Trust for Public Land Secures Two $50,000 Grants from Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Community Foundation of Sarasota County to Advance Florida Gulf Coast Trail
Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced it has secured $100,000 in combined funding from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County (CFSC) and Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast) to support early-phase planning, community engagement, and coalition-building for the Florida Gulf Coast Trail (FGCT)—a transformative 420-mile regional trail vision connecting seven counties from Tampa to Naples.
This philanthropic investment will help move planning forward for the North Sarasota Connector, a proposed extension that would link Sarasota’s beloved Legacy Trail into North Sarasota. By creating this connection, the trail would make it easier for residents of the historic communities and nearby neighborhoods to safely walk, bike, and spend time outdoors, while opening the door to greater access across the city.
“Projects like the North Trail Connector can only succeed when neighbors who are directly affected are given a chance to participate in the planning process from the very beginning,” says Kirsten Russell, the vice president of community impact at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. “Our investment is about making the time and space for residents and partners to listen, collaborate, and plan together, so that the end result truly represents the collective voice of the entire community.”
Rather than advancing a single project in isolation, this early investment is intended to bring residents, local leaders, and partner organizations together to help shape the trail and ensure it reflects the needs, priorities, and character of the communities it is meant to serve.
“The Florida Gulf Coast Trail is Trust for Public Land’s top priority in Florida and this philanthropic support strengthens our ability to connect people to nature, improve public health, and build safer, greener, more resilient communities,” said Charles Hines, Florida Gulf Coast Trail Program Director for Trust for Public Land. “This funding will create greater access across the City, the County and to all of Southwest Florida.”
“At Gulf Coast Community Foundation, we’re committed to advancing solutions that strengthen our communities,” said Jon Thaxton, Gulf Coast’s Director of Policy and Advocacy. “Supporting the Florida Gulf Coast Trail and the North Sarasota Connector is about more than building pathways. It’s about creating safe, accessible spaces that connect people to nature, expand economic opportunity, and help local residents thrive.”
Funding from CFSC and Gulf Coast will support:
- Community-led engagement and outreach, including listening sessions, workshops, and multilingual outreach.
- Coordination with local leaders, organizations, and institutions to build a strong, inclusive coalition.
- Data collection and analysis to better understand community needs and opportunities.
- Communications and alignment efforts to support long-term collaboration and regional awareness.
- Polling efforts to support public funding for the acquisition
- Land due diligence, including legal, environmental, and technical analysis to advance the trail easement toward acquisition.
When fully realized, the FGCT will be one of the state’s longest continuous trails, linking 52 rural, suburban, and urban communities; connecting millions to parks, schools, transit, and waterfronts; and strengthening local economies through outdoor recreation and trail-based tourism.
Nearly half of the trail exists today, and while continued progress depends on the partnerships and investment – like that from CFSC and Gulf Coast– that prioritize collaboration, equity, and shared stewardship, a significant funding gap remains and additional resources must be raised to fully realize the trail’s vision.
As part of this work, Trust for Public Land is supporting a local advisory committee led by Carolyn Mason and Mary Butler, long-time community leaders from Newtown. Their leadership will help guide outreach and engagement efforts for the North Sarasota segment and ensure the planning process is informed by lived experience and local insight.
About Trust for Public Land
Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,500 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $112 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 10 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.
