The Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s 2016 Giving Challenge has raised more than $5.6 million through 63,567 gifts, with an added $7.5 million in matching funding from The Patterson Foundation. More than $200,000 in grant prizes from partner foundations will be awarded to the organizations receiving gifts from the highest number of individual donors, organizations with the highest total of returning dollars and the highest total of new dollars, and a variety of other “Best Of” prizes. In total, $13,386,909 was raised to support 559 local organizations located in or serving Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties on Sept 20 & 21, noon to noon.

Since 2012, our region has proven itself as a force in philanthropy and donors have shown their love for local nonprofit organizations by providing more than $15 million in unrestricted funding to support their missions during the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s Giving Challenge.

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County announces the addition of three new members to its Board of Directors. Joining the Board are Marilyn Thompson, Mary Lou Winnick, and Daniel DeLeo. The Board has also elected officers: Kathie Roberts, continuing her second year as Chair; Rick Gans, Vice Chair; Pat Dorsey, Treasurer; Nelle Miller, Secretary.

On Wednesday, May 18, the Masala Giving Circle of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County presented a $10,000 check to The Newtown Nation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for programs which will advance and improve the lives of the community in Sarasota, Florida known as Newtown. In attendance at the event were members of the Masala Giving Circle, representatives of the Community Foundation, and other members of the public, including City Commissioner Susan Chapman and Vice Mayor Suzanne Atwell.

Fifteen high school seniors from area public schools and select private schools who took part in The Ringling College Library Association (RCLA) Town Hall Lecture Series were selected to receive college scholarships from the Rosemary and Lou Oberndorf Town Hall Scholarship Fund and the Dorothy B. Templeton Scholarship Fund of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. The students were among the more than 140 high school seniors sponsored by the Community Foundation and donors, with significant organizational support from the Sarasota County School District, to attend one of the five RCLA 2016 evening lectures at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall as “RCLA Town Hall Scholars.”

Sarasota and Manatee counties are already known for the arts and gorgeous natural settings, but the area is quickly becoming recognized as a “college town” as well.

Since 2012, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County has awarded $1,005,964 in Immediate Impact Grants to local nonprofit organizations to address urgent and emergency needs, so that the unexpected obstacles that nonprofits experience don’t halt the important work they do for the community.

Through the combined efforts of thousands of citizen philanthropists, local foundations, and local media support, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County announced today that more than $2 million was raised to prevent homelessness through the Season of Sharing campaign. These funds will help more than 2,800 families in need to stay in their homes throughout the year.

For a second year in a row the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading has recognized Sarasota County as a Pacesetter for leading by example to solve the challenges that undermine early literacy – school readiness, school attendance and summer learning loss. The acknowledgment was due in part to a Community Solutions Action Plan, submitted by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, outlining the impact being made in four focus schools, Alta Vista Elementary.

The Longboat Key Center for the Arts (LBKCA), a division of Ringling College, will celebrate the 60th anniversary of Longboat Key with an art show featuring work inspired by or created on Longboat Key. “The Best of Longboat Key Exhibition” will be on display April 9-May 12 at LBKCA, 6860 Longboat Drive S. Artists are invited to submit work for consideration.