2015 Giving Challenge to use imagination, information to ignite region's generosity

Each year, the Giving Challenge presents our region with a 24-hour opportunity to display its sincere generosity on behalf of the hundreds of charitable organizations working to better our community.

The Giving Challenge, which is overseen by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, continues to provide The Patterson Foundation and several other foundations in our region with a way to support these organizations’ efforts. In the three years since the event was first held, our region has collectively contributed to more than $8 million for the over 430 local nonprofits with profiles on The Giving Partner.

Last year’s event only affirmed our knowledge of this community’s selflessness and desire to do good. Joining 115 communities around the country in the Give Local America movement, the 2014 Giving Challenge raised $3.1 million from more than 19,000 online donations – the highest donation total for any community in the nation.

As we enter the fourth year of the Giving Challenge, The Patterson Foundation is proud to continue its contributions to this worthy event. This year, The Patterson Foundation’s support is focused on incentivizing donations from new online donors – those individuals who did not donate to your organization during the 2014 Giving Challenge.

This opportunity encourages organizations to engage new online donors during this year’s event. The Patterson Foundation will provide support in two ways:

• A 1:1 match for each new online donor’s contributions – up to $250 per donor, per organization

• $35,000 in prizes for nonprofits that cultivate the highest totals of new online donors

What happens after The Giving Challenge 2015 is as important as the planning leading up to the 24 hours...this is an opportunity to cultivate and nurture donors as each learns more about your mission.

It is The Patterson Foundation’s privilege to support the 2015 Giving Challenge in this way, and we look forward to watching as our community comes together once more for 24 hours of joyful giving this September.

Visit www.givingpartnerchallenge.org between noon Sept. 1 and noon Sept. 2 to donate. Be sure to follow The Giving Partner on Facebook and Twitter.