Read This Before You Register to Participate

The Giving Challenge is an exciting 24-hour online giving event that connects approximately 700 nonprofits with passionate donors and community members to support diverse causes and create enduring impact in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties.

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County's commitment to participating nonprofits is to provide:

  • A robust platform with tools and resources for building an online fundraising campaign as part of the Giving Challenge.
  • Online training on how to use the platform and technical assistance.
  • Region-wide marketing efforts to drive visitors to the platform.
  • Opportunities for donors to connect with nonprofits through the platform.
  • A platform for businesses to support nonprofits through employee matching and corporate matching funds.
  • A platform for individual (peer-to-peer) fundraisers to raise funds for the participating nonprofit of their choice.
Please read through these requirements carefully prior to registering.

To participate, your organization must complete the following two (2) actions:

  • 1. UPDATE OR CREATE PROFILE IN THE GIVING PARTNER: To participate, you must be a 501(c)(3) public charity that serves in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and/or DeSoto county, and you must also have demonstrated transparency by creating or maintaining a current profile in The Giving Partner (TheGivingPartner.org).
    • The deadline to make any updates to an existing profile is noon EST on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.
    • The deadline for creating NEW profiles in The Giving Partner is noon EST on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025.
      • Questions regarding The Giving Partner or your nonprofit's profile in The Giving Partner?
        • Contact the GiveGab/Bonterra support team by clicking on the blue chat bubble at the bottom right-hand corner of The Giving Partner or Giving Challenge website and entering your email address and your question. Or, contact the Community Foundation of Sarasota County via email at Nonprofits@CFSarasota.org.

  • 2. COMPLETE GIVING CHALLENGE REGISTRATION FORM: Complete the 2026 Giving Challenge online registration form by noon EST on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.

To complete the online registration form you will need the following information: 

  • The legal name of the organization as it appears in The Giving Partner.
  • To be able to agree to the 2026 Giving Challenge Terms of Service.
  • The name, email address, and phone number for your organization's 2026 Giving Challenge Team Lead.
    • Your organization’s 2026 Giving Challenge TEAM LEAD is the ONE person who will be your organization’s liaison to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County leading up to and during the 2026 Giving Challenge.

Registration Review Process: 

  • An updated profile in The Giving Partner is required for your 2026 Giving Challenge registration to be approved. Once the Community Foundation has verified your organization has an updated profile in The Giving Partner, your 2026 Giving Challenge registration will be approved (there may be a few days lag time between the two).
  • Your 2026 Giving Challenge donation page will become visible to the public on the Giving Challenge website once it’s been verified that your organization's profile in The Giving Partner is updated. Once that occurs, your 2026 Giving Challenge registration status will be changed to “approved.” In the meantime, you can begin building your organization’s customized 2026 Giving Challenge donation page after you've completed the online registration form.

The Patterson Foundation Match:

  • The Patterson Foundation continues to uplift the nonprofit sector in our region through the 2026 Giving Challenge. To strengthen giving throughout our community, The Patterson Foundation will contribute a 1:1 match for unique donations, up to $100 per donor, per nonprofit organization. There is no limit on the number of unique individual matches a nonprofit can receive.

Additional Matches and Challenges:

  • Participating nonprofits are encouraged, but not required, to secure a match and/or challenge sponsor for their campaign. Any matching requirements or limitations are between the participating nonprofit and the match/challenge sponsor.

Giving Challenge Prizes:

  • Prize details are located here on the Giving Challenge website.

Roles and Responsibilities:

If you have any questions concerning the requirements above, we recommend you contact us at GivingChallenge@CFSarasota.org before applying to participate in the 2026 Giving Challenge.

Register

**Deadline to register for the 2026 Giving Challenge is 12 p.m. EST Wednesday, December 31, 2025.**