Community Foundation Of Sarasota County Inc

Programs: In partnership with donors who believe they can be the one to make a difference, grants were made to support organizations supporting the full spectrum of charitable missions including animal welfare, the arts, health, human services, education, environmental protection, civic engagement, youth areas, and other areas. Our support of local nonprofits goes deeper than the millions in grants we award each year. Our community investment team builds the capacity of local organizations to ensure donors' charitable dollars make an even bigger impact by offering workshops, strategic consulting services, and other capacity-building benefits. Additionally, our streamlined immediate impact grants process provides support of up to $5,000 to local nonprofit organizations to address urgent and emergency needs, so that the unexpected obstacles that nonprofits experience do not hinder the important work they do for the community.

the community foundation of sarasota county believes that all who wish to further their education and increase future potential for success should have an equal chance to take advantage of the opportunities available to them. Each year, the community foundation of sarasota county awards scholarships to a variety of individuals who are pursuing further education. This fiscal year, 419 graduating high school seniors from sarasota, manatee, desoto and charlotte counties received traditional scholarships; 111 adult learners were provided funding to return to college or vocational school after being out of school for a number of years; and 44 special interest scholarships were awarded to our region's younger students to pursue additional developmental opportunities at various sports academies, dance studios, and music programs.

each year, significant investments are made to the community from the funds of donors who ensured support of various organizations and causes in perpetuity. Substantial time, funding, and strategies are coalesced to support an array of key initiatives spearheaded by the community foundation. We have dedicated ourselves to helping the at-risk in our communities by providing targeted financial assistance (primarily for mortgage, rent and utilities) to families and individuals on the verge of homelessness as well as supporting our region's youth through our student emergency fund. Additionally, our extended work in education leverages national research and initiatives such as the campaign for grade-level reading, the kennedy center's any given child initiative, and the collaborative partnership of edexploresrq. Inspired by ascend at the aspen institute, we have focused these efforts through a two-generation lens, which looks to address the needs of both vulnerable children and their parents together in order to create a community in which a legacy of economic security and educational success passes from one generation to the next. The giving partner: in an effort to increase transparency and encourage informed giving, the community foundation funds and maintains a local version of guidestar's donor edge platform. This year, more than 600 nonprofits have reviewed and published profiles that are easily accessed by potential funders, donors and the public at www. Thegivingpartner. Org. Each profile shares governance, management, financial and programmatic information. Nonprofit workshops: on an average of once per month, the community foundation presents free workshops to nonprofits on a variety of topics that will improve their knowledge, efficiency and ability to accomplish their mission. Nonprofit leaders continue to rate these workshops as very effective. Consulting services: the community foundation has assembled a wise group of consultants who volunteer their time to support nonprofits in a variety of ways: swot analysis, strategic planning, communication and marketing strategy and coaching are just a few examples of the projects this group has taken on over the past year. Building: the foundation offers its meeting and conference rooms free of charge to local nonprofit organizations. Each year we see more than 18,000 guests utilize our facilities.