Updated September 26, 2017

2001 – 2002 Various groups had formed to assist county staff by performing various services in the parks.  These groups were limited in their ability to assist the County and to raise and save money, because they had not qualified as 501c3 organizations.  This registration process takes work and requires annual fees that are relatively large for small organizations.  There was a process by which all these groups could enjoy the benefits of 501c3.  This was by creating an “umbrella” organization (parent organization) having chapters.  Thus, the idea of creating Friends of Sarasota County Parks (FOSCP) was formed.

In September of 2002, numerous meetings were held with the Sarasota County Parks staff to develop Mission and Purpose Statements, develop a Memorandum of Understanding statement and to agree on the role the FOSCP can play in the recreational/parks/public lands programs. In February of 2003, individual meetings were held with each Sarasota County Commissioner to discuss the purpose of the FOSCP and gain their support. In those meetings, the benefits of forming a County Friends group were listed, presented and received 100% support from the County Commissioners.

The next 6 months were dedicated to more research, drafting the proposed by-laws and articles of incorporation and selecting the members to be on the first FOSCP Board of Directors. The Friends of Sarasota County Parks, Inc. received their Federal EIN number, Florida Fictitious Name Certification, Registered Agent Certification and 501c3 Non-profit Corporation status in September of 2003. The first organizational meeting of the Friends of Sarasota County Parks, Inc. was held on October 23, 2003. The Sales Tax Exemption Certification was awarded in March of 2004. As of December 2008, FOSCP completed the probationary period for their non-profit IRS status.

Notable accomplishments to date:

