The Supporters Behind the Searchlight
Founding Investor: Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation
$1.1 million
Suncoast Searchlight was created to strengthen local accountability journalism at a time when communities across the country are losing trusted news sources.
With seed support from the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, the organization launched in 2023 as the Community News Collaborative, producing community-centered reporting in partnership with local media.
In 2024, that work evolved into an independent nonprofit newsroom called Suncoast Searchlight with its own governing board and a focused mission: to produce investigative and explanatory journalism that serves and empowers the residents of Florida’s Suncoast region (Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties).
Today, Suncoast Searchlight is building long-term sustainability through community investment, ensuring strong and independent journalism for the Suncoast for years to come.
Founders Circle
A multi-year leadership investment in independent local journalism.
The Founders Circle is composed of civic leaders who make an annual leadership gift over three years to help Suncoast Searchlight transition from seed funding to long-term sustainability.
As seed funding sunsets, Founders Circle members ensure that investigative, watchdog and explanatory journalism remains strong and independent on the Suncoast.
To learn more about the Founders Circle, please contact Samantha Ramlall at samantha@suncoastsearchlight.org
Beacon Circle ($100,000+)
Gulf Coast Community Foundation
Nancy Jo Marchisello Charitable Fund at Gulf Coast Community Foundation
Watchdog Circle ($50,000-$99,999)
Spotlight Circle ($20,000-$49,999)
Investigative Circle ($10,000-$19,999)
Press Pillars ($5,000-$9,999)
Civic Partners ($1,000-$4,999)
AG Lafley
Friends of Searchlight ($100-$999)
Sustaining Members (Monthly supporters who provide recurring support for independent local journalism)
Community Contributors ($1 – $99)
Our Commitment to Transparency
Suncoast Searchlight maintains a Gift Acceptance Policy that guides how we steward philanthropic support and protect our editorial independence.
To learn more about this policy, visit this page.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation, please click here.
