Nominations are now open

The Youth Volunteer of the Year award and $1,000 for each youth recipient, is presented to five full-time middle or high school students serving in a Sonoma County nonprofit, education, or faith environment. Up to five youth recipients will be selected.

1. Provide the school and grade of the nominee.

2. Briefly state the organization’s mission and services offered. How long has the nominee volunteered for the organization, including the number of hours served and type of service?

3. Using examples from 2024, illustrate how the nominee has made a significant, positive impact on the organization.

4. Using examples from 2024, describe how the nominee has demonstrated dedication and commitment to the organization, its constituents, and/or the community.

5. Based on what you know about the nominee, how have they contributed to promoting a culture of equity, belonging, and fairness within the organization or community?

Sponsor: Peter E. Haas Jr. Family Fund

The Excellence in Leadership award and $5,000 for the recipient’s nonprofit is presented to an executive director who has demonstrated excellence in leadership and whose vision has inspired meaningful and lasting change benefiting the organization and community.

1. Briefly state the organization’s mission. Provide the date of hire for the nominee. To qualify, the nominee must have held their current position for a minimum of three years.

2. Describe the programs, strategies, and services the nominee implemented to advance the mission of the organization. Include measurable outcomes.

3. Describe any extraordinary challenges the nominee has overcome and how these challenges were addressed.

4. What has the nominee done to ensure the organization’s sustainability? (e.g., financial, board, staff, volunteers, facilities, etc.).

5. How has the nominee exemplified excellence in leadership and served as a role model among their peers and the community?

6. How has the nominee demonstrated executive accountability and achievement towards diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging commitments? Please provide specific internal and/or external examples.

Sponsor: Medtronic 

The Achievement in Nonprofit Excellence award and $5,000 is presented to an organization that has demonstrated exemplary service to its constituents.

1. Briefly state the organization’s mission, services offered, and population served.

2. What community need or problem is addressed? Explain how the organization benefits the constituents/community.

3. How has the organization demonstrated excellence in programs, financial performance, board and volunteer involvement, or resource development? Include measurable outputs and outcomes.

4. Describe and provide examples of efforts that have been made to ensure organizational sustainability (e.g., financial, board, staff, volunteers, facilities, etc.).

5. How does the organization center diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging internally and/or externally (e.g., hiring/retention, employee training, leadership development, public education, stakeholder feedback, community outreach, etc.).

Sponsor: OPEN

The Lifetime Achievement award and $5,000 for a nonprofit of their choice is presented to an individual who has made a positive and notable difference during their career by significantly contributing to addressing a cause, issue, or discipline.

1. Describe the nominee’s body of work and length of time working consistently, visibly, and persistently to address a cause, issue, or discipline.

2. How have they addressed or advanced the cause, issue, or discipline? Provide up to three specific examples, with dates of occurrence, of the nominee’s significant contributions (e.g., strategy, teaching, program design, approaches, etc.).

3. How has the nominee prioritized diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in addressing a cause, issue, or discipline? Please provide specific examples.

4. Describe the nominee’s leadership history, such as participation on committees or workgroups, with examples of contributions that addressed their cause, issue, or discipline.

5. How does the nominee’s story inspire others to higher standards or raise awareness? (e.g., policy change, lives impacted, systems, culture, etc.).

Sponsor: Redwood Credit Union