If your question does not appear on this list or if you require additional information, please send an email to info@afpquebec.ca with “Excellence in Philanthropy Awards” in the subject line. Please note that the committee will respond to all emails received up to and including the 26^th of July, but cannot guarantee the treatment of those received after this date.

Why nominate?

The AFP Quebec Excellence in Philanthropy Awards program aims to celebrate the leadership and extraordinary engagement of exceptional individuals, businesses and organisations. By nominating a dedicated volunteer, a major donor or a stellar employee, you allow them to be recognised by the philanthropic community, and thus encourage the commitment of others.

Who can nominate?

Members of AFP Quebec can submit nominations on behalf of their non-profit organisation registered in the province of Quebec.

Who can be nominated?

The candidate’s profile depends on the award category.

1. Outstanding Major Donor: an individual, family or private foundation serving your organisation through direct financial support.
2. Outstanding Corporate Major Donor: a company or the foundation of a company serving your organisation through direct financial support.
3. Outstanding Volunteer in Philanthropy: an individual or family serving your organisation through a philanthropic initiative on a voluntary basis
4. Outstanding Corporate Citizen (fewer than 500 employees): a company with fewer than 500 employees serving your organisation through a philanthropic initiative.
5. Outstanding Corporate Citizen (500 or more employees): a company with 500 or more employees serving your organisation through a philanthropic initiative.
6. Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy: a person or a group of people aged 25 and under serving your organisation through a philanthropic initiative on a voluntary basis and/or through direct financial support.
7. Rising Star of AFP Quebec: a philanthropy professional employed by your organisation who has been working in the field of philanthropy for ten years or less and who promotes the values of AFP Quebec.
8. Outstanding Career in Philanthropy: a philanthropy professional employed by your organisation who has led an exceptional career in the field of philanthropy by promoting the values of AFP Québec.
9. New category! Outstanding Non-Profit Organisation: your non-profit organisation or foundation registered in Quebec that has had an extraordinary impact on its community thanks to exceptional results and according to the best practices of the field.

Are self-nomination accepted?

Only non-profit organisations registered in Quebec can nominate candidates. NPOs and foundations can self-nominate for the Outstanding Non-Profit Organisation Award.

How many nominations can an organisation make?

Each organisation may submit a single nomination per category. For organisations with multiple chapters, each chapter may submit one nomination per category.

What photo should be attached to the nomination?

The photo should serve as evidence supporting the nomination for the committee and the jury. It can represent the donation, the philanthropic activity, the volunteer work, or other. The photos of the winners will be published with the announcement of the results; however, you will have the possibility to obtain the validation of the candidate before its publication, and the opportunity to submit another one of their choice at that time.

Should the person being nominated or a member of their team be called upon for assistance in completing the nomination form?

Whether or not to include the candidate in the nomination process is at the discretion of the organisation submitting the nomination.

Will the information provided in the nomination forms be made public?

Information relating to candidates and nominations may be made public, notably on the AFP Quebec website.

Can two or more organisations come together to make a nomination jointly?

Organisations may choose to come together in nominating a candidate in all categories except Outstanding Non-Profit Organisation. Two or more organisations wishing to come together to nominate the same candidate jointly must each complete a nomination form. To indicate to evaluators that the nomination is made jointly with another organisation, persons completing the forms are requested to tick the box provided for this purpose and to name the organisation or organisations in question.

What is the selection process?

Nominations are received by the Excellence in Philanthropy Awards committee no later than July 28, 2023. The committee checks the applications to ensure that they are complete and that they meet the eligibility criteria of the program. Applications that are incomplete or that do not meet these criteria are discarded and disqualified from the selection process. Each nomination is then read, evaluated and scored individually by the members of the AFP Quebec Awards committee according to an evaluation grid. The three (3) applications with the best results in each category following this evaluation are transferred to the jury. Each of the three (3) applications from the nine (9) categories is then read, evaluated and scored by each member of the jury according to the same evaluation grid. The candidate who received the best result in each category following the evaluation by the members of the jury becomes the recipient of the award for that category. The committee and the jury reserve the right to deliberate to determine the winners in the case of ties or very close results.

What are the criteria of evaluation?

The evaluators of the Awards committee and the members of the jury will seek to determine the exceptional nature of a contribution and the importance of the impact on the beneficiary organisation, as well as on its community. Thus, the amount of the donation or the scope of the commitment will not be the only factors determining the results; the extent to which an engagement has been transformative for an organisation will also be taken into consideration. Moreover, candidates who have had a concrete impact in the province of Quebec will be favoured.

What are the Awards of Excellence?

The Awards are prestigious titles, accompanied by an honorary plaque.

Can a candidate win an award more than once?

An individual, company or foundation may win an award in a single category only once every five (5) years. For example, the 2020 recipient of the Outstanding Volunteer in Philanthropy Award may be considered for the Outstanding Volunteer Award again in 2025. However, that same individual could win an award in another category, such as Outstanding Major Donor, in 2022. Non-profit organisations are urged to check the list of past winners before submitting a nomination at the risk of disqualification.

Are the winners expected to purchase their ticket for the National Philanthropy Day Awards Ceremony?

The organisation that made the nomination is called upon to purchase the ticket(s) of its candidate(s). However, candidates wishing to pay for their ticket or to purchase a table are of course welcome to do so.

Who can attend the National Philanthropy Day Awards Ceremony?

Any individual or organisation wishing to support the mission of AFP Quebec is invited to take part in this event. Indeed, the National Philanthropy Day celebration is APF Quebec’s flagship benefit event, and brings together philanthropy professionals in Quebec, as well as representatives from Quebec’s business community. On this day, excellence in philanthropy is celebrated during a meal with entertainment, preceded by a networking cocktail. View the event program for more information.