Adult and Community Education of Martha’s Vineyard (ACE MV) and FLY Yoga each received a $2,500 grant from the Martha’s Vineyard Women’s Network, supported by a matching grant from the Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank, to help develop their Vineyard businesses.

Lynn Ditchfield, director of ACE MV, and Sherry Sidoti, owner of FLY, were among 19 grant applicants.

ACE (acemv.org), now in its second year, offers dozens of classes that provide opportunities for enrichment, practical training, and college credit. Islanders teach all the classes, and ACE works with both the school system and 30 community organizations. Mrs. Ditchfield will use her grant to provide administrative support.

FLY Yoga (flyyogamv.com) is an Island yoga company that offers group classes, private instruction, retreats and workshops. This summer FLY will join the summer Yoga Collective at Cohousing in Tisbury, working side by side with Island colleagues to present an expanding array of yoga for the Island and off-Island community. Mrs. Sidoti will use the grant to help develop an intensive, FLY Yoga Training Program for yoga instructors. A 10-day program, to be offered twice in the shoulder seasons, and regular continuing education programs will help make Martha’s Vineyard a mecca for yoga instructors.

“We had wonderful applications from thoughtful, innovative businesses,” said Margo Urbany-Joyce, president of the network. The grants were awarded after a screening process that included a personal interview with the four finalists by network board members, one Women’s Network member, and Chris Wells, president and chief executive officer of Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank.

Mr. Wells told the board only during the final interview sessions that the bank had decided to match the network grant, allowing the organization to hand out the two awards. The grants were announced last Thursday.