Image provided by The Community Foundation of Sarasota County

It’s that time of year again! No, not Christmas—but close! The Community Foundation of Sarasota County presents The Giving Challenge—an exciting 24-hour interactive giving event supporting more than 630 nonprofits serving Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties. Each one of these nonprofits have shown a commitment to transparency by having profiles in The Giving Partner. The Giving Challenge has enabled donors from throughout our region to show their love for local nonprofit organizations in a friendly competitive donation event. Since its inception, it has provided over $28 million in unrestricted funding to benefit countless philanthropic missions over the years. The 2016 Giving Challenge set an all-time high/new standard, when $13.4 million was raised in just a day. Can 2018 be the year we beat that number? We think so—community solidarity and generosity have been more apparent than ever before—and a lot can happen in 24 hours.

More incentivizing this year, The Patterson Foundation will provide “a 1:1 match for all unique donations, up to $100 per donor, per organization.” Best of all, there is no limit to the number of individual matches a nonprofit can receive during the 24-hour time period. This opportunity should encourage organizations to engage new online donors, as well as loyal returning supporters during this year’s event. The Patterson Foundation will also be awarding $51,000 in various prizes to organizations that have a fundraising plan uploaded to The Giving Partner and have cultivated the highest number of donors during the 2018 Giving Challenge. 

So if there’s a cause in our community that really hits home with you, there is no better opportunity to make a direct impact with a secure donation—helping your favorite local organizations receive special matching dollars and grant incentives. With your gift of $25-$100 matched, thanks to the support of The Patterson Foundation, the spirit of giving will be more alive than any other time of year! Be sure to visit GivingPartnerChallenge.org from May 1st at noon—May 2nd at noon to become apart of the challenge! #BeTheOne

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is proud to partner with SRQ Media Group to highlight stories about community impact powered by philanthropy in our region, thanks to the support of donors and our local nonprofit partners. The Community Foundation is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community. For more information, visit www.CFSarasota.org

Image provided by The Community Foundation of Sarasota County

The 2018 Giving Challenge