Member News

Apply for Selby Foundation Q4 SAM Grants starting September 30

SARASOTA, Florida - The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation Q4 SAM Grants Cycle opens on Friday, September 30, and will close at 3:59 p.m. on Tuesday, November 1. The Grant Portal will be open during that period for area not-for-profit organizations to create an account and access existing accounts as they begin the application process. Grant recipients will be notified by December 31.

Awarded quarterly, the Small and Mighty (SAM) grants were created to meet the emerging needs of area nonprofits with operating expenses under $300,000.  The Foundation’s grants support the construction, acquisition and/or renovation of facilities, as well as the purchase of equipment or software. These grants may also include the costs of related technical services. Projects focusing on education, human services, arts and community projects including history, science, and/or the environment will be given top priority.

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SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS PARTNER FOR RETURN OF “ON THE TABLE SWFL” INITIATIVE
October 12 mealtime conversations unite residents, inspire solutions to strengthen the region.

Fort Myers, FL – September 6, 2022 – Charlotte Community Foundation, the Collaboratory, and Collier Community Foundation today jointly announced the return of a major regional civic engagement initiative, On the Table SWFL. On Wednesday, October 12, thousands of neighbors, colleagues, friends, and new acquaintances will gather to share their stories and generate ideas to create a more sustainable and vibrant Southwest Florida.

Anyone across the region can host an On the Table SWFL session, and everyone is welcome to join the conversation and have their voices heard. The topics, issues and ideas discussed during each conversation will be completely organic and driven by participants’ interests and
perspectives, as well as the opportunities and challenges in their community that are most important to them. Mealtime conversations can take place in homes, backyards, at local restaurants, schools, community centers, places of worship, libraries, offices, retail
establishments – literally anywhere a host chooses. They can be sit-down, catered, picnic or potluck – completely up to each host.

Read full press release and one sheet

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UWCF Announces 2022 Campaign Goal

United Way of Central Florida announced on Thursday its highest fundraising goal for the organization to date in front of a crowd of donors, volunteers and community members at LEGOLAND Florida Resort.

Campaign Chair Melony Bell, along with Resource Development chair Nick Plott, announced that the total fundraising goal for 2022-2023 is $10,657,000.

“If we all just give 10% more of ourselves; time, talent or treasure; this will demonstrate the power that we can have in our community,” Bell said. “Together, we can make a difference for our neighbors.”

To help achieve this goal, companies and organizations choose to run their campaign early to help kickoff the year. These companies are called “Pacesetters” and this year, raised more than $400,000.

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Kacie Smyth Named Director, Donor Services at The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida
She was the Foundation’s first-ever Women’s Giving Alliance Director   

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – August 24, 2022 -- The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida has promoted Kacie Smyth to Director, Donor Services. Kacie joined The Community Foundation in June 2021 as the Foundation’s first-ever director of the Women’s Giving Alliance (WGA), an initiative of The Community Foundation.  In her WGA role, Kacie partnered with the member-elected volunteer leadership and managed all operational aspects of the 400+ member organization, including membership, communications, and grantmaking.  In her new role, Kacie will manage donor services, including donor relationships and customer service initiatives. She will work with the VP, Donor Services to implement the strategic direction for donor education, stewardship, asset development and philanthropic leadership initiatives.

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Bishop and Parker Family Legacies Continue As One Foundation, Two New Trustees Appointed

BRADENTON, Florida,  August 1, 2022 -- The Edward E. and Lillian H. Bishop Foundation and the Mary E. Parker Foundation have recently completed the process of consolidation and will be conducting business as the Bishop Parker Foundation.  This consolidation combines the assets of the two Foundations, providing administrative and operational efficiencies.  At their July meeting, two new Trustees were appointed to join Robert Blalock, Burdette Parent and Mary Jarrell.


Barbara M. Jennings is a community volunteer with extensive, valuable experience working with local Manatee County non-profit organizations.  Barbara is a retired businesswoman and university administrator who came to Bradenton from Ohio.  She has earned university degrees in three separate fields – education, urban studies, and law.  Her multi-disciplinary background is especially valued as the Foundation continues to strategically focus on best meeting its mission and goals to build a better community.

Mary L. Ruiz is CEO of Ruiz Strategic Advisors, a management consultancy specializing in strategic planning for growth companies and nonprofit agencies.  She is a senior healthcare executive and a respected leader in impacting public behavioral health policy.   She worked as Chief Strategy Officer of Centerstone of America, a multi-state behavioral health system based in Nashville, TN.  From 1996-2016, she served as CEO of Centerstone of Florida, a hospital and outpatient behavioral health system headquartered in Bradenton.  Mary chairs the Board of Trustees of New College of Florida, the public liberal arts honors college  the state university system.  She is past president of the Internationals Women’s Forum of Southwest Florida, a global invitation-only group of preeminent women leaders.

