Belonging and Culture

Community Knowledge

Effective family engagement programs are designed to strengthen parental resilience, build meaningful social connections, provide guidance and resources to support parenting and child development, offer assistance during challenging times, and foster the social and emotional growth of children. By emphasizing these protective factors, such programs help create nurturing environments where families and children can thrive.

Parent educational attainment is a strong indicator of long-term family success. Parents or caregivers without a high school diploma are more likely to face unemployment and poverty, which can have an impact on their children’s opportunities throughout childhood and into adulthood. According to 2022 data, rates of births to mothers without a high school education vary across our four-county region, with 8.6% in Charlotte, 23.2% in DeSoto, 16.3% in Manatee, and 7.3% in Sarasota.

Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) programs help children develop essential cognitive, social, and emotional skills. In 2023, a range of children in the four-county region participated in voluntary Pre-K programs: 35% in Charlotte County, 14% in DeSoto County, 33% in Manatee County, and 20% in Sarasota County.

Community Impact

Since 2016, as part of our 2Gen approach to family empowerment, we have been dedicated to expanding access to the multitude of educational and cultural opportunities within our region for children and their parents or guardians who may otherwise face financial barriers to participation. Through partnerships with cultural nonprofit organizations, we help expand access to these spaces through programs and events that are offered at no cost to participants, which foster family connection and enrichment.

Additionally, we support the Family Togetherness Program at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, which enables thousands of children and parents to visit, with free admission to family-friendly events.

To provide families with the joy of live theatre, we support Asolo Repertory Theatre and its Family Days program.

These efforts reflect our commitment to ensuring that every family in our region has access to the transformative and inspirational power of arts, culture, and education.

Community Knowledge

Our four-county region is diverse, with approximately half the population of the Baby Boomers generation or older, and half Gen X or younger, providing opportunities to bridge generational divides for a more cohesive community. Understanding the unique perspectives, experiences, and contributions of different generations fosters opportunities for intergenerational collaboration, shared learning, and mutual support. By recognizing these dynamics, we can cultivate stronger connections and ensure that all generations have a voice in shaping the future of our community.

Community Impact

Through health, educational, and cultural outreach programs, we are supporting programs that bring people, ideas, and viewpoints together, both in-person and through new technologies.
Recent examples include:

• Brain Health Initiative
• UnidosNow’s Parent Program
• WEDU’s “Greater” docu-series showcasing local artists and performers

Community Knowledge

Our area is enriched by the variety of its people, bringing together unique backgrounds, traditions, and values that contribute to the vibrancy of our community. Contributing to our rich cultural makeup is the Hispanic community, compromising 13% of the population across the four-county region and Black communities, at 6%. The many cultures of our community reflect significant history and traditions that deserve contemplation and respect. By recognizing and appreciating these differences, we can cultivate meaningful connections that foster a unified sense of belonging.

Community Impact

Celebrating multicultural inclusion is key to fostering a deeper understanding of the dynamic assortment of communities in the region.

We proudly support Give 8/28, a national online giving event that highlights the missions and achievements of Black nonprofits and the communities they serve.

In addition to these efforts, the foundation proudly supports initiatives like UnidosNow’s Parent Leadership Program, which empowers parents through skill development classes and promotes community involvement. By developing a strong engagement with the community, this program opens pathways to educational, occupational, and social success.

Community Knowledge

The arts play a vital role in enhancing our quality of life and fostering community well-being. Far beyond providing enjoyment, arts and cultural organizations create emotionally and intellectually stimulating experiences, preserve cultural heritage and diversity, and strengthen social cohesion and civic engagement. Data from nonprofits registered on The Giving Partner shows that of nearly 800 nonprofit organizations serve our four-county region, 117 are focused on arts and culture—making it the second most common focus after education. The importance of this sector is underscored by its economic impact, as the arts, food, and entertainment industry is the fourth-largest employer in Florida, supporting over 1 million jobs.

Community Impact

Through a partnership with the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, we’ve provided a three-year grant to support innovative Health and Accessibility programming. This commitment highlights our confidence in the power of the arts to enhance lives and build an equitable community that fosters connection.

Young aspiring performers can enjoy the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s Stage of Discovery program free of charge, thanks to our support of this transformative program.

Additionally, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County has long-standing strategic partnerships with local arts organizations, demonstrating our commitment to their sustainability and impact. For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, these organizations received nearly $670,000 in support, ensuring that these organizations can continue to enrich our community for years to come.

Community Knowledge

Philanthropy is part of our community’s character, and we believe everyone can be a philanthropist. Support of nonprofit organizations is a major focus of the Community Foundation, which is why we built The Giving Partner in the early 2010s. This powerful, searchable database gives local organizations exposure to donors and facilitates transparency.

Additionally, we provide essential support for capacity building needs to help nonprofits thrive. These efforts are critical, as four out of the top five challenges faced by U.S. nonprofits directly relate to capacity building. By investing in their capacity, we help ensure that these organizations can continue to pursue their missions and serve their communities effectively.

Community Impact

Throughout the year, we host complimentary workshops and training sessions designed to equip nonprofits with the tools and knowledge needed to maximize their efforts and strengthen their causes. Covering a wide array of topics, these sessions enhance organizational effectiveness and create opportunities for nonprofit professionals to network, share insights, and learn from one another. Recordings from these sessions are archived on our website, ensuring ongoing access to valuable information.

For more than a decade, we’ve hosted the Giving Challenge, an online giving day that provides nonprofits with the opportunity to gain exposure to – and build relationships with – new donors. Since its inception in 2012, the Giving Challenge has raised more than $92 million. Those funds provide nonprofits flexible, unrestricted funding to improve and enhance our community, and are a catalyst to encourage support of the nonprofit partners that so greatly enhance our community.

In addition to the nonprofit trainings, we actively support capacity building through targeted grants. Through recurring grant cycles, we award funds to nonprofits serving our region to strengthen their ability to carry out their missions. This funding primarily focuses on improving operational and fundraising capacity, enhancing organizational stability, and enabling the expansion of essential programs and services. By investing in these efforts, we enhance organization’s autonomy and provide practical support for organizations to reach their current and future goals.