Tidewell Foundation recently announced that $4.5 million in grants were distributed in 2022 to support programs of Tidewell Hospice and Empath Health. Programs funded by these grants provide compassionate care across Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties, including charity care, grief education and support services, the Blue Butterfly program, nurse residency program and more.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the University of South Florida a $4,460,826 grant to help prepare cybersecurity students for  jobs at government and other public sector institutions. The grant is under the leadership of the Muma College of Business and College of Engineering and faculty members Srinivas Katkoori, Giti Javidi, Manish Agrawal and Nasir Ghani for a period of five years, starting this month.

Season of Sharing, the area's long-trusted way for neighbors to help neighbors in need, has raised more than $3.2 million, including five $100,000 gifts from The Patterson Foundation. Through Season of Sharing, those who need help can request support from these funds all year long by contacting 2-1-1 or a social worker. Money is earmarked for assistance with rent, utility bills, childcare, and transportation. 

The six^th annual Hospital Gala, hosted by Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, was held at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota on January 7, 2023, with 700 guests in attendance. The event raised a record-breaking $1.5 million in support of cancer care services at the Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute at Sarasota Memorial.

In December, Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s board of directors announced a funding commitment of $1 million to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties to rebuild the Gene Matthews Club in North Port, which was destroyed by Hurricane Ian.

An anonymous donation of $100,000 is pushing the Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition toward its goal of opening an arts, culture, and history center this spring. The gift will be used to offset the costs of repairs and renovations of the historic Leonard Reid House. The 1,400-square-foot structure was built in 1926.

The Child Protection Center, Inc. (CPC) has been awarded $80,000 in funds through the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Inc. and the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation. The grants provide necessary funding for the updates and replacement of the nonprofit’s elevator to ensure code compliance and reliability.

Operation Warrior Resolution has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to support veterans and their family members as they transition out of programs designed to provide holistic mental health services to resolve trauma and promote long-term wellness.

The Gettel Automotive Group has donated $25,000 to the Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair program at Parrish Community High to develop and employ young, skilled, local students for jobs in the automotive service field. 

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County recently granted $15,000 from the Martha Leiter and Nancy Streetman Fund II to Choral Artists of Sarasota to help fund its March 2023 concert of “The Children’s March,” a dramatic work that uses song and narration to tell the story of a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights era.

The Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County has been awarded a grant for $10,000 through the Manatee Community Foundation to help financially support their Spot On Program, which seeks to reduce communication, self-regulation, and functional life skill deficits that may interfere with student progression in the early learning environment.

Newtown Connection, a program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties, recently received a grant of $10,000 from the Gould Family Trust Foundation at Gulf Coast Community Foundation. Newtown Connection will use the funding to support its academic enrichment programming and technology in Newtown.

On the Spot Aid Inc. was recently awarded an $8,770 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to support equitable access to quality health care for homeless community members

The Safe Children Coalition recently received a grant of $2,500 from the Selfless Love Foundation. The Annette J. Hagens Memorial Foundation also recently awarded a $1,500 grant  to SCC for its HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) program.

Taylor Morrison's Sarasota division, as part of the company's Build Joy giving program, is supporting The Haven Academy, a school for children and adults with disabilities.  The school was in the path of Hurricane Ian's destruction, which destroyed a storage shed and many pieces of important sports equipment inside used for outdoor therapy sessions. Through a $1,000 grant, Taylor Morrison’s donation went toward rebuilding the shed and purchasing new equipment. Taylor Morrison team members also volunteered to rebuild the shed. 

The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce’s Opportunities For All (OFA) initiative recently announced the awardees for its 2022 Business Assistance Funds Program at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. This program was designed to assist minority small business owners and non-profit organizations with resources; of the 70 applications submitted, 45 local businesses were chosen. The chamber funded this experience through the Opportunities For All grant provided by the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation.

In December, New College of Florida announced that a Mellon Foundation grant will fund the development of six new courses at New College, with five being offered to students in spring 2023. They are Devised Theatre and Collaboration for Social Engagement; Museum Studies in Theory and Practice; New Stories, New College; Growing Up Amish in Sarasota; Exploring Local Microbes Through Community Media Projects; and Heritage: Theory and Practice for the Sarasota African American Historical and Cultural Center.

Grant and Scholarship Opportunities

The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation Small and Mighty Grants Cycle opens on Wednesday, February 1, and will close at 3:59 p.m. on Wednesday, March 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 Wednesday, May 31. Awarded tri-annually, the Small and Mighty grants were created to meet the emerging needs of area nonprofits with operating expenses under $300,000.

Arts Advocates is accepting scholarship applications through March 15, 2023, for the 2023-2024 academic year. The tuition awards are given to students who are pursuing undergraduate studies in the arts, including visual and related arts, dance, writing, music, theater, and architecture. High school seniors and college students who will major in these fields in the 2023-2024 school year are eligible to apply. Scholarships are awarded to students planning to have careers in the arts, and are based on artistic talent, family need, character, academic achievement, and appropriate college choice. U.S. citizenship with a one-year residency in Sarasota County or Manatee County is required.

Gulf Coast Community Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2023-24 scholarship program. Prospective applicants can click here to review scholarship requirements and complete the online application. The deadline to apply is March 3, 2023, and scholarship awards will be announced in late spring.

To help students more easily find ways to pay for education after high school, the Education Foundation has created a scholarship database on its website. Students can use this database to find many local scholarships as well as some statewide and national funding opportunities.