Four B.C. non-profit social service agencies have been named finalists for the Donner Canadian Foundation awards for excellence in the delivery of social services.
The Donner Awards, Canada’s largest recognition program for non-profit social service agencies, recognize best practices in non-profit management.
“There’s a heightened concern among many Canadians that some charities are using revenues to pay for lavish fundraising campaigns and salaries, which takes away from the resources needed to deliver programs,” said Niels Veldhuis, director of fiscal and non-profit studies for the Fraser Institute, which administers the awards on behalf of the foundation.
“The Donner Awards recognize non-profit organizations that excel in service delivery despite their limited budgets and resources,” he said.
“Canadians can be sure that organizations nominated for a Donner Award are responsibly managed and are doing their utmost to help their communities.”
Participating organizations are ranked on their performance in 10 key areas, including management and governance, the use of staff and volunteers, innovation, program costs, and outcome monitoring.
“The whole purpose of the award is really to highlight and to reward and to celebrate high-performing charities so that other charities can look at these organizations and take some of the things that they’re doing and maybe implement it in their own organizations,” Veldhuis said.
B.C. finalists are:
-Servants Anonymous Society, Surrey (prevention and treatment of substance abuse);
-Big Brothers Big Sisters, Quesnel (services for children);
-Pacific Assistance Dogs Society, Burnaby (services for people with disabilities); and
-North Shore Volunteers for Seniors, West Vancouver (services for seniors).
In the next round of the contest, a winner will be chosen in each service category, the highest performer will be named the overall winner, and one organization will win an award for having a consistent record of excellence and innovation in the management and delivery of services.
Jenny Wagler
Twitter: JennyWagler_BIV