A3 Foundation's Tax Dollar Spending Under Audit in Miami-Dade

Growing Scrutiny Over A3 Foundation’s Use of Taxpayer Funds

As public attention intensifies on how a relatively unknown charity managed to secure approximately $2 million in funding from Florida and Miami-Dade County, one pressing question remains: How did the A3 Foundation spend its taxpayer money? After weeks of silence from the organization, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has taken action by ordering an audit of the nonprofit.

In a memo released Saturday, Levine Cava directed county staff to investigate the A3 Foundation, which is based in a West Miami townhouse and led by Francisco Petrirena, who also serves as chief of staff to Miami City Manager Art Noriega. The mayor emphasized that concerns about the foundation's use of county funds and compliance with contractual obligations are serious and require thorough examination.

Recent reports from the Miami Herald have raised questions about the A3 Foundation’s sudden success in securing government funding. Founded in late 2023, the foundation has no public history of charitable work, yet it has received substantial financial support. County records reveal that Anthony Rodriguez, the chairman of the County Commission, used A3 as a conduit for Miami-Dade funding for CountryFest, an annual rodeo hosted by Rodriguez in Tropical Park.

While Rodriguez’s team arranged for Loud and Live, an event company, to organize the festival, nearly $1 million in county funds for the event appeared to flow through A3 first. Multiple individuals familiar with the arrangement stated that A3 was responsible for paying Loud and Live for the event expenses.

Petrirena, the foundation’s director, told the Miami Herald in a brief interview that he earns an $80,000 salary this year for his work with A3. However, he has not responded to further inquiries, including requests for the charity’s tax returns, which federal law requires to be publicly available.

Earlier this month, Levine Cava recommended commissioners approve a 20-year deal with Loud and Live, granting the Doral-based company rights to host ticketed events at Tropical Park’s equestrian center in exchange for at least $40 million in rent to the Parks Department. The contract included a requirement that the winner pay $250,000 annually to a charity chosen by the County Commission, and A3 was named as the recipient. Rodriguez sponsored the legislation.

This week, it was revealed that Levine Cava’s longtime campaign manager, Christian Ulvert, is paid by Loud and Live as a consultant. Although not registered as a lobbyist, Ulvert works with developers and others seeking favorable decisions from the mayor and commissioners. He confirmed that his work with Loud and Live involves “community outreach and public relations” and denied speaking to the mayor or her administration about the company’s contract.

A3 Faces Increased Scrutiny

On Wednesday, Levine Cava sent a letter to Loud and Live stating she would not sign a contract that listed A3 as the beneficiary of the $250,000 yearly payment. The July 23 letter did not clarify whether she planned to require the payment to another charity. According to the Rodriguez legislation and contract, the charity payment comes from Loud and Live’s profits, meaning eliminating it could significantly boost the company’s revenue.

The approval of the Loud and Live contract with the A3 payment requirement came just a day after Levine Cava released a 2026 budget proposal that included millions in cuts to charity grants and parks services. It also followed a month in which A3 secured $950,000 in funding from the Florida budget for education and agriculture-related initiatives. Almost half of that funding came from House Speaker Danny Perez, a Miami Republican who is friends with both Petrirena and Rodriguez.

Levine Cava’s call for an A3 audit followed a Miami Herald report revealing that her budget office approved $500,000 in county checks to A3, despite accountants from the Clerk of the Court and Comptrollers Office flagging a $200,000 invoice for lacking details beyond the phrase “Payment for CountryFest2025.” David Clodfelter, the county’s budget director, wrote to the accounting division requesting clearance for the check, noting that additional information would be sought from the Chairman’s Office if needed.

Clodfelter later explained that backup materials were not required because county commissioners passed legislation sponsored by Rodriguez that waived purchasing oversight rules for CountryFest.

Calls for Stricter Oversight

In addition to the A3 audit, Levine Cava’s memo demands stricter oversight of county charity grants. This includes requiring quarterly financial reports and annual audits. She emphasized the need for new countywide safeguards and protocols to ensure accountability, even when procurement, research, and bidding processes are waived by the Board of County Commissioners.

The mayor had initially included $125,000 for the A3 Foundation in the 2025 budget, which commissioners approved last fall. The funds were requested for CountryFest field trips for 2,000 students and scholarships for those pursuing careers in agriculture, according to a funding application submitted through a records request.

Clodfelter stated that the budget request came from Rodriguez but that a grant agreement was never signed with A3, meaning the money was not released. Rodriguez has not responded to recent inquiries about the A3 Foundation. In an interview with the Political Cortadito blog, he defended the Loud and Live contract, claiming it directs private money to a charity rather than relying on taxpayer dollars.

“It’s 100% private money,” he said. “This is what the county should be looking at—how do we have private businesses that partner with the county support community benefits rather than it being paid by taxpayer dollars.”