The Edward E. and Lillian H. Bishop Foundation, incorporated in 1964, has made outstanding philanthropic contributions to Manatee and Sarasota organizations, greatly impacting their ability to implement mission goals.  After the Bishop’s passing, Mary E. Parker carried on their legacy of philanthropy in addition to setting up and administering her own Foundation.  The lives of thousands of people and animals have been positively impacted by the millions of dollars contributed through the years, with the majority of gifts being made anonymously. The areas of interest supported by the Foundation continue to be health, education, human services, environment, the arts, and animal welfare.

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Selby Foundation Announces Retirement of President/CEO Carol Butera and Search Committee Process

SARASOTA, Florida - The William  G. and Marie Selby Foundation’s Board of Directors has announced the retirement of its President and CEO, Carol Butera, effective in Spring 2023.  

Butera joined the Foundation in July 2017 as its Executive Director and was later promoted to President and CEO.  Prior to joining the Foundation, she served as Vice President of Development at Children First for a decade and at the Sarasota YMCA for a decade prior to that.  Her career service in the nonprofit sector goes deep - she came to Sarasota in 1996 after working in Haiti for the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer.  Her goal has always been to bring lifelong change to children and families in the community. And, her leadership of the Foundation over the past five years has had a tremendous impact.

“Carol’s experience in the nonprofit sector and her kind - but firm - hand as she guided nonprofit organizations to eligibility for grants has made her uniquely qualified to be a mentor and coach - not just a grantor,” shared Barbara Zdravecky, Board Chair of the Selby Foundation.  “Carol demonstrates personal commitment to skillfully manage multiple projects, while at every opportunity, conveying sincere appreciation with grace and style.”

Butera’s accomplishments include moving the Selby Foundation from a Trust to a Private Foundation in 2019 enabling the Foundation to better manage its corpus of $70 million dollars and to direct its programs in perpetuity. During her tenure, Butera expanded the traditional two-year grant cycle adding Small and Mighty Grants (SAM) quarterly which enable nonprofits with annual operating expenses of less than $300,000 to apply for grants outside of the traditional grant cycle.  With the Board’s leadership, Butera recently commissioned two scholarship studies in the region which will lead to strengthening the Foundation’s current scholarship program, helping it to focus on critical gaps in the four-county region.  

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UWCF Awarding $32,513 in Grant Funds for Family Financial Stability Programming

United Way of Central Florida is officially requesting proposals from qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations for a Family Financial Stability Grant.
 
$32,513 in grant funds are available for the development or expansion of Family Financial Stability Programming in Polk or Hardee Counties of Florida. Preferred consideration will be given to programs providing service in northeast Polk County.
 
Programming proposals must include general public access to financial education classes and free tax preparation services. Additional programming may include money coaches, mentors, access to online financial education and other services known to improve the financial stability of low-income individuals and families. Only new programs or nonprofit organizations that do not currently receive funding from the United Way of Central Florida are eligible.

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UWCF Providing $4,889,173 to Services for Central Florida Residents

The money raised is allocated to services within Polk, Hardee and Highlands counties that focus on the areas of Early Childhood Education, Academic Achievement, Community Partnership School, Financial Stability, Health, Ending Hunger and Basic Needs.

Community Investment Team volunteers confirm that the current services UWCF purchases are the best use of our donors’ investments. They do this by reviewing program applications, discussing program outcomes, and participating in site visits. Teams then make informed funding recommendations that help kids succeed in school, provide financial stability resources for individuals and families, and give everyone in our community access to services that meet their health needs.

Each team is comprised of individuals with a combination of the following skills: strategic thinking, outcome measurement, community leadership and financial expertise. Teams also meet with experts in the field, participate in a group discussion and develop an informed, consensus-based recommendation.

The Community Investment process ensures wise investment of hard-earned dollars contributed to our campaign and is unique to United Way. A full list of our 2022-2023 purchased services can be found here.

The total allocation for these 80 funded services is $4,889,173.

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Selby Foundation Announces $887,000 in Scholarship Awards for the 2022-23 Academic Year

The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation has awarded over $656,000 in need-based scholarships to 154 new and returning scholars from Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota county high schools.

Additionally, the Foundation has made institutional awards totalling $231,000 which will benefit students attending University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, Charlotte Technical College, Suncoast Technical College, Manatee Technical College and State College of Florida. Awards are made by those institutions to students based on financial need.  

The Selby Scholar program is a four-year, renewable, need-based scholarship program, which selects 40 high school graduates from the surrounding four-county area each year, based on students’ academic preparedness, as well as their demonstration of maturity, grit, and resilience in the face of adversity.

The 2022-23 Selby Scholar cohort includes high-achieving graduates from 17 high schools and two associate-degree colleges in the Foundation’s four-county service area. The students will be attending Florida colleges and universities as well as Wake Forest University, Kalamazoo College, Barnard College of Columbia University, Macalester College, Columbia College Chicago and College of the Holy Cross.

