The Manasota Branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) recently received its largest grant to date – a second major award from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation totaling $450,000.
The investment will help the organization build and strengthen its operations to meet growing community demand for its programming. The grant includes a $150,000 community match, encouraging broader local support and deepening community investment in Manasota ASALH’s mission.
According to executive director Jada Wright-Greene, the funds will expand the organization’s capacity, enhance infrastructure and ensure long-term sustainability as programs continue to grow across Sarasota and Manatee counties. Support from the Barancik Foundation will also help Manasota ASALH broaden the reach of signature initiatives, including the Freedom School, community history programs and student scholarship efforts.
The investment positions Manasota ASALH for its next chapter of growth, deepening community partnerships while expanding public engagement with African American history and culture.
“We are deeply grateful to Barancik Foundation for this historic investment in our work,” Wright-Greene said. “Receiving the largest grant in our organization’s history is both an honor and a responsibility. It gives us the momentum to serve more people, deepen our community presence and carry our work forward with greater purpose.”
About Barancik, ASALH
The Charles and Margery Barancik family has long believed in the power of philanthropy to enrich the lives of all people. It was the expression of this belief that led them in 2014 to establish Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, a private, family foundation located in Sarasota. Barancik Foundation creates initiatives and awards grants in Sarasota and beyond in the areas of education, humanitarian causes, arts and culture, the environment, and medical research. For more information, visit barancikfoundation.org.
Manasota ASALH is a local branch of the National Association for the Study of African American Life and History. The national organization was founded in 1915 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, who is credited with establishing Black History Month. Since its founding in 1995, the Manasota Branch has remained committed to promoting, researching, preserving, interpreting, and sharing the rich history and culture of people of African descent with both local and global communities. For more information about Manasota ASALH, visit asalh-manasotafl.org.
Submitted by Su Byron
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Manasota ASALH receives major grant to expand Black history programs
Reporting by Special to the Herald-Tribune, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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