Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation

What Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation does

Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation (SMHF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization (EIN 51-0188568) founded in 1976 and headquartered in Sarasota, Florida. It is the sole philanthropic arm of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMHCS), a public, 1,075-bed, two-hospital system that is the largest employer in Sarasota County. SMHF raises charitable contributions from individuals, corporate sponsors, and donor-advised funds; it manages planned giving, endowments, and signature fundraising events (Hospital Gala at The Ritz-Carlton, the 24-year Annual Golf Tournament at Laurel Oak Country Club, the Women & Medicine Educational Luncheon in Sarasota and Venice, and the Rock the Roof concert). Foundation staff (11-50 employees) and a 20-member Board of Trustees — including senior executives from Macy's, Ingredion, Welch Allyn/Hill-Rom, and NYSE-listed firms — deploy grants to SMHCS programs and facilities.

SMHF funds capital projects, technology, research, education, and patient programs rather than building technology products itself. Recent major deployments include the $25 million Kolschowsky Research and Education Institute (84,000 sq ft of simulation labs and clinical research space, opened 2025); the Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute and its seven-story, 200,000-square-foot Milman-Kover Cancer Pavilion (opened June 2026); the 82-bed Cornell Behavioral Health Pavilion; the newly expanded SMH-Venice campus (212 private patient suites); and a forthcoming SMH-Venice Rehabilitation Pavilion (opening early 2028, $82.5 million). It also issues community grants of $10,000-$50,000 to Sarasota County healthcare non-profits serving low-income residents and runs workforce-support initiatives such as the $2 million Child Care Center Annex for SMH employees.

SMHF's revenue model is donation-philanthropy: individual donations (online, mail, phone, wire, crypto), planned/legacy gifts, signature event proceeds, donor-advised fund grants from Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, Vanguard Charitable and others, and a structured community grants program. Event sponsorship tiers range up to $50,000 (Premier Sponsor, Hospital Gala) and $20,000-$25,000 headline placements (Golf Tournament, Rock the Roof). Community distribution is restricted to Sarasota County, with the Leading with Care campaign alone having raised nearly $94 million from 1,340 donors against a $75 million goal.

Name

Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation

Legal name

Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation

Website

https://smhf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (founded 1976, Sarasota FL) that serves as the sole philanthropic arm of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, raising charitable contributions through individual giving, signature events, and donor-advised funds to fund facilities, technology, research, education, and patient-care programs at SMH.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Charitable Giving & Philanthropic Trust Advisory (FSAEAKAH), Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Healthcare philanthropy
• Charitable fundraising
• Community health grants
• Hospital foundation
• Donor engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

Sarasota

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals supporting healthcare programs at Sarasota Memorial. Donors can give online, by mail, phone, or wire transfer. Cryptocurrency gifts accepted through Gulf Coast Community Foundation's page on The Giving Block.
2. Planned Giving: Legacy gifts through wills, estates, and planned giving vehicles. Donors can establish endowed funds, make planned gifts, and designate the foundation as beneficiary of donor-advised funds.
3. Signature Event Proceeds: Revenue from major events including Hospital Gala, Golf Tournament, Women & Medicine Luncheon, and Rock the Roof concert. Events feature tiered sponsorship packages and individual ticket sales with tax-deductible portions.
4. Community Grants Program: Strategic grants of $10,000 to $50,000 awarded to community not-for-profit healthcare organizations serving Sarasota County. Grant cycles in January, March, May, September, and November.
5. Donor-Advised Fund Grants: Facilitates grants from donor-advised funds held at partner financial institutions including Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization that raises philanthropic funds to support Sarasota Memorial Health Care System. It solicits individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and planned gifts, and channels proceeds into hospital programs, capital projects, clinical research, medical education, community health initiatives, and endowments. Its core activities include signature fundraising events, a community grants program, endowment management, donor-advised fund facilitation, and donor stewardship communications.

