The Cameron Foundation recognizes four outstanding local nonprofits with $90,000

The Cameron Foundation has selected four local nonprofits to be awarded a total of $90,000 for their outstanding community service and organizational management. The awards will be officially presented to The James House Intervention/Prevention Services; Southside Virginia Emergency Crew, Inc; Virginia’s Gateway Region; and Pathways at The Cameron Foundation’s October Grant Awards Ceremony on October […]

September 30, 2008; 10:12 AM • by brenda p

The Cameron Foundation has selected four local nonprofits to be awarded a total of $90,000 for their outstanding community service and organizational management. The awards will be officially presented to The James House Intervention/Prevention Services; Southside Virginia Emergency Crew, Inc; Virginia’s Gateway Region; and Pathways at The Cameron Foundation’s October Grant Awards Ceremony on October 23, 2008.

The awards are the result of two annual recognition programs for nonprofit organizations within the Foundation’s service area of Petersburg, Colonial Heights, Hopewell, and the counties of Dinwiddie, Prince George, Sussex, and the portion of Chesterfield County lying south of Rt. 10. This is the second year the Foundation has offered the special programs.

For the Cleveland A. Wright Award for Outstanding Community Service, members of the community were encouraged to nominate an organization that they felt had demonstrated a commitment to caring and generosity of spirit, as well as openness and accessibility. This award was named in honor of The Cameron Foundation’s first president (and current board member) for his exemplary and untiring commitment to the Foundation’s mission. By the June 20 nomination deadline, 19 eligible applications had been received. The organizations were then contacted and invited to submit an application by July 9. Six community members from the region served by The Cameron Foundation and one Foundation board member reviewed the applications and voted to honor The James House Intervention/Prevention Services with an unrestricted $40,000 gift. The James House had unsuccessfully applied for the same award last year, when it was awarded to Crater Community Hospice, Inc.

For the Excellence in Organizational Management Award, nonprofit organizational staff or board members were encouraged to apply on behalf of their organization. The application process was similar to an internal audit or self-assessment, and organizations were encouraged to use it as an opportunity to measure themselves against national best practices in organizational management. It was anticipated that this program would see a smaller pool of candidates due to the rigorous nature of the process, and the number of applications received by the July 9 deadline totaled five.

Six community members from the region served by The Cameron Foundation and one Foundation board member reviewed the applications and voted to honor the Southside Virginia Emergency Crew, Inc. with the first place unrestricted gift of $30,000 for demonstrating excellence in overall organizational management. The applicant had received an honorable mention in last year’s program.

The review committee also voted this year to recognize Virginia’s Gateway Region and Pathways each with an honorable mention gift for exemplifying excellence in one or more of the specific areas reviewed during the scoring process. Pathways also had received an honorable mention gift last year. At the recommendation of the review committee, in August The Cameron Foundation board approved increasing each honorable mention gift from last year’s $5,000 amount to $10,000 beginning with the 2008 awards.

“Both of the review committees were pleased to see many organizations reapply for these recognition awards in 2008, resulting in two new awards, as well as a second-year honorable mention,” said Handy Lindsey, The Cameron Foundation’s President. “I hope these successes offer encouragement to other applicants to reapply next year, and for additional nonprofits in our service area to participate in 2009.”

The Cameron Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit organization formed in April 2003 from the proceeds of the sale of Southside Regional Medical Center. The Foundation’s mission is to promote and provide support for programs and activities that improve the health and quality of life of the residents in its service area, which includes those areas historically served by the hospital.

More information about the Foundation, its grant opportunities, and its two recognition award programs can be found at www.thecameronfoundation.org, or via telephone at (804) 732-8900.

September 30, 2008 10:12 AM 0