Grant Size: $10,000
Application Deadline: November 4, 2009
Noyce Award for Nonprofit Excellence Application/Nomination Form: PDF | RTF
Background
The Noyce Award for Nonprofit Excellence, created in 1990, annually recognizes one Maine organization’s exceptional leadership and service to the community. The award honors Elizabeth Noyce (1931-1996), who is often referred to as Maine’s premier philanthropist. After moving to Maine in 1974, Noyce gave generously of her time and wealth, and was dedicated to supporting the health and development of Maine’s nonprofit organizations. The Noyce Award includes a $10,000 unrestricted grant.
Each year, the Noyce Award program focuses on a different theme and area of interest. The theme of the 2009 Noyce Award is “Strengthening Community by Building Leadership.” The award will honor an exemplary organization that supports leadership development by:
- Assisting individuals or groups acquire or improve leadership skills and capacities
- Providing meaningful opportunities for individuals to assume leadership positions
For this award, leadership is defined as the ability to guide, influence, or direct others toward some common goal. Special consideration will be give to programs for individuals and groups that are typically underrepresented or encounter barriers to accessing leadership positions. This includes but is not limited to low-income individuals, members of racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants, and refugees, and youth (individuals under 21).
Selection Process and Criteria
This year, the Maine Community Foundation will accept nominations or applications for the Noyce Award. An ad-hoc committee of volunteers and MaineCF staff will review all winners and select one organization to win the 2009 Noyce Award for Nonprofit Excellence. That nonprofit will receive an additional one-time, unrestricted $10,000 grant. The winner of the 2009 Noyce Award for Nonprofit Excellence will be announced in December.
The selection for the 2009 Noyce Award for Nonprofit Excellence will be based on an organization’s specific leadership program or iniative rather than on the full body of an organization’s work. Criteria for selection will include the extent to which the organization’s leadership program:
- Impacts Maine communities
- Benefits recipients
- Fosters a range of leadership skills and opportunities
Eligible organizations for the 2009 Noyce Award will include any Maine nonprofit organization with 501(c)3 tax-exempt status. Past Noyce Award winners have included Maine Migrant Health, YouthLinks, Maine Lung Association, Maine Adaptive Sports, Nezinscot Guild, Wolfe's Neck Farm, Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, Cyberseniors, Unity Barn Raisers, and Kennebec Valley Community College Foundation.
How to Apply
Completed application forms and attachments should be mailed to Maine Community Foundation, 1 Monument Way, Suite 200, Portland ME 04101 or e-mailed to noyce@mainecf.org.
Applications/nominations must be postmarked or e-mailed no later than November 4, 2009. The form is available for download at the top of this page.
Contact
If you have any further questions regarding the Noyce Award for Nonprofit Excellence, please contact Lelia DeAndrade by e-mail or by phone at (877) 700-6800.