All donations up to $500 will be matched 1:1 through 2022 for select nonprofits
Sarasota, FL (January 4, 2022) – The Louis and Gloria Flanzer Philanthropic Trust launched its Contribution Matching Program in January 2020 to honor the Flanzers’ legacy of transformational change through community support. The initial goal was relatively modest – Trustees Dr. R. Dean Hautamaki and Eric Kaplan set aside $500,000 which was quickly exhausted – the cap was removed considering the tremendous response. In 2020, the Trust had matched more than $1.57 million in contributions from 6,500 donors, sending more than $3.145 million to local agencies.
Due to the response, the Trustees extended the Flanzer Match for 2021 and the results were beyond the best expectations. The trust received more than $4.25 million in contributions in the program for 2021 – an increase of 165%, sending more than $7.5 million to local agencies. The number of donations increased to almost 21,000 – an increase of more than 200% with discrete individuals donating climbing to more than 12,000 people. Partner organizations have increased to 184 agencies, up 70% from 2020.
The growth of all these metrics indicates that the Flanzer Match has resonated within the community as the Trustees had hoped they would.
“The Flanzers felt that people in need were aware of the support agencies that contribute to the quality of life of all residents. Gloria also felt that substantial donors like her and Lou knew about the impact that social service agencies provide to the quality of life because of their substantial resources, their desire to give back and the frequent requests for donations from needful agencies.
“Gloria felt that broad based support to raise more funding in smaller bites could be more important and permanent. All that needed to be done was to incentivize people to learn more about the agencies that improve the quality of community of life and to turbocharge their donations.
“As Gloria and Lou aged and watched many notable large donors pass from the scene, they wondered how much financially healthier local agencies would be if they were less dependent upon large contributors and more reliant upon broad based community funding. She directed her trustees to find out.
The growth of the Flanzer Match showed how right she was, and Dean and I are pleased and proud to announce that effective immediately, the Flanzer Match has been expanded for 2022, Kaplan said.” The Trust encourages its partner agencies to commit more resources to developing broad based community funding to enhance their permanent donor base.
The trustees urge donors to visit their website at Flanzertrust.org to make donations to partner agencies which provide services in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto Counties.
Contributions can be made via PayPal, credit cards or check as described on the website. Donation amounts are limited to $500 per month per agency per household with a maximum of $3,000 per year per agency. Other guidelines and FAQs appear on the website.
“Participating agencies provide shelter, clothing, transportation as well as safe places for children to learn and play rather than the streets, places for abused women to go for shelter and assistance, services for our veterans and much more. We add agencies every week and encourage agencies to apply if they meet the guidelines of participation set forth on the Trust’s website,” said Trustee Dr. Hautamaki.
ABOUT THE LOUIS AND GLORIA FLANZER PHILANTHROPIC TRUST: The mission of the Trust is to enhance the life of people through social services, education (K-12) and healthcare initiatives. The Trust is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization and is not affiliated with any of the descendants of Louis and Gloria Flanzer. For more information, visit Flanzertrust.org or call (941) 383-6000. FL Dept. of Consumers Registration Number CH60782.