VMPC Impact Award Nomination Process

The Impact Awards are Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada's (VMPC) annual
awards recognizing the incredible work our members do in our country. The awards are
sponsored by Better Impact.

There are two categories of Impact Awards:

1. The Emerging Leader award recognizes Volunteer Management Professionals who
   have been in the field of volunteer management for one to seven years and who
   have demonstrated a commitment to the field of volunteer management through
   exceptional leadership and knowledge in the field of volunteer management.
2. The Exemplary Leader award recognizes Volunteer Management Professionals who
   have been in the field of volunteer management for eight years or more and who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and knowledge in the field of volunteer
   management.

There are three awards given in each category with the following dollar amounts: $500,
$250 and $125. The recipients of each award are encouraged to use the award money towards
professional development within the field of volunteer management.

Impact Award Eligibility:

• The Nominee must be a current member of VMPC
• The Nominee must be active in the field of volunteer management for the number of years associated with the award, with volunteer management as their primary responsibility.

Nomination Guidelines:

• The VMPC member (nominee) must be nominated (i.e. by a supervisor or colleague/co-
  worker who does not need to be a VMPC member). No self-nominations will be accepted.
• The nominator must provide a Letter of Recommendation outlining the following:
  • About the nominee: Name of nominee, their title, name of organization they work for, how long they have worked in the position and include the name of the Impact Award category that they are being nominated for. A current resume or a link to their LinkedIn profile must be provided. You should also include your relationship to the nominee (i.e. how long have you worked with them, what was the capacity in which you worked with them, etc.).
  • Reason for the nomination: describe why you feel the nominee should be
    recognized as a leader in the field of volunteer management.
• In addition to the Letter of Recommendation, the nominee and nominator must ensure that the nomination application is accurate and completed in full. The nomination will be
  judged based on the answers provided in the application so the more information and in-depth the nomination application, the better.

Nominations for both the Emerging and Exemplary Awards will be based on five themes. The
nomination must address all five topics and provide examples of each.

1) Impact: What influence has the nominee made to their organization’s volunteer program
and the profession of volunteer management. Some examples may include:

• Support or initiation of projects and/or programs that expand organizational impact,
• Number of clients served, amount of funds raised, increase awareness of cause,
• Created or advocated for new programs and services with their local, provincial, or national professional associations.

2) Leadership: How has the nominee demonstrated exceptional leadership within the field of
Volunteer Management Some examples may include:

• Inspiring mentorship and guidance for professionals new to the field,
• Innovative development of new and/or unique processes, approaches or programs
  within the field,
• Board work, committee and/or task force involvement,
• Teaching, writing, advocacy.

3) Advocacy: How has the nominee contributed to raising the recognition of the profession
of volunteer management. Examples may include:

• Advocacy for increased recognition of their role in their organization, within the
  sector or externally
• Research, education, writing
• Raising awareness of the profession in the sector and/or with the public

4) Involvement: How is the nominee involved in the field of volunteer management outside
of their paid position in the field. Examples may include:

• Volunteers with their local, provincial, or national professional associations
• Volunteers with Volunteer Canada or a Volunteer Centre
• Volunteers at other organizations within their community

5) Professional Development: How is the nominee ensuring continuous learning in the field
of volunteer management. Such opportunities may include:

• CVA certification,
• Completion and/or participation in volunteer management courses,
• Post-secondary degree or certificate programs relating to volunteer management or
  leadership,
• Workshops, training sessions, conferences,
• Regional meetings

Completed nominations must be received no later than September 23, 2024.

Have additional questions about the nomination process, check out the FAQ (frequently asked questions document) or email: