2020 Alford-Axelson Award for Nonprofit Managerial Excellence

2023 Excellent Emerging Organization Award

Initial Application
Application Instructions
Thank you for your interest in the 2023 Excellent Emerging Organization (EEO) Award. The EEO Award honors up-and-coming organizations that display sound management practices as well as innovative programming and leadership. This is not a grant application. We respect that, as an emerging organization, you may not have all the policies and procedures in place, but demonstrating a commitment to excellence and learning is critical to becoming a successful organization. Please read through the Axelson Center's Hallmarks of Nonprofit Managerial Excellence for more information about the essential elements of a successful nonprofit organization.

Before completing this application, please make sure that your organization meets the eligibility requirements. You may find those requirements and other details about the awards process on our website. If you applied for the 2022 EEO Award, you must have requested feedback during that process in order to apply for 2023. Once you're ready to begin the application (you've determined what information you need), allow at least 30 minutes to complete. Also, you may save your work and complete the application at a later time.

If you have questions about eligibility or the application, please contact Lynn Stevenson at 773-244-5219 or axelson@northpark.edu. Applications are due by 5:00 pm CST on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.
Are you ready to begin? Please be ready to attach the following:*

A copy of your organization's 501 (c)3 letterYour organization's most recently filed IRS Form 990A list of board members (including their affiliation and years of service)Strategic plan and/or planning document(Check this box if your organization does not have a strategic plan or planning document.)
Please be ready to answer the following (use the Axelson Center's Hallmarks of Nonprofit Managerial Excellence for guidance and note the word limits for each question):*

Use the Hallmarks (link above) as a guide to illustrate 2 - 3 examples of how your organization excels in leadership, management and/or innovation. (750 word limit)Tell a brief story of one of your program participants and how your program made a difference to that individual. (300 word limit)How are volunteers utilized in your organization? (Please be specific about the difference between program volunteer activities and board volunteer activities.) (300 word limit)If your organization wins this award, what management or organizational topics do you believe are a priority to address? (300 word limit)
Application
1. Organization Name*
2. Zip Code*

City

Zip Code
3. Website*

Executive Director/CEO:
4. Executive Director/CEO Name*

First NameLast Name
5. Title*
6. Email Address*
example@example.com
7. Number of Years at Organization*
8. Number of Years in Current Role*

Person to receive communication regarding this application:
9, Name*

First NameLast Name
10. Title*
11. Email Address*
example@example.com
12. Phone Number*

Area CodePhone Number

Organization
13. Year founded: *
14. What is your organization's mission statement?*
15. Please select the subsector that best describes your organization:*

Arts & HumanitiesCommunity DevelopmentEducationEnvironment/AnimalsFaith-basedHealthHuman ServicesInternational/Refugee Services
16a. Number of full-time employees (current fiscal year): *
16b. Number of part-time employees (current fiscal year): *
17. Please specify current fiscal year dates:*

18. Budget Size*

	Current Fiscal Year	Previous Fiscal Year
Size of annual operating budget:
Endowment:
Cash reserves*:

*"Cash reserves" refers to the money an organization keeps on hand to meet short-term and emergency funding needs.

19. Percentage of total budget, largest single grant/donation by source and total number of grants from each source (use the most recent fiscal year for which complete data are available.):*

	% of total budget (This column should add up to 100%.)	largest single grant/donation	Total number of grants from each source.
Foundation grants
Corporate donations
Individual donors
Government grants
Earned income
Other (specify source below)

Please specify other source(s) here:
20. If you do not have your most recent Form 990, please provide an explanation.

0/100

Narrative
The following questions give you an opportunity to tell us why your organization should be considered for the Excellent Emerging Organization Award. Remember, this is an award for excellence in nonprofit management--not a grant application. In the questions that follow, focus primarily on management, not programming. Use the Axelson Center's Hallmarks of Nonprofit Managerial Excellence for guidance and more information about the essential elements of a successful nonprofit organization.
21. Use the Axelson Center's Hallmarks of Nonprofit Managerial Excellence (link above) as a guide to illustrate 2 - 3 examples of how your organization excels in leadership, management and/or innovation.*

0/750
22. Tell a brief story of one of your program participants and how your program made a difference to that individual.*

0/300
23. How are volunteers utilized in your organization? (Please be specific about the difference between program volunteer activities and board volunteer activities.) *

0/300
24. If your organization wins this award, what management or organizational topics do you believe are a priority to address? *

0/300

Service and Impact

Use the most recent fiscal year for which complete data are available.
25a. Total individuals served (specify dates)*
25b. Total number of organizations served (specify dates)*
26. Please include the most important metrics (internal and/or external) used by your organization to measure your impact (specify dates). These metrics should be for results completed, not just what is projected. Include specific results for most recently completed fiscal year and compare with previous year (e.g., 75% of all students experienced an improvement of x amount in 2021 which represented an increase of 20% over 2020.) You should include a point of comparison for all metrics as indicated in the example. You may list up to five. The metrics you share should tie to the organization's mission*
Please include specific results for most recently completed fiscal year (i.e. 75% of all students experienced an improvement of x amount in 2020 which represented an increase of 20% over 2019.) Include a point of comparison for all metrics as indicated in the example.

Required Attachments
Please include a copy of your 501 (c)3 ruling letter*

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Please include a copy of your most recently filed IRS Form 990*

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Please include a list of board members, including their affiliation and years of service *

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Finally, please upload a copy of your organization's strategic plan and/or planning document.

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After you have completed the entire application and have uploaded the required documents, please sign below and click submit. Thank you for your application!
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2023 Excellent Emerging Organization Award

Application Instructions

Application

Executive Director/CEO:

Person to receive communication regarding this application:

Organization

Narrative

Service and Impact

Board and Strategy

Required Attachments