As a long-time Miami resident, Javier Alberto Soto welcomed the opportunity to give back to his community as head of the Miami Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting philanthropic ventures with community needs.

The foundation, formerly called the Dade Community Foundation, was founded in 1967 to help people create custom charitable funds by offering grants, handling administrative responsibilities and pairing fund holders with nonprofits.

“Think of it as match.com for philanthropists,” Mr. Soto said.

To date, the foundation boasts about 600 philanthropic funds impacting sectors such as children’s affairs, education and veteran services.

Since taking the helm in 2009, Mr. Soto, a former attorney and chief of staff for former Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas, strives to continue the legacy of long-time foundation head Ruth Shack.

In an interview with Miami Today reporter Ashley D. Torres, Mr. Soto discussed the importance of the Miami-Dade non-profit sector, the strength of community partnerships and the foundation’s future goals to promote civic engagement, broaden its donor base and expand its community impact.