Palm Beach County Financial Literacy Program Faces State Budget Veto, Local Nonprofit Pushes Forward

Quick Takeaways

• Who & What: Community Partners of South Florida is moving forward with financial literacy initiatives despite a $125,000 state budget veto by Governor DeSantis.

• Where & When: The funding veto impacts the organization’s youth program in Palm Beach County for the 2026–2027 fiscal cycle.

• Why Readers Care: Local families and business owners rely on these stable economic education programs to build generational wealth and financial resilience.

• What’s Next: The Riviera Beach-based nonprofit will seek philanthropic partners to maintain its free financial coaching and housing education services.

Community Partners of South Florida (CPSFL) expressed disappointment following Governor Ron DeSantis’s veto of $125,000 in state funding originally allocated for the CentsBuilder Youth Financial Literacy Program in the 2026–2027 Florida state budget. 

Despite this unexpected setback, CPSFL stands unwavering in its core mission: to serve Palm Beach County residents with excellence and ensure local children and families have the essential tools they need to thrive.

The financial reality facing American families highlights the critical need for early economic education. 

Nationally, more than two-thirds of adults would fail a basic financial literacy test, and more than 47% of American households lack just $400 to cover an unexpected emergency. 

Against this bleak backdrop, it is no surprise that youth across the country are growing up ill-equipped to handle their own finances.

“Financial literacy is key to helping young people manage money effectively so that they can become financially stable, build assets, and achieve their long-term personal goals,” said Kelly Powell, CEO of Community Partners of South Florida. “While we are disappointed that the state budget will not fund the CentsBuilder Youth Financial Literacy Program this cycle, our dedication to bridging these economic gaps remains absolute.”

CPSFL will continue to address the region’s critical financial capability needs by delivering its comprehensive suite of multilingual programs. To ensure all residents can access these vital resources, education is provided in English, Spanish, and Creole, empowering locals to build economic independence, resolve debt, and navigate essential assistance programs.  

Financial capability and coaching services will continue without interruption, including no-cost financial fitness classes designed to help residents establish a budget, manage debt and significantly improve their credit scores, individualized credit counseling and budget management courses, in-person homeownership education classes which prepare families for purchasing a home and building generational wealth and specialized initiatives like the Securing Our Future (SOFI) program, which provides strategic case management, financial education, and motivating savings match incentives.

Community Partners of South Florida remains dedicated to building a resilient community where every resident has an equitable opportunity to thrive. 

“The recent Giving USA report indicates that charitable giving continues to increase, reinforcing our confidence that there are new opportunities to engage philanthropic partners who are committed to helping us change the odds for our families,” said  Amy Brand, Vice-President of Advancement at Community Partners of South Florida. 

Residents, prospective donors and partners interested in supporting or participating in these financial literacy initiatives are encouraged to visit www.cpsfl.org or call (561) 841-3500.

# # #

About Community Partners of South Florida

Community Partners of South Florida is a $15 million comprehensive community development nonprofit agency headquartered in Riviera Beach that provides services to families facing social, emotional, and financial adversity. By using a unique, breakthrough approach integrating housing and financial empowerment, child and family mental health, and community services, Community Partners of South Florida creates self-sustaining families and communities and serves as a driver for growing its local economy. For more information about Community Partners of South Florida, visit www.cpsfl.org. Community Partners of South Florida is a proud chartered affiliate of NeighborWorks America, a national, nonpartisan nonprofit striving to make every community a place of opportunity.

For more information, please contact: Jaime Elder at jaime@khannaconnections.com