The Apopka City Commission unanimously approved $70,000 in grants Wednesday for 14 nonprofit organizations after city officials and selection committee members praised changes to the application process and highlighted growing participation in the program. 

The grants are part of the city’s nonprofit grant program, which provides financial assistance to school organizations, booster clubs and nonprofit organizations supporting youth, at-risk individuals and seniors in the Apopka community. The latest application window ran from April 1 through April 30.  

Grant Administrator Precious Lewis told commissioners the city received 19 applications during the latest funding cycle. Five applicants were either deemed ineligible or withdrew because of incomplete applications or an inability to meet program requirements, leaving 14 organizations recommended for funding. The awards total $70,000, leaving $3,000 from the program’s $73,000 fiscal 2026 budget.  

Lewis said city staff made several changes following recommendations from previous grant cycles, including reviewing applications for completeness before they reached the selection committee, allowing applicants to submit missing documentation, conducting an applicant workshop and providing committee members with application materials weeks in advance. 

“The feedback given to us was that it was very helpful,” Lewis said of the additional review process.  

Lewis said participation has grown significantly over the program’s three grant cycles, increasing from six applicants during the first round to seven during the second and 19 during the third application period. 

Selection committee member Maribel Brinkle commended Lewis for streamlining the process and said the presentations demonstrated the impact local nonprofits have despite limited resources. 

“These nonprofits are working with very little, but they doing a lot in our community,” she said.  

Brinkle said the application process requires organizations to demonstrate how grant funds will be used and the work they perform in the community. 

Vice Mayor Diane Velazquez, who observed the selection committee’s deliberations, said she was impressed with the revised process, including requiring applicants to present their requests in person. 

Commissioner Nadia Anderson, who previously advocated for creating the grant program, said she hopes to eventually expand it through private partnerships. 

“My goal is to actually grow this funding to more than $100,000 eventually with some private matches,” Anderson said, adding that she hopes local companies could contribute enough to increase the program to $200,000 next year. 

Selection committee member Sylvester Hall thanked the nonprofits for addressing a variety of community needs and praised Lewis for organizing the applications in a way that made the committee’s evaluations easier. 

During public comment, resident Dr. Phyllis Olmstead urged the commission to postpone approving the grants until additional review could be conducted regarding nonprofit registrations with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and organizations’ financial documents.  

City Attorney Cliff Shepard responded that registration under the charitable-solicitation law cited during the discussion was not required to apply for the city grants because government grants are excluded from the law’s definition of a contribution. 

Lewis said participation in the program has continued to grow, increasing from six applicants during the first funding cycle to seven during the second and 19 during the current application period.