Manatee Matches Giving Circle Surpasses $2 Million Dollars

May 13, 2024 | Bradenton

The Manatee Matches Giving Circle, a donor-advised fund through Manatee Community Foundation, announces a significant milestone as it surpasses the remarkable achievement of $2 million in local impact. Since its inception in 2014, Manatee Matches has been a transformative force for nonprofit human service organizations dedicated to serving Manatee County.

Nearly four decades ago, program co-founder Chuck Slater’s introduction to the concept of a Giving Circle through a client sparked his interest in collective philanthropy. However, it wasn’t until he retired to Bradenton with his wife that he revisited the idea and acted upon it. In 2014, Slater, alongside co-founder Sandy Kirkpatrick, and four others, including Dr. Harris Silverman and Dr. Peter Mattina, established the Manatee Matches Giving Circle, a unique initiative that challenges organizations to match

awarded amounts, thus ensuring a multiplier effect and broad community engagement. Today, the program has 14 members, who combine their contributions to grant over $130,000 annually.

“Accomplishing a decade of the Manatee Matches program stands as a testament to its enduring value and sustainability,” says Slater. “Moreover, reaching the $2 million milestone speaks volumes about the strength and resilience of our local nonprofits. It’s an honor to contribute to their growth and prosperity.”

Kirkpatrick emphasizes that Manatee Matches’ impact extends beyond monetary awards, fostering collaboration and innovation within the nonprofit sector. “By requiring matching funds, the program encourages strategic partnerships and resource mobilization,” he says.

Among the numerous success stories, one of the most compelling, according to Kirkpatrick, is providing 50% of the first-year salary, eight years ago, to fund a new development director position for Turning Points, an agency serving the homeless and those at risk of homelessness. “The agency secured a match, and Margi Dawson was hired. She has since raised many multiples of our contribution, and she is still there,” says Kirkpatrick.

Organizations that have received grants through Manatee Matches include Visible Men Academy, Turning Points, UnidosNow, Hope Family Services, Florida Veterans for Common Sense, Lighthouse of Manasota, Harvest House, Take Stock in Children of Manatee County, Women’s Resource Center, Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness, and Forty Carrots Family Center, among many others.

Ashley Grant, president and CEO of The Women’s Resource Center, says that support from Manatee Matches has “empowered us to expand our impact and capacity

to serve women and families living on the edge of poverty—and to give them the support they need to build financial security. Funding from Manatee Matches has supported vital programing, including the mentoring component of WRC’s scholarship program, case management, mental health counseling and career coaching. These grants are more than a financial investment; they are investments in the futures of countless women striving for empowerment and self-sufficiency. We are deeply grateful for the partnership and vision of the Manatee Matches Giving Circle and Manatee Community Foundation in advancing our mission.”

Veronica Thames, executive director of Manatee Community Foundation, notes that her team is immensely appreciative of the “visionary co-founders and members of Manatee Matches and their unwavering commitment to our community, which has changed countless lives and continues to inspire philanthropy and the continued success of our nonprofit partners. As Manatee Matches celebrates this milestone, it remains dedicated to driving positive change and continuing to serve as a beacon of hope and opportunity for communities in need.”

For more information about Manatee Matches and Manatee Community Foundation, visit www.ManateeCF.org.

Photo Captions:

· Group photo: (L to R) Mark McLaughlin, Jeanie Kirkpatrick, Susan Butt, Chuck Slater, Barbara Jennings, Cookie Boudreaux, Laurie O’Loughlin, Sandy Kirkpatrick, Tom Breiter, and Gerry Slavin are among the 14 members of the Manatee Matches Giving Circle, a donor-advised fund through Manatee Community Foundation. Not pictured: Larry Clark, Peter Mattina, Garrett Shinn, Haris Silverman and Meisha Wilson.

· (L to R) Chuck Slater and Sandy Kirkpatrick are co-founders of the Manatee Matches Giving Circle, a donor-advised fund through Manatee Community Foundation.

· (L to R) Sandy Kirkpatrick and Chuck Slater and co-founders of the Manatee Matches Giving Circle, a donor-advised fund through Manatee Community Foundation.