WORDS: Carlee Colonneso
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
Philanthropic Building Blocks
Carol Butera’s path to philanthropy began with an interest in helping others. Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Carol received her undergraduate degree in Sociology from Northern Arizona University. After graduating, she moved to Kentucky and started working as a Crisis Intervention Counselor from midnight until 8:00 in the morning. This experience of seeing the pain and struggles that families have due to drug addiction, poverty, and lack of opportunity furthered her interest in finding ways to assist those in need.
She then moved to Ohio and received a master’s degree at The Ohio State University in Social Work. As she continued her career as a counselor, she would receive calls from families affected by domestic violence. At that time, there were no shelters available for victims; Carol explained that when a family was in crisis, “I would have to call individuals or friends and say, can you take this person for a night or two so we can get them safe.” Through working with the Attorney General, she was able to aid in the process of Ohio becoming one of the first states to collect a fee from each Marriage License to fund Domestic Violence Shelters.
Carol’s journey then led her to work in planning and administration for health facilities and eventually to an international move to Haiti for fundraising and program development at Hospital Albert Schweitzer. Since then, she has worked in development for St. Stephens Episcopal School, fundraising at the YMCA in Sarasota, and working with Children First, an agency specializing in strengthening a family’s well-being through education and opportunity.
The Selby Foundation
Over time, Butera watched what the Selby Foundation was doing due to the nature of her fundraising for other non-profits. Seeing how William G. and Marie Selby were stewards in the community and how their core values aligned with her own, she made it a goal to work for the organization. After a job opening presented itself, she made the move and became the President and CEO. Carol shared, “(I wanted to work) with organizations to develop great programs that can have a good impact for change.”
Founded in 1955 by William G. and Marie Selby, “humanity, humility, social responsibility, and innovation” are the core values of the Selby Foundation. Its mission is stated as “By investing in people through academic scholarships and supporting capital projects of local organizations, the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation looks beyond what is and enables change for what can be.” Through this, they can assist non-profits via grants and individuals in need that are seeking scholarships in Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, or Sarasota Counties.
Carol then told the story of when William, also known as Bill, and Marie were alive. People did not know about their wealth and how they were distributing funds to provide opportunities to others. She explained that Bill had worked for his father’s company in the oil fields alongside the workers. He stated that the only difference between himself and those employees was education; they hadn’t had the same opportunity. That experience became part of why both Bill and Marie wanted to provide assistance to those in need.
Responsibilities as President and CEO
As President and CEO, Carol provides oversight of the day-to-day operations and implements the vision and values of the donors and the board. She also manages the Selby Foundation’s funds and helps determine where those monies will go, with the Board of Directors finalizing all grants. When making these decisions, she asks questions like, “Where can we make the biggest impact in our community, will that change be made, and will it be here 3, 5, or 10 years from now?” The Selby Foundation started originally with 19 million dollars and now distributes over 3 million dollars each year via grants and scholarships. The Foundation has grown to over 80 million dollars and, through wise investment, will continue to fund non-profit initiatives and scholarships into perpetuity.
There is also a Spring and Fall Grant Cycle. According to the Selby Foundation website, applicants are restricted to 501(c) 3 non-profit entities (or equivalent) located within Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, or DeSoto counties. In addition, a smaller grant program was developed during the pandemic called the SAM (Small and Mighty) to assist non-profits looking for smaller donation amounts to aid in immediate need projects. These grants are available once a quarter and are open to organizations with less than $300,000 in annual operating expenses.
This year, as part of the Spring Grant Cycle, Carol will review 34 applications and research and meet with many organizations in person. She continued, “…you can be part of so many pieces of change, and keep organizations focused on service delivery instead of purchasing the capital improvements.”
Impacts of the Selby Foundation
You probably have visited an organization impacted by the Selby Foundation or even utilized services created by a grant. The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature was able to purchase air handlers with their grant funds to allow for traveling air quality-controlled exhibits. The Selby Library, also started by the same benefactor but separate from the Foundation, was built with monies from the Foundation and given a grant to help expand their digital library service. All Faiths Food Bank was granted funds to purchase trucks to distribute food to families in need.
During the pandemic and with safety precautions in mind, the SunCoast Blood Centers was assisted in creating a concierge service by funding vans to take blood donations at people’s homes. Children First replaced their roof, allowing for continued funding of the great works they provide for 700 children and their families, and grant monies provided for afterschool resources to create a Boys and Girls Club in DeSoto County. You can even see the impact at the Early Learning Coalition through a grant that provided access to those with disabilities allowing entry to access materials on the book bus.
As for scholarships, high school seniors from low-income families in the four-county area can apply for the “Selby Scholars” program. During the scholarship selection process, a group of 12 volunteers will then determine 40 students out of about 150 applicants that will receive up to $7,000 each year for the next four years of their education. Currently, the Selby Foundation is providing financial assistance to 160 College students. In addition, grant monies are provided to institutions like State College of Florida, and technical colleges, who will then determine where the scholarship goes within their organization.
Making a Difference in Lives
Carol explained that one of the favorite parts of her job is “hearing from the organizations about the incredible work that they are doing.” she continued, “It is remarkable what volunteers and paid staff are doing on a daily basis to connect people, to make a change, to be involved, to make the world a better place….”
She also shared that she enjoys the interviews with the Selby Scholar Applicants and their stories of perseverance. Carol told the story of one Selby Scholar who was homeless, and his family was living out of his car. He would get up in the morning and drive his mother to work, drop his sister off at school, and would then go to school himself. He not only maintained straight A’s but also took accelerated classes. Butera concluded, “That’s what I love about the job, hearing the stories about life and change and people’s courage.”
- The Selby Foundation provides the building blocks for success for non-profits. It invests in higher education for low-income students in Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties. To learn more about this organization and the grant and scholarship opportunities, visit https://selbyfdn.org/.