Product overview

Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation is a philanthropic organization that supports Sarasota Memorial Health Care System through fundraising, grants, and donor engagement. The foundation operates various fundraising events (Golf Tournament, Women & Medicine Luncheon, Hospital Gala, Rock the Roof concerts) and manages grant programs and endowments. Its supported healthcare facilities include the Kolschowsky Research and Education Institute (84,000 sq ft research and training center), Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute (with Radiation Oncology Center, Oncology Tower, and Milman-Kover Cancer Pavilion), Cornell Behavioral Health Pavilion (82-bed facility), and SMH-Venice hospital. The foundation publishes IMPACT Magazine and offers donor-advised funds, planned giving, and honor-your-caregiver programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hospital Gala
• Annual Golf Tournament
• Women & Medicine Educational Luncheon
• Rock the Roof Concert
• Community Grants Program
• Endowments
• Planned Giving
• Donor-Advised Fund Grants
• Honor Your Caregiver
• Matching Gifts Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of women who reached out to Pregnancy Care Team were connected to a provider
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fidelity CharitablecoreOthersDonor-advised fund partner enabling donors to make grants to the Healthcare Foundation through their charitable investment accounts. Listed as recommended institution for DAF grants.
• Schwab CharitablecoreOthersDonor-advised fund partner enabling donors to direct grants to the Healthcare Foundation through their Schwab accounts.
• Vanguard CharitablecoreOthersDonor-advised fund partner facilitating charitable giving to Healthcare Foundation through Vanguard's donor-advised fund program.
• Community Foundation of Sarasota CountycoreOthersRegional community foundation partner; accepts cryptocurrency gifts designated to Healthcare Foundation through The Giving Block platform.
• American Endowment FoundationminorOthersDonor-advised fund partner providing additional giving option for Healthcare Foundation supporters.
• Bank of America Charitable Gift FundminorOthersDonor-advised fund partner enabling Bank of America clients to support Healthcare Foundation.
• Gulf Coast Community FoundationcoreOthersRegional community foundation partner; hosts cryptocurrency giving page for Healthcare Foundation on The Giving Block. Susan Sofia serves on Gulf Coast Community Foundation Board.
• First 1,000 Days SuncoastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative initiative with SMH as backbone, bringing together Florida Department of Health-Sarasota County, CenterPlace Health, and network of nonprofits to support mothers and families. Funded by multiple foundations including Barancik, Florida Blue, Gulf Coast, Bishop Parker, and Community Foundation.
• Laurel Oak Country ClubminorOthersVenue partner for Annual Golf Tournament. Tournament has been held at this venue for over 24 years.
• The Ritz-Carlton, SarasotaminorOthersVenue partner for Hospital Gala (black-tie premier event) and provider of guest rooms for event sponsors.

Scale indicators20 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HonorHealth Foundation: Community hospital foundation supporting HonorHealth in Arizona. Closely aligned as a non-academic community health system foundation conducting capital campaigns, signature galas, and endowment fund management for a multi-facility hospital system.
• Tampa General Hospital Foundation: Philanthropic arm of a major Florida-based academic health system. Directly comparable to SMHF as a regional hospital foundation running multi-million-dollar capital campaigns, signature events, and donor stewardship programs for a single hospital system beneficiary.
• Lee Health Foundation: Southwest Florida community hospital foundation supporting Lee Health. Comparable as a regional SW Florida healthcare foundation with similar event-driven GTM, planned giving, and capital-campaign fundraising model focused on a multi-hospital system.

Regional players

• Gulf Coast Community Foundation: Regional SW Florida community foundation that hosts SMHF's crypto giving page on The Giving Block. Comparable geography and asset scale, but a community foundation rather than a hospital-aligned philanthropy.
• Community Foundation of Sarasota County: Local community foundation in Sarasota County and a documented SMHF partner (cryptocurrency giving, joint initiatives). Comparable as a regional philanthropic organization but operates as an unrestricted community foundation rather than a single-hospital-affiliated one.

Others

• Susan G. Komen: National voluntary health organization funding breast cancer research and community health programs. Adjacent comparator as a multi-channel donor-driven health philanthropy with signature events (Race for the Cure), community grants, and donor stewardship.

Broad incumbents

• Northwell Health Foundation: Foundation supporting New York's largest health system. Similar signature events, donor cultivation, and capital-campaign model, though operating at much larger headcount and donor scale.
• AdventHealth Foundation: National multi-state health system foundation supporting AdventHealth facilities. Comparable in operating model (signature galas, capital campaigns, planned giving, endowment management) but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Cleveland Clinic Philanthropy: Philanthropic arm of Cleveland Clinic, a national health system. Operates a similar capital-campaign and endowment model at much larger scale, comparable in campaign design (naming rights, transformational gifts, donor recognition tiers).
• Mass General Brigham Philanthropy: Philanthropy arm of a major academic health system. Comparable in capital-campaign, planned-giving, and donor-advised fund mechanics, but at broader geographic and donor scale with deeper research-grantmaking emphasis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SarasotaMemorialHealthcareFoundationInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sarasota-memorial-healthcare-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation