Florida Gateway College Foundation Launches Annual Giving Day with $140,001 Scholarship Goal

The Foundation for Florida Gateway College has launched its third annual Giving Day Experience Auction with an ambitious goal of raising $140,001 to support scholarships, student programs, and campus initiatives. The week-long fundraising event, running from November 11 to November 18, 2025, provides community members with multiple ways to contribute to student success at the college.

Rebecca Golden, Director of Resource Development at the Foundation, emphasized the importance of community support in making education accessible. We believe students should have every opportunity to attend Florida Gateway College regardless of their financial situation, Golden said. So we build relationships with YOU, with companies, with anyone who shares the passion for helping Florida Gateway College students.

The fundraising initiative offers three distinct participation methods for supporters. Community members can make direct contributions through the Foundation's official donation portal at https://www.fgc.edu/give, where every dollar directly supports student programs and scholarships. Alternatively, participants can bid on exclusive experiences and packages through the online auction platform at https://fgc.winningbidder.com/event.

This year's auction features an impressive array of items designed to appeal to diverse interests. Highlights include a flight experience with a military fighter pilot in a vintage warbird aircraft, luxurious travel vacation packages to both local and international destinations, and an Ultimate Pro Sports Fan Getaway package. The auction also includes handcrafted goods and other unique offerings that provide bidders with memorable experiences while supporting educational causes.

A significant component of this year's campaign involves endowment establishment opportunities. The Foundation is offering dollar-for-dollar matching for new general scholarship or general vocational scholarship endowments starting at $12,500. This matching program instantly transforms a $12,500 contribution into a $25,000 endowment fund, creating lasting educational support. Many donors choose to use these endowment opportunities to honor or memorialize loved ones through meaningful, permanent gifts that will benefit students for generations.

The timing of the week-long auction allows for extended community participation and maximizes fundraising potential. Donor participation directly funds scholarships, campus improvements, and initiatives that empower students while enriching the broader community. The Foundation emphasizes that these contributions help unlock student potential and support the next generation of learners at Florida Gateway College.

Previous Giving Day events have demonstrated strong community support for the college's mission of making higher education accessible to all students. The $140,001 goal represents the Foundation's commitment to expanding educational opportunities and supporting student achievement through sustainable funding mechanisms. The diverse approach to fundraising—combining direct donations, auction participation, and endowment creation—reflects the Foundation's comprehensive strategy for building long-term support for student success.