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Selby Foundation Awards 2nd Quarter “Small and Mighty” Grants to Four Area Nonprofits

SARASOTA, Florida - The William  G. and Marie Selby Foundation has awarded its 2nd Quarter 2022  “Small and Mighty” (SAM) grants totaling $24,155 to four area nonprofits. These awards will be used for capital purchases and technology upgrades that allow the organizations to more effectively expand on delivering their mission to the community.

To see the benefiting organizations, read the full release

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The Chronicle of Philanthropy
Nonprofits Scramble to Comply With Fla. Law That Limits DEI Training

June 27, 2022 - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida used to send staff members to training on diversity, equity, and inclusion. When they  returned, those employees would train other staff members and volunteers based on  what they  learned. But that can’t happen anymore, says CEO Sara Alford.

“That would be a risky proposition,” she says.

That’s because of a new  Florida law that goes into effect  July 1. The Individual Freedom Act — or the  Stop WOKE Act, as its proponents call it — restricts efforts to address race, gender, or national origin that are often discussed in diversity, equity, and inclusion training. It bans the  discussion of unconscious bias and many forms of systemic racism in training, certification, or any other activity that is required as a condition of
employment or certification. Violations of the  law could lead  to lawsuits with  penalties of up to $100,000.

Because of the  law, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida this month decided that it will need to set  aside money to bring in a human-resources person regularly to deliver training that complies with the  law.

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TD Launches 5th TD Ready Challenge Focused on Equity-Based Solutions for Climate Change
$10 million in grants to be awarded to organizations in Canada and the U.S.

TORONTO, ON, AND CHERRY HILL, NJ, June 30, 2022 - TD announced today that applications are now open for the 2022 TD Ready Challenge. This year, TD is seeking to support eligible non-profit and charitable organizations that are focused on solutions to assist people and communities who may be negatively impacted by climate change and the transition to a low-carbon economy.

For 2022, there is a maximum total of 10 grants available of either CDN $1 million or USD $1 million each depending on the country of residence of the applicant.

“Climate change may be impacting everyone, but certain populations are more likely to face worse consequences from its effects," said Janice Farrell Jones, SVP, Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship, TD Bank Group. "As we all work towards a net-zero world, it is crucial that all voices and different perspectives be included in new ways of adapting to environmental changes. This year’s TD Ready Challenge will focus on providing support to organizations that are developing scalable solutions to ensure that everyone is supported during the transition to the low-carbon economy of tomorrow.”

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Central Florida Foundation invites applications for the MFoundation grant.
 
This is a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to identify organizations to be considered for a grant. The donor has not specified any particular area of interest and is seeking a charity that meets the criteria developed thru the completed application. Ideally, grants should be focused on innovative solutions to problems, root cause issues, or promising research. Only organizations in the United States are eligible to complete this request.

Deadline 8/02/2022
Apply online here: MyGrant
Code: RFQ2022

Questions? Email Sandi Vidal

Ten Local Nonprofits Receive Grants from Rising Generation Philanthropists
The 2022 class of the Weaver Philanthropic Initiative awarded a total of $60,000   
 
JACKSONVILLE, Florida – June 23, 2022—Following six months of learning about strategic philanthropy, twelve rising generation philanthropists have completed The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida’s experiential program—the Weaver Philanthropic Initiative, now in its 23rd year. The twelve members of the 2022 WPI class delved more deeply into our community’s needs and opportunities, and how to maximize their charitable giving, just like their predecessors.  After exploring critical issues in the community and learning how to define their philanthropic leadership style, each class member chose a nonprofit in which to invest. The Community Foundation matches each participant’s grant with discretionary dollars, resulting in a total of $60,000 granted to the following organizations this year:

• Jewish Family & Community Services for Emergency Relief
• Seaside Playgarden Playground
• Tiger Academy
• Boys & Girls Club of NEFL Summer Academy
• Mission of Hope and Family Meals for Haiti
• Marine Science Education Program of DCPS
• YMCA of First Coast
• Sandy Miller Metrotown program of One Jax Institute
• Stronger than Stigma
• Groundwork Jacksonville.

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Joan McCaw Joins Selby Foundation

SARASOTA, Florida - The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation welcomes Joan McCaw as its Office Manager.  Prior to joining the Selby Foundation, McCaw served as Grants and Scholarship Manager at the Manatee Community Foundation.  She brings decades of experience in office management, accounting and finance to the Foundation.  

“Throughout her career, Joan has built a reputation for providing the highest level of service, always focused on education and service to the community. We are pleased to have her join our team of philanthropic professionals,” said Carol Butera, Selby Foundation President and CEO.

McCaw joins team members Diane Ballinger, Grants Manager, and Kiarra Womack, Scholarships & Special Projects Manager; led by Carol Butera, President and CEO, and board members Barbara Zdravecky, Chair; Keith DuBose, Vice Chair; Cathy Layton, Immediate Past Chair; Carolyn Johnson, Secretary / Treasurer; Hector Tejeda and Susan Hines.

