Designing Women Boutique and Estate Services awards 2018 grants

Several nonprofit employees headed to BMO Harris Bank for a non-banking reason May 2. 

The occasion was the 2018 Designing Women Boutique and Estate Services Grant Awards, which honored 14 local nonprofits with grants and recognized six others (and two new ones for 2019) who are receiving support through DWB's GroundWorks program.

Guests enjoyed light bites and cocktails at the start of the event while Dynasty Stars dancers performed. 

During the presentation, DWB awarded nearly $140,000 in grants to the following area nonprofits: Asolo Repertory Theatre, All Faiths Food Bank, Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, Booker Middle School VPA, Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota County, Children's Guardian Fund, Easterseals Southwest Florida, Face Autism, Meals on Wheels, The Sarasota Ballet, Sarasota Farmers Market, Sarasota Youth Orchestra, the Venice Symphony and Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe.

The 2018 GroundWorks Grants recipients were Girls Inc. of Sarasota County, The Out-of-Door Academy, Ringling College of Art and Design, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation and The Sarasota YMCA. New to GroundWorks in 2019 are The Roskamp Institute and University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee.

Several performers from nonprofits awarded grants also performed for guests, ending the evening on a high note.