Living in a vacation destination comes with its perks, like always seemingly being the place your family and friends want to visit. As the host, though, the pressure is on you. Because as they’re creating their itinerary, who do they lean on for the go-to recommendations, rely on as their regional expert, and count on as an all-access tour guide? The local, of course.

Word of mouth will always be one of the strongest forms of marketing, especially from you and your neighbors. After all, you frequent the businesses opening their storefronts from dawn to dusk, discover the “hidden” gems (although, they were never invisible to you), and, in turn, set the tone for the charm and character of your slice of the community.

Our team at Visit Sarasota County takes a similar approach—listening locally, thinking globally—to ensure our tourism marketing is representative of our entire region, with a finger on the pulse of what matters most within each of our distinct neighborhoods.

To glean this insight, our bureau makes a commitment to partner with six of our regional Chambers of Commerce to create a united front for economic development, focused on collaboration, not duplication, and stretching our precious public funds from Tourist Development Tax even further.

Over the years, these partnerships—with Englewood, Greater Sarasota, Longboat Key/Lido Key/St. Armands, North Port, Siesta Key, and Venice—have expanded significantly in scope. Many of our Chambers include our Visitor Guide in their own mailings and drive visitor attention to kiosks in their lobby, with brochures advertising our entire destination. Two Chambers even house our brick-and-mortar Visitor Centers—one in Downtown Sarasota and the other in Downtown Venice. Industry advocacy, data sharing, and emergency preparedness are also deeply rooted in our work together.

This past season, however, we asked each Chamber for something more: their local insights. For our latest seasonal marketing campaign running March through the end of this month, we leaned on these business leaders to provide input and creative materials (think images, messaging, and the like) to build an advertising campaign that authentically captured and communicated the story of their region, exactly how they’d like to tell it.

In what we’ve dubbed a “Regional Spotlight Campaign,” our bureau invested $12,000 in promotions with each Chamber—an investment totaling $72,000 for this specific messaging. Digital ads directed visitors close to clicking the “book” button in key markets across the U.S. to a chamber-curated selection of recommendations.

All our Chambers responded enthusiastically and contributed their own character to the campaign. Englewood embraced an identity of “Refreshingly Real, Authentically Florida.” North Port signaled “Ease in Abundance,” showcasing Warm Mineral Springs and other natural escapes. Venice’s “Unwind and Explore” messaging shined bright next to photos of Venice Beach. Siesta Key celebrated their recent U.S. News & World Report ranking with the tagline, “Beauty Abounds on the Nation’s Best Beach.” Longboat Key tapped into coastal charm with “Island Life is Within Reach,” leading with images of resorts and shopping. And Greater Sarasota urged visitors “don’t wait, paradise is only year round.”

Just as visitors rely on locals to point them toward the experiences they won't find in a brochure, this campaign relied on the voices of those who know each community best. While we won’t have the full results of this campaign until June 30, the interest we’ve seen in our entire County has been encouraging. The primary objective—to invite tourists to consider Sarasota County as a collection of unique, must-experience destinations, so they realize all they didn’t do and want to return—was surely accomplished, thanks in large part to all our Chamber partners.

While these annual partnerships certainly give us another opportunity to enter new rooms and shake new hands, at their core, they do so much to underscore the interconnectedness of tourism, economic development, and quality of life. And for this message, there’s more than one go-to guide—and we’re grateful, and stronger as a community, for it.

Erin Duggan, CDME, is President and CEO of Visit Sarasota County. 

Photo courtesy of Visit Sarasota County.

One of the questions I hear most often is: "What exactly does SCF offer?"

My usual response is that it might be easier to tell you what we don't offer.

As State College of Florida (SCF), Manatee-Sarasota grows, so do the opportunities available to our students and community. From healthcare and business to teacher preparation and emerging technology, our programs span so many disciplines it can be hard to remember. For example, we offer multiple degrees in Business, Education, Technology and Health Sciences that encompass many of the professions that keep our communities thriving.

When I speak with local employers, business leaders and community partners, the conversation often returns to the same priorities: educating future teachers, preparing healthcare professionals, developing business leaders, and expanding opportunities in technology and workforce development. Those priorities align directly with the programs SCF delivers every day.

