FAQ

General Questions

Q. What is the Giving Challenge?

The Giving Challenge is an online giving event that provides nonprofits the opportunity to gain exposure to—and build relationships with—new donors, and for people in our region to come together to raise as much money as possible for local nonprofits. To learn more about the history of the Giving Challenge, click here.

Q. What are the differences between The Giving Partner and Giving Challenge?

  • The Giving Partner is a year-round/everyday online giving platform reflecting the profiles of nonprofits with local impact. This offers multiple data points for reviewing a nonprofit. Learn more here.

  • The Giving Challenge is a 24-hour online giving event, typically held every other year, exclusively for nonprofit organizations with a tax status of 501(c)(3) Public Supported Charity or Public Charity Supporting Organization with an Approved (Current) status in The Giving Partner. This event provides nonprofits the opportunity to gain exposure and create relationships with donors, and brings our community together to raise funds for local nonprofit organizations. The last Giving Challenge was held in April 2026. (To learn more, click here.)

Q. When is the next Giving Challenge?

The Giving Challenge is not an annual or guaranteed event. After every challenge, foundation partners come together to discuss outcomes, financial goals, and community need to determine when or if to host another challenge.

The decision on future Giving Challenges has not been made yet. Subscribe to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s monthly newsletter, Nonprofit News, to stay up to date on all events and announcements related to future Giving Challenges.

Q. Which organizations are eligible to participate in the Giving Challenge?

501(c)(3) public charities who serve in one or more of the following counties: Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and/or DeSoto and that have demonstrated transparency with an updated profile in The Giving Partner (thegivingpartner.org).

Q. How can I stay up to date on what's happening with future Giving Challenges?

Details will be communicated at GivingChallenge.org and through the Community Foundation's monthly Nonprofit News email newsletter. Sign up for Nonprofit News here.

Stay connected through the Community Foundation's social media accounts, as well:

Q. I have questions—who can answer them?

The Giving Challenge has partnered with the giving day platform, GiveGab/Bonterra. On the GivingChallenge.org website, click on the chat bubble at the bottom right-hand corner of any page and enter your email address and your question for the GiveGab/Bonterra tech support team. You can also email your Giving Challenge question to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County team at GivingChallenge@CFSarasota.org.

For Nonprofit Organizations

Q. Which organizations are eligible to participate in the Giving Challenge?

501(c)(3) public charities who serve in one or more of the following counties: Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and/or DeSoto county and that have demonstrated transparency with an updated profile in The Giving Partner (thegivingpartner.org).

Visit the 2026 Giving Challenge Registration Preparation page to learn more about the most recent Giving Challenges registration process.

Questions regarding The Giving Partner or your nonprofit organization's profile in The Giving Partner? Contact the GiveGab/Bonterra support team by clicking on the chat bubble at the bottom right-hand corner of The Giving Partner or Giving Challenge webpage and enter your email address and your question, or the Community Foundation of Sarasota County team via email at Nonprofits@CFSarasota.org.

Q. Where can I find links to resources from the 2026 Giving Challenge?

Below are quick links to resources that were available to nonprofit organizations for the 2026 Giving Challenge:

Q. How can I stay up to date on what's happening with future Giving Challenges?

Details will be communicated at GivingChallenge.org and through the Community Foundation's monthly Nonprofit News email newsletter. Sign up for Nonprofit News here.

Nonprofit leaders and volunteers can join the Facebook group The Giving Partner Huddle for additional updates and reminders about future Giving Challenges. Click here to join the Facebook group.

Stay connected through the Community Foundation's social media accounts, as well:

Q. How are donations distributed to nonprofit organization?

Each online donation made to a participating nonprofit organization during the 2026 Giving Challenge was disbursed directly from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County via a check by July 1, 2026.

For Donors

Q. Who can donate?

Anyone with a credit card or debit card and access to the internet may donate during the 24 hours of the Giving Challenge. Donations through the Giving Challenge online portal to charitable nonprofit organizations are 100 percent tax-deductible.

