12 Transformations in 2018

In 2018, Gulf Coast Community Foundation continued its work of transforming our region through bold and proactive philanthropy. Together with our donors, we teamed up with partner organizations and took the lead on projects and initiatives aimed at bringing needed assistance, change, or innovation to the area.

What we’ve accomplished together in the past year shows the power of teamwork and new approaches to persistent problems. Read on to learn about 12 transformations worth celebrating—and building on—as we head into the new year:

1. Bold New Directions for The Ringling

Gulf Coast donors harnessed their passions to help create new exhibition space at The Ringling. In January, the museum unveiled its Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion to display its collection of American and European studio art glass, which was made possible in part by major gifts from Gulf Coast donors Nancy and Philip Kotler and Margot and Warren Coville. Then in March, The Ringling announced a $5-million gift from Keith and Linda Monda—facilitated with assistance from Gulf Coast—to endow a position for the Keith D. and Linda L. Monda Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. The gift also included four works from the Mondas’ own collection of contemporary art.

2. Reinventing the Middle-School Experience

A report released in February documented the impact of two innovative education initiatives that cumulatively invested more than $18 million into technology-enhanced education over the past eight years, literally transforming Sarasota County’s public middle-school classrooms (and the learning that occurs there). We are grateful to our partners at the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, as well as many other donor investors, who helped bring the STEMsmart and 21st Century Learning initiatives to life. 

3. A Local Discovery with Global Impacts

When news began spreading in March about the globally significant discovery of a 7,000-year-old Native American ancestral burial site in the Gulf of Mexico near Venice, Gulf Coast was already involved with the team dedicated to preserving and studying the archaeological find in the most respectful way possible. We continue working closely with partners like the Florida Department of State, Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Office of Historic Preservation, Gulf Coast Heritage Association, and Sarasota County Historical Resources to protect the Manasota Key Offshore site and educate local citizens about its cultural and scientific significance.

4. Helping Every Child Thrive

The first few years of a child’s life play a major role in determining their future success. That’s why Gulf Coast is one of 32 community partner organizations involved in First 1,000 Days Sarasota County. Announced in April, the community-wide initiative spearheaded by the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation works to improve access to prenatal, newborn, and early childhood development care for the families in our community who need it most. We are also accepting gifts to our First 1,000 Days Sarasota County Project Fund to allow community members to invest in this important work.

5. Creating a System to Serve the Homeless

For several years, Gulf Coast has played a lead role in efforts to address the homelessness crisis in our region. A critical component of the system of services being built to help Sarasota’s chronically homeless adults is the new Suncoast Rapid Rehousing Program, which began accepting client referrals from partner agencies in April and moved its first clients into housing in May. Operated by St. Vincent dePaul CARES out of the Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center, the program was made possible by the gift of an entrepreneurial donor to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County that inspired several Gulf Coast donors to invest as well. A June update on homelessness to the City Commission in Sarasota showed the positive impact of efforts like this.

6. Developing True Leaders

It takes knowledgeable, action-oriented leaders across our communities to move our region forward. In July, 25 emerging leaders graduated from the 2018 Gulf Coast Leadership Institute, the 13th class to complete this long-running leadership-development initiative. The following month, 20 volunteer board members from area nonprofits of all sizes completed our Summer 2018 Gulf Coast Board Institute, which provides high-level board-governance training to local volunteers. Together, these two initiatives have invested directly in hundreds of civic-minded citizens who give back by leading ahead.

7. Making Civility the Foundation of Community

Speaking of civic-mindedness, Gulf Coast partnered with Sarasota County Schools to introduce The Civility Squad district-wide at the start of the new school year in August. This memorable cast of characters, created by Ringling College of Art and Design students as the centerpiece of our Because It Matters regional civility initiative, promotes positive behaviors like respecting others, making a difference, and saying thank you. The school district has embraced The Civility Squad to encourage more respectful communication and good citizenship throughout the school community. From staff wearing Civility Squad T-shirts and banners hung at parent drop-off spots to teachers recognizing students they see doing good deeds, our schools are using the messages to foster a culture of civility across their campuses and beyond.

8. Doing Our Best to Prepare for the Worst

Last year’s Hurricane Irma reminded us all about the importance of effectively preparing in advance of a powerful storm and coordinating response in its aftermath. To ensure we’re even better prepared before the next storm hits, Gulf Coast and the Barancik Foundation teamed up with Sarasota County to analyze the area’s response to the September 2017 hurricane. The foundations funded a comprehensive “after action review” by Craig Fugate, administrator of FEMA from 2009 to 2017 and Florida’s former director of emergency management. While Fugate gave Sarasota County high marks for its disaster-response efforts, he also provided several actionable recommendations that already have changed our community’s planning and preparation for the better.

9. Reimagining Sarasota’s Bayfront

Recognizing the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our region, Gulf Coast has provided quiet leadership over the past two years for the community-driven Sarasota Bayfront redevelopment project known as The Bay. In September, the Sarasota City Commission unanimously approved a master plan for this ambitious project aimed at transforming 53 acres of City-owned property into a sustainable cultural and natural oasis that can be enjoyed by all. Gulf Coast remains committed to the significant work that lies ahead to fully realize our community’s shared vision for The Bay.

10. “A Life Changer for Students”

In October, Gulf Coast released an analysis of several years of data on the Reading Recovery initiative that we helped establish in Sarasota County Schools. Now in its fourth year and implemented in every elementary school in the district, the intensive, short-term literacy intervention helps the most challenged first-grade readers quickly catch up to their classmates. The data showed that most students not only made huge strides during their Reading Recovery lessons, but also maintained their gains in later grades. This success is why the Reading Recovery Council of North America named Gulf Coast’s Veronica Brady, whose tireless work was instrumental in launching and expanding Reading Recovery here, one of just three recipients of the 2018 Excellence in Literacy Leadership Award.

11. A Front Door to Services for Homeless Youth

Without the right kind of help to meet their unique needs, unaccompanied homeless youth in our community are at risk of becoming our next generation of chronically homeless adults. To prevent that, Gulf Coast has brought together a group of service providers and funders to build a system of care for these vulnerable teens and young adults. One key piece was the creation of the Harvest House Youth Center that opened in October. A drop-in center exclusively for 16- to 24-year-olds who are homeless or at-risk, the first-of-its-kind facility in Sarasota County provides access to services and support for this often-overlooked group.

12. Stronger Nonprofits Through Sustainability

Energy efficiency isn’t just good for the environment. It can also help nonprofits save a lot of cash—money that could be spent instead on their vital community services. In November, a collaboration of the county and the city of Sarasota plus funding partners Gulf Coast and the Barancik Foundation secured a $150,000 national matching grant to help nonprofits identify cost-saving efficiency and renewable-energy upgrades. The grant, which is matched by $75,000 from each foundation, also will assist several of them with implementing priority projects at their facilities.

Staying Gulf Coast Strong

Meanwhile, we saw several big changes of our own at Gulf Coast this year. We continued to strengthen our team by welcoming Veronica L. Thames in the new role of senior vice president for talent and innovation / chief operating officer, Chris Stobaugh as our new chief financial officer, Marcia Saulo as controller, and Kelly Carlstein Buehler to direct marketing and public relations strategy.

Gulf Coast also renewed its accreditation with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations. We were among the first community foundations to earn the designation back in 2006 and have remained accredited since then. Administered by the Community Foundations National Standards Board, the accreditation is considered the nation’s highest standard for philanthropic excellence.