Florida’s push to end funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives has set off a chain reaction and one Palm Beach County nonprofit is feeling the heat in more ways than one.
A bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis will soon prohibit local governments from supporting DEI programs. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, but already, organizations that rely on public funding are seeing obstacles.
One of them is Compass Community Center in Lake Worth Beach, an LGBTQ resource hub and community gathering space, now waiting on $300,000 in federal funds. Those dollars could mean the difference between a functional facility and one melting down in Florida’s summer heat.
‘Maybe 50% of our first place air-conditioning is not working…’
Walking through the building, Compass CEO Julie Seaver points out the aging 30-year-old air conditioning units, many of them from before Compass even moved in, struggling to keep the space cool…