May 26, 2022
2022 Giving Challenge Prizes Award $225,000 to Local Nonprofit Organizations
Categories: BELONGING AND CULTURE: Uniting Community, Giving Challenge,
SARASOTA, FL – During a celebration with some 250 attendees, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, alongside other foundation partners, awarded more than 260 prizes totaling $225,000 to nonprofit organizations to recognize their efforts and achievements during the 2022 Giving Challenge. Nonprofit award recipients demonstrated excellence in transforming planning, strategy, and creativity into successful campaigns through several superlative prize opportunities, such as Best Overall Campaign, Best Nonprofit Partnership, and Best Turnaround. All prize opportunities are designed to strengthen the capacity of nonprofit organizations, ensuring they have the skills and abilities to thrive.
“Nonprofit organizations plan for many months thoughtful fundraising plans, communications campaigns, and events to connect with donors and grow their involvement with causes close to their heart,” said Roxie Jerde, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “We know it is important to celebrate the hard work given to building these strategies, which are lessons that will guide even stronger operations for the nonprofit sector that serves so many in our community.”
Within 24 hours on April 26 and 27, donors across the community united with an outpouring of support for the 2022 Giving Challenge, raising $16,017,021 million for 669 participating nonprofit organizations in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties. With nearly $9.9 million provided in community support and prizes from 46,283 donors and 83,074 total gifts, along with $6,149,105 million in matching funds from The Patterson Foundation, the 2022 Giving Challenge affirmed our community’s generosity with now having raised more than $75 million over the last decade through eight Giving Challenges.
“The astounding total raised during the 2022 Giving Challenge is owed largely to the innovation and effort put forth by hundreds of regional nonprofits,” said Debra Jacobs, president and CEO of The Patterson Foundation. “These prize winners, in particular, demonstrated inspired creativity and ingenuity that sparked thousands throughout our generous community into action while forging connections with both new and returning donors who can continue to strengthen their missions.”
New prize opportunities this year included: Best Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaign and Best Video Commercial.
Volunteer committees made up of community leaders reviewed and judged the more than 180 applications submitted by participating nonprofit organizations to determine the final award recipients. Nonprofits were divided into three categories: Small (annual operating budgets under $65,000), Medium (annual operating budgets between $65,000 and $600,000) and Large (annual operating budgets greater than $600,000).
All prize opportunities were made available through the generosity of local foundation and media partners. The Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s Board of Directors approved $200,000 to be awarded for this year’s prizes, with additional funding support from the Manatee Community Foundation, the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation, and the Charlotte Community Foundation.
Winners of the 2022 Giving Challenge prizes are as follows:
Best Overall Campaign
Sponsored by: Community Foundation of Sarasota County
*9 Prize Awards: $5,000 to first place, $4,000 to second place, and $3,000 to third place in each category (Small, Medium, Large Organizations) with the best overall campaigns.
Small
- Friends of the Myakka River Inc. (1st Place)
- On The Spot Aid Inc. (1st Place)
- Transition Sarasota Inc. (3rd Place)
Medium
- Prospect Riding Center Inc. (1st Place)
- Child Evangelism Fellowship of Florida Inc., Manasota Chapter (2nd Place)
- Military Heritage Museum Inc. (3rd Place)
Large
- Harvest Tabernacle of Sarasota Inc. (DBA Harvest House) (1st Place)
- Humane Society of Sarasota County Inc. (1st Place)
- The Bay Park Conservancy Inc. (3rd Place)
Best Online Event
Sponsored by: Community Foundation of Sarasota County & SRQ Media
*6 Prize Awards: $2,000 prizes awarded to two winners in each category (Small, Medium, Large Organizations)
Small
- Friends of the East Manatee Library at Lakewood Ranch
- Sarasota-Bradenton Kappa Alpha Psi Project Guide Right Inc.
Medium (Tie)
- Canine Castaways Inc.
- Charlotte Players Inc.
- Community Broadband Radio Association Inc.
Large
- Samaritan Counseling Services of the Gulf Coast Inc
Best Community Event
Sponsored by: Community Foundation of Sarasota County & Scene Magazine
6 Prize Awards: $2,000 prizes awarded to two winners in each category (Small, Medium, Large Organizations)
Small
- Links to Success
- Strings Con Brio
Medium
- NODNOC Inc. (DBA The Children's Garden)
- the WareHouse of Venice Inc.
Large
- The Florida Center for Early Childhood Inc.
- The Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center
Best Use of Social Media
Sponsored by: Manatee Community Foundation & Herald-Tribune Media Group
*6 Prize Awards: $2,000 to two winners in each category (Small, Medium, Large Organizations)
Small
- Farmhouse Animal and Nature Sanctuary Inc.
- Friends of Myakka River Inc.
Medium (Tie)
- Canine Castaways Inc.
- Child Evangelism Fellowship of Southwest Florida
- National Alliance on Mental Illness Sarasota and Manatee Counties Inc.
Large
- Cat Depot
- United Way of Charlotte County Inc
Best Nonprofit Partnership
Sponsored by: William G. and Marie Selby Foundation & SolMart Media
$4,000 to three winning partnerships, $4,000 is split between partners
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Charlotte County Inc. & Animal Welfare League of Charlotte County Florida Inc.
- The Florida Center for Early Childhood Inc & Sarasota Manatee Jewish Housing Council Inc. DBA Aviva
- Sarasota Opera Association Inc. & Child Protection Center Inc.
Best Business Partnership
Sponsored by: William G. and Marie Selby Foundation & Sarasota Magazine / Sagacity
*6 Prize Awards: $2,000 to two winners in each category (Small, Medium, Large Organizations)
Small
- Transition Sarasota Inc.