If you have a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) with the Community Foundation, you can also donate using your DAF. Please contact the Philanthropy Team at Philanthropy@CFSarasota.org to learn more about Donor Advised Funds.

Q. Is there a minimum donation?

Donations of $25 or more are accepted on GivingChallenge.org during the 24 hours of online giving and are 100 percent tax-deductible.

Q. Will I receive a receipt for tax purposes?

Yes. You will automatically receive an emailed receipt acknowledging your gift after you make an online donation. The email is from "Notifications@GiveGab.com." The charge description on your credit card for the 2026 Giving Challenge would have been "COMMUNITY FDN OF SRQ."

Q. Are there fees involved?

The online gift processing fee for 2026 Giving Challenge donations made on GivingChallenge.org with a credit or debit card was approximately 5 percent, standard for Give Day events across the country. This fee, which was charged by the online payment vendor GiveGab and credit card processing company, was deducted from each contribution. You could have chosen to round up your donation to cover these fees during the checkout process.

There is no fee for nonprofit organizations to participate in the Giving Challenge. The Community Foundation of Sarasota County takes no fees, over the years has granted more than $1.3 million to incentivize giving, and donates hundreds of hours of administrative support to make the event possible.

Q. As a donor, can I receive a benefit for giving?

Donations in the Giving Challenge may not be made in exchange for goods, services, memberships, dues, tickets, or other services or benefits.

Q. Was my 2026 Giving Challenge donation matched?

To strengthen giving during the 2026 Giving Challenge (April 15-16), The Patterson Foundation (TPF) generously provided a 1:1 match for all unique donations, up to $100 per donor, per organization made online with a credit or debit card.

There was no limit to the number of individual matches from unique donors a nonprofit organization can receive during the 2026 Giving Challenge.

A "unique donor" is defined as one individual.

Nonprofit organizations also have the ability to create a match and/or challenge specific to their organization during the Giving Challenge. Learn more about those by contacting the nonprofit directly. Click here to view the 2026 Giving Challenge matches and challenges specific to a nonprofit.

Q. May I designate how a nonprofit uses my gift?

All donations made during the Giving Challenge are considered unrestricted gifts to the nonprofit organization. However, The Patterson Foundation Match funds must go toward efforts in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties.

Q. Is the site secure?

Secure donations for the Giving Challenge are provided through GiveGab to each donor entering their own credit card information directly on the giving site. Any third party who enters credit card information on behalf of a donor, by their actions of entering any such credit card information on behalf of a donor has signified their agreement with the sponsoring foundations and organizations of the Giving Challenge 1.) to assume all risk of loss and any liability associated with such transaction and 2.) to indemnify each of the sponsoring foundations and nonprofit organizations of the Giving Challenge against any and all risk of loss and any liability associated with such transaction.

Q. What is GiveGab?

GiveGab, which is becoming Bonterra, is a nonprofit giving platform that helps nonprofits raise money, engage donors, and manage volunteers quickly and efficiently. GiveGab offers a full portfolio of simple and easy-to-use products that allows organizations to function in a more streamlined manner. The GiveGab platform has been the host for both the Giving Challenge and The Giving Partner since 2020.

Q. Do I need to create an account with GiveGab?

No. You do not need to create an account to make a donation. The benefits of creating an account include having your tax receipts collected in one location, being able to track your donations, following the charities you support, and engaging in future volunteering and donations. Your tax receipt is emailed immediately upon processing your donation. To claim a donation as a deduction on U.S. taxes, you should retain the donation receipt as an official record.

Q. What if I can't find my favorite nonprofit on the 2026 Giving Challenge website?

If you can't find them on the Giving Challenge website, the nonprofit did not participate in the 2026 Giving Challenge. Before the next Giving Challenge, you may encourage the nonprofit to contact the Community Foundation at Nonprofits@CFSarasota.org so we can be sure they are ready for future Giving Challenges.