← Back to US Funders Directory

Community Foundation of Sarasota County Inc

Annual Giving
$56.0M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.0M

Community Foundation of Sarasota County Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $56,000,000
  • Total Assets: $544,000,000
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $25,000 (for competitive programs)
  • Geographic Focus: Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties, Florida
  • Total Grants Made (2024): 882 awards
  • Application Method: Mixed (rolling and fixed deadlines depending on program)

Contact Details

Address: 2635 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, FL 34237

Phone: (941) 955-3000

Email: info@cfsarasota.org

Website: www.cfsarasota.org

Grant Portal: cfsarasotagrants.communityforce.com

Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday – Friday

Overview

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County was established in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council to serve as a professional organization managing charitable gifts and connecting philanthropists with nonprofits. With $544 million in assets across more than 1,590 charitable funds, the foundation has distributed over $500 million in total grants and scholarships since its founding. In the most recent year, the foundation awarded $56 million in grants and scholarships, making 882 awards in 2024 alone. The foundation serves Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties in Florida, supporting nonprofits across education, health, human services, arts, environment, and community development. The foundation also manages the annual Giving Challenge, which raised $17.2 million in 24 hours in 2024, benefiting 724 nonprofit organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Immediate Impact Grants: Up to $5,000

  • Available to organizations in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties
  • Application method: Rolling basis through online portal
  • Must have active profile in The Giving Partner database

Community Impact Grants: Up to $25,000 (average award: $15,000)

  • Designed to support nonprofits helping families, children, and households achieve lasting economic stability and mobility
  • Priority given to applications supporting two-generation (2Gen) strategies that intentionally support both children and adults in their lives
  • Tandem Capacity Building support (up to $15,000) available within the same application
  • Application method: Fixed grant cycles

Capacity Building Grants: Up to $15,000 (average award: $7,500)

  • Strengthen nonprofit capacity and prepare for success in the Giving Challenge
  • Organizations may receive up to $15,000 within a 365-day period
  • Funding supports leadership development, executive coaching, and staff training
  • Grant cycles: October 1, 2025 and February 16, 2026 (each cycle open for 30 days)
  • Applicants must be participating in the Giving Challenge and attend at least one training session

Sponsorship Grants: Variable amounts

  • Support for ticketed events and public programs that contribute to the foundation's mission
  • Rolling deadlines: every other Monday at 11:59 p.m. through end of April
  • Recommended to apply at least one month before marketing deadline
  • First application deadline of fiscal year: July 8

Specialized Initiatives:

  • Strauss Literacy Initiative: $1.2+ million directed to regional partners for youth literacy programs
  • Animal Welfare grants: $170,000 awarded in recent cycle
  • Equity and Access grants: Supporting underrepresented and geographically underserved communities

Scholarships: $2+ million annually to 500+ recipients

  • Traditional Scholarships: $790,000 awarded for 2024-2025 school year (average award: $3,500)
  • Available to residents of Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto, or Charlotte counties

Priority Areas

The foundation supports nonprofits across multiple sectors:

  • Education and youth literacy
  • Health and human services (including mental health access)
  • Arts and culture
  • Environmental conservation
  • Economic stability and mobility (particularly two-generation approaches)
  • Disaster recovery and community resilience
  • Animal welfare
  • LGBTQ+ youth programming
  • Neurological disorder research

What They Don't Fund

Geographic Restrictions:

  • Organizations must have primary services and physical presence in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, or DeSoto counties

Organizational Requirements:

  • Must be 501(c)3 public charity (IRS Letter of Determination required)
  • Must have approved/current profile in The Giving Partner database

Timing Restrictions:

  • Capacity Building: Organizations not eligible if they received capacity building grant within last 365 days
  • Organizations with outstanding grant reports with the foundation are not eligible
  • Organizations that received capacity building funding as part of 2025-2026 Community Impact Grant award are not eligible for Capacity Building Grant cycle

Application Restrictions:

  • Donor-advised and field-of-interest funds do not accept unsolicited applications

Governance and Leadership

President and CEO: Jessica Muroff will assume the role effective January 20, 2026. Muroff has over 20 years of leadership experience in the nonprofit, philanthropic, and business sectors. She has served as CEO of United Way Suncoast since 2019 (one of the largest United Ways in Florida) and previously served as CEO of Girl Scouts of West Central Florida and Frameworks of Tampa Bay.

Immediate Past President and CEO: Roxie Jerde served as President and CEO from March 2011 until her retirement on June 30, 2025, completing a 14-year tenure.

