Winter Haven commission grants $1,000 sponsorship to Southern Charities Group for Grillfest

The City of Winter Haven City Commission on Feb. 24 voted to provide a $1,000 sponsorship to Southern Charities Group for the city's upcoming 2025 Grillfest, after members debated whether to waive stage rental fees or use existing grant and nonprofit-rate processes.

Southern Charities Group, a newly formed 501(c)(3) that will direct proceeds to Girls Inc. of Winter Haven and the Humane Society, had asked the commission to waive in-kind stage rental fees. At the meeting, organizer BJ Mannix, owner of Mannix Pools and Grills, said the rental fees this year are about $1,586 for the Grillfest stage and $1,985 for the Smoke Off the Water stage and asked the city to sponsor use of the stages.

Commissioners and staff discussed three approaches: waiving fees, applying the group to the city's grant program, or using an established nonprofit rental rate. City staff said the city typically charges for those assets and that a formal sponsorship process does not currently exist. The city manager said staff could explore a sponsorship process if the commission wished. The city attorney suggested a narrow, one-time accommodation could be used to avoid creating a precedent, and staff noted the city already operates a grant program that requires training before groups can apply this year.

After debate about precedent and fairness to other nonprofits, a commissioner moved to provide a $1,000 sponsorship to Southern Charities Group for the remaining 2025 Grillfest expenses. The motion was seconded and the commission voted in favor; the motion passed.

Meeting discussion clarified that Southern Charities Group is a local 501(c)(3) and that Girls Inc. could apply on the group's behalf to the city's grant program for future years, but the group had not completed the program training required to apply for funding this cycle. Staff also said the city already offers a nonprofit rental rate for facilities and would verify whether the group had been receiving that rate in prior years. Smoke Off the Water had already happened several weeks earlier; the organizer said a bill for that event remained outstanding.

The commission directed staff to prepare any necessary documentation related to the $1,000 sponsorship and to report back on existing nonprofit rental rates and the process for using the city's grant program going forward. No change to the city's formal policies was adopted at the meeting.