SCCF announced that Chief Executive Officer James Evans has been named one of the Impact 50 in the Charitable Community Foundation’s 2026 Impact & Influence Report. He received the award on Oct. 21 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Bell Tower in Fort Myers.
The Impact 50 honors Southwest Florida’s most influential nonprofit executives, whose ideas inspire progress, whose organizations create lasting change, and whose leadership strengthens the wider charitable sector.
The list is chosen through a process designed to keep the focus on the work. An independent review panel makes the selections, the list is closed to public nomination, and it isn’t open to sponsorship.
Evans is featured in the report’s Conservation, Science and Stewardship section with leaders from Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Naples Zoo, and ECHO. The section notes that conservation goes beyond preservation to education and resilience. It also credits these leaders with helping communities see the connection between ecological health and human prosperity.
“It is an honor to be recognized alongside some of the most dynamic and visionary nonprofit leaders in our region,” said Evans. “This recognition reflects the dedication of SCCF’s entire team: our scientists, educators, advocates, and volunteers. It also reflects the members and donors whose support makes our work possible.”
The report also aptly notes that “Southwest Florida’s future is inseparable from its natural environment. Marine ecosystems, wildlife habitats, water quality, green spaces, and biodiversity all influence the region’s economic vitality and quality of life.”
“We are grateful that the Charitable Community Foundation embraces the enduring value of protecting our coastal ecosystems for generations to come,” Evans added.
Previously, Evans has been honored as 2026 FGCU Alumnus of Distinction, 2024 SWFL Man of the Year, and 2022 Citizen of the Year.