Selby Foundation to Award $800,000+ to Local Non-Profits

November 29, 2023 – Sarasota

The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation recently approved $823,035 in grants for nonprofits serving a four-county region. The grants will fund specific capital needs of 17 charitable organizations, strengthening their ability to help residents and the community make gains. 

The largest grant–$150,000 awarded to the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast—provides funds for a conservation easement in Manatee County that will protect environmentally significant land adjacent to the Braden River in a rapidly developing area. 

A total of $128,919 will be awarded to support vehicle purchases for organizations that build new homes or provide critical home repairs in Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties, including Habitat for Humanity Sarasota, Manatee County Habitat for Humanity, and Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay.  

Manatee Children’s Services will receive a $100,000 grant when it raises $50,000 from the community for the redesign of its headquarters, consolidating its spaces that serve abused and neglected children in Manatee County. The two-to-one match will be fulfilled when all individual gifts have been received. 

Additional grants include the following: 

Arts & Culture  

• Arts & Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County – $25,000 for a new website that will support artists and arts and culture organizations in Sarasota County.  
   
• The Hermitage Artist Retreat – $50,000 for shutters and an outdoor kitchen. The shutters will protect windows in historic structures and improve preparation for weather emergencies. The communal kitchen will allow artists to cook and share meals together without concern for health or accessibility barriers. 

Civic 

• DeSoto County Fair Association – $40,000 to replace a stage and other aging fixtures at the fairground, supporting its work engaging diverse community members and students enrolled in 4-H and Future Farmers of America programs.  

Education 

• Early Learning Coalition of Florida’s Heartland – $10,480 for a play-based learning space in Charlotte County where caregivers and children can read and learn together. 
    
• Easterseals of Southwest Florida – $50,000 for facility improvements to the Lily School, an inclusive early childhood program with comprehensive educational teams including teachers, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and registered behavior technicians. 
   
• The Florida Center – $31,481 to replace existing playground equipment, enhancing safety and developmental opportunities for children attending preschool and receiving on-site therapy services. 
   
• Take Stock in Children of Sarasota County – $25,000 for student laptops to establish greater digital access and educational success for program participants. 

Human Services 

• Meals on Wheels of Sarasota – $38,225 to improve operations for delivery of more than 700 meals daily, including software and office reconfiguration.
    
• Parenting Matters – $41,078 for new air conditioners and parking lot resurfacing at its home office where staff coordinates results-based programs for parenting education and adoptive families. 
    
• Sarasota Housing Funding Corporation – $22,502 for improvements and repairs to learning and social spaces for children who live in low-income households.  
   
• Step Up Suncoast – $100,000 toward an updated commercial kitchen where 750 meals are prepared twice per day for children in Head Start programs. 
    
• United Way of Charlotte County – $10,350 for office changes that incorporate efficiency and safety features for staff.  

Incorporated in 1955, the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation continues to improve the community as the charitable legacy of Bill and Marie Selby, two giving people who cared deeply about opportunity for others in our region. The Foundation invests in high-achieving students and nonprofit organizations in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties with scholarships and capital grants. Susie Bowie is President and CEO. Susan Hines is Board Chair. Learn more online at SelbyFdn.org.