April 21, 2016
Cameron Foundation solicits nominations for 2016 nonprofit service award
The Cameron Foundation seeks nominations for its tenth annual recognition award program for outstanding performance, which will result in an unrestricted $20,000 award to one area nonprofit at the Foundation’s annual ceremony in October.
The Cameron Foundation’s Cleveland A. Wright Award for Outstanding Community Service rewards nonprofit organizations for exceptional work that improves the quality of life of residents in The Cameron Foundation’s service area. This award is named in honor of The Cameron Foundation’s first president and current board member for his leadership and untiring service to the community.
Last year, in order to balance the opportunities to nonprofits working across several areas of interest, The Cameron Foundation began alternating the years when it would consider nominations for various groups. The 2015 application process was restricted to nonprofits working in four of the Foundation’s six funding interest areas (education, community and economic development, arts and culture, and historic preservation and conservation). This year, only nonprofits working in the Foundation’s other two fields of interest, health and human services, will be eligible for the award.
In order for a nonprofit to compete for the Cleveland A. Wright Award, a community member must first nominate the organization. Individuals are encouraged to nominate groups that they feel have demonstrated a commitment to caring and generosity of spirit, as well as openness and accessibility. The deadline for nominations is May 23, and includes a nomination form, found at https://camfound.org/capacity-building/recognition-awards, along with a brief letter describing how the organization demonstrates these qualities. The nomination form also is available by calling the Foundation at 804 732 8900. Organizations meeting the award criteria will then be contacted and invited to submit an application. One nonprofit organization among the candidates will be honored with an unrestricted $20,000 gift in the fall. Last year, a panel of community representatives chose Friends of the Lower Appomattox River (FOLAR) to receive the 2015 Cleveland A. Wright Award for Outstanding Community Service.
Organizations interested in applying for the Cleveland A. Wright Award for Outstanding Community Service also may contact Senior Program Officer Risha Stebbins at rstebbins@camfound.org with any questions.
ABOUT THE CAMERON FOUNDATION
The Cameron Foundation strives to transform the Tri-Cities and surrounding counties into a healthy, vibrant and economically vital region by strategically leveraging resources for community impact. Founded in 2003, it is a private foundation that was formed from the proceeds of the sale of Southside Regional Medical Center by the Hospital Authority of the City of Petersburg. Its service area includes the region historically served by the hospital and includes the cities of Petersburg, Colonial Heights and Hopewell; the counties of Dinwiddie, Prince George and Sussex; and the portion of Chesterfield County lying south of Route 10. Since the Foundation began grantmaking in 2004, it has awarded $72.5 million to organizations serving residents of this area.