SAVE THE DATE APRIL 15-16, 2026 — #GivingChallenge2026
The Community Foundation of Sarasota County will host its 10th online giving day from noon to noon, April 15-16, 2026. The Giving Challenge is a 24-hour giving event that supports hundreds of nonprofits in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties.
A PARTNERSHIP ROOTED IN COMMUNITY SRQ MEDIA, THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA COUNTY AND THE GIVING CHALLENGE The Community Foundation of Sarasota County started the Giving Challenge in 2012 with a few simple goals: to generate excitement about charitable giving, to heighten awareness about local causes and to connect philanthropists of all means with local nonprofits to create enduring impact. It has done that, and then some. Across the nine Giving Challenges held over the last 13 years, our community has collectively donated $92 million, with key support from The Patterson Foundation, which has contributed $37 million in matching funds. Those unrestricted dollars have gone to hundreds of participating nonprofits, bolstering their missions and improving the lives of the people they serve. That impact couldn’t happen without the support of media partners like SRQ MEDIA, which has been a key collaborator with the foundation over the years. This month’s special section in the magazine focuses on how past Giving Challenges have boosted nonprofits by helping them reach new donors, enhance their marketing efforts and increase awareness and understanding of their impor-
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tant work. Their stories illustrate how our community can flourish when we come together with purpose and generosity. The story also points the way to next year’s Giving Challenge, which takes place from noon to noon, April 15-16, 2026. That may sound like a long way off, but excitement around our 10th Giving Challenge is already building, as nonprofits begin to shape their fundraising strategies, recruit ambassadors and spread the word. In that first Giving Challenge in 2012, 109 nonprofits raised $2.4 million through 10,700 gifts; in 2024, 724 nonprofits raised $17.2 million through 90,227 gifts. While it’s impossible to know what 2026 will bring, I’m confident that our community will once again rally to support the nonprofits that work hard every day to make this a place where everyone can thrive. At the foundation, our motto is “Be The One,” a saying that is rooted in our belief that everyone can be a philanthropist, and the Giving Challenge shows how true that is. Please join us April 15-16, 2026.
MISCHA KIRBY Vice President of Strategy and Communications Community Foundation of Sarasota County
11/10/25 5:51 PM