2 posts tagged “nonprofit excellence”

Congratulations to the winners at the recent New York Times Company Nonprofit Excellence Awards: Community Health Action of Staten Island (overall management excellence), Harlem RBI (communications), Itefayo Cultural Arts (culturally based management strategies) and the Institute for Public Health (use of technology / focus on mission). Below on the overall areas of nonprofit excellence on which these organizations were judged:

1. overall management focus on results
2. governance structure that moves the organization forward
3. strong, transparent and accountable financial management
4. inclusive and diverse organizational practices
5. enlightened use of human and other resources
6. regular and effective communications
7. effective, ethical fundraising and development

Note to the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York and New York Regional Association of Grantmakers who collaborated with the NY Times to recognize these exemplary nonprofits - for next year, how about an additional award to congratulate the nonprofit that has best been able to integrate offline and online strategies so that the true promise of 'multi-channel' communications and fundraising is realized?  This would be a gentle reminder to those nonprofits who haven't yet realized that constituents prefer to interact with our organizations in many different ways, only some of which are online.

Earlier this week I attended the New York Times Nonprofit Excellence Awards, sponsored by the NonProfit Coordinating Committee of New York.  Best practices discussed included:

1. an overall management focus on results
2. a governance structure that moves the organization forward
3. strong, transparent and accountable financial management
4. inclusive and diverse organizational practices

• Center for Urban Community Services - nation's largest provider of social services in supportive housing as well as a comprehensive human services agency that implements new practices, shares knowledge and assists in shaping strategies so persons who are homeless, low-income, living with mental illness or other special needs can live successfully in the community
  
• Families United for Racial and Economic Equality - organizes low-income families to build power and change the system so that all people's work is valued and have the right and economic means to decide and live their destinies.  7 full time employees;  budget is under $500,000
• Good Shepherd Services - leading youth development, education and family service agency that provides a safe passage to self-sufficiency, serving 18,000 anually, focusing on high-need communities in Brooklyn and the Bronx.  (Good Shepherd received the top award for 'overall excellence')
  
• Witness - uses video and online technologies to open the eyes of the world to human rights violation

At the awards reception, I spoke to the staff member at Witness who had been primarily responsible for creating an online dashboard to track how well the organization was meeting its goals whether they had used any special technical tools.  No, just common applications like Word & Excel, and the tool can be accessed through their web site.  When informed that Witness had won the award in communications rather than the top award, Executive Director Gillian Caldwell said she was thankful because this was an affirmation that they were achieving their mission, even though this award provided a considerably smaller financial benefit than the top award.

Congratulations to all four organizations which provide a model for us to aspire to.