Nonprofit News: April 2026 | | |
One Last Chance to Have Your Giving Challenge Questions Answered
Join our weekly Zoom call this Friday, April 10.
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Our Community Impact department holds weekly Zoom sessions for nonprofits from
11 a.m. to noon every Friday, and there is only one session left before the Giving Challenge begins. This is your last chance to ask specific questions about the challenge and how it affects your organization.
There's no need to pre-register. Just click the link below to join.
Please note: There will be no Office Hours on Friday, April 17.
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Finalize Your Giving Challenge Plans With the Nonprofit Toolkit
Find tips on how to spread the word, engage donors, and more.
| | The Giving Challenge Nonprofit Toolkit is an invaluable resource for any organization looking to maximize its participation in next week’s challenge. The toolkit includes links to recordings of past nonprofit training sessions, tips on how to build board support and recruit peer-to-peer fundraisers, sample social media and email messages, graphics and other downloads, and much more. Whether you have already created a marketing plan for the challenge or you’re just getting started, the toolkit has resources to help. | |
The Official 2026 Giving Challenge
Playlist Is Here!
Add your selections to the mix.
| | Pump up the inspiration and joy as the challenge arrives by blasting some sweet tunes compiled by staff at the Community Foundation. These songs are guaranteed to get you moving, to get you fired up, and to put a smile on your face. Have your own songs to add to the mix? Augment our list or create your own from scratch to get your supporters motivated and involved. | | |
Catch up With Recording of
Giving Challenge Trainings
The videos and supporting materials are packed with useful info for nonprofits.
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Beginning last September, the Community Foundation, in partnership with The Patterson Foundation and GiveGab, has offered a series of in-depth online training sessions for nonprofits participating in the Giving Challenge. If you missed any of these, now is the time to catch up and prepare. Click here to find recordings of all our past trainings.
In addition to the video recordings, you can also access the PowerPoint presentations used during the webinars:
| | And after the challenge is over, it’s important to thank your supporters, build lasting relationships with donors, and focus on stewarding them for the future. In a webinar that will begin at noon on Tuesday, April 28, GiveGab will cover stewardship best practices and strategies for building stronger and longer-lasting relationships with your supporters. | | |
Don’t Forget to Submit Prize Applications After the Challenge Is Over
The fun doesn't stop when the challenge does.
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Prizes are a fun encouragement for nonprofits to flex their creative muscles, build partnerships, and create new connections with donors. While some prize deadlines have already passed (see a list of already-announced winners here), other prizes will be awarded during the challenge itself, and some deadlines actually fall after the challenge ends. Applications for Best Giving Challenge Photo, Best Use of Social Media, and Best Overall Campaign will be begin to be accepted shortly after the challenge concludes. Visit the prize section of the Giving Challenge website for all the details.
And if you’re a small nonprofit, don’t feel like you can’t compete: In order to create an equal opportunity for all, we have created size categories (small, medium, and large) based on a nonprofit's total expenses. Each category includes roughly the same number of Giving Challenge nonprofits, ensuring each organization can compete fairly among peers with similar financial resources. The 2026 Giving Challenge size categories are:
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Small: total expenses less than $85,000
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Medium: between $85,000 and $650,000
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Large: more than $650,000
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Pop-up Giving Stations Announced
In-person events will take place from Anna Maria Island to Englewood and beyond.
| Pop-up Giving Stations are a fun, collaborative way for nonprofits of all sizes to come together in person on the day of the Giving Challenge and to invite potential donors to connect with their organizations. To be officially recognized as a Pop-up Giving Station, the event must include five or more nonprofits and meet other basic criteria. Verified Pop-up Giving Stations are now listed on the Giving Challenge website. Click here to see a full list of official stations. | | |
The Deadline to Apply for Adult Scholarships is Next Week
Students 24 and older are encouraged to apply.
The Community Foundation is accepting applications for scholarships from students age 24 and up through Wednesday, April 15. To qualify, students must be a resident of Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, or DeSoto County, and should also be pursuing or planning to pursue further education at an accredited university, community college, technical school, or certification program.
Adult scholarships are awarded through a review process in which community volunteers evaluate applications by examining financial need, academic status, employment status, life experience, and an essay written by the applicant. While academic effort and commitment to education are valued, anyone interested in furthering their education is encouraged to apply and the foundation welcomes applications from students of all backgrounds and with different life experiences.
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Tax Help for Those Who Need It
Organizations are offering free assistance for people filing their taxes.
The Giving Challenge isn’t the only big event happening on April 15—it’s also Tax Day. For individuals who need help filing their taxes this year, volunteers with the AARP Foundation and United Way Suncoast are stepping up to help residents get their taxes done on time for free at libraries, community centers, nonprofits, and more.
To learn more about each organization’s offerings, click here and here.
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Leadership Opportunities Available
Applications for Sarasota Chamber programs are now being accepted.
The Community Foundation supports the Sarasota Chamber's Leadership Sarasota program, as well as its Youth Leadership Program, both of which are currently accepting applications.
Leadership Sarasota is designed to identify and inspire future and current community leaders, to develop leadership skills, to assist those already in leadership roles to increase their access to additional positions of community leadership, and more. Youth Leadership Sarasota, meanwhile, is aimed at high school juniors and seniors who are ready to develop leadership skills, connect with peers, and make a positive impact in their community. The deadline to apply for Leadership Sarasota is Friday, May 1, and the deadline to apply for Youth Leadership Sarasota is Friday, June 5.
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Sarasota Architectural Salvage Invites Nonprofits to Community Reuse Event
Mark your calendars for April 29-May 2.
After more than two decades as a cornerstone of Sarasota’s reuse economy, Sarasota Architectural Salvage will close its retail warehouse by the end of April. As part of the transition, founder Jesse White is inviting local nonprofits to participate in a special four‑day community reuse event, offering remaining store contents at no cost in an effort to keep valuable materials out of the landfill and in service to the community.
To support that mission, the company is hosting a free, nonprofit‑only materials event:
Dates: April 29-May 2
Times: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
Location: Sarasota Architectural Salvage, 1093 Central Ave., Sarasota
Cost: Free (nonprofit representatives should bring some sort of identification to verify their nonprofit status or organizational affiliation)
During the event, any remaining contents of the store will be available at no cost to nonprofits, including reclaimed lighting, architectural elements, vintage fixtures, antiques, collectibles, and assorted salvage items. Organizations are asked to bring volunteers and appropriate vehicles for loading and transport. All materials must be removed at the time of pickup.
The event is intended to support nonprofits working in housing, the arts, education, community spaces, historic preservation, and service‑driven projects, while ensuring usable materials remain in circulation locally.
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Nonprofit Job Bank
Whether you're seeking a new nonprofit position or you want to post an open position at your organization, your local resource is the Association of Fundraising Professionals Southwest Florida Chapter's Job Bank, supported by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.
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