The biggest barrier to a college degree isn’t always tuition. Sometimes, it’s knowing how to get there. For first-generation students, the path through applications, financial aid, and entrance exams can be a dense fog. In Sarasota and Manatee counties, one organization has been clearing that fog for over a decade. Now, it has a major new source of fuel.
UnidosNow, a non-profit focused on the success of Latino students, has received a multi-year commitment of $600,000 from the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, as initially reported by Google News. The four-year grant is aimed directly at the organization’s flagship programs designed to guide students from ambition to acceptance and, ultimately, to graduation. This new funding for UnidosNow boosts Latino student success at a critical moment, amplifying a proven model of support.
A Bridge to Postsecondary Education
Founded in 2010, UnidosNow works to elevate the quality of life for the Latino community in Sarasota and Manatee counties through education, integration, and civic engagement. Its core work, however, centers on a multi-generational approach to demystifying the American education system. The organization doesn’t just mentor students; it equips parents with the knowledge to advocate for their children.
The newly funded programs, the Future Leaders Academy and the College Completion Program, are the heart of this mission. The Academy is a rigorous, year-round program that provides low-income, first-generation Latino high schoolers with individual coaching on everything from SAT prep and essay writing to FAFSA applications and college tours. It’s a hands-on intervention designed to close the knowledge gap that often sidelines promising students.
“The organization’s commitment to providing wraparound services through its Future Leaders Academy… will enable even more first-generation students to succeed in college,” said Bobby Krause, CEO of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation.
And the results are tangible. To date, students in UnidosNow programs have earned over $16 million in scholarships and grants.
The Numbers Behind the Need
So why is this work so necessary? Because while Latino student enrollment in higher education is growing, a persistent gap in completion remains.
Nationally, Latino enrollment in postsecondary institutions has surged in recent decades. Yet, according to the U.S. Department of Education, degree attainment lags behind other groups. A report from The Education Trust noted that only 53.6% of Latino students who start as first-time, full-time freshmen earn a bachelor’s degree within six years, nearly 10 percentage points below their white peers.
The challenge is complex, involving financial pressures, the need to support family, and often being the first in that family to navigate the higher education system. Organizations like UnidosNow are designed to counteract these specific headwinds. By providing intensive, personalized support, they create a structure that helps students not only get into college but stay there.
From Application Strategy to Community Awards
The new funding will allow UnidosNow to deepen its impact. The Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, a longtime supporter, is matching the first year of the Johnson Foundation grant, further strengthening the Future Leaders Academy.
This support translates directly into more workshops, more one-on-one coaching sessions, and more students served. For participants, this means expert help in navigating the bewildering world of college admissions. It involves building a resume, developing leadership skills, and finding financial aid. The process can be fraught with uncertainty, as students often wonder, for instance, is Nitro College Scholarship legit or a dead end? Guidance from a trusted source is invaluable.
The preparation can be as granular as helping students find specific resources, akin to a runner sourcing the right training plan or a student looking to download scholarship past questions and answers to prepare for a competitive award. The end goal is to see more local students celebrated for their achievements, much like when Coalinga seniors were awarded scholarships at a community event.
What Comes Next
This $600,000 commitment is more than a donation; it’s an investment in the region’s future. As John Annis, interim president and CEO of the Barancik Foundation, stated, the organization will “turn this new investment into educational opportunity and economic mobility for even more students.”
For Sarasota and Manatee counties, the ripple effects are significant. By creating a clearer path to higher education for its growing Latino population, the community is cultivating a new generation of leaders, professionals, and engaged citizens. The work of UnidosNow is based on a simple, powerful idea: talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not.
The new funding doesn’t solve the entire problem, but it strengthens a critical bridge. The thing to watch now is not just how many more students get into college, but how many graduate and return to enrich the community that invested in them. That’s the long-term return on this investment.