The SunTrust Foundation announced the winners of the 2018 Lighting the Way Awards, giving a total of $2.7 million in grants to 36 nonprofit organizations across the South and Midwest to build stronger, more financially confident communities.

During the Lighting the Way Awards event, the SunTrust Foundation more than tripled the total grant money awarded in the previous year by providing a $75,000 grant to each of the 36 nonprofits.

"Supporting the unique needs of our communities is central to our mission, and we recognize outstanding local nonprofit organizations that work tirelessly to meet the needs of their communities," said Stan Little, president of the SunTrust Foundation. "The Lighting the Way Awards celebrate their efforts and continue our partnership with these organizations."

The SunTrust Foundation is also committed to improving the program effectiveness of its nonprofit partners through workshops, shared techniques, technology and collaborative projects. Following the Lighting the Way Awards, winners engaged in an interactive session with nonprofit sustainability expert David Greco and adventurer and motivational speaker Alan Hobson to help them improve long-term viability and mission outcomes for their organizations.

This year's Lighting the Way Awards recipients include:

• Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs, Inc. (ACE) (Cleveland, GA)

• ACT! Albany Community Together, Inc. (Albany, GA)

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida (Orlando, FL)

• Branches (Miami, FL)

• Capital Area Community Action Agency (Tallahassee, FL)

• CCCS of the Savannah Area, Inc. (Savannah, GA)

• Central Piedmont Community College Foundation (Charlotte, NC)

• College Now Greater Cleveland (Cleveland, OH)

• Cool Girls (Atlanta, GA)

• Economics Center (Cincinnati, OH)

• Experiment In Self-Reliance, Inc. (Winston-Salem, NC)

• Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of South Florida (Tampa, FL)

• Frontier Health Foundation (Johnson City, TN)

• Girls Incorporated of Jacksonville (Jacksonville, FL)

• Hampton Roads Workforce Development Corporation (Norfolk, VA)

• Helms College/Goodwill of Middle Georgia & CSRA (Macon, GA)

• Homes of Hope, Inc. (Greensville, SC)

• Junior Achievement of Georgia (Savannah, GA and Atlanta, GA)

• Life Enrichment Center of Norfolk (Norfolk, VA)

• Mary Hall Freedom House, Inc. (Sandy Springs, GA)

• Maryland Council on Economic Education (Towson, MD)

• Metropolitan Business League Foundation (Richmond, VA)

• Mid-South Minority Council, Technical Assistance and Developmental Pool (Memphis, TN)

• NextOp (Houston, TX)

• Piedmont Housing Alliance (Charlottesville, VA)

• Prospera (Orlando, FL)

• Safe Haven Family Shelter (Nashville, TN)

• SCORE Charleston SC (North Charleston, SC)

• South Baltimore Learning Center (Baltimore, MD)

• Staunton Creative Community Fund, Inc. (Staunton, VA)

• StepUp Wilmington (Wilmington, NC)

• The Beacon Council Economic Development Foundation (Miami, FL)

• University System of Georgia Foundation (Atlanta, GA)

• Valencia College Foundation (Orlando, FL)

• Virginia Cooperative Extension - Prince William (Blacksburg, VA)

• WiNGS (Dallas, TX)