NICF Awards

Individual Awards

For information regarding the William Jenkins Outstanding Professional Award, the Outstanding Philanthropist Award or the Outstanding Volunteer Awards please click this link

Awards of Distinction

The NIC Foundation Awards of Distinction recognize successful programs and outstanding development techniques of fraternity and sorority Foundations.

Deadline -The deadline for 2011 Awards Submissions is Friday, June 17, 2011

Submission - Each submission should be done electronically.  You will be able to upload all relevant documents, pictures, and supplemental materials.  In addition to the electronic submission you should also mail hard copies of your materials to the NIC Foundation for display at the Foundations Seminar.

Judging - All entries will be scored by three judges. These judges will be professional individuals working in the fundraising, education, communications and/or marketing industry. Judges will be strongly encouraged to provide comments for all entries, regardless of rank, to offer feedback as requested.

Categories - You may submit more than one nomination in each.  Awards will be presented in the following categories:

Best Development Effort in Annual Campaign

Did your organization launch an initiative or appeal that you believe was particularly effective?  Maybe your e-mail, direct mail, or non-direct mail effort performed above expectations?  How about a student or alumni development program that you're really proud of?  Submissions will be judged according to the following: Overall effectiveness, net income, cost per dollar raised, participation rate, and other relevant supporting material. 

Best Major Gifts Development Effort

Did your foundation conduct a program or event that succeeded beyond expectations?  Did you engage other donors to help in a major gift effort?  Did you endow a new program or scholarship through a major gift effort?  Has your cumulative giving society performed or grown thanks to a successful initiative?  Submissions will be judged according to the following: Overall effectiveness, net income, cost per dollar raised, participation rate, and other relevant supporting material.   

Best Planned Giving Effort

Did your foundation conduct a program or event that succeeded beyond expectations?  Did you engage other donors to help in a planned giving effort?  Has your planned giving society performed or grown thanks to a successful initiative?  Submissions will be judged according to the following: Overall effectiveness, participation, net income, cost per dollar raised, participation rate, and other relevant supporting material.  

Best Communications Effort

Efforts made by your foundation where the number one purpose was to inform rather than to raise money.  Did you publish or compile an effective social-media strategy, brochure, e-newsletter, website, annual report, public relations initiative, or re-branding effort?  Submissions will be judged according to the following: clear explanation of the campaign/effort, overall presence of the submission, cost/effectiveness (was this the best use of the donor dollar), was the program/initiative well-received?  

Best Stewardship Effort

An effective stewardship program is one of the most important elements of fundraising.  How is your organization recognizing donors, ensuring that their donation is having the desired effect, and showing appreciation, etc?  Have you put into place a new program?  Do you believe your current stewardship efforts are particularly effective?  Submissions will be judged according to the following: clear explanation of the campaign/effort, overall presence of the submission, cost/effectiveness (was this the best use of the donor dollar), was the program/initiative well-received?    

Best Use of a Foundation Grant

Submissions in this category should be examples of ways that the donor dollar is going to extraordinary purposes.  Does your organization have a scholarship recipient who has taken advantage of foundation dollars to do something extraordinary?  Does the fraternity or sorority utilize the grant money for a program that goes above and beyond expectations?  Are there additional or unique programs that the foundation supports?  Submissions will be judged according to the following: clear explanation of the campaign/effort, overall presence of the submission, cost/effectiveness (was this the best use of the donor dollar), was the program/initiative well-received?     

Best Campaign / Program in Support of an Outside Philanthropy

Is your foundation particularly proud of a partnership or program that occurred this last year?  Has the foundation benefited from a relationship with an outside philanthropy?  How has the relationship with an outside philanthropy supported the mission of the foundation?  Submissions will be judged according to the following: clear explanation of the campaign/effort, overall presence of the submission, cost/effectiveness (was this the best use of the donor dollar), was the program/initiative well-received?  

Best New Development Idea

This area covers any area of development and submission should include those out-of-the-box ideas that you're not sure in what other category to place them.  Submissions will be judged according to the following: clear explanation of the campaign/effort, overall presence of the submission, cost/effectiveness (was this the best use of the donor dollar), was the program/initiative well-received?   

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