Manasota ASALH Receives Largest-Ever Grant from
Barancik Foundation to Strengthen Organizational Capacity
This landmark funding will fuel the organization’s next phase of growth and outreach.
(March 3, 2026) The Manasota Branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) announces it has received its largest grant to date — a second major award from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation totaling $450,000. This significant 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, these 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 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,” says Wright-Greene. “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.”
A Freedom School student and mentor share a moment of connection during a Manasota ASALH Freedom School session, reflecting the program’s focus on empowerment, cultural learning and community engagement.
About Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation
The Charles and Margery Barancik family has long believed in the power of philanthropy to shape our world and 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, Florida. 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 www.barancikfoundation.org.
About Manasota ASALH
Manasota ASALH is a local branch of the National Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)—the organization 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. Manasota ASALH fulfills its mission through impactful programs such as the Manasota ASALH Freedom School—a community-based initiative that provides K–12 students with an honest and empowering education about the history and contributions of African and African American people. The branch also supports academic advancement through its robust scholarship program, which awards scholarships to Sarasota and Manatee high school students accepted to colleges or universities. Over the past 23 years, Manasota ASALH has awarded more than $701,000 in scholarships to 333 scholars in Manatee and Sarasota counties. For more information about Manasota ASALH, visit www.asalh-manasotafl.org