The Community Foundation of Sarasota County has awarded $80,000 in grants to help nonprofit organizations build their own capacity in operations, outreach and fundraising. They are Creative Arts Academy, Manatee Concert Band, Sarasota Jewish Theatre, Sarasota Pops Orchestra, Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative, The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, Bocilla Islands Conservancy, Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens, Ability to Include, Inc., Community Coalition on Homelessness (dba Turning Points) and Mothers Helping Mothers.

The Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, has made two donations to Children First totaling $140,000. The first gift of $50,000 will be directed towards Children First’s $600,000 Changemaker Collective challenge match. The second gift of $90,000 will be allocated to create a new position: the early childhood education nurse. 

Sarasota Opera recently received a $60,000 Arts Appreciation Grant made possible through the Wiliam S. and Jean W. Scott Endowed Fund at Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

Sarasota Orchestra recently received a $70,000 Strategic Partnership Grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, which comes from the Martha Leiter and Nancy Streetman Fund II. The organization also received a ­­­­­$75,000 grant from the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation to bolster programming of its 2023-2024 season.

The Circus Arts Conservatory (CAC) recently received funding from six grant makers, totaling $311,000, in support of its 2023-2024 season of outreach programs, special events and signature performances. The funding comes from the Ina L. Donnan Field of Interest Fund at Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Sarasota County Tourist Development Cultural/Arts Grant, The State of Florida Division of Arts and Culture and The Island Foundation.

Sarasota developer and attorney Hugh Culverhouse Jr. recently contributed $25,000 to the Sheriff’s Activities League of Sarasota County.