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Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation

Annual Giving
$27.5M
Grant Range
$10K - $1.0M
Decision Time
2w

Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $27.5 million+ (2024)
  • Total Assets: $561 million
  • Average Grant Size: $92,273
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $995,000+
  • Geographic Focus: Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties, Florida
  • Total Investment Since 2014: $105 million+

Contact Details

Website: https://barancikfoundation.org/
Location: Sarasota, Florida
Application Method: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited requests

Overview

The Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2014 in Sarasota, Florida. With over $561 million in assets, the foundation has invested more than $105 million into the region since inception, with 2024 grantmaking exceeding $27.5 million. Named in honor of Charles and Margery Barancik, the foundation focuses on education, humanitarian causes, arts and culture, the environment, and medical research across Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties. The foundation takes a collaborative, partnership-driven approach to philanthropy, working alongside a network of community partners to address challenges holistically. Recent leadership includes Board Chair Rebecca Harris Barancik and newly appointed President & CEO John Brothers, who joined in 2025 following a comprehensive national search. The foundation has received exceptionally positive feedback from grantees, with a 90% response rate in their Grantee Perception Report conducted by the Center for Effective Philanthropy.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation makes grants across five core focus areas:

Education - Education represents over half of funding in some grant cycles. Major investments include:

  • TIME Fellowship: Up to $12,000 per educator for 25 Sarasota County Schools educators annually (named for Margie Barancik who was a teacher)
  • Early Learning Initiative: Multi-year strategic funding focused on workforce recruitment/retention, behavioral health needs in preschools, administration/leadership, and policy
  • First 1,000 Days Initiative: Creating a seamless network of free and affordable services for strong early childhood development
  • K-12 and postsecondary education support
  • Recent examples: $900,000 for Early Learning Initiative; individual educator fellowships up to $12,000

Humanitarian Causes - Focused on breaking cycles of hardship and helping people meet basic needs:

  • Affordable housing creation and homelessness prevention
  • Healthcare access for vulnerable populations
  • Food security and family support services
  • Recent examples: $250,000 to One Stop Housing Cares for workforce housing; $750,000 to Safe Children Coalition; $367,190 to Senior Friendship Centers for Friendship at Home program

Environment - Protecting local natural resources and promoting climate resilience:

  • Water quality monitoring and protection
  • Climate adaptation and resilience
  • Responsible access to public green space
  • Recent example: $300,000 to Climate Adaptation Center

Arts and Culture - Making arts accessible across all backgrounds and abilities:

  • Supporting emerging artists
  • Cultural programming and access
  • Recent example: $995,000 to Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Medical Research - Supporting health innovation and medical advancement in the region

Grants range from approximately $10,000 for smaller awards to nearly $1 million for major initiatives, with an average grant size of $92,273. The foundation makes grants on a rolling basis through strategic partnerships.

Priority Areas

  • Early childhood development and strong starts in life
  • Quality education from pre-K through postsecondary
  • Educator support and retention
  • Affordable housing and homelessness prevention
  • Healthcare access for underserved populations
  • Environmental protection and climate adaptation
  • Arts accessibility and emerging artist development
  • Breaking cycles of hardship for vulnerable families

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not publish specific exclusions, but operates through strategic partnerships rather than open applications. TIME Fellowship currently excludes charter, private, and virtual schools, and classified staff (limited to instructional staff, assistant principals, and principals in traditional Sarasota County Schools).

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

  • Rebecca Harris Barancik (Chair) - Has served as Board Chair since the foundation's inception in 2014. Holds a Ph.D. in Economics from The George Washington University and teaches Economics at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg.
  • Steve Barancik
  • Hosana Fieber (Vice Chair)
  • Mike Gronli
  • Ben Hanan
  • Deb Hanson
  • Lisa Hise
  • Stephanie Jones
  • Laura Kingsley
  • Wendy Roseth
  • Jeffrey McCurdy

Executive Leadership

John Brothers, President & CEO (joined 2025) - Selected following a comprehensive national search. Previously served as President of both T. Rowe Price Foundation and T. Rowe Price Charitable from 2015 through 2024, where he led philanthropic giving and grew assets from $125 million to more than $750 million.

John Brothers on the foundation's approach: "What I love about Barancik is that they care about the way they do the work. It's not about pomp and circumstance or putting on your Sunday best to meet with me. If someone has to do that, you lose the point. It's not about your name on a plaque or a room named after you—it's about honoring the community leaders who make the work happen."

He also stated: "I am deeply inspired by Barancik Foundation's commitment to trusting and empowering local communities, because that is where lasting change starts," and "My job is to listen, support infrastructure, and walk alongside that self-determination with the resources the Baranciks left."

