Foundation grants total $150 million

VENICE — The Gulf Coast Community Foundation says it has made $150 million in grants to charities since it was founded in 1995 from the sale of Venice Hospital.

The foundation passed the milestone three years after it made a total of $100 million in grants.

“That shows the exponential power of endowed philanthropy, and the generosity of the donors who have joined the Gulf Coast family by establishing their charitable funds with us,” says Teri Hansen, president and CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation, in a statement.  “It took about 15 years to grant $100 million into the community, and just three years to invest the next $50 million.”

The foundation was created in 1995 from the sale of Venice Hospital, which generated $92 million for The Venice Endowment Fund. The foundation now oversees 550 charitable funds, including donor-advised funds, nonprofit agency funds and scholarship funds.