Bishop-Parker Foundation awards more than $5 million in grants

Total includes a major $3 million grant to Manatee Performing Arts Center
plus funding for health services and mentoring and education programs

BRADENTON, Fla., May 30, 2025 – Bishop-Parker Foundation awarded more than $5.3 million in grants during its spring 2025 grant cycle. That total includes a $60,000 grant to Easterseals Southwest Florida for summer therapy programs, a $100,000 grant to fund a cabin renovation at Foundation for Dreams’ Dream Oaks Camp for children with special needs and chronic illnesses, and a $45,000 grant to help Lighthouse Vision Loss Center launch a program for Manatee County children who are blind or have low vision.

“The grants awarded in this cycle will help our nonprofit partners provide mental health services, mentoring and education programs, access to medical and dental care for those most in need, and support for the arts,” said Wendy Deming, CEO of Bishop-Parker Foundation. “Ned and Patty Bishop and Mary Parker were ardent supporters of endeavors like these, and we’re grateful to be able to carry on their legacies.”

Florida Cultural Group received a major $3 million grant toward its Sara’s Studios capital project. Payable in three annual installments, the grant will help the organization achieve its goal of constructing a new 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art education and rehearsal facility on donated land directly connected to the Manatee Performing Arts Center. Sara’s Studios will allow the center to expand its reach through comprehensive programming for children, teens, adults, and seniors and include ADA-compliant infrastructure such as automated entrances and slip-resistant flooring to allow all community members to participate fully.

“Lillian Bishop’s visionary spirit and unwavering dedication helped lay the foundation for what would become a cultural cornerstone in Bradenton,” said Janene M. Amick, CEO of the Florida Cultural Group and its Manatee Performing Arts Center. “As one of the original founders and major funders of The Manatee Players and its first permanent home—the beloved Riverfront Theater—Lillian not only invested financially but also poured her heart into the theater’s early days. Today, as we embark on the next great chapter with the creation of Sara’s Studios, we honor Lillian’s legacy of generosity, artistic stewardship, and civic pride. This new facility will not only carry forward her passion for accessible, community-rooted theater, but also provide future generations with the same sense of belonging and inspiration that she championed from the very beginning.”

A $350,000 grant will support a new location of Tidewell Foundation’s Empath LIFE Medical Clinic, which will provide care to Manatee County seniors so that they can remain in their own homes. “Empath LIFE empowers adults aged 55+ to continue living at home while receiving extra care during the day. Participants have access to medical and specialty services, nutritious meals, therapies, and daily activities,” said Delesa Morris, president of Tidewell Foundation. “Programs like Empath LIFE are helping to meet that need—providing care and connection for older adults while empowering them to live safely at home and offering peace of mind for families.”

Centerstone of Florida received a $165,391 grant to support upgrades to its Behavioral Health Hospital. A remodel of the hospital’s psychiatric stabilization unit will provide separate spaces to better care for acute and non-acute patients, while the addition of skylights to the crisis stabilization unit will help create a more trauma-informed environment for patients.

“Natural light impacts mental health,” said Lisa Williams, Centerstone’s regional chief executive officer, Florida. “It regulates the circadian rhythm, boosts mood by increasing positive body chemicals like serotonin, and reduces symptoms of conditions like seasonal affective disorder and depression. Harsh lighting common in hospitals can make patients feel unsafe, especially if they have a trauma history, creating a barrier to treatment. If a patient does not feel safe, they may not focus and fully participate in therapy.”

Bishop-Parker Foundation’s spring 2025 grant cycle awarded 30 grants totaling $5,328,042 to support nonprofits focused on arts and culture, education, health, and human services in Manatee County:

$30,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast to support its one-to-one mentoring program
$165,391 to Centerstone of Florida for upgrades to its Behavioral Health Hospital
$64,000 to Children’s Home Society of Florida to support its Manatee Elementary and Daughtrey Elementary school partnerships
$75,000 to The Cleveland Museum of Art to support a partnership with the School District of Manatee County using the Museum’s Digital Innovations program
$50,000 to Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County to support its Spot On program for preschoolers with developmental needs
$60,000 to Easterseals Southwest Florida for summer therapy programs for children with disabilities
$20,000 to Florida Studio Theatre to support its Write a Play arts integration program
$75,000 to Forty Carrots Family Center for mental health programming in Manatee County
$100,000 to Foundation for Dreams to fund one cabin at Dream Oaks Camp for children with special needs and chronic illnesses
$50,000 to HOPE Family Services to support its children’s counseling services
$50,000 to JFCS of the Suncoast to support mental health services for children and families
$45,000 to Lighthouse Vision Loss Center to help launch a program for Manatee County children who are blind or have low vision
$60,000 to Manatee Children’s Services to purchase a vehicle to support its residential program
$50,000 to Manatee County Habitat for Humanity to support its homebuilding efforts
$3 million to Florida Cultural Group for its Sara’s Studios capital project
$185,000 to MCR Health to provide access to gynecological surgical procedures for the uninsured
$125,786 to Pace Center for Girls Manatee to support mental health and leadership programming
$57,000 to Palma Sola Botanical Park for deck renovation
$35,000 to Parenting Matters to support its Parent Partner and Chosen Families programs
$50,000 to Pines of Sarasota Foundation to provide Medicaid gap coverage funding
$24,000 to Stillpoint Mission to support its utility bill assistance program
$55,000 to Take Stock in Children Manatee to support its scholarship, education, and mentoring programs
$30,000 to The Haven to support healthcare services for adults with disabilities
$22,500 to The Twig Cares to support its Bradenton boutique
$350,000 to Tidewell Foundation to support its Empath LIFE Medical Clinic
$55,000 to Truly Valued to support its I AM Academy
$270,000 to Turning Points to provide dental care for the uninsured
$50,000 to Unidos Now to support its Future Leaders Academy
$74,365 to the University of South Florida Foundation for upgraded equipment and resources for the USF Sarasota-Manatee College of Nursing
$50,000 to Women’s Resource Center to support its Elevating Women’s Voices and community navigation programs