Whether students are pursuing nursing, teacher preparation, business management, accounting, coding, cybersecurity, hospitality management, or countless other career pathways, SCF is committed to providing affordable, accessible opportunities that meet both individual aspirations and community needs. We are preparing students for meaningful careers while helping meet the workforce needs of Manatee and Sarasota counties.

At the same time, SCF's story is not defined by a single type of student. On any given day, our classrooms may include a recent high school graduate, a parent pursuing a new career, a veteran transitioning to civilian life or an adult returning to college after years away. We serve elementary students through youth programs, workforce professionals seeking new credentials and lifelong learners pursuing personal enrichment.

That is why we often say: At SCF, we meet you where you are. We're Everyone's College.

That commitment extends beyond the classroom. SCF's nursing program is consistently recognized among Florida's best, and our graduates are making an impact throughout healthcare, education, business, and technology sectors across our region. We are proud to provide programs and training that help employers meet workforce demands while creating opportunities for students and families.

Affordability remains central to our mission. In an era of rising costs, SCF has not increased tuition in 15 years, helping students pursue higher education without taking on excessive debt. Whether students plan to transfer to a university, earn a bachelor's degree, complete a workforce certificate, or gain new skills for career advancement, SCF offers pathways that are accessible, flexible, and focused on success.

We are also proud of the momentum we continue to see across the College. This fiscal year, SCF experienced a 7.9% increase in full-time, First-Time-in-College enrollment, demonstrating that more students are choosing to begin their educational journey with us. Looking ahead, we anticipate continued enrollment growth, reflecting continued confidence in the value and quality of an SCF education.

The variety of degrees we offer in Business, Education, Technology and Health Sciences represents something that has defined SCF for seven decades: a commitment to providing the education, training and support our community needs to thrive.

The next time you're out in the community, ask a business owner, public servant, teacher, web designer, nurse, dental hygienist, or radiologic technologist where they earned their education. Or ask where they're encouraging their children or grandchildren to begin their college journey.

Chances are, you'll hear the same answer: SCF.

And for many longtime residents, it may still be the institution they affectionately refer to as Manatee Junior College or Manatee Community College.

Regardless of the name, the mission remains the same: providing opportunities, strengthening our workforce, and serving our community. That's what SCF has done for seven decades, and it's what we will continue to do for generations to come.

Tommy Gregory, J.D., is the President of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. 

Provided photo.

Community foundations occupy a unique space. We spend a lot of our time listening – seeking to understand where opportunities and needs in our region intersect. Those conversations shape not only where we invest resources but also how we show up as a partner.

That is why feedback matters.

Recently, Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast) participated in the Center for Effective Philanthropy’s (CEP) Grantee Perception Survey, which gathers feedback directly from area nonprofit organizations about their experiences with funders. Through that survey, Gulf Coast was ranked highest among community foundations in CEP's national cohort for community impact. To be ranked highest among community foundations in that cohort is meaningful – not as a milestone to celebrate, but as a signal that our approach is resonating with the people we most want to serve. Their feedback helps us better understand where we are supporting their work effectively, where we can improve, and how we can continue showing up as a thoughtful, intentional partner.

As we close this fiscal year, I see that feedback as both affirmation and responsibility. It reinforces many of the qualities we strive to bring to our work while reminding us that there is always room to learn. It also underscores something I believe deeply: meaningful progress is never the result of a single organization. It grows from the dedication of nonprofit partners, the generosity of donors, and the collective commitment of people across our community.

The Grantee Perception Survey is one of several ways we listen and learn. It helps us understand how we are supporting the organizations working every day to strengthen our community. Feedback from our recent Donor Perception Survey offers another perspective, helping us better understand how to support the philanthropy that makes this work possible. Along with the results of the most recent Regional Scan and ongoing community conversations, these efforts provide valuable insight into both how we do our work and where we focus it.

