BC shutout of Donner Canadian Foundation Awards
By Contributor
Seven non-profit social service agencies were recognized as the best-run in Canada and shared $60,000 in prize money, the Donner Canadian Foundation Awards for Excellence in the Delivery of Social Services recently announced.
Fresh Start Recovery Centre (Calgary, Alta.) won the $5,000 Peter F. Drucker Award for Non-Profit Management and the $20,000 William H. Donner Award for Excellence in the Delivery of Social Services,which goes to the highest-performing agency overall.
The Calgary non-profit also won the Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse award,which includes a $5,000 prize.
Six other organizations shared the remaining $30,000 in awards in various categories, listed below.
“These expertly managed non-profits have improved the communities they operate in, helping countless families and individuals nationwide. We’re pleased to recognize their outstanding work,” said Jason Clemens, executive vice-president of the Fraser Institute.
The Donner Awards are Canada’s largest recognition program for non-profit social service agencies, established in1998 to recognize and encourage best practices in non-profit management and increase public confidence and support for Canada’s non-profit sector.
The awards are administered by the Fraser Institute on behalf of the Donner Canadian Foundation.
This year, more than 260 non-profit social service agencies from across Canada applied for the awards and were ranked in 10 key areas including management and governance, use of staff and volunteers, innovation, program costs and outcome monitoring.
“The Donner Awards recognize non-profit organizations that excel in service delivery despite limited budgets and resources. Canadians can be sure that organizations considered for a Donner Award are responsibly managed and are doing their utmost to help their communities,” Clemens said.
The Donner Awards evaluation protocol was established with input from the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy (now Imagine Canada), the Canadian Cancer Society (B.C. & Yukon Division), the Trillium Foundation and Family Services Canada.
2014 Donner Award recipients
The $20,000 William H. Donner Award and the $5,000 Peter F. Drucker Award (William H. Donner Award for Excellence in the Delivery of Social Services / Peter F. Drucker Award for Non-Profit Management), goes to Fresh Start Recovery Centre (Calgary, Alta.).
Operating since 1992, the recovery centre offers a comprehensive approach to drug and alcohol abuse. Its program, based on the 12 steps and the Family Systems Method, includes both a 50-bed residential treatment centre (one of the largest in Alberta) and outpatient treatment options tailored to males over the age of 18.
The seven $5,000 category awards:
Counselling / Crisis Intervention: Michael House Pregnancy Care Centre (Guelph, Ont.)
Education: PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise (Thunder Bay, Ont.)
Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse: Fresh Start Recovery Centre (Calgary, Alta.)
Provision of Basic Necessities: NeighbourLink Calgary (Calgary, Alta.)
Services for Children: Oak Park Neighbourhood Centre (Oakville, Ont.)
Services for People with Disabilities: MS Society of Canada – Calgary & Area Chapter (Calgary, Alta.)
Services for Seniors: Les Ainés de Jonquière Inc. (Jonquière, Que.)