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 BEACHES COMMUNITY FUND DELIVERS MORE THAN $260,000 TO BEACHES NONPROFITS
A total of $1.8 million granted in just seven years by generous Beaches families

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – June 9, 2022—The Beaches Community Fund, an initiative of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, recently made more than $260,000 in grants to 14 Beaches-serving nonprofits that tackle the difficult issues facing their Beaches-area neighbors. The 30+ Beaches-area
families who make up this collective giving effort received many strong applications in 2022 and responded enthusiastically by making grants to address several key community needs. These latest grants bring the Fund’s Beaches-area investments to more than $1.8 million since the Fund was established in 2015.

The Beaches Community Fund (BCF) continued to prioritize direct financial aid and food assistance, while also funding needs for additional educational supports for students and people with special needs. Through the grants, BCF members also invested in the long-term sustainability of Beaches nonprofits by
funding capacity building strategies provided in partnership with the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida.

“We appreciate hearing first-hand how these organizations bring expertise and a servant’s heart to help those in need at the Beaches,” noted Melissa Roland, a member of the Beaches Community Fund. “The Beaches Community Fund shares their desire to create long-term impact in the area, and improve the quality of life for its citizens.”

Looking ahead to 2023, fund members will be involved in learning opportunities around affordable housing and health disparities to better understand how these issues affect life for Beaches residents.

To see which agencies received grants to improve the lives of those living between Mayport and Guana, read full press release here.

Photo caption: Joanne E. Cohen, VP, Philanthropic Services at The Community Foundation, addresses members of the Beaches Community Fund during their recent ratification of the 2022 grants to Beaches-area nonprofit organizations. Photo credit:  laird/blac palm, inc.


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Apply for Selby Foundation Q3 SAM Grants Starting July 1

SARASOTA, Florida - The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation Q3 SAM Grants Cycle opens on July 1 and will close at 3:59 p.m. on August 1. The Grant Portal will be open during that period for area not-for-profit organizations to create an account and access existing accounts as they begin the application process. Grant recipients will be notified by September 30.

Carol Butera, President and CEO of the Selby Foundation shares “The Selby Foundation Board realizes that many smaller organizations make a big impact in our community. They often just need one thing - a sign, a laptop, an awning - to help a person access necessary services. Through this process, we’ve made it easier for those organizations new to the grants submission process to participate and benefit.”

About SAM Grants
These quarterly Small and Mighty (SAM) grants were created to meet the emerging needs of nonprofits with operating expenses under $300,000. Since this program’s inception in the Fall of 2021, eight organizations in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties have been awarded grants ranging from $2,800 to $20,000, covering needs such as technology, interior renovation, lighting and even sheet music.

Please see the attached release for the full list of organizations benefiting since the inception of the SAM Grants program, along with quotes from two recipients on the impact these grants have had on their organizations.

Read full press release


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United Way of Central Florida Recognizes Community Volunteers and Donors at 2022 Annual Meeting

LAKELAND, Fla. – United Way of Central Florida honored community members Thursday night at its Annual Meeting, awarding Philanthropist of the Year, George W. Jenkins Outstanding United Way Volunteer, Citizen of the Year and more.

Greg Littleton, President & CEO of Citizens Bank & Trust and UWCF 2021 Board Chair, announced new Mission and Vision statements for the organization.

"Our Vision Statement, or goal for United Way is, To unite our community and empower everyone to achieve their full potential," Littleton said. "Our New Mission Statement is: To inspire our community to give, advocate and volunteer by identifying needs and mobilizing vetted resources to create positive, local change."

Littleton also acknowledged awards UWCF received over the last year.

"(UWCF was) honored with local and national recognition, receiving the National Philanthropy Day award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Exemplary COVID-19 Response Award from United Way Worldwide," he said. "Congratulations to the entire team regarding their resilient and innovative response to the various impacts of COVID-19. CEO Christina Criser Jackson and COO, Rod Crowley were recognized during United Way's Southeast Regional Conference in Greenville, South Carolina by Angela F. Williams, CEO of United Way Worldwide."

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd was on hand to recognize the hard work done by United Way of Central Florida staff, volunteers and United Way Ambassadors. He also highlighted the generosity of UWCF's Top 50 companies and a group of key donors.

"(Démocratie and Alexis de Tocqueville Society members) raised $1.5 million to improve lives in this community and secured additional funding above and beyond," Sheriff Judd said.

Via video presentation, Barney Barnett and sons Nicholas and Wesley announced the renaming of UWCF's Family Fundamental, a program founded by the late Carol Jenkins Barnett. A resource center for parents, Family Fundamentals will be renamed The Carol Jenkins Barnett United Way Children's Resource Center when it reopens this fall at Bonnet Springs Park.

