Education & Philanthropy

Berkeley Preparatory School has received $5 million in endowment gifts from two Tampa Bay families, funds that will directly support teaching excellence at the school. The Shah Family and the Taneja Family made the contributions during the 2024–2025 school year. Nita and Rupesh Shah committed $3 million to the Berkeley Endowment for Teaching Excellence, which

This year, Community Foundation Tampa Bay celebrates 35 years of impact and a major milestone: $1 billion in philanthropic funds stewarded to strengthen lives and communities across the Tampa Bay region. This pivotal achievement is not just about financial growth. It’s about impact. It represents thousands of people and organizations choosing to give back with

New College of Florida has received a $2.5 million gift from the DSF Charitable Foundation to create a new Contemplation and Education Center, on its Sarasota Bay campus. The DSF Charitable Foundation, led by Florida residents David and Sara Scaife, has long been committed to advancing health, human services and education. Their latest contribution to

The University of South Florida Alumni Association has announced six distinguished honorees for its 2025 USF Alumni Awards, recognizing excellence in professional achievement, service and impact on the university community. This year’s Distinguished Alumni Awards will be presented to: Rick Brandt (’91, Economics), chief executive officer of BRANDT Gigi Fernández (’03, Psychology), Olympic gold medalist

The University of South Florida has announced the creation of Bulls Athletic Properties, a new in-house division that will oversee ticketing, corporate partnerships, media rights and major venue agreements. The new unit will serve as the central hub for all revenue-generating operations within USF Athletics and will shape the department’s long-term business model. It will

The 2025 Valspar Championship generated $1.64 million for more than 100 local charities, the tournament announced this week during its “Paint The Town Positive” Charity Caravan. The weeklong initiative featured tournament leaders visiting a dozen of the charities benefiting from the event’s proceeds. Hosted by Copperhead Charities, the organization has now raised nearly $53 million

Publix Super Markets and its customers have raised more than $10 million to support Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, a milestone that reflects decades of community-driven generosity through the annual Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ Miracle Balloon campaign, according to a statement. Each summer, shoppers at Publix locations across the Southeast are invited to donate at

Community Foundation Tampa Bay has awarded more than $2.2 million, in discretionary grants, to support 84 nonprofit projects across its five-county service area. The foundation received a record 363 applications this year, totaling $10 million in requests. The awarded projects align with economic opportunity, environmental resiliency and sustainability, health and well-being, education and community engagement.

Girls Inc. of Tampa Bay has received a $1 million donation from the Schoen Family to support the organization’s newly created endowment fund. The endowment is designed to provide long-term financial stability and help expand programming for girls in under-resourced communities throughout the region. Girls Inc. offers educational, leadership and wellness programs to support girls’

The University of South Florida Board of Trustees re-elected Will Weatherford, as chair, and Mike Griffin, as vice chair, during its June 3 meeting. Both have held their leadership roles since 2021 and will now serve another two-year term. The university is preparing to begin its next presidential search, with Griffin tapped to chair the

A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay has named one of its five on-campus foster homes the Daisy B. Lay House, honoring the woman who forever changed the life of Fred Lay, a longtime supporter and founding board member of the nonprofit. Lay, the founder and owner of Construction Services Inc., donated more than $500,000 in

Nearly half a century after first pledging their support, Pat and Charlene Neal have completed a $500,000 gift to New College of Florida, an investment that fulfills a commitment made in 1977. Pat Neal, a former state senator and homebuilder, and Charlene, who briefly served as a New College admissions counselor, pledged to contribute the