Interim Leadership: Paul Hudson, Community Foundation board chair, served as interim CEO during the transition period.

Board Leadership (2023-2024):

  • Chair: Marilyn Thompson (retired human resources executive, Johnson & Johnson)
  • Vice Chair: Paul Hudson (senior managing director, Northern Trust)
  • Treasurer: Andrew Stultz (president and owner, Atlas Building Company of Florida)
  • Secretary: Felice Schulaner (retired executive, Coach Inc.)

Board Members Include:

  • Dr. Karen Hamad
  • David Joyner
  • Patricia Mathews
  • Terri Vitale

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

New Applicants:

  1. Create account at cfsarasotagrants.communityforce.com by clicking "Create New Account"
  2. Account will be tied to your email address (create only once)
  3. Ensure organization has current profile in The Giving Partner database
  4. Complete application through online portal

Existing Applicants: Enter username and password to complete or return to application

General Requirements:

  • IRS Letter of Determination showing 501(c)3 public charity status
  • At least one current program with local impact in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, or DeSoto counties
  • Approved profile in The Giving Partner
  • All documents must be submitted in their entirety by the deadline

Decision Timeline

Scholarships:

  • Earlier in the year you apply, the quicker the response
  • Later in the year you apply, the longer the wait
  • Applicants notified by email and asked to log into portal to accept or decline award

Grants:

  • Capacity Building grant cycles: 30-day application windows
  • Progress reports required within 6 months after receiving funds
  • Applicants receive automated email confirming submission

General Timeline: Specific decision timelines vary by grant program and are not publicly detailed for all programs.

Success Rates

The foundation made 882 awards in 2024 and 466 awards in 2023, showing significant growth in grantmaking activity. However, specific success rate percentages (ratio of applications approved versus denied) are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Capacity Building Grants: Organizations not eligible to apply if they have received a capacity building grant within the last 365 days. Organizations must not have outstanding grant reports with the foundation.

Application Success Factors

Based on publicly available information about the foundation's preferences and funded projects, successful applicants demonstrate:

For Scholarships: The foundation states that "the ideal scholarship applicant has demonstrated financial need, earned a 2.8 GPA or better, worked to earn money for school, and expressed well-defined goals and objectives for their education." Selection is based on financial need, leadership potential, academic performance, work experience, and commitment to school and community through volunteerism. The foundation recommends that "it is in your favor to know what school you want to attend and what career path you want to pursue."

For Grants: Recent grant awards show the foundation prioritizes:

  • Two-generation approaches that support both children and adults
  • Community resilience and disaster recovery efforts (notably $5 million managed for Hurricane Ian long-term recovery)
  • Programs expanding access to mental health services
  • Youth literacy initiatives
  • Support for underrepresented and geographically underserved communities
  • Capacity building aligned with Giving Challenge participation

Recent Funded Projects Include:

  • Senior Friendship Centers: $80,000 for Senior Services Resilience Navigator position
  • Library Foundation for Sarasota County: $25,000 for annual literary luncheon
  • Embracing Our Differences: $6,500 for Parent Advisory Council
  • Multiple arts organizations (Arts and Cultural Alliance, Florida Studio Theatre, Ringling Museum Foundation, Sarasota Ballet)
  • Healthcare and research initiatives
  • Animal welfare programs

Strategic Alignment: Organizations participating in the foundation's Giving Challenge and engaging with their broader ecosystem of support (training sessions, The Giving Partner database) appear to have stronger connections to funding opportunities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Local presence is essential: Organizations must have physical presence and primary services in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, or DeSoto counties, with an active profile in The Giving Partner database
  • Two-generation approach favored: Community Impact Grants prioritize strategies that support both children and the adults in their lives simultaneously
  • Capacity building tied to Giving Challenge: Organizations seeking capacity building grants must participate in the annual Giving Challenge and attend training sessions
  • Multiple funding opportunities: The foundation offers various grant programs with different amounts and timelines; smaller Immediate Impact grants (up to $5,000) are available on rolling basis
  • Relationship building matters: While the foundation accepts applications through formal portals, engagement with their broader initiatives (Giving Challenge, training sessions, The Giving Partner) strengthens organizational connections
  • Plan for 6-month reporting: Progress reports required within 6 months of receiving funds; maintaining good standing with timely reports is essential for future eligibility
  • Timing restrictions exist: Organizations receiving capacity building grants must wait 365 days before reapplying; don't have outstanding reports when applying

References

All sources accessed December 2025.

← Back to US Funders Directory