SPARCC Director of Development Mary Ellen Mancini has been awarded the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) Designation. Previously a family travel writer for Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and a freelance writer in the Sarasota community, Mancini became the Director of Development for SPARCC in 2015. She has extensive experience in donor relations, copywriting, marketing, event planning, program direction and leadership. She is a graduate of the 2019 Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s Leadership Institute and she has a bachelor’s degree in advertising, public relations and applied communications, with a minor in journalism, from the University of Central Florida. 

To be granted the CFRE credential, individuls must meet a series of standards set by CFRE International, which include tenure in the profession, education, and demonstrated fundraising achievement. They must also pass a rigorous written examination testing the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of a fundraising executive, and agree to uphold Accountability Standards and the Donor Bill of Rights. Employers and donors who work with CFREs know they are getting a professional who is committed to the best outcomes for their organization and has the requisite knowledge and skills.

SPARCC’s mission is to stop domestic and sexual violence in our communities. It is the only state-certified center for domestic violence and sexual assault services for Sarasota and Desoto Counties. All services are free and confidential. In addition to serving survivors, SPARCC is actively engaged in promoting social change through community awareness and education, in an effort to prevent violence in the future.

“I am very proud to have earned my CFRE Certification,” says Mancini. “It acts as an impartial endorsement of my knowledge and experience, and demonstrates my commitment to the fundraising profession.” 

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The strained labor market is putting pressure on preschools to find and retain quality talent. This is especially true in Sarasota County, where there are hundreds of open positions for childcare professionals. The burden now falls on parents, as they lose income to stay home to care for their children. A new partnership between Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and the Early Learning Coalition of Sarasota County (ELC) seeks to address the problem by bolstering recruitment and retention efforts in early learning. Blending philanthropic and government funds, local efforts will focus on three primary objectives: Provide retention bonuses to current teachers; Develop a community-wide marketing campaign to increase the sector’s visibility and enhance workforce outreach efforts to recruit more early learning professionals; Bolster career navigation by recruiting and assisting job candidates and new hires through entry-level training and career services. The bonuses have already made an immediate impact on both teachers and preschool directors, who have always had to be resourceful in offering incentives to their staff. Through a study commissioned by Barancik Foundation and the ELC, most recipients noted the bonuses would significantly impact their ability to remain in the profession amidst economic pressure to leave. The data has also shown that the number of first-year teachers has grown from 8% of the workforce to 12%, indicating a slight uptick in people entering the industry locally since the beginning of these efforts. With continued support from the community, we can ensure that our children have the bright start they deserve. To learn more and support the effort, visit www.whyearlylearningmatters.org.  

Pictured: Teachers of Ivy League Early Learning Center in North Port pose with their retention bonuses.

In just 10 days this spring, 88,000 people cast more than 2 Million votes in support of their favorite causes. As a result, 100 communities, in 34 states, including six organizations in Florida, will be getting an assist from State Farm®. As part of State Farm's 100 year anniversary, a total of $2.5 million in grants are being awarded nationwide.

Operation Warrior Resolution: Our Warrior’s Return in Bradenton is one of the six Florida organizations to receive a $25,000 grant. The mission of the organization is to transform veterans to health and wholeness. Our Warrior’s Return (OWR) provides respite, relief, and healing to veterans who desire a way forward, moving them toward health and wholeness on all levels – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Veterans seeking holistic methods that provide true healing from the inside out can find the sense of peace and freedom they seek in OWR, ultimately providing them with purpose in the world again. Of the veterans who’ve attended, 100% report relief from their mental health struggles by the conclusion of the retreat, partaking in trauma therapy sessions, yoga and meditation, equine therapy, jiu jitsu, nutrition support, and recharging in natural surroundings. The healing that these veterans experience – and the extended support they receive as they transition back to their everyday lives with the tools necessary to succeed – empowers them to regain purpose in their lives, find a sense of community again, and return to thriving instead of merely surviving. The State Farm grant will allow OWR the opportunity to transport 10 veterans from a place of trauma and anxiety to gratitude and peace, no longer triggered by painful memories or past traumas, but rather moving forward with a sense of hope and inspiration.

Four thousand cause submissions were accepted in February at www.neighborhoodassist.com. The State Farm Review Committee selected the Top 200 finalists and public voting determined the Top 100. In the eleven years of the program, nearly 500 causes have received a total of $12.5 million to enact change in their communities. 

For a complete list of this year’s 100 winners, please visit:

Resilient Retreat is pleased to report that their second annual Resilient Rhapsody Concert Series featuring Paradigm Party Band exceeded fundraising objectives with a net of $62K raised. The spring concert series promises to be a popular annual event, gathering music lovers for a special outdoor experience featuring regional bands on the beautiful 84-acre Retreat Center property on Fruitville Road. Proceeds benefit Resilient Retreat and its mission to provide trauma-informed support for abuse survivors and those that witness trauma in the workplace.

“We are deeply grateful and always amazed at the generosity of our community,” said Lisa Intagliata, Resilient Retreat Executive Director. “They are helping us make the Resilient Rhapsody Concert Series an annual fixture to raise much-needed funds for our mission to support those impacted by trauma. The concert series fundraiser is a perfect fit with our mission since we will be incorporating music therapy into our participant program offerings. Our sincerest thanks to our sponsors and everyone who attended. You are helping us make a difference.” This year’s Supporting Sponsor was Truist with Rhapsody Sponsors Mary Kenealy Events and Joy Miller, Ph.D. /Resiliency 2022. 

It’s time to register for the upcoming workshop The Skillful Board Chair with Betsy Steiner on Wednesday, June 22. The workshop is for current or prospective board chairs of local area nonprofits, and is presented through Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s Invest in Incredible initiative. Registration is available online at www.gulfcoastcf.org/events. The orientation and ongoing education of board chairs is essential to their effectiveness in this important leadership role. This half-day workshop provides current and prospective board chairs with information and resources that they need to be successful as a chief volunteer officer. Presented by Invest In Incredible Director, Betsy Steiner, attendees will learn how to establish a collaborative and trusting partnership with the chief executive; lead productive meetings; build a competent and engaged board with active committees; and develop a plan for leadership succession. The morning-long workshop (8:30 a.m. breakfast; 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. presentation) costs $35, which includes breakfast, and will take place at Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s headquarters, 601 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice. Reservations are required to attend. Invest in Incredible is Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s nonprofit capacity-building initiative. Through free online resources, group training workshops, and customized consulting engagements, Invest in Incredible helps nonprofit organizations across the Gulf Coast region improve their board governance and operational effectiveness. The workshop is for current or prospective board chairs of local area nonprofits. For more information, visit www.gulfcoastcf.org/events. 

Williams Parker is pleased to announce the addition of attorney Jeffrey D. Mytinger to its Trusts & Estates practice. Mr. Mytinger earned his LLM in taxation from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and his JD from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. His practice is focused in the areas of tax, trusts and estates. He works with high net worth individuals and families to draft estate plans, including wills and revocable trusts, charitable giving, retirement goals and tax matters. He advises clients on business succession planning, family wealth preservation and trust and estate administration; and he has experience representing professional fiduciaries in complex trust and estate administration. Mr. Mytinger is a Sarasota native who recently moved back to the area. He looks forward to reconnecting with the community.