In Miami County, “family” encompasses more than just our blood relatives – it’s our friends, our neighbors, our community. The Duke Foundation and Troy-based nonprofit The Future Begins Today (TFBT) share a thirty-year history deeply intertwined in this philosophy.
Former Duke Foundation president Pat Robinson was a founding member of TFBT. The initial programming for The Future Begins Today began at two Troy, Ohio schools and was formally organized into a nonprofit in 1999, thanks to shared recognition among local business leaders, philanthropists, and educators that an educated citizen is the basis of a thriving local economy.
TFBT bridges the gap between curricular education, life skills, and leadership to nurture well-rounded Troy students.
Whole-Life Learning
School systems are stretched to the brink, from shrinking budgets, curriculum requirements, and post-pandemic challenges. Where they’re exhausted, executive director Katie Clevenger said, TFBT can pick up the torch.
The Future Begins Today programming begins at the elementary level with TFBT Club, an after-school program facilitated by Troy teachers. School teachers and administrators identify at-risk students, though these aren’t necessarily students experiencing poverty. Students might be part of a foster family, navigating loss, or in need of mentorship to find their passions.
“It gives them confidence,” Clevenger said of TFBT Club. “It helps them grow as leaders in the community and shows them that mentorship is available to them.”
But The Future Begins Today’s work doesn’t end there. With free community events for families, homework helper programs, eighth-grade college tours, and more, TFBT continues to evolve and expand its programming based on the needs of Troy students.
Funding Higher Education
Over the years, the Duke Foundation has funded a number of these TFBT programs. This year specially, the foundation grant is supporting the Last Dollar Grant scholarship. The scholarship takes its name from its unusually late application deadline of June 30, making it a great opportunity for high school graduates who have exhausted all other options to get the money they need for college. The late deadline also allows TFBT to send students off to college with an awards ceremony in August.
Scholarship recipients are asked to contribute 15 hours of service to Troy, which benefits graduates and the community. Since the scholarship was founded in 2000, winners have completed more than 11,000 hours of service.
Co-Creating a Thriving Community
With the breadth of programming, you’d never guess Clevenger is a team of one. While a ten-member board of directors oversees TFBT’s vision, Clevenger handles the day-to-day grant writing, marketing, program coordination, and office management.
“That’s part of why I love my job so much,” she said. “It’s ever-changing, ever-evolving. But my favorite part is really working with the kids and watching those eye-opening experiences that we’re able to provide them.”
Seeing families, with all the word encompasses, come together and prosper drives everything TFBT and its school partners do. For students, The Future Begins Today helps them access their potential and discover what’s possible. For parents, TFBT offers stress-free community fun with no hidden costs.
For Troy, The Future Begins Today fosters citizens who care deeply about their community, each other, and their role in co-creating a prosperous life.
