Description, Funding, and Eligibility
The Community Foundation of Sarasota County invites your organization to submit an application for support that contributes to your mission through ticketed events.
Requests for support for events and/or public programs not meeting other grant opportunities are considered on an ongoing basis through this application. Sponsorship requests are reviewed every other week from July to December, then monthly from January to April.
These requests should represent the diversity of our region and uphold and promote activities that ensure accessibility for all. They should also bring awareness to community needs and opportunities as well as demonstrate our area’s culture of philanthropy and strive to connect people with causes.
Funding Priorities
The Community Foundation reviews sponsorship opportunities to ensure the geography of our region is fairly represented and sectors reflect the interests of our donors and the needs of the community.
We do not sponsor walk/run events, festivals, or golf tournaments.
In order to receive a grant through this program, organizations must also have:
- An IRS Letter of Determination that shows the organization is a 501(c)3 public charity.
- At least one current program with local impact in one of the following counties: Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, or DeSoto.
- An approved/current profile in The Giving Partner, a powerful, searchable online database with over 700 profiles of charitable organizations serving Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties.
Eligibility
Review Process
Sponsorship applications are reviewed every other week from July to December, then monthly from January to April. It is highly recommended that applications for events be submitted as far in advance as possible.
Application deadlines are as follows:
July 14
July 28
August 11
August 25
September 8
September 22
October 6
October 20
November 3
November 17
December 1
December 15
December 29
January 26
February 23
March 30
April 27
Applicants should submit all sponsor level information (in the form of a deck, link, brochure, etc.), not just the sponsor level they are requesting.
The Community Foundation of Sarasota County has a new grant application platform.
If you have not submitted a grant to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County since April 21, 2025, you will need to create a new user profile (even if you have applied for other grants prior to that date).
Since other Foundations are also using the same grant platform, please make sure you see the Community Foundation of Sarasota County logo at the top of the apply page.
*It may be helpful to clear your cookies/cache or use a different browser so that the email and password you used for another organization doesn't pre-populate in the login space.
Office Hours
Each Friday from 11am-noon the Community Impact Team will be available to answer questions or discuss applications on an open Zoom Call. Click here to attend the meeting. The first session will be on Friday, August 8th. Please visit this site regularly – any cancellations will be listed here.
There will be no office hours on Friday, November 28th.
There will be no office hours on Friday, December 26th.
Questions?
- Press Release
- Blogs
- Videos
- Testimonials
- Articles
- Podcasts / Audio Recordings
Please reference our Press Kit to help draft your message and coordinate review with our events team at events@cfsarasota.org
Looking for examples? Check out the Stories of Impact below from a variety of grantees.
June 5, 2023
Summer Programs Supply Vital Safety Nets for Area Families
August 30, 2022
Mote's partnership with The Haven going strong, thanks to grant from the Community Foundation
May 6, 2022
Community Day School receives grant from Community Foundation of Sarasota County
April 15, 2022
Newtown Connection Awarded $30,000 Grant
March 24, 2022
Community Foundation of Sarasota County awards more than $281,000 to 16 organizations in its fourth Equity and Access competitive grant cycle
December 5, 2021
Children First Receives Mental Health And Child Safety Support From Community Foundation Of Sarasota County
November 29, 2021
Multicultural Health Institute Awarded $30,000 to Care Navigation Program
November 22, 2021
ALSO Youth expands counseling services with grant support
October 21, 2021
Community Foundation of Sarasota County Awards 12 Grants Promoting Equity for Healthcare, Education, and Human Services
October 6, 2021