United Way also presented awards for Philanthropist of the Year, George W. Jenkins Outstanding Volunteer, Spirit of Central Florida, Citizen of the Year and Difference-Maker award.


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Women’s Foundation of Collier County raises over $12,000 for homeless senior women and programs for young women empowerment at Waterside Shops event

Naples, FL (May 20, 2022) – The Women's Foundation of Collier County (WFCC) raised over $12,000 in donations and pledges at the Shop & Share event at Waterside Shops on May 6th to benefit homeless senior women and programs and scholarships for women and girls as part of their Women Lifting Women (WLW) campaign. These funds will increase the total amount raised by the campaign to over $600,000.

Waterside Shops and General Manager, Anne Fleming, are longtime supporters of the Women's Foundation. Since 2011, special events at the upscale shopping venue have raised $209,000 for programs and scholarships for women and girls. At this year's event in May, several of the female shoppers "weren't aware there is a women's foundation or about the needs in this community. It's a tale of two cities, really. They were shocked to learn there are homeless senior women living in our county," said Fleming, who is serving her fourth year on the Women's Foundation board. "We're thrilled to use the center to build awareness." The funds raised will support the WLW campaign, which aims to meet the current needs of senior women in our community by assisting homeless senior women in need and addressing isolation concerns. It also funds scholarships, mentorships, and career development for young women and girls.
 
Invest in the Women Lifting Women campaign benefiting senior and young women and learn more about the Women's Foundation of Collier County at wfcollier.org.

About the Women's Foundation of Collier County: The Women’s Foundation of Collier County (WFCC), established in 1996, is a field-of-interest fund administered by the Community Foundation of Collier County whose mission is to be a catalyst for change in the lives of women and girls in Collier County through grantmaking, advocacy and education. WFCC has granted more than $744,000 to local women and girl’s programs and organizations. Learn more at wfcollier.org.

Photo caption: Donna Messer, Lynda Waterhouse, Anne Fleming, Eileen Connolly-Keesler join forces to raise funds for women and girls at the Waterside Shop & Share event.  Photo by Photography by Lane


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NetHope’s Collective Impact Fund Raises $500,000 for Collaborative Humanitarian Programs
The Fund will create cross-sector initiatives to meet the biggest challenges in the developing world

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 12, 2022) – NetHope, a global consortium of over 60 of the world’s leading nonprofits, has raised $500,000 from individuals, organizations, technology companies and long-time funding partners for its Collective Impact Fund. The Fund is designed to harness the powers of technology and cross-sector collaboration to maximize outcomes for some of the world’s most pressing humanitarian and environmental challenges.

For more than two decades, NetHope has formed broad coalitions of organizations and companies working together toward a single goal: using the power of data, digital and partnerships through its Member network to better serve people and communities across the world. The Collective Impact Fund will help make that model repeatable and intentional, creating new opportunities for NetHope’s nonprofit network to respond quickly to needs and challenges identified through their efforts throughout the developing world.

NetHope launched the Collective Impact Fund during its 20th Anniversary Summit in November 2021 before an audience of 1,800 people from over 100 countries, representing more than 100 of the world’s leading nonprofits and technology companies. Several entities contributed toward the Collective Impact Fund’s $500,000 funding goal, including Accenture, Microsoft and NetHope’s seven original NGO founders: CARE, Catholic Relief Services, Children International, Mercy Corps, Save the Children, Winrock International and World Vision.

“NetHope’s 20 years of sustainable change around the world is a reflection of the outsized impact made possible when partners sharing a common vision and resolve bring their collective assets to bear,” said Lance Pierce, CEO of NetHope. “The Collective Impact Fund will drive an essential evolution of NetHope’s work for an ever-changing world, optimizing those collaborations for years to come. The enthusiastic response to the Collective Impact Fund from our supporters — including board members, NetHope Member organizations and former NetHope leadership — affirms this shared project and approach.”

Extensive research into the strategic plans of NetHope’s Member organizations informed the idea of the Collective Impact Fund. Through the Fund, NetHope will engage key stakeholders to identify common issues where Members need assistance, workshop and refine new initiatives with tech partners and potential funders, and manage initiatives to ensure on-the-ground services are delivered effectively.

The Patterson Foundation, NetHope’s longest continuous foundation funder, seeded the Collective Impact Fund through two separate catalytic gifts: an immediate $100,000 contribution with the announcement of the Fund, and a $100,000 capping contribution when the Fund reached $400,000 in total donations. The gifts aspired to engage both new and legacy NetHope partners and funders through celebrating 20 years of impact while affirming their continued commitment to collaboration through NetHope’s next generation of work. Beyond the Collective Impact Fund, The Patterson Foundation has contributed more than $2 million to strengthen NetHope’s operations around the world in efforts addressing challenges such as the Syrian refugee crisis, the Ebola epidemic, Hurricane Dorian and more.

