A total of $149,000 will fund vital initiatives for Middle Keys nonprofits this summer, courtesy of grants officially approved at the Marathon City Council’s May 27 workshop session.
The third annual funding cycle, brought back in 2023 for the first time since Hurricane Irma, saw 35 groups apply for grants. Their requests totaled $362,852 – an average request of just over $10,000 per organization.
The nonprofit awards are drawn from the city’s general fund. Marathon elected to resume its earlier practice of providing nonprofit funding two years ago, beginning with a pool of $100,000 in 2023 before increasing the total awards to $150,000 in 2024 and 2025. Organizations receiving funding represented a wide variety of services offered to the Marathon community, from child care centers and nutritional assistance programs to animal rescues, nature preserves and social service groups.
Nonprofits requesting funding were given an opportunity to address the Marathon City Council directly to present their requests in April before the close of applications, when submissions were reviewed and scored by council members.
Groups were required to show proof of fulfilling needed services within the city with little to no duplication by other organizations, providing high-quality and cost-efficient programs while demonstrating administrative and financial stability. While none of the applicants were denied funding this year, a request from Fair Insurance Rates Monroe (FIRM) was withdrawn in favor of introducing an annual contribution from the city as a budgeted expense.
The 2025 grant recipients were:
| Nonprofit Name | Grant Request | Amount Funded |
| Forgotten Felines of the Florida Keys | $3,000 | $2,000 |
| Heart of the Keys Rec Association/Marathon Rec Center | $15,000 | $12,700 |
| Special Olympics Florida | $5,000 | $3,600 |
| Autism Society of the Keys | $10,000 | $2,300 |
| Marathon Yacht Club Educational Foundation | $4,000 | $2,500 |
| Crane Point | $8,000 | $4,500 |
| Payton’s Promise Sanctuary | $7,200 | $200 |
| Habitat for Humanity of the Middle Keys | $5,000 | $1,375 |
| The Salvation Army | $8,000 | $2,500 |
| United Way of Collier and the Keys | $5,000 | $1,110 |
| Marathon Wild Bird Center | $15,000 | $3,240 |
| Keys AHEC Health Centers | $10,000 | $4,100 |
| Conch Republic Marine Army | $8,450 | $2,610 |
| Zonta Club of Marathon | $3,000 | $1,640 |
| Florida Keys Children’s Shelter | $2,500 | $2,000 |
| Grace Jones Community Center | $15,000 | $12,200 |
| Womankind Marathon | $7,500 | $4,440 |
| Education Coalition for Monroe County | $18,000 | $7,600 |
| Keys Area Interdenominational Resources (KAIR) | $10,000 | $6,900 |
| Independence Cay | $10,000 | $7,100 |
| Domestic Abuse Shelter | $25,000 | $5,100 |
| Florida Keys Concert Association | $12,000 | $200 |
| Hammock House | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Monroe County Education Foundation | $25,000 | $7,900 |
| Marathon Memorial Foundation Corp (Scholarships) | $15,000 | $4,600 |
| Kreative Kids Preschool | $5,000 | $2,300 |
| Literacy Volunteers of America | $5,000 | $1,860 |
| Marathon Community Theater | $9,350 | $2,800 |
| Guidance Care Center Inc. | $10,000 | $3,100 |
| Presents in Paradise | $7,000 | $3,875 |
| Community Coop Preschool | $10,000 | $6,000 |
| Marathon Premier Sailfish Tournament | $5,000 | $1,500 |
| Good Health Clinic | $20,000 | $5,300 |
| Seacamp | $15,000 | $2,300 |
| Save A Turtle | $6,852 | $1,000 |
