Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Foundation Awarded Over $745,000 Grant from BlackRock Future BuildersTM to Expand Skilled Trades Training in the Sarasota-Manatee Region
Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Foundation Awarded Over $745,000 Grant from BlackRock Future BuildersTM to Expand Skilled Trades Training in the Sarasota-Manatee Region
SARASOTA, FL – October 1, 2026 – CareerEdge, an initiative of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Foundation, today announced over $745,000 in support through BlackRock Future Builders, a national philanthropic initiative funded by The BlackRock Foundation to train and support 50,000 American workers as they pursue careers in the skilled trades. BlackRock Future Builders is designed to help meet the country’s growing demand for skilled workers while expanding access to careers that can provide pathways to lasting financial security.
The grant will help CareerEdge expand its tuition-free FastTrack programs to 50 new participants, helping local residents gain credentials and skills to launch careers in the skilled trades. It will also expand grants to local employers from 10 to 20 partners, helping 200 current workers build new skills over two years. Funding will support a publicly accessible workforce data dashboard to inform training priorities and track outcomes. Together, these efforts will help meet local employers’ need for skilled workers while preparing residents for in-demand jobs in HVAC, electrical, plumbing and welding across the Sarasota-Manatee region.
“This investment is a tremendous vote of confidence in the work CareerEdge and our partners are doing to strengthen the talent pipeline in our region,” said Dan Sidler, Vice President of CareerEdge and Economic Development at the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. “With support from The BlackRock Foundation, we can significantly expand opportunities for individuals to enter skilled trades careers while helping local employers develop the talent they need to grow. We’re especially proud to be one of just 15 organizations selected nationwide and excited about what this investment will mean for the Greater Sarasota region.”
Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Foundation is one of 15 organizations to be selected from more than 1,000 applications for grants nationwide. BlackRock Future Builders partnered with Jobs for the Future (JFF), a national nonprofit with workforce development expertise, to support the application review process.
“Skilled trades careers create pathways to economic opportunity and financial wellbeing for individuals, families, and ultimately, communities,” said Claire Chamberlain, President of The BlackRock Foundation. “Through BlackRock Future Builders, we’re proud to partner with the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Foundation through CareerEdge as it expands access to training and helps more people in the Sarasota-Manatee region gain the skills and experience needed to build lasting careers.”
The broader BlackRock Future Builders initiative launched in March 2026 as a $100 million, five-year philanthropic effort funded by The BlackRock Foundation. Through its first national RFP, BlackRock Future Builders has expanded into new communities across the U.S. and is supporting organizations in over a dozen skilled trades.
About CareerEdge Funders Collaborative
CareerEdge Funders Collaborative is an innovative partnership of business, government, and philanthropic organizations, leveraging public and private dollars to provide opportunities for better jobs and wages in Manatee and Sarasota counties. CareerEdge is the workforce development initiative of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. For more information about CareerEdge and its partners, please visit www.careeredgefunders.org or call (941) 556-4045.
About the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization that exists to maximize our members’ success, the community’s competitiveness, and the area’s economic strengths. For more information, call (941) 955-8187 or visit online at www.sarasotachamber.com
About BlackRock
BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate.
About The BlackRock Foundation
Guided by BlackRock’s purpose to help more and more people experience financial well-being, The BlackRock Foundation funds and partners with organizations that strengthen financial security by helping people earn, save and invest – earlier, more often and for their futures.
