Opinion: After 25 years, Manatee Community Foundation is still making Bradenton better
With the new year comes an expectation of renewal.
We have a feeling that it’s time to make positive changes.
It’s a time to make the commitment for a better life for ourselves and for the community.
It’s a time to make the commitment to work for a community so that we may all live a better, healthier life full of opportunities for all. This has been the work of the Manatee Community Foundation since 1998.
As we celebrate our 25th birthday in 2023, we want to help you commit to the things that have meaning for you and will improve the lives of others.
Many people think of the Manatee Community Foundation as an institution that awards grants and scholarships. That is a major part of the role we proudly share with our donors who have entrusted their philanthropic dollars to us.
Those who partner with us, and trust us for their giving, have diverse life experiences. However, they have all said yes to making a difference.
But the Community Foundation is much more than grants and scholarships. We know that the more informed we are as residents, the more effectively we serve as caretakers of our community.
Engagement in the “popular” issues in our community as well as the toughest challenges are clear and purposeful when we are armed with the information to do the work. Knowledge enables us to take action on behalf of the things we care about.
Manatee Community Foundation brings residents together to learn about the powerful missions of nonprofits, issues that impact us, and opportunities to change the status quo.
For this to work, we need support and engagement from people like you who are willing to have the difficult conversations, volunteer, support local organizations, and even consider a charitable legacy as part of your estate.
The Foundation was formed with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and a culture of being “informed and engaged” is in our DNA. The Knight brothers owned 26 newspapers around the country, including The Bradenton Herald.
Then-publisher Dot Ridings met the call of leaders including Bob Blalock, Bob Beall and Bob Christopher. She helped us partner with the Knight Foundation to match the first gifts that formed the core of our endowment.
Since that time, and with dynamic partnerships with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and others, we have awarded more than $48 million in grants and scholarships in the arts, human services, health, animal welfare, education, civic engagement, youth services, and the environment.
Ring in the new year, with deeper involvement in the work of local nonprofit organizations. They tackle problems and bring positive aspirations to life, making our community a better place.
If you want to make a difference and want some direction finding your sweet spot in committing to something good this year, let us know. We’re happy to connect and take the challenge with you.
Bob Turner retired as president and publisher of the Bradenton Herald and is serving as the vice chairman of the Manatee Community Foundation. He believes in an informed and engaged community for a better life for all.