SRQ Daily: Looking Back at an Impactful, Transformative Year

The following guest column by Gulf Coast President|CEO Mark Pritchett appeared in the December 17, 2022 edition of SRQ Daily:

As we near the end of 2022, I reflect back on a productive year filled with transformative change for our region. I am encouraged to see the impactful work Gulf Coast Community Foundation has provided to our communities. This year was filled with highs and lows from opening our new, downtown Sarasota Philanthropy Center, to assisting 50-plus nonprofit organizations with funding after Hurricane Ian ravaged our Gulf Coast, and much more. Here are just some of the highlights from this busy year.

I am excited to note that this year Gulf Coast, together with its donors, surpassed $500 million in grants since our founding in 1995.  We thank our generous donors whose desire is to make our world a better place than they found it.  Our donors also helped us achieve a record year for new gifts. It is a privilege to work with generous and thoughtful people who want to leave a lasting impact on our community for generations to come. You can learn more about philanthropy at Gulf Coast here.

In the days immediately following the second most costly storm to hit the United States, Gulf Coast Community Foundation provided over $2 million in immediate relief to families and businesses devastated by Hurricane Ian. Our grants provided rapid, life-sustaining support to families and community members who were left with uninhabitable homes, no food, and just the clothes on their back. We continue to provide relief to those in Sarasota, DeSoto, and Charlotte counties and beyond. Our generous donors have stepped up to help us meet this need. To learn more, you can visit our Hurricane Ian Disaster Relief Fund website page.

In September, we happily announced the opening of The Sarasota Philanthropy Center on State Street in downtown Sarasota. The state-of-the-art space serves as a convening collaborative for our nonprofit partners to further their mission through meetings, retreats, and workshops. Our donor families can now enjoy ease of access to their Gulf Coast team not only in our Venice headquarters, but also in the heart of downtown Sarasota. The space was made possible by our generous Board, donors, and the partnership of Willis Smith Construction and Plunkett Raysich Architects, LLP. Haven’t been to our new space? Take a look inside The Sarasota Philanthropy Center and learn how to reserve a room here.

This year we also experienced several environmental and public space wins for our region. Our Board of Directors approved a $60,000 grant from the Venice Endowment Fund to support field renovations at Wellfield Park in Venice. This partnership between the City of Venice, Sarasota County Government, and Gulf Coast allowed for the restoration of both Soccer Field #2 and the Letson Stadium Football Field. We heard fantastic feedback from the community on our work to improve this park for hundreds of families and children in youth sports.

We also celebrated the grand opening of The Bay. I am proud to say that we have instrumentally supported The Bay since its inception in 2013. The implementation of a long-term master plan for 53-acres of city-owned land along Sarasota Bay that will establish a cultural and economic legacy for the region is transformative in itself.

In February, we thanked Governor DeSantis for his veto of anti-solar House Bill 741 – state legislation that would have negatively impacted the fast-growing solar industry in the Sunshine State. Additionally, our Water Quality Playbook (a comprehensive collection of actionable recommendations to achieve and sustain community-wide nutrient management for water quality in our ponds, creeks, bays, and estuaries) continues to impact governments, agencies, and communities across Florida.  In fact, earlier this month, a poster abstract on The Community Playbook for Healthy Waterways was presented at Restore America’s Estuaries 2022 Coastal & Estuarine Summit in New Orleans, Louisiana.

This past July, I announced my plans to retire in 2023 as President and CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation. I joined Gulf Coast in 2008 as Vice President of Community Investment and subsequently was selected President|CEO in 2015. My work at Gulf Coast has truly been some of the most rewarding work of my lifetime.

When I look back, I am so proud of our accomplishments achieved by our spirited board, talented team, generous donors, and dedicated community partners. I am honored to say that Gulf Coast is a national, high-performing community foundation. From our fast-growing donor base to participation in community-wide achievements like The Bay, The Legacy Trail, our COVID Response Initiative with the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, and our Hurricane Ian Recovery Relief efforts, Gulf Coast has been on the forefront of transformational impact.

I will miss working with our stellar team, and I am grateful for all the meaningful friendships that I have formed over the years with board members, donors, nonprofit partners, foundation leaders, community leaders, and elected officials.

The power of philanthropy never ceases to amaze me. We live in a special community where people are invested in the power to change the world for the better. It is my honor to lead this great ship at Gulf Coast and to show how catalytic philanthropy can provide solutions to some of our most entrenched issues. Happy Holidays everyone and much love to you and your families.

Mark Pritchett is President and CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation.