In a reception on April 25 at its headquarters on Manatee Avenue, Manatee Community Foundation will award $163,900 in grants to local nonprofits.

The 26 grant recipients include organizations with missions focused on human services, health, education, animal welfare, the environment, and the arts.  Nonprofits applied for investments in new or existing programs or funding for improvements to existing programs—helping the organizations to increase results for those served. Organizations could also apply for dollars to build operational effectiveness.

This year, Manatee Community Foundation awarded larger grant amounts to fewer agencies in order to better leverage the impact of individual grants.

“Donors entrust MCF to make excellent decisions about the most effective use of their charitable dollars,” said Lisa Johnson, MCF vice president and grants committee chair.

“Organizations receiving grants in this process have demonstrated an ability to track important gains that will improve our community. The diversity of organizations, programmatic needs, and capacity building projects we are investing in is impressive.”

Manatee Community Foundation awards other grants throughout the year, based on special initiatives and the interests of donors with funds at the Foundation.

A complete list of funded organizations in the competitive grant process, along with grant amounts and purposes are listed below:

• 2-1-1 Suncoast.: $9,416 Equipment to facilitate virtual assessments for clients.
• Art Center Manatee: $9,980 An Artist’s Market website to increase earned income
• Care Net Manasota Pregnancy Center, Inc.: $3,157 Equipment for free ultrasound program
• Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation.: $660 Online volunteer management system
• Forty Carrots Family Center: $4,000 8 Partners In Play classes at Braden River Library
• Honor Animal Rescue: $10,000 Canine companion, crate, leash, collar, food and 6 weeks of once-a-week dog training to disabled veterans
• Junior Achievement Sarasota/Manatee Chapter: $8,640 SCF Collegiate School Key Club member participation in the JA Teen Teachers program
• Manatee County Audubon Society.: $10,000 Bus transportation to the “Give a Child a Ride to the Wild” program
• Manatee County Habitat for Humanity: $3,540 Materials for targeted Home Preservation projects in the city of Bradenton
• Manatee County Library Foundation.: $10,000 Furnishings, computers, and educational materials for use of literacy services at the in-house Annex
• Manatee High School – Theatre Department: $1,500 Set and costume supplies for plays and musicals
• Manatee Reads – Literacy Council of Manatee County: $6,360 New/updated The Laubach Way to Reading Series, The Challenger Adult Reading Series and “That’s Life” Series
• Perlman Music Program Suncoast.: $6,602 Advertising campaign targeting Manatee County
• Samaritan Counseling Services of the Gulf Coast: $8,806 Mental health services sessions in Manatee County
• School District of Manatee County: $5,540 Training in Restorative Practice techniques to board, senior district leaders and select staff
• Selah Freedom, Inc.: $3,200 One additional bedroom and furnishings for Selah House
• South Florida Museum: $4,299 Fundraising equipment and software
• Suncoast Blues Society.: $3,600 Blues in the Library and Blues in the Community performances
• Suncoast Communities Blood Bank.: $2,495 Fundraising software
• Turning Points: $7,685 Equipment for medical/dental clinic
• UnidosNow: $10,000 Pilot program -The Future Leaders Academy for Girls (FLAG) for Latina elementary school girls
• United Way of Manatee County.: $10,000 One ReadingPals Classroom, serving approximately 20 Title I VPK students for the duration of 28 weeks
• Van Wezel Foundation.: $10,000 One Title I school an “Art Works for Schooltime” program for one grade level K-3 (150 students)
• We Care Manatee: $6,921 New Server and additional hardware to upgrade system
• Wildlife, Inc: $2,500 To provide an educational, teaching program for first responders to learn how to identify and safely handle different species of wildlife
• Young Life of Manatee County: $5,000 YoungLives program support

About Manatee Community Foundation Manatee Community Foundation works together with philanthropic individuals and businesses to achieve lasting good in Manatee County. Its headquarters at 2820 Manatee Avenue West offers free space for nonprofit meetings and community forums.

Now with $37 million in assets, the Foundation is home to more than 240 impactful funds that address opportunities in our community in the areas of human services, health, animal welfare, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement. Since its founding in 1998, Manatee Community Foundation has awarded $18 million in grants and scholarships.

For more information about Manatee Community Foundation, visit www.manateecf.org or contact Susie Bowie, Executive Director, at (941) 556-5444.