Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s Board of Directors approved over $5.8 million in grants and scholarships, which included over $3.8 million in grants from donor advised funds, as well as $508,000 in scholarship awards. Five Leveraged Grants, totaling $289,500, will fund collaborative work to address specific regional priorities identified by the foundation through periodic community assessments. These grants included $100,000 to support the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, $27,500 to the Gulf Coast Partnership, $40,000 to United Way of Charlotte County, $97,000 to Ringling College of Art and Design and Sarasota County Schools and $25,000 to Van Wezel Foundation to support the planning phases of the organization’s capital campaign to create a world-class performing arts center. Gulf Coast also awarded over $139,000 in Community and Sponsorship Grants, which are smaller grants to fund programs, projects, and fundraising activities at regional nonprofit organizations. These included a $20,000 grant to The SKY Family YMCA in Venice, which will sustain scholarships for low-income families to participate in a variety of children’s programs at the Y, such as early learning, childcare, summer feeding, and youth sports.

Gulf Coast Community Foundation