Wellington, FL – October 17, 2024 – Galloping into its 16th edition, the Great Charity Challenge sponsored by Fidelity Investments® (GCC) movement has left a significant mark on the local nonprofit community. Thanks to the amazing support of its donors, the event has acted as a catalyst for change, blending equestrian sports and philanthropy, having distributed $21.7 million to 339 Palm Beach County charities over the past 15 years.
Originally founded by the father/daughter team of Mark and Paige Bellissimo, the GCC has grown from distributing $500,000 in its inaugural year to raising and distributing over $1 million every edition since. With another ambitious goal of raising and distributing $2 million in 2025, the event will once again return to Wellington International, home of the Winter Equestrian Festival, on Saturday, February 1, 2025. The electrifying evening will feature showjumping and the unstoppable spirit of giving! Participating non-profit organizations are guaranteed to receive a minimum of $15,000 while the winning team will earn $100,000 for their paired organization.
If you know of a deserving Palm Beach County-based charity, please invite them to visit https://www.greatcharitychallenge.com/2025-gcc/ for additional information regarding application requirements and the event’s unique selection process.
The application process for the 2025 GCC is exclusively open from Thursday, October 17, 2024 through 5:00 PM on Thursday, October 30, 2024.
“We cannot thank our generous donors enough for making this event continue to grow and thrive” comments Anne Caroline Valtin, Executive Director of the GCC. “Looking back on the last 15 years and the tie this event has created between PBC and the equestrian community, we can’t help but see the growing need to support our local community. We urge organizations to apply and get the chance to access unrestricted funding during these challenging times”.
The most recent impact report following the 2024 edition (published this week), determined that with support from 100+ donors and sponsors, 90 Palm Beach County Non-Profits made a positive impact on the lives of 93,259 people. To view it, we invite you to visit: https://bit.ly/2024gccfinal.
Following the application and vetting process, all qualified charities will be assigned a "lottery ball" and selected out of a raffle drum on Wednesday, December 18, 2024. The selection of non-profits will continue to be done on a 100% random basis and be live-streamed via the event’s social media channels.
Additional smaller grants will also be awarded via a random selection process to non-profits who pass the GCC’s vetting. These grants will range between $1,000 and $10,000.
To be eligible to participate, applicants must, at a minimum, demonstrate that they are a 501c3, serve residents of Palm Beach County, have a physical presence, commit to spending a minimum of 75% of funding received in the County, and have a non-discrimination statement and/or policy.
Introducing this year’s theme!
We invite you to get ready for an unforgettable night where riders and their horses will celebrate the magic of Global Music—uniting cultures and bringing people together.
For additional event information, including information about the application process, donations, and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.greatcharitychallenge.com. We also invite you to join us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with our latest news and happenings via Facebook and Instagram.