“NetHope has a demonstrated track record of building successful cross-sector collaborations that prove crucial to restoring critical infrastructure in the wake of large-scale humanitarian crises,” said Debra Jacobs, president and CEO of The Patterson Foundation. “Through its Collective Impact Fund, NetHope will be able to do so with even greater efficiency to strengthen communities as they cope, adapt and innovate through adversity. The Patterson Foundation is proud to have served as a catalyst for this flexibility funding benefiting NetHope’s global network.”

This funding achievement follows a recent $15 million multi-year grant from long-time corporate partner Cisco to NetHope’s Digital Breakthrough Initiative. Cisco’s grant will support efforts focused on enhancing shared nonprofit cybersecurity capabilities, bolstering NetHope’s core capacity to better support Members and scaling up the NetHope community’s collective ability in the face of cyber crime to help preserve program continuity for the 1.2 billion vulnerable people served by the NetHope Membership.

To learn more about NetHope and opportunities to support its efforts around the world, visit nethope.org.

About NetHope
NetHope, a consortium of over 60 leading global nonprofits, unites technology companies and funding partners to design, fund, implement, adapt, and scale innovative approaches to solve development, humanitarian, and conservation challenges. Together, the NetHope community achieves positive change, building a shared platform for insight and action for those who receive aid, those who deliver it, and those who steward the environment for future generations. To learn more about NetHope, visit nethope.org.


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Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation Board Approves $6.3 Million In Grant Funding

Sarasota, FL—The essence: Recently approved grants from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation will address areas such as hunger and food insecurity, support affordable housing opportunities, and promote projects that enhance diversity, equity, and civil rights in the region.
 
Addressing Food Insecurity for Children
•    Our investment: A $2,500,000 million grant to All Faiths Food Bank to expand food insecurity screening programs in Sarasota and DeSoto counties.
•    Why it matters: Health care providers are an essential first line of defense to combat child hunger. All Faiths currently works with 10 health care providers to screen children and families for food insecurity, and these funds will help them expand this work.
 
Removing Barriers to Social Services
•    Our investment: A $546,220 grant to Mothers Helping Mothers to build a suite of wrap-around services at the organization’s Sarasota drop-in center. Funding for this initiative will remove barriers to their services, such as program costs, limited transportation options, and lack of childcare.
•    Why it matters: Time, or lack of it, is a common and overwhelming challenge for families living on the economic edge. Many have tenuous transportation that requires them to spend long travel times on bus routes or have unreliable transportation, which causes them to miss work, appointments, and other opportunities. This funding will help deliver more human services at a single location, removing the burden of having to visit multiple locations for assistance.
 
Supporting Housing First Models
•    Our investment: A $300,000 grant to Second Heart Homes to purchase additional homes to help address homelessness.
•    Why it matters: The Housing First approach to ending homelessness, grounded in the underlying principle that people are better able to move forward with their lives if they are first housed, has helped many overcome homelessness and has proven to deliver effective mental health and addiction recovery outcomes.
 
Keeping Teachers in the Classroom
•    Our investment: A $300,000 grant to support Barancik Foundation’s Teacher Retention|Recruitment initiative.
•    Context: Barancik Foundation launched the Teacher R|R Initiative in 2017 to examine issues affecting teacher recruitment and retention.  These efforts have helped support the development of a new local teacher pipeline while also focusing on existing teachers’ wellness and professional development.
 
Expanding Capacity to Enhance Community Arts Impact
•    Our investment: A $300,000 grant to the Hermitage Artist Retreat to help the organization grow its capacity to deliver programming focused on community impact, education, and social justice.
•    Context: The Hermitage continues to keep its programs free and accessible to all members of our community, reaffirming its commitment to being one of the most inclusive arts organizations in the nation. 
 
Preventing Homelessness with Flexible Funding
•    Our investment: A $250,000 grant to Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness to establish a flexible housing fund.
•    What’s happening: The grant will allow the organization to bridge the gap when lease renewals become financially unattainable for residents when all other available funds and support in the community have been exhausted.
 
Building Affordable Housing Opportunities
•    Our investment: A $250,000 grant to Community Assisted & Supported Living (CASL) to build and operate affordable rental units.
•    Context: CASL is partnering with Gracewater and Blue Sky Communities to develop land in Sarasota County that will provide about 370 affordable rental units (80 in the first phase) and add access to amenities such as a clinic and a grocery store. Additional funding will come via Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and the Florida Housing Finance Corp.
 
Providing Programming to Address Important Community Issues
•    Our investment: A $250,000 grant to WEDU PBS to boost local programming that focuses on diversity, equity, community wellness, attainable housing, and civil rights. 
•    What’s happening: This funding will act as seed money toward producing local issue-focused programs and help leverage other philanthropic support. WEDU's ability to expand and meet the needs and interests of the growing populations of Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties is anticipated to result in heightened awareness of the issues affecting our communities.
 
