate about what they do. This passionate caring is why they have such a positive impact on the families we serve."
Step Up helps more than 115,000 pre-K-12 children in Florida gain access to a better education by managing four scholarships: The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship for lower-income families; the Gardiner Scholarship for children with special needs or unique abilities; the Hope Scholarship for students who have been bullied at a public school; and the Reading Scholarship Accounts for children in grades 3-5 who struggle with reading.
Step Up's Jacksonville office is a finalist in the Jacksonville Business Journal's 2019 Best Places to Work. Those results will be announced later this spring.
April 16, 2019	in	Florida Tax Credit Scholarship	,	Gardiner Scholarships	,	Step Up For Students
Step Up For Students named education nonprofit of 2017 by Tampa Bay Business Journal
By GEOFF FOX
Step Up For Students Director of Advancement Amanda Lopez, center, accepted Nonprofit of the Year in the education category from the Tampa Bay Business Journal on June 8 during a ceremony held at the Bryan Glazer Family JCC in Tampa.
CLEARWATER The Tampa Bay Business Journal on June 8 named Step Up For Students Nonprofit of the Year in the education category.
Step Up For Students helps manage both the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program for students from lower-income families and the Gardiner Scholarship Program for students with certain special needs. The statewide organization has offices in Clearwater and Jacksonville.
Other organizations considered for the honor include Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County; Frameworks of Tampa Bay Inc; Girl Scouts of West Central Florida; and R'Club Child Care Inc.
"This is further validation of the great work our staff, board and donors are doing to serve our families," said Doug Tuthill, president of Step Up For Students.
Step Up is allotted a 3 percent operating allowance, far less than most other nonprofits. Based on its record of fiscal responsibility, accountability and transparency, Step Up For Students has earned Charity Navigator's four-star rating –the highest possible – for six consecutive years.
Through the close of the 2016-17 school year, Step Up For Students has awarded nearly 580,000 tax credit scholarships to disadvantaged Florida students since its inception in 2001. And another nearly 13,500 Gardiner Scholarships have been awarded since that program began in 2014.
Also, on May 23, Step Up's Jacksonville office was selected by the Jacksonville Business Journal as one of the best places to work in Jacksonville for a company between 100 and 245 employees.
Step Up is in good company in that size category with companies such as the Jacksonville Jaguars, Florida Capital Bang and Omni Hotels Jacksonville, among others.
"All of the work that each of you has done to strengthen our culture and enhance our workplace has led us to this recognition this year," Step Up COO Anne White told staff during the announcement of the recognition. "I am very proud to work among such a fantastic group of professionals."
June 12, 2017	in	Step Up Honors