Giving Hearts Awards

This award honours individuals or families with a proven record of impactful generosity who, through direct financial support, have demonstrated charitable responsibility at the local, regional, or international level.  Nominations will be adjudicated based on the impact of the generosity pertaining to the size of the non-profit, not the dollar value of the support.

Nominations should address the following criteria:

• Describe the gifts donated by the nominee to your organization and other not-for-profit organizations and the IMPACT of the nominee’s gifts and work on the organization’s ability to provide programs and services
• Describe any additional participation (i.e. board member or volunteer)
• Describe the special qualities (i.e. innovation, creativity, leadership) exhibited by the nominee in the causes supported, including how issues were addressed or solved and/or how the funds were raised

This award recognizes service by an individual or group of young people up to 23 years old who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to the community through direct financial support, development of charitable programs, volunteering and leadership in philanthropy.

Nominations should address the following questions:

• For your organization and each organization for which the nominee has helped raise funds, provide description of role and responsibilities, ability to organize and manage campaigns and groups, funds raised, time, effort and personal financial commitment and impact the nominee and their work had on the organization and services
• Description of both the nominee’s ability to lead, motivate, manage and inspire others, as well as the ability to work within a team
• Description of the nominee’s support of other non-profits where individuals may not have led fundraising efforts, but was active volunteering for the organizations

This award recognizes a corporation or its corporate foundation that has demonstrated outstanding commitment through financial support and the encouragement and motivation of others to take leadership roles toward philanthropy and community involvement.

Nominations should address the following questions:

• Description of OVERALL gift support by the nominee and general approach and philosophy to philanthropy and charitable support
• For each MAJOR cause, initiative or non-profit supported by the nominee, include description of philanthropic support (money, time and other resources), innovation and creativity in addressing the issue or cause, and IMPACT of that support on those causes and non-profits
• Description of additional gift support and achievements accomplished through the corporation’s efforts
• Description of the nominee’s work in encouraging and motivating others (e.g. employees, clients, customers, the public) to get involved with and/or take leadership roles in philanthropy

The Inclusion, Equity, Diversity, and Accessibility (IDEA) award celebrates and honors a charitable organization that exemplifies an unwavering commitment and sustained efforts in fostering inclusivity, equity, diversity, and accessibility. This award acknowledges initiatives that are making a transformative impact or building a culture that is championing IDEA principles. Examples of this work include, but are not limited to:

Internally within the organization by:

• Providing training and professional development opportunities for staff and volunteers to enhance their understanding and practice of IDEA.
• Cultivating a work environment that embraces and celebrates diverse experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds, fostering a sense of belonging for all.
• Implementing policies and practices that promote equity and fairness, enabling equal opportunities for growth and advancement within the organization.
• Ensuring diverse representation within leadership positions, with a commitment to fostering a leadership team that reflects a variety of backgrounds and viewpoints.
• Offering physical and technological accommodations to ensure accessibility for individuals of all abilities, thus creating an inclusive workspace for employees and volunteers.
• Reviewing recruitment and retention practices with a focus on advancing the principles of IDEA by actively seeking to engage underrepresented groups in the organization.

Externally within the organization by:

• Actively engaging donors, volunteers, and stakeholders from diverse communities, building relationships founded on mutual respect and understanding.
• Demonstrating a commitment to equitable resource distribution, ensuring that programs and services address the needs of all community members.
• Reflecting the diversity of the communities served in communication and outreach efforts, amplifying a range of voices and perspectives.
• Offering accessible services and events, such as galas, mixers, and community gatherings, that accommodate diverse needs, thereby enabling full participation without barriers.

Clearly state the initiative(s) and action(s) the charitable organization has undertaken to demonstrate and showcase IDEA. While the above criteria examples illustrate the type of initiatives the charitable organization may have undertaken, they are not exhaustive, and we welcome submissions that showcase the unique contributions to the IDEA space. For each initiative and action chosen, explain why these efforts were deemed imperative, outlining the deliberate intentionality behind the selection. Ensure to highlight and describe the strategic approach taken. Discuss the tangible outcomes and measurable impact of the IDEA strategy on the charitable organization and the community, as well as the identified next steps and plans for sustainability and continued progress.

You must provide supporting documents that can help showcase the work the charitable organization has done in this initiative to advance in IDEA. 

This award recognizes a small business comprising 50 employees or less, that has demonstrated an outstanding commitment through financial support and the encouragement and motivation of others to take leadership roles toward philanthropy and community involvement.

Nominations should address the following criteria:

• Description of OVERALL gift support by the nominee and general approach and philosophy to philanthropy and charitable support
• For each MAJOR cause, initiative or non-profit supported by the nominee, include description of philanthropic support (money, time and other resources), innovation and creativity in addressing the issue or cause, and IMPACT of that support on those causes and non-profits
• Description of additional gift support and achievements accomplished through the corporation’s efforts
• Description of the nominee’s work in encouraging and motivating others (e.g. employees, clients, customers, the public) to get involved with and/or take leadership roles in philanthropy

This award recognizes an individual or family that has demonstrated outstanding skills in coordinating and motivating groups of volunteers for fundraising projects to benefit non-profit organizations. The recipient must have demonstrated exceptional leadership skills in coordinating groups of volunteers for major fundraising projects for MORE than one non-profit organization.

Nominations should address the following criteria:

• For your organization and each organization for which the nominee has helped raise funds, provide description of the leadership role and responsibilities, ability to organize and manage campaigns and groups, funds raised, time, effort and personal financial commitment and impact the nominee and his/her work had on the organization and services
• Description of both the nominee’s ability to lead, motivate, manage and inspire others, as well as the ability to work within a team
• Description of the nominee’s support of other non-profits where individuals may not have led fundraising efforts, but was active on boards and committees and gave to and volunteered for the organizations

This award honours individuals or families who, through strategic charitable gift planning, have created one or more deferred legacy gifts to charitable organizations. Preference will be given to individuals or families who, in addition to having made deferred legacy gifts, demonstrate lifetime generosity through volunteer and/or philanthropic activities and who encourage their peers to consider creating their own personal deferred legacy gifts.

This award is given in partnership with the Canadian Association for Gift Planners Greater Vancouver Chapter. 

Nominations should address the following criteria:

• Describe the deferred legacy gifts (i.e. gift in will, gift of life insurance, charitable remainder trust, etc.) created by the nominee to your organization and other not-for-profit organizations and the FUTURE IMPACT of the nominee’s gifts and work on the organization’s ability to provide transformational support of the organization’s programs and services.
• Describe the nominee’s additional participation (i.e. Planned Giving Ambassador to others, Board Member, volunteer) in your organization and their community.
• Describe the special qualities (i.e. vision, commitment, leadership) exhibited by the nominee, including how the nominee leveraged charitable gift planning vehicles for maximum benefit to your organization and the community at large.