Creating Health Equity
•    Our investment: A $150,000 investment into collaborative, community efforts to combat diabetes and obesity in underserved communities and create a five-year health equity plan in Sarasota County.
•    Why it matters:  There are substantial health disparities between people of color and their white counterparts because of structural racism and a series of societal failings. For example, African American adults are 60 percent more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than their white counterparts. They also are twice as likely to die from complications related to the disease.
 
Supporting People with Vision Loss and Their Families
•    Our investment: A $132,141 grant to Lighthouse Vision Loss Education Center to support capacity expansion to better serve blind and visually impaired individuals.
•    Why it matters: Strong support from family is crucial for an individual experiencing vision loss. When the family understands what their loved one is going through, it is much easier to be supportive. The Lighthouse will be a resource for families of loved ones struggling with the diagnosis and be a place for support and hope.
 
Supporting LGBTQ+ Students
•    Our investment: A $130,000 grant to ALSO Youth to assist the organization in relocating their Manatee County service center.
•    Context: The housing and office space market is not only putting a strain on residents and businesses but also nonprofit organizations. The grant will help them relocate to a new space that allows for a visible and continued presence in Manatee County.
 
Supporting College Transfer Students
•    Our investment: A $103,341 grant to New College Foundation to improve equity by helping area students aspire to and attain a bachelor’s degree.
•    What’s happening: Funds will be used to continue Barancik Foundation’s efforts at New College to provide in-person and online college essay writing workshops, ease transfer students’ transition to the campus, and provide targeted advising to first-time college students.
 
Building Connections Between Young Professionals of Color and the Community
•    Our investment: A $100,000 grant to Emerge Sarasota to improve the relationship between our community at large and Black and Indigenous young professionals. 
•    What’s happening: Emerge has three programs through which they help educate, support, uplift, and shine a light on talented young professionals of color in the region — health and wellness, arts and culture, and professional development. These funds will help the emerging organization expand its capacity.
 
Easing Economic Strains
•    Our investment: A $100,000 grant to purchase gas cards for clients of human service agencies.
•    What’s happening: We all know rising inflation and gas prices are putting a strain on those that help those most in need in our community. These funds will be used to purchase gas cards that will be distributed to clients of partner agencies that provide assistance in our community.
 
Addressing the Needs of Foster Children
•    Our investment: A $100,000 grant to The Children’s Guardian Fund to provide unrestricted funding to help respond to children’s immediate and ongoing needs when they are removed from abusive or neglectful homes.
•    Why it matters: Too many children removed from chaotic environments may have never had a birthday cake, a book, or even the calm, undivided attention of an adult in their lives. This grant will help fulfill the range of basic and more profound needs of children in foster care.
 
Expanding the Healthy Ponds Initiative
•    Our investment: A $100,000 grant to Solutions to Avoid Red Tide (START) to improve the quality of our waterways by emphasizing the reduction and flow of excess nutrients out of our ponds.
•    Context: In 2021, Barancik Foundation partnered with START to launch a new collaborative aimed at helping more neighborhoods upgrade their ponds, more effectively remove red-tide causing nutrients, and cost-share the improvements. Building on the successful pilot program, these funds will help the organization expand its efforts into Manatee County in partnership with the county government.
 
Investing in Local Arts Teachers
•    Our investment: A $100,000 grant to Sarasota County Schools to create engaging Professional Learning opportunities for K-12 art teachers.
•    What we learned: An increasing number of prospective art teachers come to our district with little or no educational experience or formal training. The grant will help the Sarasota School District deliver rich art and music-based professional development for teachers.
 
Supporting Blind Children and Teens
•    Our investment: A $75,000 grant to Southeastern Guide Dogs to support its Children & Teens Program.
•    Context: In 2019, with Barancik Foundation support, the organization lowered its age limit and expanded its children and teens guide dog program, making it available for teens ages 14-17.  SGD is the only guide school in the country that offers guide dogs to teenagers as young as 14. For a child, losing sight can have lifelong effects, putting them at risk for failing in school, substance abuse, and mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety.
 
Increasing Mentorship Opportunities for At-risk Youth
•    Our investment: A $60,000 grant to Gulf Coast Sports Group to support the "A Lions Reach" Youth Mentoring Counselor/Ambassador Program.
•    What’s happening: The organization is comprised of current and former sports professionals who provide mentoring opportunities and student internships to underserved students in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Programs include not only on-the-court experiences but also related support functions like video production, sports management, and other sports-related jobs.
 
An additional $500,000 was awarded to support programs and projects with partner organizations.
 
About Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation
The Charles and Margery Barancik family has long believed in the power of philanthropy to shape our world and enrich the lives of all people. It was the expression of this belief that led them in 2014 to establish Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation—a private, family foundation located in Sarasota, Florida. Barancik Foundation creates initiatives and awards grants in Sarasota and beyond in the areas of education, humanitarian causes, arts and culture, the environment, and medical research. For more information, visit www.barancikfoundation.org.  


