I Believe in My Community Awards

What are they all about?

The I Believe in My Community Awards allow United Way Centraide Windsor-Essex County to annually recognize excellence in community giving among the dedicated volunteers, donors and corporate supporters in the community. Everyone plays a vital role in helping United Way achieve its mission. The awards are given to organizations, campaigns, and individuals who achieve outstanding results in their United Way campaigns. To ensure we meet your needs, nominations must be received by the respective nomination deadlines. To submit a nomination, your campaign must be complete by December 10th, 2011.

Who makes the tough decisions?

The I Believe in My Community Awards selection Committee is a group of volunteers who review the nominations and recommend recipients to the Campaign Cabinet. The decisions are based on the information provided by each organization. The names of the committee members are confidential.

Steps to take:

It doesn't matter how big or small your organization is, if your team is enthusiastic and dedicated to achieving its goals, your team may be eligible for I Believe in My Community Award. I Believe in My Community Awards are self-nominated. We understand that your time is precious and often limited so we've made the nomination process quick and simple.

Click on the award categories below and review the criteria.
Select the award(s) that best suit(s) your organization's and team's campaign goals.
Follow the link to complete a nomination form online.
If you need assistance completing the nomination form, please speak to your United Way Contact.

Your United Way Representative will even help you fill in the nomination form if you need help or are simply running out of time. Just let your United Way Representative know at the start of your campaign that you are planning to submit a nomination. Nominations will be accepted until December 16, 2011. I Believe in My Community Awards Event will be held on January 25, 2011 at Caesars Windsor. Please note that financial results of your Workplace Campaign will be considered as part of the review of nominations.

What do award recipients receive?

Recognition during the "I Believe in My Community" Awards dinner attended by hundreds of volunteers, donors and community leaders.
Recognition on United Way / Centraide Windsor-Essex County's website
A commemorative award
The privilege of using a specially-designed logo identifying your organization as a I Believe in My Community recipient and community supporter, in all your communications and branding initiatives for one year.

I Believe in My Community Award categories: Leadership Campaign Team of the Year Award, · Employee Campaign Co- ordinator Award, · Canvasser Team/Canvasser Award, Quantum Leap Giving Award, Quantum Leap Participation Award, First-Time Employee Campaign Award, Community Partnership Awards (3), Community Workplace Campaign Awards (3)

Leadership Campaign Team of the Year Award: The Leadership Campaign Team of the Year Award is presented to the team that most successfully motivated their peers to contribute personal gifts of $1,000 or more and that organized the most exceptional Leadership Giving Campaign. Mandatory: Achieved a minimum 10% increase in total United Way dollars raised. Other Considerations:

Achieved an increase in the number of Leadership donors and the rate of employee participation
Achieved an increase in average Leadership gift
Actively solicited new Leadership donors and retained past Leadership donors
Facilitated one-on-one solicitation of current and potential Leadership donors
Implemented innovative & successful campaign techniques including a strategy to educate employees about United Way
Participated in a Leadership Presentation
Monitored campaign activity and results by holding a mid-campaign update meeting and adjusted plans as required
Click here to apply

Employee Campaign Coordinator Award : This award celebrates and recognizes the Employee Campaign Coordinator (ECC's) and/or Co-Coordinators who best demonstrates best practices, creativity, enthusiasm and energy. Mandatory: Recipients must have attended an ECC best practice or Information Session. Other Considerations:

Best practices utilized during the workplace campaign
Creativity and innovation within organization through special events or kickoffs and wrap up events
Enthusiasm and energy shown during campaign and non-campaign time
Outstanding donor program where all employees are aware of United Way events and understand the steps to be a donor
Increase in the rate of participation from previous year
Increase in average gift or employee dollars raised from previous year
Click here to apply

Canvasser Team/Canvasser Award : This award celebrates and recognizes the Canvasser Team or individual Canvasser that best demonstrates best practices, creativity, enthusiasm and energy. Mandatory: Recipients must have attended a Canvasser Training Session. Other Considerations:

Best practices utilized during the workplace campaign
Creativity and innovation within organization through special events or kickoffs and wrap up events
Enthusiasm and energy demonstrated during campaign and non-campaign time
Outstanding donor program where all employees are aware of United Way events and understand the steps to be a donor
Increase in the rate of employee participation from previous year
Increase in average gift or employee dollars raised from previous year
Click here to apply

Quantum Leap Giving Award : The Quantum Leap Giving Award is presented to the organization in which employees chose to make the greatest impact in their community by increasing their giving to United Way dramatically over last year. Mandatory: Achieved a minimum increase of 10% in United Way employee dollars raised over last year. Other Considerations:

Maintained or achieved an increase in employee participation over last year
Achieved an increase in average gift
Best practices utilized during the workplace campaign
Monitored campaign activity and results by holding a mid-campaign update meeting and adjusted plans as required
Facilitated a successful Leadership Campaign that included a significant increase in participation and in total United Way dollars raised through leadership
Click here to apply

Quantum Leap Participation Award : The Quantum Leap Participation Award is presented to the organization that exemplifies the true meaning of teamwork by achieving an extraordinary ("quantum") increase in employee participation in their campaign. Mandatory: Achieved a minimum 10% increase in employee participation over the last year. Other Considerations:

Achieved an increase in total United Way dollars raised
Achieved an increase in average gift
Best practices utilized during the workplace campaign
Monitored campaign activity and results by holding a mid-campaign update meting and adjusted plans as required
Facilitated a successful Leadership Campaign that included a significant increase in participation and in total United Way dollars raised through leadership
Click here to apply

First-Time Employee Campaign Award : The First-Time Employee Campaign Award is presented to an organization conducting its very first United Way campaign and achieving exceptional results. Organizations that have not participated for more than three years will also be considered. Mandatory: Organizations raised greater than $1,000. Other Considerations:

Achieved exceptional results in dollars raised for United Way and participation
Campaign Committee Members attended a United Way Orientation.
Recruited, trained and motivated an active Untied Way canvassing team
Facilitated one-on-one solicitation of donors
Provided appropriate recognition for committee volunteers, canvassers and donors
Implemented innovative and successful campaign techniques including a strategy to educate employees about United Way
Monitored campaign activity and results by holding a mid-campaign update meeting and adjusted plans as required
Facilitated a Leadership Giving Campaign/had an agency speaker
Participated in other United Way activities
Click here to apply

Community Partnership Awards : The Community Partnership Awards are designed to recognize the combined success of the Workplace Employee Campaign giving and corporate giving. The award has 3 categories based on the number of employees in the organization (0-99 / 100-499 / 500+). Mandatory: Utilized best practices. Other Considerations:

Organization should have maintained or increased participation from the previous year
Should have maintained or increased the average gift from the previous year
Should have maintained or increased corporate per capita from the previous year
Implemented innovative and creative campaign techniques including a strategy to educate employees about United Way
Monitored campaign activity and results by holding a mid-campaign update meeting and adjusted plans as required
Click here to apply

Community Workplace Campaign Awards: The Community Workplace Campaign Awards are designed to celebrate and recognize the many public and private sector businesses, organizations and employee groups, who consistently embody their involvement, contributions and leadership during the annual campaign. The award has 3 categories based on the number of employees in the organization. (0-99 / 100-499 / 500+). Mandatory: Utilized best practices. Other Considerations:

Organization should have maintained or increased participation from the previous year
Should have maintained or increased the average gift from the previous year
Implemented innovative and successful campaign techniques including a strategy to educate employees about United Way
Monitored campaign activity and results by holding a mid-campaign update meeting and adjusted plans as required
Click here to apply