Annual Report 2010 / 2011  

Welcome to the
Manatee Community Foundation

2010 / 2011
Annual Report

President’s Message

At the Manatee Community Foundation, we are partnering daily with dedicated individuals and organizations to nurture and improve our community – today and for years to come. Our work is to turn donors’ interests into meaningful grants that enrich the lives of our community’s residents.

Since 1998, we have awarded millions of dollars in the arts, education, human services, animal welfare, faith-based causes, the environment and more. The scope of our mission is broad, reflecting the wide ranging interests of our donors.

You will be surprised how easy it is to work with the Manatee Community Foundation! Our donors have big dreams and big ideas, but gifts of all sizes. Whatever your personal interests, we can help you fulfill your charitable goals. Each personal legacy for the community makes a difference.

In this 2010 / 2011 annual report, we feature a few of our donors who have given grants this year and the effect their gifts have made on grant recipients. We hope you will be inspired to create your own community legacy.

Donor Profiles

We have extraordinary donors, building an extraordinary community legacy!

We are inspired daily by the people we meet and their dreams for our community. Our donors are passionate about the arts, revere education, nurture our environment and donate to services that care for the sick, the challenged and the needy. Below, meet a few of our donors that established funds in 2010 / 2011.

New Funds

More than 40 new funds were established this fiscal year through the generosity of numerous individuals, families and groups. MCF stewards these gifts to ensure that donors’ plans for charitable giving and their vision for our community are carried out.

Friends of the Foundation

The Friends of the Foundation program positively affects all members of the Manatee community by directly supporting MCF’s operations. We gratefully acknowledge our Friends for their generous donations which enable our foundation to fulfill our mission and forge new partnerships to build our community legacy.

Legacy Society

The Legacy Society honors those friends and benefactors who utilize the Manatee Community Foundation to carry out their charitable estate plans. Too often, such gifts go unrecognized because they come at the end of donors’ lives. The Legacy Society provides a way to thank donors during their lifetime for the impact they make in our community. By planning ahead, these visionary donors make life better for generations to come. Membership to the Legacy Society is free, voluntary, can be anonymous and extended to all who have left a gift or intend to create a fund.

Professional Advisors

Our professional advisors strive with us to “connect the charitable interests of donors with the on-going needs of our community.” For advisors and their clients, working with MCF offers the simplicity of having a single vehicle for multiple charitable interests, as well as tax advantages, while maximizing community impact.

Grants

At the Manatee Community Foundation, our goal is to fund a wide variety of charitable causes that improve the quality of life in Manatee County. In 2010 / 2011, our donors made a difference by supporting local summer camps, community building projects and medical services – just three examples from the 40 competitive grants MCF distributed this fiscal year.

Financials

The Manatee Community Foundation promotes and administers charitable endowment funds to benefit the people of Manatee County. We strive to make the maximum economic impact through the grants and scholarships we award and to provide the highest level of stewardship to our fund donors.

Events

Philanthropy has been a preeminent backdrop of our community since its very beginnings. Each of our events lets us share our philanthropic story – Spirit of Manatee celebrates with Manatee County the generosity of individuals who have made our community better; the Legacy Society Luncheon recognizes individuals who have included MCF in their estate plans and LobsterFest is the annual “Thank You!” event for our donors.

Leadership

At the Manatee Community Foundation, our success is a direct result of the generosity of community philanthropists who have placed their trust in MCF’s ability to be good stewards of their charitable legacy.

The trust extended to MCF is directly related to the leadership of our board and advisory board. We thank them for their time, talents, integrity and stewardship of our community resources.

Lakewood Ranch Fund

“The Lakewood Ranch Community Fund enhances the quality of life in and near our community by promoting philanthropy, responding to community needs and granting funds.”

The Lakewood Ranch Community Fund was formed in 2000 to service the growing Lakewood Ranch area. Grants are given each fall to nonprofits working to enhance the quality of life in Lakewood Ranch. The Fund focuses on programs that promote a hometown lifestyle and provide community enhancement.

Since beginning to award grants in 2002, the fund has given more than $700,000 to the Lakewood Ranch community. To keep administrative costs low, the Fund is part of the Manatee Community Foundation, although it has a dedicated board of advisors who review grant proposals and distribute funding.