Three years in, I have learned that understanding our community means actively seeking it out. This year, Gulf Coast conducted its largest listening effort in our 30-year history, hearing directly from more than 1,500 residents across our region through the 2025 Regional Scan. That effort joined the Grantee Perception Survey and last year's Donor Perception Survey as part of a sustained commitment to learning from the people who know this community best: not only the leaders and experts at the table, but the families, workers, and neighbors whose lives reflect what is actually unfolding here. Curiosity and authenticity are values we hold at Gulf Coast; they shape how we ask questions, who we ask them of, and what we do with what we hear.

Through the Regional Scan, we heard clearly that affordable housing, protecting our natural environment, and supporting individuals and families in times of crisis remain among our community’s most pressing concerns. Addressing challenges of this scale requires coordination, partnership, and a long-term commitment to the region's well-being. That understanding continues to guide our approach moving forward. This fiscal year, we facilitated more than $7.5 million in donor partnerships supporting nonprofit organizations working in these areas every day; this work reflects a shared effort to respond to what we are hearing and direct resources where they can make the greatest difference.

What we’re hearing shapes what we’re doing – and that alignment matters. There is important work ahead, and we enter the new fiscal year with clearer priorities, stronger partnerships, and a deeper sense of what this community needs and deserves. What drives me most is not the progress we can point to, but the relationships and trust that made it possible. I am grateful for the dedication of our board and staff, the leadership of our nonprofit partners, and the donors who choose to invest in our region’s future. Together, we are building a strong foundation for the future.

Phillip P. Lanham is President | CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation. 

Photo courtesy of Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

Florida has a housing affordability crisis, and the state legislature did something about it. The Live Local Act is one of the most significant housing reforms in Florida's recent history, written to cut through local red tape and give property owners a clear path to build affordable housing. It is not a suggestion. It is the law.

Yet Sarasota County officials have chosen to deny projects that plainly meet the statute's requirements, by the county attorney's own statements. That decision might feel like a local prerogative. It is not, and the consequences could reach far beyond some rejected applications.

The need is not abstract. The 2026 updated ALICE Report shows that a family of four in Sarasota County now needs $108,900 a year just to cover basic essentials, a 4.28% increase over last year alone. The people struggling most are not who many assume. They are older adults, the fastest-growing group unable to afford basic needs. They are single mothers facing the highest rates of financial hardship. They are families caught between rising costs and stagnant wages, and households of color navigating compounding economic barriers. These are our neighbors and the workforce this community depends on every day.

The Live Local Act's subsection (7) is direct. When a project qualifies, approval is not discretionary. When local governments refuse, they invite lawsuits, and when those lawsuits come, the up to quarter of a million-dollar cost per lawsuit lands on taxpayers who are already under real fiscal pressure. As of this writing, there are at least three lawsuits filed already with more likely coming.

County government financial stress is significant. Property tax values came in more than 2% below projections. The county is violating its own financial policy by failing to fully fund the General Fund's Economic Uncertainty Reserve, a shortfall driven by overspending that is not expected to be corrected until 2031 under the current tax structure. A constitutional amendment on the ballot could reduce property tax revenues further. Choosing a costly legal fight on top of all that is not responsible governance. But the financial consequences get much worse.

It also comes with a very public scorecard. Starting November 1, 2026, every Florida county must file an annual report detailing every lawsuit filed under the Live Local Act along with every project proposed or approved. That report goes directly to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House each February. Tallahassee will know exactly which counties are complying and which are forcing property owners into court to claim rights the legislature already granted them.

The consequences of landing on the wrong side of that list are not theoretical. When Manatee County defied state law, Tallahassee's response was swift and total. Every state-funded project in the county was vetoed. Not some of them. All of them. That kind of fallout does not stay in one budget cycle. It follows a county for years and touches every appropriations conversation, every infrastructure request, every ask for state partnership.

The families who need affordable housing are not a policy abstraction. They are here, they are struggling, and they are waiting for their county commissioners to do what the law requires and what they swore to uphold when they took office. Instead, the commission is choosing political theater in an election year over following the law, and the consequences for their failure will be financially devastating for everyone.

Christine Robinson is the Chief Executive Officer of The Argus Foundation. 

AI generated photo provided by The Argus Foundation.