Donner Award Finalists

A worthwhile competition for Windsor non-profits to participate in. There's a $5000.00 first prize in each category, $20,000 Award of Excellence and another $5000.00 for excellence in management and delivery of services. Each participant receives a comprehensive confidential report ranking them in 10 areas including management, governance, volunteers, innovation and program cost. Along with that, program participants receive profiles of the successful finalists and resources to improve their own perfomance.

Canada’s best-run non-profit agencies announced as finalists for Donner Awards and $70,000 prize money

Release Date: August 2, 2007

Vancouver, BC - Twenty-eight non-profit agencies from across Canada have been identified as being the best run in the country and are in the running for $70,000 in prize money as finalists for the 10th annual Donner Canadian Foundation Awards for Excellence in the Delivery of Social Services.

The Donner Awards are Canada’s largest non-profit recognition program, established in 1998 to recognize and encourage best practices in non-profit management and to increase public confidence and support for Canada’s non-profit sector. The awards will be presented October 19th at a special 10th anniversary celebration of the Donner Awards in Toronto. Additional information is available at www.donnerawards.org.

“People across Canada rely on non-profit social service agencies for a huge array of programs and services. That reliance means the agencies have to ensure they manage their resources in a fiscally sound manner so they can provide for their clients’ needs,” said Sylvia LeRoy, program manager for the Donner Awards and Director of The Fraser Institute’s Centre for Social Policy Studies.

“Programs like the Donner Canadian Foundation Awards for Excellence in the Delivery of Social Services give non-profit agencies a chance to share ideas and identify best practices in non-profit management and social service delivery while offering them a chance to win cash awards and recognition.”

This year, more than 600 non-profit programs from across Canada applied for the awards. Participating organizations are ranked on their performance in 10 key areas, including management and governance, the use of staff and volunteers, innovation, program cost, and outcome monitoring.

The top organization in each of nine categories of social service delivery will win $5,000 awards while the $20,000 William H. Donner Award for Excellence will be presented to the highest performer overall.

The Donner Awards newest honour, the $5,000 Peter F. Drucker Award for Non-Profit Management, will be presented to a non-profit organization with a consistent record of excellence and innovation in management and delivery of services.

Listing of 2007 Donner Award Finalists (by category)

Alternative Education
• Continuing On In Education (Belleville, ON)
• Sarnia Lambton Rebound (Sarnia, ON)
• Teen-Aid Southwest Inc (Swift Current, SK)

Child Care Services
• Big Brothers Big Sisters Of Peterborough (Peterborough, ON)
• Educational Program Innovations Charity Society (North Sydney, NS)
• The Children's Garden Nursery School (Pembroke, ON)

Counselling Services
• Community Living Campbellford/Brighton (Campbellford, ON)
• Hospice Of Waterloo Region (Kitchener, ON)
• Sudbury Action Centre For Youth (Sudbury, ON)
• Youth Services Of Lambton County Inc. - Huron House Boys' Home (Bright's Grove, ON)

Crisis Intervention
• Calgary Pregnancy Care Centre (Calgary, AB)
• Canadian Mental Health Association For The Kootenays (Cranbrook, BC)
• Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention Centre Of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)

Services for People with Disabilities
• British Columbia Association of People Who Stutter (White Rock, BC)
• Multiple Sclerosis Society Of Canada - Calgary Chapter (Calgary, AB)
• Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (Burnaby, BC)

Services for Seniors
• Alzheimer Society Of Thunder Bay (Thunder Bay, ON)
• Calgary Meals On Wheels (Calgary, AB)
• Community & Primary Health Care - Lanark, Leeds & Grenville (Brockville, ON)

Prevention & Treatment of Substance Abuse
• Fresh Start Recovery Centre (Calgary, AB)
• InnerVisions Recovery Society Of BC (Port Coquitlam, BC)
• Simon House Residence Society (Calgary, AB)
• Sudbury Action Centre For Youth (Sudbury, ON)

Provision of Basic Necessities
• Alice Housing (Dartmouth, NS)
• Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank (Calgary, AB)
• Inner City Home of Sudbury (Sudbury, ON)

Traditional Education
• Cornwall Alternative School (Regina, SK)
• John Knox Christian School (Oakville, ON)
• Trenton Christian School Society (Trenton, ON)

Contact(s):
Sylvia LeRoy, Policy Analyst
The Fraser Institute, Tel (604) 688-0221, ext 523
Email: sylvial@fraserinstitute.ca