HOLMES BEACH – The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce awarded trolley grants to 17 non-profit organizations from Anna Maria Island and Cortez.
The grant award ceremony was held at the Waterline Villas & Marina on the evening of Thursday, Jan. 22.
After the grant award ceremony ended, Chamber President Terri Kinder explained how the grants are funded and awarded.
“We were giving away trolley grant monetary awards to 17 non-profits and not-for-profits on the Island and in Cortez that applied for the grants and were accepted,” Kinder said.
The trolley grant awards are funded by revenues generated by the advertising placed on the Free Island Trolleys operated by Manatee County.
“We sell the advertising on the trolleys. We are then required to pay the county $60,000 a year, and that helps keep the trolleys free. After the Chamber retains a small percentage to manage the program, the remainder of the advertising revenue has to be given back to the Island and the Cortez communities,” Kinder said.
“This year, we gave away $17,472. Since the beginning of the trolley grant awards in 2024, the Chamber and the Manatee County trolley program (MCAT) have awarded over half a million dollars to Island and Cortez non-profits,” she said.
THE RECIPIENTS
The grant given to Anna Maria Elementary School will be used for the reading and math tutoring program for third, fourth and fifth-grade students.
The grant given to the Anna Maria Island Art League will be used for art education workshops.
The grant given to the Anna Maria Island Garden Club will be used to restore a wind sculpture garden.
The grant given to the Anna Maria Island Historical Society will be used to purchase a large-screen tablet and a floor stand for the tablet.
The grant given to the Anna Maria Island Privateers will be used for operations support for marketing and recruitment strategies.
The grant given to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch & Shorebird Monitoring organization will be used for “Turtles-to-Go Trunk” hands-on activities.
The grant given to the Annie Silver Community Center will be used to update the grounds.
The grant given to the Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island will be used for the Guild’s community market night program.
The grant given to the Cortez Village Historical Society will be used to increase community awareness with the society’s “Cortez: Coffee, Culture & Conservation” events.
The grant given to the Friends of the Florida Maritime Museum will be used for a flat file collections project.
The grant given to the Friends of the Island Library will be used for seating in the reading area.
The grant given to the Island Players will be used for a black backdrop curtain for the theater.
The grant given to the Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island will support the All-Island Churches Interdenominational Easter Morning Sunrise Service.
The grant given to the Roser Memorial Community Church will assist in running the church’s Summer Vacation Bible School.
The grant given to the Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island will be used for the Good Citizenship/Character Building program at Anna Maria Elementary.
The grant given to The Center of Anna Maria Island will be used for low to moderate-income family participation in Center programs.
The grant given to Wildlife Inc. will be used to help with the care and feeding of the wildlife.
