Focus on Manatee | Donors to nonprofits help shape the future with their gifts
It felt good to sink into the planetarium chair at the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature again this week. Watching video footage taken from the moon in 1971, I wondered what those astronauts envisioned the world would be like 50 years later.
Would it be a safer place? More peaceful, more equitable? Would there be greater knowledge to guide our decisions about health and to teach our children?
Earlier Apollo missions confirmed that traveling to and from the moon was possible. Apollo 15 focused on deep science. Yet on a human level, the accomplishments of the crew went beyond data, testing and observation. The mission was unifying for the nation.
This momentous 50th anniversary and details of Apollo 15 would not be in the forefront of my mind were it not for the well-timed and thoughtful programming at The Bishop this week.
As an institution, The Bishop represents the role local nonprofits and museums should have in keeping history alive, engaging the community in learning, and asking us to reach beyond today’s present condition into what can be possible.
Like the Apollo 15 mission, nonprofit organizations bring us together in common pursuits of adventure, excellence and humanity. At this juncture, I believe we need them more than ever.
Regardless of where we stand on issues that may be divisive, most people agree that investing in science, health, social services and civic engagement are important for the well-being of our community.
Manatee Community Foundation is fortunate to be the crossroads where people with different beliefs about how to make our community stronger can do it their way through their own charitable funds that range in size from $5,000 to millions. Each year, the grants they recommend from their funds support countless programs and services that help Manatee and Sarasota counties advance.
A volunteer grants committee reviews proposals from local nonprofits. Our constant focus on learning and interaction with our community helps us adapt and meet emerging needs, while informing others of how they, too, can help.
Many of our recent discoveries have occurred by listening to the lived experiences of people. This has provided perspectives we need to broaden our understanding of the ways caring donors can support a stronger Manatee County today and in the future.
One of the Foundation’s most recent grants is an investment in FUNducation, a grassroots local nonprofit that engages kids in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEM). Neirda LaFontant is the founder and a star of the organization. As a civil engineer, she took part in community outreach programs to encourage today’s children to become tomorrow’s scientists and engineers. She noticed that many children viewed STEM fields as off-limits and wanted to help them enjoy learning without fear.
If you spend more than five minutes with LaFontant, you will want to pursue a career in the field. She is compelling, fun, exciting. She assures you that you can understand. In the process of working with FUNducation, children learn to become better problem solvers through critical thinking.
The digital literacy program funded with the grant will work with minorities—historically underrepresented in STEM field careers—through partnerships with existing organizations.
We believe that the most effective nonprofits prioritize learning and listening, are focused on identifiable gains for those they serve, and adapt their strategies to be inclusive. By learning from LaFontant, the team at Manatee Community Foundation has become better equipped to understand both challenges and solutions in education.
For every organization like FUNducation and The Bishop, philanthropic support is needed to keep the mission alive. Donors give because they see the impact of their investment. They expect transparency, appropriate updates to show their money was used as intended, and demonstration that their gift made a difference.
On the new frontiers of giving, we know that asking questions continues to be important. Who is doing the work with the best outcomes? How are under-resourced people being served? Is the organization able to adapt to rapidly changing conditions? What can we learn from our past?
Listening to others is an exploration and a unifying experience. With everything going on today, it’s a good time to try it. We can work on hard things together. Our presence and involvement matters. Our giving matters, even if we believe it is small.
Let’s launch!
What will Manatee County look like 50 years from now? That depends on all of us.
Susie Bowie is the executive director of Manatee Community Foundation. Learn more online at ManateeCF.org.