Teri A Hansen, former President & CEO (2015-2025) - The foundation's first employee with more than 30 years of philanthropic leadership experience. Hansen said of Brothers: "I am excited to turn the reins over to John, whose deep professional experience, coupled with his values of humility, courage, and trust, will position him perfectly to lead Barancik Foundation onward and upward."

Senior Staff:

  • Omar Guevara-Soto, Senior Vice President for Collaboration and Impact (joined 2024)
  • Kelly Romanoff, Senior Vice President for Strategy and Evaluation
  • Greg (last name not specified), Chief Storyteller managing brand and external communications
  • John Annis, Senior Advisor (transitioned from Senior Vice President)
  • Jessica Bailey Polk, Administrative Support and Office Management

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Barancik Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funding. The foundation operates through invitation-only partnerships with organizations.

Organizations considering a relationship with the foundation should note: "Chances are you already had a conversation with a Barancik Foundation staff member about the work your organization is doing and what plans you have in store before proceeding into the grant application process."

For Invited Organizations:

The foundation uses Grant Lifecycle Manager (GLM) to administer grants. Once invited to apply:

  1. You will receive login credentials (email address and temporary password)
  2. Submit a detailed budget showing how funds will be used - the foundation is flexible with format and content
  3. Do not submit until touching base with your Barancik Foundation staff liaison - staff will review and may recommend edits for clarity and context
  4. All foundation staff review every application to ensure fluency in your mission and anticipate questions

TIME Fellowship (Public Application): The TIME Fellowship for Sarasota County Schools educators is one program with a public application process, opening annually for eligible educators. Applications require confirmation of intent to continue teaching in Sarasota County Schools for at least three years after completing the fellowship.

Decision Timeline

  • Committee reviews applications and makes recommendations to the Board
  • You are notified of Committee recommendations after their meeting
  • Final Board decision communicated approximately one week after Committee meeting
  • Grant agreement sent within 14 business days of Board approval

Total timeline from submission to decision is typically a matter of weeks once in the formal process.

Application Success Factors

Since the Barancik Foundation works through strategic partnerships, success depends on relationship-building and alignment with their collaborative approach:

Foundation Values and Approach:

  • Clarity, organization, planning, and research are described as "critical components of a successful application"
  • Comprehensive proposals that "maximize the potential funding of this opportunity"
  • Transparent and ongoing communication - the foundation emphasizes mutual transparency and asks that you remain available and accessible
  • Mission alignment - all staff review applications to ensure fluency in your organization's mission

Collaborative Partnership Model:

  • The foundation emphasizes working "alongside a network of partners to address challenges" with grants "working in tandem" to improve the community holistically
  • Your staff liaison "will work very closely with you while you are writing the application and during the review process"
  • They want to "anticipate questions from the Board's Impact Committee and make the request as compelling as possible"

Leadership Philosophy (from President & CEO John Brothers):

  • Values authenticity over formality: "It's not about pomp and circumstance or putting on your Sunday best to meet with me"
  • Emphasizes community leadership: "It's about honoring the community leaders who make the work happen"
  • Focuses on listening and support: "My job is to listen, support infrastructure, and walk alongside that self-determination"

Grantee Feedback:

  • The foundation received "exceptionally positive experiences" ratings from grantees in their Grantee Perception Report (90% response rate)
  • This suggests strong staff support, clear communication, and positive working relationships

For TIME Fellowship Applicants:

  • Must have been employed in instructional/administrative capacity within Sarasota County Schools traditional public schools for 3+ years
  • Must confirm intention to continue for at least 3 years after fellowship
  • Design personal projects that "recharge them professionally and rejuvenate them personally"
  • Demonstrate how the fellowship will "inspire educators to recommit to their love of teaching"

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is an invitation-only funder - Focus on building relationships with foundation staff rather than submitting unsolicited proposals; conversations precede applications
  • Education is the largest funding area - Often exceeding 50% of grant cycles; strong emphasis on early learning, educator support, and quality educational opportunities
  • Think holistically and collaboratively - The foundation seeks partners whose work "strengthens the community from every angle" and works in tandem with other initiatives
  • Geographic specificity matters - Must serve Sarasota, Manatee, and/or DeSoto counties in Florida
  • Staff partnership is intensive - Once invited to apply, expect close collaboration with your staff liaison throughout the process; they review before submission and work to make your request compelling
  • Authenticity over formality - New leadership emphasizes genuine community impact over recognition or formality; focus on honoring community leaders and demonstrated outcomes
  • Long-term community commitment - The foundation values sustained impact and multi-year initiatives (evidenced by TIME Fellowship's 3-year commitment requirement and multi-year strategic initiatives)

References

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