Medium
- the WareHouse of Venice Inc.
- Second Heart Homes Inc.
Large
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Charlotte County Inc.
Best Board Member Engagement
Sponsored by: William G. and Marie Selby Foundation & WWSB-TV/ABC 7
3 Prize Awards: $2,000 to the winners of each category (Small, Medium, Large Organizations)
Small
- Farmhouse Animal & Nature Sanctuary Inc.
Medium
- Resilient Retreat Inc.
Large
- Turning Points (Community Coalition on Homelessness Corporation)
Best Giving Challenge Turnaround
Sponsored by: Community Foundation of Sarasota County & WUSF
*3 Prize Awards: $2,000 to one winner in each category (Small, Medium, Large Organizations) with the best turnaround performance from the 2020 Giving Challenge.
Small
- Friends of Myakka River Inc.
Medium
- Galatians 6:2, Inc. DBA Hope 4 Communities
- Hand Up To Victory
Large
- Habitat For Humanity South Sarasota County
Best Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaign
Sponsored by: Charlotte Community Foundation
*6 Prize Awards: $2,000 to two winners in each category (Small, Medium, Large Organizations) with the best overall campaigns as first time Giving Challenge participants.
Small
- Literacy Council of Manatee County Inc. DBA Manatee Literacy Council
Medium
- Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation
- Galatians 6:2 Inc DBA Hope 4 Communities
Large
- The Bay Park Conservancy Inc.
- Loving Hands Ministries Inc.
Best All Volunteer Organization
Sponsored by: Community Foundation of Sarasota County & WEDU PBS
*3 Prize Awards: $2,000 to three winners with the best overall campaigns as all volunteer organizations.
- Canine Castaways Inc.
- Farmhouse Animal and Nature Sanctuary Inc.
- On The Spot Aid Inc.
- Survivors In Sync
Best Attainable Housing Impact– Charlotte County
Sponsored by: Charlotte Community Foundation
1 Prize Award: $4,000 to one winner or collaboration with an end goal of bringing enhanced, new and/or specific services to Charlotte County that address attainable housing.
- Peace River Community Housing Partners Inc.
*A Giving Challenge held during extraordinary times will yield extraordinary results, and this certainly was the case with a handful of nonprofit campaigns.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:
May 27, 2022 Rebecca Abrahamson
Sr. Manager, Communications
- 955.3000 (o) | rabrahamson@cfsarasota.org
2022 Giving Challenge Prizes Award $225,000 to Local Nonprofit Organizations
Prize awards augment support for nonprofit capacity building, in addition to recognizing excellence in planning, strategy, and creativity
SARASOTA, FL – During a celebration with some 250 attendees, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, alongside other foundation partners, awarded more than 260 prizes totaling $225,000 to nonprofit organizations to recognize their efforts and achievements during the 2022 Giving Challenge. Nonprofit award recipients demonstrated excellence in transforming planning, strategy, and creativity into successful campaigns through several superlative prize opportunities, such as Best Overall Campaign, Best Nonprofit Partnership, and Best Turnaround. All prize opportunities are designed to strengthen the capacity of nonprofit organizations, ensuring they have the skills and abilities to thrive.
“Nonprofit organizations plan for many months thoughtful fundraising plans, communications campaigns, and events to connect with donors and grow their involvement with causes close to their heart,” said Roxie Jerde, President and CEO of the Community Foundation. “We know it is important to celebrate the hard work given to building these strategies, which are lessons that will guide even stronger operations for the nonprofit sector that serves so many in our community.”
Within 24 hours on April 26 and 27, donors across the community united with an outpouring of support for the 2022 Giving Challenge, raising $16,017,021 million for 669 participating nonprofit organizations in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties. With nearly $9.9 million provided in community support and prizes from 46,283 donors and 83,074 total gifts, along with $6,149,105 million in matching funds from The Patterson Foundation, the 2022 Giving Challenge affirmed our community’s generosity with now having raised more than $75 million over the last decade through eight Giving Challenges.
“The astounding total raised during the 2022 Giving Challenge is owed largely to the innovation and effort put forth by hundreds of regional nonprofits,” said Debra Jacobs, president and CEO of The Patterson Foundation. “These prize winners, in particular, demonstrated inspired creativity and ingenuity that sparked thousands throughout our generous community into action while forging connections with both new and returning donors who can continue to strengthen their missions.”
New prize opportunities this year included: Best Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaign and Best Video Commercial.
Volunteer committees made up of community leaders reviewed and judged the more than 180 applications submitted by participating nonprofit organizations to determine the final award recipients. Nonprofits were divided into three categories: Small (annual operating budgets under $65,000), Medium (annual operating budgets between $65,000 and $600,000) and Large (annual operating budgets greater than $600,000).
All prize opportunities were made available through the generosity of local foundation and media partners. The Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s Board of Directors approved $200,000 to be awarded for this year’s prizes, with additional funding support from the Manatee Community Foundation, the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation, and the Charlotte Community Foundation.
Winners of the 2022 Giving Challenge prizes are as follows:
Best Overall Campaign
Sponsored by: Community Foundation of Sarasota County
*9 Prize Awards: $5,000 to first place, $4,000 to second place, and $3,000 to third place in each category (Small, Medium, Large Organizations) with the best overall campaigns.
Small
- Friends of the Myakka River Inc. (1st Place)
- On The Spot Aid Inc. (1st Place)
- Transition Sarasota Inc. (3rd Place)
Medium