Middle Keys nonprofit representatives filled the Marathon City Council chambers on March 25 to make their cases as council members prepared to evaluate applications for the city’s 2024 nonprofit grant awards. Unanimously renewed by the council at its Feb. 13 meeting following the program’s reintroduction in 2023 for the first time since Hurricane Irma, the funds available increased from $100,000 to a 2024 cap of $150,000.
With an array of services ranging from animal rescues to housing assistance, child care, environmental protection and assistance for families facing special circumstances, representatives from each nonprofit were awarded equal time to verbally supplement their written applications before Marathon Mayor Robyn Still, Vice Mayor Lynn Landry and councilman Luis Gonzalez. Councilmen Kenny Matlock and Jeff Smith were not in attendance.
Requested funds for 2024 totaled $417,053.95, with an average request of $11,915.83 per application. Organizations requesting funding were required to show proof of fulfilling needed services within the city with little to no duplication by other organizations. Applicants must be able to provide cost-efficient, high-quality services and demonstrate administrative and financial stability. Requests for each organization could not exceed 24% of the group’s operating expenses in its annual budget.
“These are awfully hard decisions,” Still told the representatives gathered. “Everybody’s worthy, and you are all doing wonderful work in our community, and I want to thank you for that – you don’t get thanked enough.”
Following independent scoring by the council members, as no formal motions or evaluations were made on Tuesday night, grant awards are set to be announced at the council’s next session on Tuesday, April 9.
Organizations requesting funding are as follows:
- Forgotten Felines of the Florida Keys – $7,500
- Habitat for Humanity of the Middle Keys – $3,000
- Payton’s Promise Sanctuary – $8,000
- Marathon Premier Sailfish Tournament – $17,000
- Literacy Volunteers of America – Monroe County – $5,000
- Florida Keys SPCA, Marathon Campus – $15,000
- I.CARE Corporation – $30,000
- Keys AHEC Health Centers – $15,000
- Guidance/Care Center – $10,061.22
- Domestic Abuse Shelter – $20,000
- R3ACH – $12,000
- The Hammock House at St. Columba – $16,000
- Florida Keys Children’s Shelter – $2,500
- Crane Point Museum & Nature Center – $6,000
- MarineLab – $4,282
- Monroe County Education Foundation – $25,000
- The Educational Coalition for Monroe County – $20,000
- Florida Keys Concert Association – $10,000
- FIRM – $12,000
- Presents in Paradise – $7,000
- The Salvation Army – $5,000
- Independence Cay – $7,500
- Keys Area Interdenominational Resources (KAIR) – $7,500
- Special Olympics Florida – $2,000
- Grace Jones Community Center – $15,000
- Marathon Recreation Center – $15,000
- Kreative Kids Christian Academy – $6,000
- United Way of Collier and the Keys – $9,108
- Womankind – $18,400
- Marathon Wild Bird Center – $16,000
- Leadership Monroe County – $8,500
- Marathon Community Theatre – $10,000
- Marathon Yacht Club Educational Foundation – $5,000
- Conch Republic Marine Army – $40,320
- Community Cooperative Preschool – $6,382.73
