Bishop-Parker Foundation awards $345,000 in animal welfare grants
Grants follow merger of assets of Bishop SPCA Foundation into those of Bishop-Parker Foundation
BRADENTON, Fla., July 21, 2025 – Bishop-Parker Foundation recently awarded $345,000 in animal welfare grants to help local nonprofits provide food, veterinary care, and other services for the area’s animal residents. These grants were made following the June 1 merger of the assets of the Bishop SPCA Foundation into those of the Bishop-Parker Foundation.
Ned and Patty Bishop established the Bishop Animal Shelter SPCA of Manatee County in 1958 as the county’s first animal shelter, while also creating the Bishop SPCA Foundation to provide the operating revenue for that endeavor. After the shelter was donated to Manatee County in 2022, the foundation shifted to supporting animal welfare causes.
This year, the decision was made to consolidate the Bishop SPCA Foundation within the Bishop-Parker Foundation. The Bishop SPCA Foundation held more than $40 million in assets and awarded more than $1.2 million annually in grants. Following the consolidation, Bishop-Parker Foundation’s total assets exceed $260 million.
“It was logical to have all of the Bishops’ and Mary Parker’s philanthropic priorities under one umbrella,” said Wendy Deming, CEO of Bishop-Parker Foundation. “But it’s important to know that the funds originally set aside by the Bishops to support animal welfare in Manatee County will always be used to support animal welfare in Manatee County.”
The recent grants include $125,000 for Nate’s Honor Animal Rescue to increase staffing of an on-site care clinic and shelter surgery suite, including a second full-time veterinarian and two support staff. “This will allow us to provide affordable and subsidized preventive and medical care for the public and perform all of our shelter animal surgical procedures and advanced diagnostics on-site,” said Dari Oglesby, executive director of Nate’s Honor Animal Rescue Center.
Shortening wait times for services like spay and neuter procedures and dental procedures will help reduce an animal’s length of stay at the shelter. “The delay in care impacts their overall well-being and health as well as adoptability,” says Oglesby. “This grant will help us address that.”
An $18,000 grant was awarded to St. Joseph Food Pantry to purchase more pet food each month for a total of 12 months. “The food is made available for our client families who are pet owners in addition to their normal monthly food selections,” said Dan Friedrich, director of St. Joseph Food Pantry, which served 20,582 families in Manatee County in 2024. “Usually, the pet food is out of stock within a few days. Being able to offer more pet food helps our families with pets have more disposable income to pay for rent and other necessities in life.”
These animal welfare grants also benefit local wildlife. A $55,000 grant to Audubon Florida will support the organization’s efforts to protect 10 coastal waterbird nesting sites in Manatee County, including the County’s newly acquired Dot-Dash-Dit Islands near the mouth of the Braden River. Funds will be used for habitat management, research efforts, and community outreach.
“Coastal bird populations are threatened by climate change, development, overfishing, and pollution across North America,” said Audrey DeRose-Wilson, Director of Bird Conservation. “Approximately 19 species of colonial and solitary waterbirds nest in Manatee County, including six state-threatened and one federally threatened species. Species such as wood storks, roseate spoonbills, brown pelicans, reddish egrets, and American oystercatchers are dependent on conservation activities to sustain their populations in this region.”
In total, Bishop-Parker Foundation awarded eight animal welfare grants totaling $345,000 to support the following nonprofits in Manatee County:
· $50,000 to Farmhouse Animal and Nature Sanctuary to provide farmhouse tours;
· $15,000 to Florida Rescue Farm for a year’s supply of feed;
· $125,000 to Nate’s Honor Animal Rescue for staffing of an on-site care clinic and shelter surgery suite;
· $55,000 to Audubon Florida for coastal waterbird conservation efforts in Manatee County;
· $17,000 to Sarasota Parrot Conservatory for continued hurricane response and recovery efforts;
· $40,000 to Satchel’s Last Resort for perimeter fencing at the animal shelter;
· $18,000 to St. Joseph Food Pantry to increase pet food purchases;
· $25,000 to Sugar’s Gift to provide support for animals at the end of life.
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About Bishop-Parker Foundation
Inspired by the philanthropic legacies of our founders, the Bishop-Parker Foundation supports nonprofit and public partners who collaborate to advance the Manatee County community for current and future generations. The Foundation has been a source of positive change in Manatee County through its funding of organizations focused on health, human services, education, the arts, the environment, and animal welfare. More information may be found at bishopparkerfoundation.org.