Prior Grant Requests
| Organization Name | Grant Year | Cycle | Request Amount | Grant Awarded | Awarded Amount | Matching Funds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State College of Florida Foundation, Inc. | 2025 |
2025-1 |
$5,980.00 | Yes | $2,950.00 | |
| State College of Florida Foundation, Inc. | 2026 |
2026-1 |
$3,400.00 |
Organization Name: State College of Florida Foundation, Inc.
Organization Website: https:/www.scf-foundation.org
Year Established: 1978
Mission Statement:
Our mission: We connect donors’ passions and regional partners with State College of Florida’s outstanding students, faculty, programs and community, and we steward foundation assets consistent with our donors’ intent.
Contact Name: Lori Stephens Tomlinson Years in Position: 5.5
Contact Email: stephel1@scf.edu
Contact Phone: 941-752-5108
Address: 4780 26th Street West
Bradenton, Florida 34207
Have you previously received a grant? Yes If yes, please indicate the year(s): 2025
How did you hear about our organization?
We received a generous grant from The Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle last year.
What do you believe we can provide your organization?
The Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle can help provide opportunities for financially needy students in grades 2-8 to participate in State College of Florida’s SCF summer culinary camps. Culinary camps focus on foundational kitchen skills, food safety, nutrition awareness, creativity in recipe development, and teamwork. Students leave with practical cooking skills and confidence.
This new program will operate across all three SCF campuses (Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton, and Venice) for a combined 18 weeks of programming throughout June and July 2026. The SCF Foundation is seeking support from a variety of community partners, with the goal of receiving enough support to offer 35 camp scholarships at $425/each, totaling $14,875. A generous $3,400 grant from The Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle will fund eight weekly camp scholarships.
What will the grant be used for?
This grant will be used exclusively for full tuition scholarships for children in grades 2-8 from Sarasota and Manatee Counties to attend the “Pineapple Kitchen Kids: Culinary and Restaurant Essentials” camp.
A Pineapple Kitchen LLC Enrichment Experience
In partnership with SCF Youth Enrichment
SCF Youth Enrichment is excited to partner with Pineapple Kitchen LLC, an award-winning culinary education provider, to offer a hands-on experience designed to build confidence, creativity, and real-world kitchen skills.
This 4-day culinary course introduces aspiring chefs to foundational kitchen and restaurant skills through engaging, age-appropriate instruction and interactive role-playing experiences. Young and aspiring chefs will learn:
1. Principles of food safety in the kitchen
2. Best practices for food preparation
3. Use of basic kitchen tools and measurement skills
4. How to create and prepare a main course meal and dessert
5. Customer service skills and proper table etiquette for dining
6. Presentation skills and basic restaurant operations through role-playing
The experience culminates in a three-course “Graduation Luncheon” on the final Thursday. Aspiring chefs will prepare and serve the meal for two invited family members or friends in their own mock classroom restaurant, showcasing their skills with pride.
Outcomes for camp participants will include:
1. STEM Integration: Application of math (fractions/ratios) and cooking science in a real-world setting.
2. Vocational Awareness: Early exposure to the culinary and hospitality industry, one of the primary economic drivers in our region.
3. Social-Emotional Development: Increased confidence and self-efficacy through hands-on collaboration, role-playing activities, and a culminating Graduation Luncheon experience.
4. Nutritional Literacy: Understanding ingredients and learning to prepare healthy meals at home.
To celebrate their learning, families will be invited to a special Graduation Luncheon where campers proudly prepare and serve a meal to showcase their new skills. Each participant will also bring home recipe cards, allowing families to continue the experience and reinforce learning beyond camp.
These camps are designed with the working family in mind. Core camp hours run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; however, to support accessibility, early drop-off beginning at 8:15 a.m. will be available at no additional cost for scholarship recipients. This added flexibility helps ensure families in Sarasota and Manatee Counties have the stability and support they need during the summer months.
At State College of Florida, we inspire kids to think big, stay curious, and build skills they can use for life. Our summer camps are designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and confidence in a fun, supportive, and engaging environment. Each program introduces new challenges and hands-on experiences that encourage learning, growth, and lasting memories. By supporting camp scholarships, you are providing a safe, structured environment that mirrors the traditional school day, helping to prevent “summer learning slide” through the practical application of math and science in the kitchen.
Provide the grant amount you are seeking: $3,400.00
Do you provide services to Sarasota and/or Manatee County? Yes
What is the financial impact per individual/program this grant will provide?
Each grant increment of $425 provides one week of all-inclusive culinary education for one student. This eliminates 100% of the out-of-pocket cost for ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families. This investment provides the student with approximately 28 hours of professional instruction, daily nutritious meals, and vocational gear.
SCF summer culinary camps are not funded by the State of Florida—they run entirely on fees paid by participating families. Rather than raising fees for all students to fund scholarships, the SCF Foundation is committed to securing supplemental funds to ensure students in need can attend without increasing the cost for other participants.
Please provide the estimated number of women, children and families impacted.
Eight camp participants (and their families) from Manatee and Sarasota counties will benefit.
Is there a matching grant? No If yes, indicate donation source:
May we tour your facility? Yes
What reciprocal benefit can you provide our organization:
We will proudly acknowledge The Lakewood Club Women’s Giving Circle as our program partner by:
*Including your logo on the camp registration landing page.
*Thanking The Lakewood Club Women’s Giving Circle on our camp’s Facebook page and other social media platforms.
*Incorporating your logo into printed materials used during the camp, such as posters displayed at the camp venues.
*Sharing information about the grant through our communication channels to raise awareness in the broader community.
Proof of Non-Profit Status https://tlcwcf.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/15/IRS-Determination-Letter-2.pdf
Organization’s Logo https://tlcwcf.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/15/Foundation-logo-with-tagline-150×150.jpg [110 show_image=1]
Project/Program-specific budget: https://tlcwcf.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/15/SCF-Summer-2026-Culinary-Camps-budget.pdf
Guide Star Profile/Rating (if applicable):
Anything else you would like to share with us?
We appreciate this opportunity and thank you for all you do to support the community!