2024 Giving Challenge Competitive Campaign Prizes Awarded to 63 Nonprofits

Nearly $100,000 was awarded to organizations through contests of creativity and strategy.

SARASOTA, FL – Prizes for the 2024 Giving Challenge have been announced, with an additional 63 nonprofits receiving extra dollars to recognize excellence in prize categories relevant to communications and development strategies used during their campaigns.

Overall, more than $150,000 in prize money was awarded to 270 of the 724 participating nonprofit organizations, with award winners announced at a Giving Challenge celebration on May 10.

Some 220 prizewinning organizations were selected through random drawings for categories like Giving Challenge newcomers and volunteer-led organizations, while others chose to enter competitions where creativity and execution of communications and development campaigns were adjudicated by independent review committees. Several organizations earned multiple prizes through competitive contests, earning as much as $6,500 in addition to what they received via Giving Challenge donations.

Competitive prize categories were designed to inspire organizations to strengthen their campaigns across many areas, including video production, social media strategies, storytelling, business partnerships and more.

“Giving Challenge prizes are a fun approach to encouraging nonprofits to enhance their fundraising skills,” said Roxie Jerde, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. “While an initial outcome of some of these prize challenges is a good Giving Challenge campaign, in the end, nonprofits are flexing muscles that they’ll be using for the long term to promote their work, engage donors, and raise critical funds to support their missions and help those they serve.”

The competitions offer an opportunity for nonprofits to earn cash and prestige while engaging in best practices. Winning competitive awards is a point of pride for nonprofits, affirming a team’s effectiveness.

“The Giving Challenge’s prize competitions added an extra layer of inspiration for our team to engage more creatively with our supporters,” said Declan Sheehy, Senior Friendship Centers’ Chief Development Officer. “Winning best overall campaign for large non-profits and best use of social media affirms our staff’s dedication and innovation to bring more joy to seniors through our programs, ultimately supporting our Sarasota community.”

Prizes were sponsored by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and supporting organizations, including foundations—William G. and Marie Selby Foundation and Manatee Community Foundation—and media partners— Herald Tribune Media Group, iHeart Media, The Observer, SolMart Media, SRQ Media, WUSF Public Media, WEDU PBS.

To see a full list of prizes and learn more about winning organizations, please visit GivingChallenge.org.

The Giving Challenge is a 24-hour online giving event presented by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, with giving strengthened by The Patterson Foundation. The 2024 Giving Challenge, held April 9-10, raised $17.2 million in unrestricted funding to the 724 nonprofits that took part. Over nine challenges, the Giving Challenge has raised more than $92 million for participating nonprofits.

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About the Community Foundation of Sarasota County: The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community. With assets of $489 million in more than 1,580 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $40 million dollars last year in the areas of education, the arts, health and human services, civic engagement, animal welfare and the environment. Since its founding, the Community Foundation has been able to grant more than $435.8 million to area nonprofit organizations in our community thanks to the generosity of charitable individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit www.CFSarasota.org or call (941) 955-3000.

About The Patterson Foundation: The Patterson Foundation strengthens the efforts of people, organizations and communities. The Foundation focuses on issues that address common aspirations and foster wide participation, along with ways organizations learn and share as they evolve. For more information, please visit thepattersonfoundation.org and connect with @ThePattersonFdn on X, formerly Twitter.