Our Mission: 100+ Women Who Care Greater Sarasota provides donations to local charities to make life a little better for people in need. Alone, we can do so little but together, we can do so much.

Pitching Your Favorite Charity

 

Nominating and Presenting a Charity

Each member has the opportunity to nominate a local, recognized 501(c)(3) charity to receive our collective donation. Nominations are made by placing your charity’s name in the hat at our biannual meetings.

For our purposes, “local” means the charity serves Greater Sarasota—specifically Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto, and Charlotte counties. One of the greatest benefits of our group is learning about amazing organizations, often right in our own backyard, that are changing lives. Your presentation can create a significant financial impact and help bring lasting support to the mission of your favorite charity.

Who Can Present

The nominating member may either:

  • Pitch the charity herself, or
  • Invite a representative from the charity to present.

If a representative is presenting, they must attend the meeting and be ready to speak, even if their charity is not selected. The nominating member will be required to introduce the charity and share why she supports it. If the member presents herself, she may still have a representative available to answer questions.

Presentation Style

Keep your presentation simple, genuine, and from the heart. Personal stories and connections resonate strongly with our members.

Matching Grant Opportunity

In addition to member donations, our chapter can apply for a matching grant of up to $5,000 from the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation (founded by the creator of Best Buy). The Foundation partners with 100 Women Who Care chapters in certain markets to amplify community giving. Each time we select a charity, we may submit an application for matching funds, which—if approved—further increases our impact.

Important Required Step

Important Step – Advance Notice

Please notify the Committee no later than one day before the meeting if you plan to pitch a charity. Email 100womenwhocaregreatersarasota@gmail.com with:

  • Your name
  • The legal name and address of the charity
  • The charity’s EIN (tax ID number)

If your charity is chosen to receive the donation, please also provide a short paragraph about the organization for our member communications.

Presentation Information

Presentation Guidelines

Presenters have five minutes to speak, followed by five minutes of Q&A. While you don’t need to cover every detail, be prepared to answer questions on topics such as:

  • Your name and the name of the organization
  • Location and mission of the organization
  • Who they serve and how they serve them
  • How the donation will be used and its impact
  • How many people are served monthly/annually
  • Details of the specific program to be funded
  • Importance of the program to the community
  • Percentage of funds going to programs vs. overhead
  • The organization’s operating budget and funding sources

Closing Tip

Remember: this is your chance to secure $100 from each of our members (currently numbering more than 200) for your charity. End with a heartfelt ask and a genuine thank you!

Good luck—we can’t wait to hear your pitch!