Spirit of Giving: EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA COUNTY

EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA COUNTY

HEADQUARTERS: 1960 LANDINGS BLVD. #120, SARASOTA, FL 34231 LAUNCHPAD4U RESOURCE CENTER: 1413 BLVD OF THE ARTS, SARASOTA, FL 34236 941-927-0965 | EDFOUNDATIONSRQ.ORG

THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA COUNTY BELIEVES THAT EDUCATION IS TRANSFORMATIVE, and we unite the community to prepare each and every student for life. These words frame our story of giving. What started over 30 years ago as teacher grants for classroom supplies has transformed into a comprehensive effort to ensure students graduate prepared to succeed. Today, 45% of high school seniors in Sarasota County Schools graduate without a plan. Yet in our high schools, the counselor-to-student ratio is 1:387. Today, only 42.5% of local workers ages 25 – 64 hold an associate degree or higher, but in 2025, according to the Florida College Access Network, 60% of Florida jobs will require education beyond high school. To ensure students can access one-on-one expert college, career, and life advising, we partnered with Sarasota County Schools to open Student Success Centers in four area high schools and at our community resource center, LaunchPad4U. We staff these centers with expert College Career Advisors who help students develop a plan. Students can access mentoring, college- and career-planning software, workshops, and many other valuable resources that empower them. We give back by honoring our amazing educators through our Ignite Education Teacher of the Year Awards. We empower teachers to transform their classrooms and innovate education through EducateSRQ Teacher and Schoolwide Grants. We convene teacher leaders so they can collaborate and network, solving problems in education. Giving back to our students and teachers is the best investment we can make—and we are committed to preparing students for life.

The Education Foundation’s mission is to enhance the potential of students, promote excellence in teaching, and inspire innovation in education, guided by strategic philanthropy. Our vision is to unite the community to prepare each and every student for life. Today, in the face of our fast changing world, the urgency to empower students and teachers—and to innovate education—could not be greater. Students must progress through their K – 12 journey intentionally, with a college-, career-, and life-readiness mindset. A dynamic nonprofit, we are uniquely positioned to harness the collective power of community and education partners to support students and teachers across the education continuum. We can pivot when challenges appear in education’s changing landscape. With your help, we can deliver more innovative resources that empower our students and teachers. We invite all champions of education to partner with us in supporting our children today and for generations to come.