• FOSCP has designed and produced their first logo
• Established a web-site (www.FOSCP.org)
• Aluminum FOSCP signs have been produced and given to all the park facilities in Sarasota County for recruitment of volunteers and providing FOSCP contact information
• FOSCP helped organize and sponsor the first two years of the E-fest celebration
• Relocated the Dr. Wilson House to Urfer Family Park
• Started a Chapter of the FOSCP at Woodmere Park, Shamrock Park and Nature Center, Challenger Park, Carlton Reserve, Newtown Estates, Knights Trail and for The Legacy Trail, Nokomis Park, Arlington Park, Urfer Park and Phillippi Estate Park.
• FOSCP has relocated the Decagon Houses from Manasota Key to Kiwanis Park (Buchan Airfield Park)
• Installed numerous memorial benches and trees in a variety of parks
• Constructed a volunteer garage at Shamrock Park and Nature Center. Also at Shamrock Park, FOSCP wrote grants and built the first Community Demonstration Butterfly Garden with a facility brochure.
• Working with the Florida Master Naturalist program, FOSCP completed a gopher tortoise/habitat survey at Shamrock Park and an environmental survey at the new Urfer Family Park.
• FOSCP researched and produced a sample brochure on the benefits of the ‘Wrack Line’ that exists on our local beaches and was involved with the exotic animal trapping at Shamrock and Lemon Bay Parks.  
• FOSCP has produced a donor brochure, endowment brochure, a FOSCP newsletter and a membership brochure.
• Endowment accounts have been established at both the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.
• FOSCP has been 100% successful in its first five grant applications bringing over $100,000 into the park system.
• FOSCP members have staffed numerous information booths at trade shows, art festivals and other civic/community events.
• FOSCP members have been actively involved in the design and completion of the new Skip Stasko Park, the Arlington Playground and the Hopewell Memorial Park (Cemetery) amenities/improvements projects.
• FOSCP produced a PSA for BLAB (WWSB Channel 7) TV.
• FOSCP has sponsored an auction for the summer camp program at the Jazz Festival at Phillippi Estates Park and in 2004 and in 2007 completed long-range planning sessions.
• FOSCP members have been actively involved with other grant requests active in the approval of the Neighborhood Parkland Acquisition and the One Cent Surtax Extension votes.
• FOSCP contracted with VirtualTourPros to produce a virtual tour of our community parks and public lands.
• FOSCP has been very involved in the Clyde Butcher Art Exhibit and Auction for the Phillippi Park Farmhouse Restoration
• FOSCP assisted with the playground project at Challenger Park.
• At County Commissioners’ meetings, FOSCP presented their “Special Person Award” to very deserving County Park employees.
• Individual Board Members represented FOSCP at numerous workshops, public hearings and in-services to obtain the necessary information for the organization to be able to better serve this community.
• In 2010 FOSCP assisted with construction of two community gardens, the Phillippi Farmhouse Market, construction of two neighborhood playgrounds, received a gift of a van from the County and had it wrapped with our logo
• Since 2010 FOSCP collects casings at the gun range for revenue to pay our expenses
• In 2010 FOSCP was fiscal manager for the events at Benderson Park, assisted with the Cal Ripen Baseball field improvements, a CRA sponsored after school program in Newtown and a new lighting system at Urfer Family Park.
• 2010 brought a new phone number, Quickbooks, PayPal account, and social media.
• We moved the “Cookie House” to Cedar Park and installed historical signs at the old and new locations.
• In 2011 produced the Forever Green’ Endowment brochure.
• 2011 also brought the Englewood Community Garden and Englewood Farmers Market into FOSCP.  
• In 2011, FOSCP was invited to be one of the 30 groups involved in the new Giving Partners program through the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.  We are listed with the Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s Invest in the Incredible and youdbeperfectforthis programs.  
• In 2012, we moved into new offices at Urfer Family Park and a new storage area by the Venice Train Depot.
• In 2012, we received a grant from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation for a consultant for FOSCP mission/purpose/vision/goal review and sponsored numerous events at Snook Haven and Nokomis Beach.
• In 2013, we moved our office and vandal proof mail box at 234 Nippino Trail, East, Unit 101, Nokomis Florida, 34275.
• In 2013, with the support of the County Parks staff, we now have new volunteer forms and procedures; we are working on a new Memorandum of Understanding and new memorial approval and tracking forms/procedures.
• In 2013, we began use of GroupShare for all the FOSCP policies and documents, purchased over $600 in tools for our volunteers, and are participating in various volunteer programs.
• In 2014 started the Friends of Paw Parks, Friends of the Englewood Veteran’s Memorial and Friends of Disc-golf.
• In 2014, the Friends of Legacy Trail is working toward a $75,000 fund raising program for the feasibility study for the extension of the Legacy Trail.
• FOSCP scheduled large volunteer parties scheduled for Caspersen Beach, Knight Trail and the land south of the Hermitage.
• June 2014 raised $5,025 in the Giving Challenge program, received a grant from the Natural Heritage Foundation for summer camp scholarships.
• In 2014, FOSCP had over $450,000 that the volunteers have raised for the parks.
• In 2014 we added a consultant to help us as an Administrative Coordinator and Coordinator of Fund Development (both are part-time volunteers AND independent contractors).
• In 2014, we were selected to participate in The Patterson Foundation’s No Margin No Mission program and received a grant from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation to help us establish our fund-raising efforts.  
• In 2014, we started a new Chapter, North Port Friends of Wildlife. We are now focusing our energies on a shade program/products for shade at the athletic bleaches, pavers at Siesta Beach, Countywide bike share program and FOSCP Board/Chapter development.    
• March 2015 update FOSCP averages over 75 bank transactions per month and spends $340,000 per year in expenses, have over $400,000 on our books for FOSCP and the 37 Chapters.
• March 2015 – We receive tremendous support from the County Parks staff and they are now recording volunteer hours and handling the memorials (except park pavers and the North Jetty Fish).
• In 2015, we sold 225 pavers at Siesta Beach netting over $50,000.
• In 2016, FOSCP signed a new five-year Agreement with Sarasota County; reviewed our insurance coverages, and updated our policies and procedures.
• As of September 2017 FOSCP is now in charge of three Farmer’s Markets (Englewood, Phillippi and Venice). We anticipate having around 3 million dollars in expenses for the support of Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources from FOSCP and the Chapters over the past 8 years.
• In 2017, we logged 640 annual bank transitions (deposits and checks written) which does not include the Shade is Good (SIG) program. After 2 years with the SIG program, we have sold the inventory to the consultant and stopped the program.
• In 2017, FOSCP installed shade structures at the Boys and Girls Club in Newtown, at Twin Lakes Park and given the County funds for a new playground/shade structure at North Jetty.
• In 2017, FOSCP updated chapter information; cleaned up/closed inactive chapter accounts.
• In 2017, FOSCP completed Phase II of the Siesta Pavers fundraiser.
• In 2017, FOSCP reserved funds for a shade structure over the pickleball courts at the Englewood Sports Complex.
• In 2017, FOSCP moved the office to Urfer Family Park Trail, maintained Nokomis as our mailing address.