The Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation recently approved $8,154,945 in grants to fund the work of multiple nonprofits in the Sarasota region.
The grant awards include investments in the construction of a new Boys & Girls Club in Newtown, improved access to prenatal care for women, and affordable housing for teachers in DeSoto County. The funding brings the Barancik Foundation’s grantmaking for the year to more than $23 million.
“Many of these grants are investments in long-trusted partners … that our community depends on,” said Teri Hansen, president and CEO of the Barancik Foundation. “From expanding accessible health care and creating new affordable housing to preserving environmental water quality and fostering climate resilience, these organizations and projects are directly serving our region’s most urgent needs.”
The following grants were approved in the Barancik Foundation’s four focus areas:
Education
Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties – $1 million to support construction of a new facility and expanded campus at the Roy McBean Club on the Irving and Marilyn Naiditch Campus, which provides academic, wellness, and leadership programs for youth in the Newtown community.
Girls Inc. of Sarasota County – $750,000 to sustain and expand trauma-informed mental health services and other supports through its Family Strengthening Program and to provide scholarships to offset membership fees for families in need. A portion of the grant ($250,000) is a match to encourage additional donations from the community.
Humanitarian causes
One Stop Housing Cares – $1.2 million to support the creation of a 72-unit workforce housing community adjacent to Nocatee Elementary School for teachers and staff of the School District of DeSoto County.
Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce – $800,000 to expand the Chamber’s workforce training, entrepreneurial support, and internship programs. $200,000 is a match to encourage additional donations from the community.
Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation – $800,000 to support Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s new Pregnancy Care Team, which helps pregnant women, particularly those with high-risk conditions, access prenatal and maternity care.
A future scientist traverses the Myakka Canopy Walkway in Myakka River State Park. The TREE Foundation plans to enhance the canopy walkway and visitor experience.
Links to Success – $570,000 to connect more families in DeSoto County with education and resources.
MCR Health – $391,000 to increase philanthropic support and brand awareness for its low-cost, high-quality health care services.
Barancik Foundation also earmarked funding for two ongoing initiatives: $800,000 in matching funds for First 1,000 Days Suncoast, which connects families with resources for healthy childhood development ; and $167,445 through the Foundation’s Recidivism Initiative to support inmate reentry navigators and other programming at the Sarasota County and DeSoto County jails.
Arts and Culture
Florida Cultural Group – $100,000 to support the Common Grounds café project at the Manatee Performing Arts Center, which will provide training and employment for individuals with disabilities.
Environment
Brookfield Zoo Chicago – $1 million to support the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, the world’s longest-running study of dolphins in the wild.
Climate Adaption Center – $300,000 to scale its ability to provide trusted, science-based information about the local impacts of a changing climate and strategies for adaptation.
Sarasota Bay Watch – $100,000 to expand water-quality projects and build its staff.
TREE Foundation – $50,000 to support enhancements to the Canopy Walkway and visitor experience in Myakka River State Park.
Also, the Barancik Foundation awarded $126,500 in grants to eight organizations that founders Chuck and Margie Barancik had supported on an annual basis during their lives.
Submitted by Greg Luberecki
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Barancik Foundation awards over $8.1 million to support nonprofits