The Community Foundation of Sarasota County has announced the dates for the 2024 Giving Challenge: noon to noon, April 9-10, 2024. The Giving Challenge is a 24-hour giving event that supports nonprofit organizations in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties.

The event in 2024 will mark the ninth Giving Challenge hosted during the last 12 years. Since the initial Giving Challenge in 2012, more than $75 million of unrestricted funding has been raised for local nonprofit organizations that serve our region.

The most recent Giving Challenge was in 2022, when $16.2 million was raised from more than 83,000 donations to support 667 participating charitable organizations, with the average gift being $121.75. The Patterson Foundation, a partner since the inception of the Giving Challenge, offered a 1:1 match on all donations up to $100 that incentivized giving and expanded the impact of each gift. The Patterson Foundation has contributed more than $30 million to the Giving Challenge since 2012.

Building off that collaborative spirit, one couple last year leveraged the match by donating $100 to all participating organizations, turning their $66,700 into a total of $133,400 to the nonprofit community.

The Patterson Foundation will continue to strengthen giving during the 2024 Giving Challenge by providing a 1:1 match for all unique donations, up to $100 per donor, per organization, with no limit on the number of individual matches a nonprofit organization can receive.

To encourage participation in networking, market strategy and general self-advocacy for nonprofits, several prizes are offered to organizations voted best in various categories, such as best use of social media, best partnership (nonprofit and business), and best online Giving Challenge event.

Registration for the 2024 program will begin in January 2023, and trainings and support will be offered throughout Fall 2023. Organizations wishing to participate will be able to find registration details and training opportunities here. An active profile in The Giving Partner, an online directory of nonprofit organizations, is required for eligibility.