MANATEE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC

What MANATEE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC does

Manatee Education Foundation Inc (MEF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1988 in Bradenton, Florida, operating as the only foundation solely dedicated to providing funds for Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade public education in Manatee County. The foundation acts as a liaison between the private sector and the Manatee County School District, channeling tax-deductible contributions from individuals, businesses, and community partners into classroom innovation, teacher recognition, scholarships, and arts education programs.

Its core programmatic offerings include the Teacher Impact Grants program (which recently disbursed over $100,000 to classroom teachers), the Manatee Arts Education Council supporting PreK-12 arts education, and The Scholarship Source directory aggregating local scholarship opportunities. Additional programs include the Partner in Payroll workplace giving platform, the Soar in 4 early childhood initiative, the Migrant Scholarship Fund, the Dr. Shirin Gibson Paraprofessional Scholarship, and annual signature events such as the Phil Galvano Golf Classic and the Excellence in Education Awards. Specific named scholarships include Suncoast Credit Union Scholarships ($3,000 each), the Mary Glass Civic Leadership Scholarship ($2,500), and the MAEC Young Artist Scholarships ($1,000 each across seven arts disciplines).

MEF derives its funding from four principal streams: individual and corporate tax-deductible donations, customized corporate partnership agreements, event sponsorships and ticket sales, and a share of Florida's 'Support Education' specialty license plate revenues. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors drawn from regional construction, banking, education, and community leaders, and operates with a small four-person staff led by Executive Director Kathy Price. MEF is a member of the Consortium of FL Education Foundations and maintains a regional (Manatee County) service footprint without expansion beyond its single-county charter.

Name

MANATEE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC

Legal name

Manatee Education Foundation Inc

Website

https://mefinfo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Manatee Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 in Bradenton, Florida, that channels tax-deductible donations into Pre-K through 12th grade public education programs — including Teacher Impact Grants, scholarships, and arts education — for the Manatee County School District.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Foundation Grantmaking

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Grantmaking Agencies & Education Program Grants Administration (EDADAHAD), College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Fundraising & Annual Giving (EDALAOAB)

Keywords

• Education foundation grants
• Teacher classroom grants
• Student scholarship programs
• Nonprofit education funding
• Community education partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Bradenton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible charitable donations from individuals, businesses, and community members. The foundation accepts donations through its website and manages the Florida 'Support Education' specialty license plate program.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Customized business partnerships where corporations fund specific educational programs, schools, or district-wide initiatives. Partner in Payroll program allows employees to make recurring deductions.
3. Event Fundraising: Annual events including the Phil Galvano Golf Classic and Excellence in Education Awards generate sponsorship revenue and ticket sales.
4. License Plate Program: Funds from the Florida 'Support Education' specialty license plate sales support classroom innovation, teacher recognition, scholarships, and at-risk student mentoring.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Manatee Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1988 that provides supplemental funding for innovative programs and enhanced educational opportunities for the teachers and students of Manatee County Public Schools beyond allocated state dollars. Its offerings include Teacher Impact Grants (over $100,000 recently awarded), multiple scholarship programs for graduating seniors, the Manatee Arts Education Council (MAEC), the Soar in 4 early childhood initiative, the Partner in Payroll workplace giving program, and signature fundraising events including the Phil Galvano Golf Classic and Excellence in Education Awards.

Product overview

Manatee Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 1988 that provides funding and support programs for Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade public education in Manatee County. The foundation operates as a liaison between the private sector and public school system. Its core offerings include Teacher Impact Grants providing over $100,000 in classroom funding, the Manatee Arts Education Council (MAEC) supporting PreK-12 arts education, and a comprehensive scholarship directory through The Scholarship Source. Additional programs include the Partner in Payroll workplace giving program, Soar in 4 early childhood initiative, Migrant Scholarship Fund, and recognition events such as the Excellence in Education Awards and Phil Galvano Golf Classic fundraiser. The foundation connects the community with educational opportunities through mutually beneficial business partnerships focused on creative and advanced learning techniques.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Manatee Arts Education Council (MAEC): Supports, promotes, and celebrates PreK-12 arts education in Manatee County public schools.
• Teacher Impact Grants
• The Scholarship Source
• Phil Galvano Golf Classic
• Excellence in Education Awards

Products and services

• Teacher Impact Grants

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $100,000 awarded through Teacher Impact Grants to support classroom innovation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• School District Education Foundation Matching Grant ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatching grant program that amplifies foundation funding for educational programs.
• Manatee County School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary beneficiary partner. The foundation provides supplemental funding for programs beyond allocated state dollars, acting as liaison between private sector and public schools.
• Manatee Arts Education Council (MAEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented by Manatee Education Foundation, supports PreK-12 arts education in Manatee County public schools through programming and member organizations.
• Soar in 4supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMovement ensuring four-year-olds and families have opportunities for preschool success, transforming neighborhoods through community resources.
• Consortium of FL Education FoundationssupportingOthersStatewide membership organization connecting Florida education foundations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hillsborough Education Foundation: A county-level education foundation serving Hillsborough County (Tampa) public schools with similar teacher grants, scholarships, and corporate partnership fundraising — directly comparable model in an adjacent Florida market.
• Pinellas Education Foundation: Pinellas County's education foundation providing teacher grants, student scholarships, and corporate partnership programs — operating an essentially identical model for a neighboring Florida school district.
• Sarasota County Education Foundation: Sarasota County's education foundation supporting K-12 public schools through grants, scholarships, and community partnerships — the most geographically and demographically analogous peer to MEF.
• Lee County Education Foundation: Education foundation supporting Lee County Public Schools through teacher innovation grants, student scholarships, and corporate partnerships — comparable in mission, scale, and Florida K-12 context.
• Broward Education Foundation: One of Florida's largest county education foundations, supporting Broward County Public Schools with teacher grants, scholarships, and signature events — scaled-up comparable model.
• Foundation for Lee County Public Schools: Direct peer foundation supporting a single Florida county school district with teacher grants, scholarships, and corporate partnerships — same operating model and revenue streams as MEF.
• Pasco Education Foundation: Pasco County's education foundation providing teacher mini-grants, Take Stock in Children scholarships, and corporate partnerships — near-identical model in an adjacent Florida county.

Others

• Consortium of Florida Education Foundations: Statewide industry association of which MEF is a member, connecting and supporting Florida's district education foundations — an ecosystem and peer-network organization rather than a direct competitor.
• School District of Manatee County: The primary beneficiary and strategic partner of MEF, providing the public school infrastructure and student population MEF serves — closely linked but operating a public school system rather than a private foundation.

Broad incumbents

• United Way Suncoast: Regional United Way affiliate and MEF major partner that operates a broader community-giving model including education — overlapping in education funding and corporate workplace giving, but with a multi-cause focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ManateeEducationFoundation/timeline?ref=page_internal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/manatee-education-foundation-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MANATEE EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC