From grassroots workshops to countywide partnerships, collaboration leads the way.

As Sarasota County eases out of summer and into a new season, the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County has been hard at work fostering growth, resilience and collaboration across our arts and cultural community. In our continued role as connector and convener, we’ve listened closely to the needs of our local organizations. In response, we are collectively building the capacity of the cultural sector, supporting small and mid-sized nonprofits while also strengthening partnerships that ensure Sarasota County’s creative economy remains vibrant for years to come.

In partnership with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, the Alliance participated in a workshop series created specifically to support small and mid-sized arts nonprofits. Sessions were led by experts in marketing and fundraising, providing practical strategies for building long-term sustainability. Marketing strategist Tracy Spalsbury of Spalsbury Marketing, LLC, guided participants through uncovering their “Brand DNA,” helping organizations identify what makes them unique and how to tell their stories with clarity and impact. Consultant Liz Wooten followed with “Fundraising in Challenging Times,” offering tools for navigating today’s complex development landscape with creativity, resilience and confidence. These workshops not only offered valuable insights but also strengthened the capacity of arts leaders to better serve their missions and communities.

At the same time, the Alliance joined Visit Sarasota County and the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County in a joint workshop with the Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners. In the continued harmonious spirit of collaboration, this partnership highlights the powerful intersection of arts, tourism and economic development. From attracting new talent and investment to showcasing Sarasota County’s world-class cultural assets, the message was clear: collaboration across sectors is essential to ensuring the region’s ongoing vibrancy.

By aligning efforts among nonprofits, business leaders, tourism advocates and government partners, Sarasota County is building a more resilient and connected community. As your local arts agency, the Alliance is proud to represent the cultural sector in these conversations and to ensure that the arts remain a driving force in shaping our region’s future.

From customized workshops that equip grassroots organizations with the tools to grow, to large-scale conversations about economic and cultural vitality, these efforts are deeply connected. Together, they underscore the importance of storytelling, sustainability and shared vision. And together, we are cultivating a stronger, more vibrant Sarasota County—one that thrives as a premier place to live, work, create and belong.

Brian Hersh is the Chief Executive Officer of the Arts and Cultural Alliances for Sarasota County. 

Brian Hersh, CEO of the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, presents to the Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners during a joint workshop highlighting the vital connections between arts, tourism, and economic development. Provided photo

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When it comes to preparing young people for their future, the path forward is rarely straight. Just as the workforce is shifting in ways few could have predicted a decade ago, a student’s journey is filled with detours, unexpected barriers, and surprising opportunities. To meet these realities, we, as educators, families, nonprofits, and community leaders, must practice what leadership experts call adaptive leadership: the ability to learn as we go, adjust to change, and create solutions that meet people where they are.

That is the spirit behind the launch of the Future-Ready Scholars Program, a new initiative designed by the Education Foundation of Sarasota County. This program was not created as a one-size-fits-all solution, but as a living framework that grows alongside our students. Instead of assuming the future will look the same as the past, we are equipping students with the mindsets, relationships, and supports they will need to thrive in a world defined by rapid change.

Consider Maya (name changed for privacy). A rising senior in Sarasota County, Maya always excelled in the classroom but carried the weight of being the first in her family to even imagine college. The sheer number of decisions—what courses to take, what careers to explore, how to pay for it all—felt overwhelming. What she needed wasn’t just academic advice; she needed someone to listen, to guide, and to remind her she had the strength to take the next step.

Through Future-Ready Scholars, Maya was paired with a mentor who walked alongside her as she explored her interests in healthcare. Together, they mapped a flexible path with room for adjustments along the way. At first, Maya’s dream was to attend a traditional four-year university, but she also discovered opportunities to begin her journey either through State College of Florida or Suncoast Technical College—pathways that offered strong healthcare programs, affordable tuition, and a chance to start building real-world experience more quickly. Through this process, she explored various healthcare careers, financial aid resources, and, perhaps most importantly, her own confidence. Adaptive leadership looks like that: listening deeply, responding creatively, and building support systems that empower individuals to move forward despite uncertainty.

Maya’s story illustrates how leadership in education must evolve. We cannot rely solely on static programs or top-down strategies; we must continually adjust to the shifting needs of our students and the demands of the world they are entering. That means nonprofits acting as conveners, schools opening doors to community partnerships, and businesses recognizing the role they play in preparing the next generation of workers and leaders.

In many ways, the challenges facing today’s students mirror the challenges facing Sarasota as a community. We are all asked to adapt—to shifting demographics, emerging industries, and changing expectations of what it takes to thrive in the 21st-century economy.

As community members, each of us has a role to play. Perhaps it is offering an internship, volunteering time, contributing resources, or simply being the kind of adult who takes interest in a student’s journey. Adaptive leadership is practiced whenever one person, regardless of titles, leans in to help another navigate change.

Maya’s future is still unfolding, as it should. But thanks to a community willing to innovate and adapt she, and hundreds of students like her, are better prepared to meet whatever comes next. And in that preparation lies the hope not just for their future, but for the future of Sarasota itself.

Jennifer Vigne is the President and CEO of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County. 

High school students, student success coaches, and faculty attended the Future-Ready Career Night at Riverview High School in April 2025. Provided photo.

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H.R. 1— the One Big Beautiful Bill Act—approved by Congress earlier this year and signed into law by President Trump on July 4, includes hundreds of provisions affecting everything from immigration enforcement to Medicaid coverage. Perhaps overlooked in the debate over the act’s many provisions is the fact that the law also makes significant changes to the rules around charitable giving and income tax deductions—changes that are important for those making charitable contributions and the organizations they support to understand.

Here are some of the key charitable giving provisions contained in the new law, and how the changes may affect you and your philanthropy. Many of the tax law changes take effect this tax year, 2025, while others noted below will not take effect until 2026. As always, consulting a qualified financial advisor is recommended when considering your individual financial position.

1. Permanent 60 Percent Deduction for Cash Gifts Donors may continue to deduct up to 60 percent of their adjusted gross income (AGI) when making cash gifts to public charities, including donor advised funds. This 60 percent ceiling for cash gifts may be layered (or stacked) on top of non-cash gifts if the combined deduction amount does not exceed 60 percent of one’s AGI.
2. Increase in Standard Deductions In 2025, the bill provides new standard deductions: A single tax filer may take a standard deduction of $15,750 (up from $15,000) and joint filers may take a standard deduction of $31,500 (up from $30,000). Donors age 65 or older may take an additional bonus deduction of up to $6,000 per filer (or $12,000 for married couples), depending on one’s income level. This additional deduction is set to expire in 2028.
3. New Above-the-Line Charitable Deductions Donors who take the standard deduction may also deduct above-the-line charitable contributions of up to $1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for joint filers in 2025. The charitable gifts must be made to public charities and exclude donor advised funds, private non-operating foundations and supporting organizations.
4. Donors Who Itemize Subject to 0.5 Percent of AGI In 2026, if donors itemize their deductions, there will be an imposed floor equal to 0.5 percent of one’s AGI. This means that individual taxpayers who itemize their deductions may claim a charitable contribution only if the aggregate amount of their contributions exceeds 0.5 percent of their AGI, regardless of the type of recipient or the form of property contributed. For example, if a donor earns $500,000 of AGI in 2026, the donor must contribute more than $2,500 (0.5 percent of $500,000) to itemize their deduction. If that donor contributes $10,000 to charitable organizations, then only $7,500 is deductible in that particular year.
5. Tax Benefits Capped for High Earners Beginning in 2026, the tax benefit for itemized deductions will be capped at $0.35 for each dollar donated for those in the highest income bracket. The tax benefit was previously capped at $0.37, which remains in effect through 2025.
6. Federal Estate Tax Exemptions Will Not Sunset The federal estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer tax exemptions that were set to sunset at the end of 2025 will continue. In 2025, the exemption is $13.99 million for single filers and $27.98 million for married couples. In 2026, the exemptions will increase to $15 million and $30 million, respectively. Each year thereafter, the exemptions will be adjusted for inflation.