Community Foundation of Sarasota County awards $10,000 Capacity Building Grant to Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast

Funds to be used for initiative to help retain donors and bring in new supporters

The headquarters of the Conservation Foundation for the Gulf Coast is located at Bay Preserve in Osprey. Image courtesy of the Foundation

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County recently awarded a $10,000 Capacity Building Grant to the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast so the Conservation Foundation can upgrade its customer relationship management (CRM) platform, the Conservation Foundation has announced.

In 2020, the Conservation Foundation saved more than 6,200 acres spread among five properties and expanded its donor base by 70%, a news release notes.

The $10,000 grant, which comes from the Community Foundation’s Edward K. Roberts Emerging Needs Fund, “will assist Conservation Foundation in maximizing donor retention and bringing new supporters to the organization, helping to provide continued success in securing the funds and resources required to protect the Gulf Coast’s precious land and water,” the release continues. “The tool’s upgraded features allow for more robust outreach and communication, better enabling Conservation Foundation to keep up with projected growth in land protection, stewardship, education, and outreach programs.”

“We are grateful to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County for investing in our mission,” Christine P. Johnson, president of the Conservation Foundation, said in the release. “With this system upgrade, we will be able to bring in more resources, allowing us to save more land and water, protect and create more habitat for wildlife, and get more kids outside and excited about nature,” Johnson added in the release.

The Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast works with landowners, businesses and government leaders to save land forever, “protecting those special places that make this region extraordinary,” the release explains. The Conservation Foundation is a nationally accredited land trust, the release adds. To learn more, visit www.conservationfoundation.com.