St. Lucie County Education Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, or sex in administration of its programs or activities, and, St. Lucie County Education Foundation does not intimidate or retaliate against any individual or group because they have exercised their rights to participate in actions protected, or oppose action prohibited, by 40 C.F.R. Parts 5 and 7, or for the purpose of interfering with such rights. 

Thom Jones, President of St. Lucie County Education Foundation is responsible for coordination of compliance efforts and receipt of inquiries concerning non-discrimination requirements implemented by 40 C.F.R. Parts 5 and 7 (Non-discrimination in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Assistance from the Environmental Protection Agency), including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; and Section 13 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (hereinafter referred to collectively as the federal non-discrimination laws).

If you have any questions about this notice or any of St. Lucie County Education Foundations non-discrimination programs, policies or procedures, you may contact the non-discrimination coordinator:

Thom Jones, President of St. Lucie County Education Foundation
9461 Brandywine Lane
Port St. Lucie, FL 34986
Office: (772) 429-5505
Email: Info@efslc.org

If you believe that you have been discriminated against with respect to a St. Lucie County Education Foundation program or activity, you may contact Thom Jones, President the non-discrimination coordinator identified above or visit our website at https://www.educationfoundationstlucie.org to learn how and where to file a complaint of discrimination.

Appropriate assistance shall be provided to individuals with disabilities and individuals with limited English proficiency. Also, complaints in alternative formats shall be accepted from individuals with disabilities. Please reach out to the nondiscrimination coordinator for more information.  

Grievance Procedures for St. Lucie County Education Foundation’s non-discrimination policies:

The St. Lucie County Education Foundation has established procedures to ensure prompt and fair resolution of complaints alleging discrimination in its programs or activities.

Reporting a Grievance:
- Complaints must be submitted in writing within 180 days of the alleged discrimination.
- Include your name, contact information, a description of the incident, and the basis of discrimination (e.g., race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability).

Submit to:
Thom Jones, President of St. Lucie County Education Foundation
9461 Brandywine Lane
Port St. Lucie, FL 34986
Office: (772) 429-5505
Email: Info@efslc.org

Any staff person or volunteer who believes they have been subjected to discrimination or harassment, or who has witnessed such behavior, should report it to the Non-Discrimination Coordinator. If a member of the public or attendee of an event believes they have been subjected to discrimination or harassment, they should report it to the Non-Discrimination Coordinator. Filing a grievance should be carried out in writing to the Non-Discrimination Coordinator, who will take necessary steps to remedy the situation and circumstances to assure the prompt and fair resolution of complaints.

Investigation and Resolution:

St. Lucie County Education Foundation will promptly and thoroughly investigate all reports of discrimination or harassment. Investigations will be conducted in a fair and impartial manner, and appropriate corrective action will be taken against individuals found to have violated this policy. Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent possible, consistent with the need to conduct a thorough investigation.

Within 10 calendar days after receipt of the complaint, the Non-Discrimination Coordinator will send the complainant an acknowledgment letter informing them whether the complaint will be investigated. This letter will also inform the complainant of their right to file directly with the appropriate federal agency. An Investigation of the complaint may include interviews of the complainant, employees, contractors, subcontractors, subgrantees, and witnesses to the alleged discrimination, as well as review of any physical or written evidence.

The Non-Discrimination Coordinator may attempt to conciliate and resolve the complaint through a mutually agreeable solution. Any such informal resolution must be signed by both the Non-Discrimination Coordinator and the complainant. Absent extenuating circumstances, the Non-Discrimination Coordinator will complete their investigation and resolution efforts within 30 days after beginning the investigation.

An appropriate, prompt, and impartial investigation of any allegations filed under federal non-discrimination statutes will be conducted. A preponderance of the evidence standard will be applied during the analysis of the complaint.

After the investigation concludes, the complainant will receive a written notice detailing: The findings of the investigation, whether discrimination or retaliation was found, a summary of the investigation process, and any corrective actions that will be implemented (if applicable).

Any claims of intimidation or retaliation related to the complaint process will be handled promptly and fairly pursuant to the below procedure and in the same manner as other claims of discrimination. 

If the complainant is unable to submit a written complaint, the Non-discriminination Coordinator should be contacted. St. Lucie County Education Foundation will make reasonable accomodations in its policies and procedures which are necessary to allow persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency full access to the complaint filing and investigative process. 

This policy is based on rights protected by 40 C.F.R. Parts 5 and 7, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d–7 and 6101 et seq.; 29 U.S.C. 794; 33 U.S.C. 1251nt. generally applies to Nondiscrimination in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Assistance from the Environmental Protection Agency, including:

• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (42 U.S.C. §2000d to 2000d-7), which prohibits recipients of federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency) in their programs or activities. Title VI itself prohibits intentional discrimination.
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in federally-assisted programs or activities;
• Title IX of the Education Act Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally-assisted education programs or activities(also see 40 C.F.R. Part 5 - Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance)
• Age Discrimination Act of 1975, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age in federally-assisted programs or activities; and
• Section 13 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in programs or activities receiving financial assistance under the Clean Water Act.

Data Collection:

St. Lucie County Education Foundation will maintain demographic data on the race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability status of the population it serves, where required for Federal contract reporting purposes and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. If demographic information is required, it will be utilized to understand the special communication and participation needs of the community being engaged to ensure public involvement is available to all persons regardless of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, or prior exercise of rights or opposition to actions protected under federal non-discrimination laws. Demographic classifications set forth in CFR 7.25 will be used for categorization.