The 864 voting members of local collective giving organization Impact100 SRQ on Jan. 20 awarded one of eight $108K transformational grants to WSLR+Fogartyville during its Annual Celebration and Awards Ceremony at the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium at the Bay.
The winning Built for Belonging plan calls for upgrades to convert Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, known as Sarasota’s favorite listening room, into a fully-equipped, flexible space for creativity and participation. This will be achieved through targeted technology, furniture, and infrastructure improvements.
“The Impact100 SRQ grant will enable Fogartyville to expand the ways fellow nonprofits and arts and cultural groups can utilize the space through affordable rentals,” said Jesse Coleman, executive director and general manager of WSLR+Fogartyville. “It will have a lasting impact on our community for years to come.”
Built for Belonging upgrades include lighting, sound, and hybrid streaming equipment, mobile video displays and presentation technology, and integrated floor-based electrical infrastructure to maximize flexibility. The initiative also calls for new seating and tables that are modular, adaptable and lightweight.
The improvements will pave the way for in-person, virtual, and hybrid gatherings for educational workshops, nonprofit meetings, and cultural events.
Fogartyville Director Ariel Aparicio-Jerro and Communications Director Kathleen Murray and representatives from nine other nonprofit finalists presented their initiatives to attendees on Jan. 20 before the vote.
“What an honor to be selected as a grant recipient alongside other truly wonderful organizations and to be in the room with these incredible women who contribute so much to our community,” Aparicio-Jerro said. “We are humbled and so grateful.”