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Selby Foundation Awards nearly $1.1 million to Area Nonprofit Organizations in the Spring Grant Cycle

SARASOTA, Florida - The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation recently awarded nearly $1.1 million in grants to 17 nonprofit organizations which provide local communities with much needed services. The grants awarded this spring will have a wide-ranging impact in a number of program areas including Arts and Culture, Community and Civic, Education and Health and Human Services.

“To make a difference in the lives of the clients they serve, our area’s nonprofits seek funding to improve their facilities, technology, energy efficiency and their ability to reach clients beyond their physical location,” states Carol Butera, the Selby Foundation’s president and CEO. “The Selby Foundation is uniquely positioned to provide for those capital needs allowing the recipient organizations to more effectively focus on their respective missions.”

$1,075,314 in grants by program category total:
•    Arts and Culture - $83,000
•    Community and Civic - $442,480
•    Education - $100,000
•    Health and Human Services - $449,834

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Apply for Selby Foundation Fall 2022 Grants Starting June 1

SARASOTA, Florida - The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation Spring 2022 Grants Cycle opens on June 1 and will close at 3:59 p.m. on August 1.  The Grant Portal will be open during that period for area not-for-profit organizations to create an account and access existing accounts as they begin the application process. The Selby Foundation board meets in November to review grant applications and award grants.

The Foundation specializes in supporting local area not-for-profits with capital grants which support construction, acquisition and/or renovation of facilities as well as the purchase of equipment or software. Grants requests may also include the costs of related technical services like legal, architectural and engineering. Not-for-profit organizations are required to be primarily located in Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee or Sarasota Counties.

The Selby Foundation is a private foundation founded by William G. and Marie Selby in 1955. The Foundation supports Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties through capital grants and scholarships. Since its establishment, the Selby Foundation has provided more than
$120 million to the community. For more information on the Foundation’s grant and scholarship application process, including its Small and Mighty Grants program, visit www.selbyfdn.org

See full press release here


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Callie Neslund Joins GiveWell Community Foundation as Chief Operating Officer

LAKELAND, FL (April 13, 2022) - GiveWell Community Foundation (GWCF) has hired Callie Neslund as its Chief Operating Officer, reporting directly to President and CEO John Attaway. Neslund will work with Attaway and the GWCF team on future initiatives stemming from the United Community Needs Assessment currently underway, strategic planning, and day-to-day operations for the organization.


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The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida Announces 2022 Class of Emerging Philanthropists
Thirteen selected for this year’s Weaver Philanthropic Initiative

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – March 10, 2022  The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida proudly announces the selection of thirteen ‘next generation’ philanthropists who will participate in a six month course of learning sessions and hands-on grantmaking opportunities to better inform their giving. These newest members of the Weaver Philanthropic Initiative follow in the footsteps of eight previous classes, many of whom are actively engaged in philanthropic and civic leadership activities.
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The Partnership: For Mental Health Concludes After Investing $2.4 Million in 49 Local Organizations
Improved access to services and heightened awareness are among the positive results of the initiative

Jacksonville, FL – March 9, 2022 – The Partnership: For Mental Health, an initiative of the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund at The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida and Baptist Health, has concluded its three-year, $2.4 million investment to improve access and strengthen the region’s mental and behavioral health care systems. Sixty grants ranging from $1,200 to $160,000 went to 49 local agencies in their pursuit of innovative ways to address mental health needs in our region.

Delores Barr Weaver called for ‘new levels of ingenuity in providing a fully responsive mental health ecosystem’ when she originally envisioned The Partnership in 2018. She was joined by Baptist Health to begin funding opportunities to move this work forward. That challenge took on a new urgency in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic as the need for mental health support soared.

“The Partnership: For Mental Health created tremendous learning opportunities, not only for the funders, but for the organizations with whom we worked,” said Delores Barr Weaver. “The challenges in the field are widespread, and we learned that targeted investments in areas like direct service and stigma reduction could help move the needle in Northeast Florida. I am proud of the stimulus the grants created, and look forward to continuing to learn from the organizations doing this very important work.” 

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United Way of Central Florida and GiveWell Community Foundation Launch Survey to Identify and Address Community Needs in Polk, Hardee, and Highlands Counties

LAKELAND, FL (March 1, 2022) – GiveWell Community Foundation (GWCF) and United Way of Central Florida (UWCF) announce the launch of the United Community Needs Assessment, a community needs assessment survey across the three counties both organizations serve – Polk, Hardee, and Highlands. The survey is designed to gather residents’ opinions on a variety of critical issues such as education, economy, employment opportunities, infrastructure, quality of life, and transportation.

The United Community Needs Assessment (UCNA) is administered through an online survey which can be found at ucneeds.com. The survey takes about 15 minutes to fill out and residents who are 18 years of age and older are encouraged to participate and share the survey with their community. Participants may enter to win a $50 Visa gift card upon completion of the survey.

Read the full press release here


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