United Way awards $450,000 in grants to area nonprofits
TAMPA — United Way Suncoast has awarded $450,000 in grants to 26 nonprofits across its five-county footprint as part of its ACE Grant program, the organization announced.
Launched in the fall of 2024, ACE (Access, Capacity, Equity) Grants provide one-time unrestricted funding for organizations with an annual operating budget under $2.1 million. With the grants not exceeding $20,000, they are designed to help unlock barriers to innovation and spark the next steps forward for our nonprofit partners.
The latest grant announcement adds to the $202,500 in ACE Grants that United Way Suncoast disseminated in March.
Overall, United Way Suncoast has issued 90 grants totaling $1.5 million since launching the program in the fall of 2024.
Amplify Women Tampa Bay to host top women leaders
ST. PETERSBURG — Amplify Women Tampa Bay will welcome some of the top voices in business, technology, sports and civic leadership to The James Museum on Aug. 7–8 for its third annual summit, Navigators of Change: Women at the Helm. The two-day event will bring together women from across Tampa Bay for a program built on connection, knowledge-sharing, and community.
This year’s summit lineup reflects the breadth of leadership across the region. Keynote speaker Dr. Sandra Braham, president and CEO of Gulf Coast JFCS, leads a $60 million agency with more than 550 employees and 50-plus programs spanning child welfare, behavioral health, workforce development, and refugee resettlement. She made history as the first African American woman to chair the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce Board and is the author of the memoir An Angel for Detroit, a memoir chronicling the personal journey that shaped her into the leader she is today.
Attendees will also hear from Christina Unkel, president and general manager of the Tampa Bay Sun, Tampa Bay’s only female professional sports team, who will appear on a panel with Yanna Pantelis Boutzoukas, vice president of marketing and promotions for the Tampa Bay Rays, and Melissa Gebhardt, creative director for Vinik Sports Group and the Tampa Bay Lightning, in a conversation on leadership in sports and business. The panel will be moderated by Megan Baker, president and CEO of Baker Public Relations, who brings more than 20 years of communications experience.
Another panel featuring Amanda Wick, founder of the Association for Women in Cryptocurrency, and Candace Williams of Raytheon will spotlight women reshaping digital finance and cybersecurity. Additional sessions include a mental health discussion led by Marilyn Shaw, a panel on generational gaps moderated by Dr. Celeste Collins, and a closing conversation on creativity and leadership with local artist Ya La’Ford.
Tickets are available at amplifywomentampabay.com/annual-summit.