The Bishop-Parker Foundation awarded more than $5.3 million in grants during its spring 2025 grant cycle, including a major $3 million grant to Florida Culture Group; a $60,000 grant to Easterseals Southwest Florida for summer therapy programs; a $100,000 grant to Foundation for Dreams’ Dream Oaks Camp; and a $45,000 grant to Lighthouse Vision Loss Center.

The University of South Florida recently announced a $3 million gift that will benefit students and other initiatives in the College of Engineering. The estate gift, from alum Mike Crew, will support an established scholarship along with a new professorship and lecture series.

Aundrayah M. and Tallone H., both members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties Club, were recently awarded four-year, full-ride college scholarships to Duquesne University by Drs. Robert and Patricia Gussin. Aundrayah and Tallon will attend the private university in Pittsburgh as Drs. Robert and Patricia Gussin Endowed Scholars.

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County recently awarded $1,050,046 through its Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund to 17 nonprofits that support individuals who have faced hardship in the wake of Hurricanes Ian, Debby, Helene and Milton.

Big Waters Land Trust and Sarasota Audubon Society’s joint initiative to re-wild the quad parcels at Sarasota's Celery Fields received a $1 million anonymous grant earlier this month. Big Waters Land Trust also recently received a $20,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to support Big Waters' Community Outreach and Education Program.

Developer Pat Neal and his wife Charlene recently completed a $500,000 gift to the college, fulfilling a pledge made in 1977.

The Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle recently announced that it awarded $53,000 to 25 local nonprofits during its first grant cycle.

The Manatee Community Foundation has awarded a $50,000 grant to support the creation of a new Pet Resource Center in downtown Bradenton. 

Sarasota Opera has been awarded a $50,000 grant from The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation to assist in the purchase of seven new pianos,
including three Boston baby grand pianos and four upright pianos.

The Baltimore Orioles recently presented All Faiths Food Bank with a donation of more than $47,000 from the proceeds from the 2025 Spring Training 50/50 Raffle at Ed Smith Stadium. 

The Manasota Branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) recently awarded $45,000 in scholarships to 17 students from Manatee and Sarasota counties. They are Savannah Ivery, Marley Hall, Jolissa Allen, Zorianna Torres, Brianna Lynch, Markell Porter, Ava Leblanc Bessette, Shandrea Williams, Kadren Henry, Jade Peters, William Grant, Usman Phillips, Arie Williams, Cayden Arlotta, Javari Mitchell, Amari Lopez and Jason Anderson.

Three Sarasota-based family foundations—the Harry Shapiro Charitable Foundation, the Koski Family Foundation, and the Bladel Charitable Trust—have provided $40,000 in funding for 2025 summer programming at Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources.

Arts Advocates awarded eight Sarasota and Manatee county students each $5,000 scholarships for the 2025-2026 school year. They are Emmalee Bunnell, Samantha Tanelli, Danae Tran, Lillian Fox, Noelle Prouty and Harrison May. 

Choral Artists of Sarasota awarded its annual $1,000 Dr. Ann Stephenson-Moe scholarship to Grace Grogan, a recent high school graduate who participated in the ensemble’s past two seasons.