January 17, 2025, LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL – SunCoast Blood Centers has been awarded a $15,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to fund a comprehensive Leadership Advancement Training and Leadership Library program. This initiative aims to strengthen the organization’s capacity to meet the rapidly increasing demand for blood products in Sarasota County and surrounding areas.

The grant will support leadership training for approximately 20 Managers, Directors, and Executive Leadership team members using the LeadershipIQ program. This initiative comes at a critical time, as Sarasota County has experienced over 22% population growth in the last decade, significantly increasing the demand for lifesaving blood products.

“This investment in leadership development is crucial for our ability to serve our growing community,” said Scott Bush, CEO of SunCoast Blood Centers. “With the support of the Community Foundation, we can enhance our strategic planning, operational management, and communication skills, ensuring we’re prepared to meet the evolving needs of our region.”

SunCoast Blood Centers must collect 45,000 units of blood annually to meet the needs of hospitals served in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, Hillsborough, and DeSoto counties. The leadership training program will focus on developing a resilient and agile leadership team capable of:

• Enhancing planning and execution of blood collection efforts
• Streamlining operations to increase efficiency and meet rising demand
• Strengthening relationships with hospitals, community partners, and donors

This grant, awarded through the Community Foundation’s Capacity Building Grant program, will help improve SunCoast Blood Centers’ ability to fulfill its mission and grow its impact by strengthening its organizational capacity.

The James Franklin Warnell & Dorothy J. Warnell Fund of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County has provided full funding for this training initiative.

About SunCoast Blood Centers:
SunCoast Blood Centers is dedicated to providing safe and reliable blood supplies to hospitals and patients throughout Florida’s SunCoast. We are privileged to bring people together to save lives through innovative blood services and therapies. For more information, visit suncoastblood.org or call 866-97-BLOOD.

About the Community Foundation of Sarasota County:
The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community. With assets of $544 million in more than 1,590 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $56 million dollars last year in the areas of education, the arts, health and human services, civic engagement, animal welfare and the environment. Since its founding, the Community Foundation has been able to grant nearly $500 million to area nonprofit organizations in our community thanks to the generosity of charitable individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit www.CFSarasota.org or call (941) 955-3000.

Media inquiries:
Brian Dryfhout Director of Marketing & Communications SunCoast Blood Centers bdryfhout@suncoastblood.org