Charitable Foundation of the Islands Awarded $5,000 Grant from Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club to Support Island Nonprofits Through Instrumentl Database
/Charitable Foundation of the Islands Awarded $5,000 Grant from Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club to Support Island Nonprofits Through Instrumentl Database
Sanibel, FL – June 10, 2025 — The Charitable Foundation of the Islands (CFI) is proud to announce it has received a $5,000 grant from the Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club. This funding will support CFI’s continued subscription to Instrumentl, a premier grant search and management platform provided to 15 nonprofit organizations serving the Sanibel and Captiva Islands.
Since 2023, Instrumentl has helped local nonprofits generate more than $472,000 in active grant funding. Recognized as the gold standard in philanthropy circles, this platform has catalyzed nearly half a million dollars in funding for critical community services — a powerful example of how strategic investments can multiply impact. CFI is honored to serve as the connector and catalyst behind this success, helping nonprofits secure the resources necessary to serve the islands effectively.
“This is exactly why CFI invested in building grant capacity on the Islands after Hurricane Ian,” said Dolly Farrell, Executive Director of the Charitable Foundation of the Islands. “CFI offers island nonprofits free grant writing and research consulting services to increase their ability to secure vital funding.”
Sharon Miller from Trailways Camp shared her experience:
"I was hesitant about writing and researching grants because I know that they are time-consuming and often not funded, but the CFI program made it so easy."
With support from the CFI grant consultant and tools like Instrumentl, Trailways secured a $20,000 grant from the Golisano Foundation — proof that investing in nonprofit capacity not only advances individual agency missions but also enriches the lives of those in need and benefits our entire community.
“We are so pleased to support the Charitable Foundation of the Islands in this impactful initiative,” said Rachel Tritaik, President of the Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club. “Instrumentl is clearly making a difference for our island nonprofits, and Rotary is proud to help these organizations access the resources they need to continue their vital missions. This is exactly the kind of community investment we’re passionate about.”
Instrumentl became an invaluable resource for island nonprofits shortly after Hurricane Ian, with its initial annual subscription of $6,200 funded through a grant from the Sanibel-Captiva Recovery Fund.
“Instrumentl has been an invaluable resource for us at CROW, enabling us to quickly identify funding opportunities that align with our mission to save wildlife through state-of-the-art veterinary care, research, education, and conservation medicine,” said Grace Murphy, Director of Development at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW). “The grants we've secured through the platform have been crucial in supporting our efforts to rehabilitate wildlife and educate the public. We are grateful for CFI's continued support in providing this essential tool to island nonprofits.”
Maggie Goldsmith, Marketing and Grants Director at FISH of SanCap, also highlighted the platform’s impact:
“We are incredibly grateful to CFI for introducing us to Instrumentl. The platform has been a game-changer for FISH of SanCap, allowing us to streamline our grant search and management process. We were so impressed with its efficiency that we decided to invest in our own account. Thanks to CFI’s support, island nonprofits now access even more funding opportunities to continue serving the Sanibel-Captiva community. We truly appreciate their dedication to helping nonprofits like ours thrive.”
Thanks to the generous support of the Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club, CFI will maintain access to Instrumentl for local nonprofits for the next year, increasing their capacity to secure funding and serve the islands.
About Charitable Foundation of the Islands: (MyCFI.org) The mission of the Charitable Foundation of the Islands (CFI) is to inspire philanthropy, leadership, and collaboration for the vitality of the Island community. CFI has served the Sanibel and Captiva communities since the 1990s through the Francis Bailey Society and was officially incorporated as a 501(c)(3) organization in 2011.
From left to right: Annie Williams, Trailways Camps Board Member; Sharon and Jerry Miller, Founders of Trailways Camps; and Jamie Senkeleski, Executive Director of Trailways Camps.
