Selby Foundation Awards $41,600 in “Small and Mighty” Grants

April 12, 2023 – Sarasota

Florida –  The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation is awarding $41,600 in “Small and Mighty” grants to area nonprofit organizations with budgets $300,000 or less. The opportunity was created to address the needs of smaller nonprofits in the region, providing access to capital funds in a simplified process.

Spring 2023 awardees include:

• Bring on the Ministry, awarded $6,231 to purchase equipment for navigators – individuals who will bring online community resources to those experiencing homelessness in Manatee County. This grassroots organization is best known for its mobile showers and partners with other agencies serving vulnerable people with their most critical needs.
• Friends of the Lakewood Ranch Library, awarded $20,000 to purchase multicultural/bilingual, large print, and children’s books for the new Lakewood Ranch Library. In a public/private partnership, the Friends group is raising funds for the opening collection of the new library. It will be the closest public library location for many residents in east Sarasota/Manatee counties.
• Sarasota K-9 Search and Rescue, awarded $2,699 to purchase OSHA compliant safety helmets for the Search and Rescue team. The all-volunteer team is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to assist public safety agencies in locating missing and lost children, elderly and despondent persons that have walked away, human remains detections, and evidence searches.

• Sarasota Succulent Society, awarded $4,800 to replace siding on the historic Sparkman Cottage. This nonprofit is believed to be the only plant conservatory in the United States focused exclusively on succulents that holds independent ownership of its property, structures and clubhouse, the latter being the 1930s-era former home of founder Walter Sparkman. In 2004, the Sparkman Cottage received designation as a historic property by the City of Sarasota.

From left: Volunteers Sandy Pool and Barb Isaacs work on the property.

• Sunshine Community Compost, awarded $7,870 to purchase equipment for expansion of residential food scrap recovery and composting in Sarasota. This organization has provided education and outreach to nearly 4,000 residents ranging from preschool classes to groups of mature adults and elders in community clubs and neighborhood associations. They have facilitated programs that have recovered nearly 150,000 lbs. of food scraps for compost-making instead of sending these valuable resources to the landfill.

The next “Small and Mighty” grant cycle begins accepting applications on June 1, 2023. For more information, visit SelbyFdn.org or call Grants Manager Julie Spicer at 941.957.0442.