Our annual spring 24-hour online fundraiser returns from noon Apr. 28 through noon Apr. 29, 2025. We’re thankful for two to one (2:1) matching funds for the first $7,500 raised provided by a grant from the Gobioff Foundation and gifts from our board. Once the first $7,500 is raised, we will continue to have a dollar for dollar match (1:1) for the next $7,500 to come in. Our goal over these 24 hours is to exhaust all matching funds: raising $15,000 from the public during this 24 hour period will turn into a total of $37,500 on the day with the match!
WHY THIS IS URGENT
This event is more important than ever, the stakes have never been higher for us to meet our goal while our industry (like many across the nation) continues to struggle in getting people back into the theater while we also watch foundation and government support continue to decline. It seems every time we shore up a bit of security, something else happens. Unless something pretty drastic changes in the next month or so in Tallahassee we, alongside hundreds of other cultural organizations across the state, are expecting zero funding once again from Florida.
If we cannot reach our spring goal and the outlook continues to be so poor, we’ll have no choice but to further cut production budgets for 2025-26 after already scaling back quite a bit in terms of size, scope and of course risk for the coming year. We’ll be forced to limit discounted and free access to our educational programs and to again raise base admission prices while relying even more on dynamic pricing. We have already accepted we will be unable to create an administrative support position for producing artistic director David Jenkins — help he and the organization desperately needs — for the second straight year.
WHERE DOES THIS MONEY GO?
Monies donated to our Annual Campaign through an event like our Giving Challenge helps offset the gap in our budget that tickets alone can’t cover and increasingly fills the void left by nationwide cuts to government, corporate, and foundation support. Annual Campaign funds help ensure every dollar spent on a ticket remains in the budget for that particular show, which mostly pays regional artist salaries, ensuring that we can remain fair and competitive in our compensation to those ultimate responsible for the work you’ve come to love. These funds also serve as a cushion through the year in the face of emergencies (like hurricane or pandemic closures, just this season we lost between Helene and Milton) or when our budget projections are simply wrong on anticipated sales (folks are not turning out this year the way we’d hoped). We’ve been taking a beating for a while, we need a W with the 2025 Giving Challenge.
HOW DOES THIS WORK?
The event is officially from 12n on Mon., Apr. 28, through 12n on Tue., Apr. 29. All monies raised online during that period through our website, Venmo, and PayPal counts toward the match in the order received until the match is exhausted. The first $7,500 donated receives the 2:1 match. The next $7,500 will get the 1:1 match. Are you unable or unwilling to make a payment online? Checks received by noon Mon., Apr. 28, will be entered for the match at 12:10pm that day. Make payable to Jobsite Theater and mail to 3608 N. Tampa St., Tampa, FL, 33603.
NOTE: donations can be made for any level, including Rock Star or All-Star which includes season passes. Rock Star and All-Star donations made during this event will be applied to the 2025-26 season pass. Please also note that our donor levels have changed for the coming year to help us meet our needs.
CAN WE PUT A CHERRY ON TOP?
Any gift of $5 or more is eligible to receive a free die-cut custom decal from our production of THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW. Any gift of $50 or more is eligible to receive both a t-shirt (sizes S-XL, while supplies last) and decal from ROCKY. We will also have hourly giveaways for Jobsite swag, tickets, and other special goodies that will be posted closer to the day of the event.
April 28-29 is a 24-hour period where truly every dollar matters, these matching funds make such a difference. Can we count on your support for the Jobsite Giving Challenge?
