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FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 6, 2017) – The 18 local nonprofits granted $551,500 in 2016 from the Southwest Florida Community Foundation<\/a>\u2019s available\u00a0Field of Interest<\/em>\u00a0funds as well as individual and corporate donations, have reported their annual outcomes.<\/p>\n The established and new programs funded by last year\u2019s grants were designed to increase the quality of life in sustainable and equitable ways for Southwest Floridians.<\/p>\n The nonprofits included\u00a0Alzheimer\u2019s Disease and Related Disorders Association \u2013 \u00a0Florida Gulf Coast Chapter, Champions for Learning, Charlotte County Homeless Coalition Inc., the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, Inc. (CROW), Family Initiative Incorporated, Glades County Board of County Commissioners, Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc., Gulf Coast Symphony, Gulfshore Opera, Hendry County Library System, I Will Mentorship Foundation, Lee County Alliance for the Arts, Naples Botanical Garden, New Mission Systems International, RCMA, The Heights Center, The Immokalee Foundation and Gulf Coast Humane Society.<\/p>\n Of the funded reporting nonprofits, nearly 90 percent of the tribe programs demonstrated progress toward the changes nonprofits desired in the region because of their program.<\/p>\n The increase in the amount of collaboration between Foundation-funded nonprofits is 650 percent resulting in 13 collaborative projects between the nonprofit grantees. Examples of these collaborations include Gulf Coast Symphony and the Heights Center\u2019s MusicWorks! program for the after-school children along with Family Initiative and the Alliance for the Arts\u2019 Art for Autism program.<\/p>\n In Lee County, Gulf Coast Symphony\u2019s free Music Works! program at the Heights Center provides an innovative education and social initiative that creates opportunities for personal development in children (grades K-2) through the study of music.<\/p>\n Foundation-funded nonprofits saw an increase from 22.5 to 28.9 percent in knowledge and ability in evaluation skills such as data collection, analysis and reporting.<\/p>\n \u201cAwarding the funding was just the beginning of our partnership with the regional mix of nonprofits,\u201d said Sarah Owen, president and CEO of the Community Foundation.\u00a0 \u201cStaying connected with them all year through their \u2018tribes\u2019 provided a learning community where they shared information and built their capacity to strengthen them and their leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n Learn more about the results of the work of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation Tribes through the video featuring the Tribes at work at\u00a0http:\/\/floridacommunity.com\/tribes\/<\/a><\/p>\n The Southwest Florida Community Foundation, founded in 1976, cultivates regional change for the common good through collective leadership, social innovation and philanthropy to address the evolving community needs in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. Last year, it partnered with individuals, families and corporations that have created more than 400 philanthropic funds over the last 40 years. Thanks to them, the Foundation\u2019s invested $5 million in grants and programs to the community. With assets of more than $93 million, it has provided more than $67 million in grants and scholarships to the communities it serves since inception. The Community Foundation is the backbone organization for the regional FutureMakers Coalition and Lee County\u2019s Sustainability Plan. Based in Fort Myers, the Southwest Florida Community Foundation has satellite offices located on Sanibel Island, in LaBelle (Hendry County) and downtown Fort Myers.<\/p>\n