Foundation awards $4M in grants

ENICE — The Gulf Coast Community Foundation awarded $4.28 million in donor and small community grants in the first quarter.

Most of the grants, more than $4.15 million, were based on the recommendation of individuals or organizations that created donor-advised or designated funds within the foundation, according to a release.

The largest donor grant was for $349,012, which the Court Family Foundation awarded to the Florida Studio Theatre in downtown Sarasota. The grant will support major renovations at FST, the release states.

The foundation, based in Venice, has supported more than 500 charitable funds and invested $148 million in grants since 1995. Areas the foundation has focused on include health and human services, civic and economic development, education, arts and culture, and the environment.