Deb Nelson, a partner and nonprofit industry leader at EideBailly, introduces the ‘Resourcefullness Award’! This award, now in it’s 12th year, was conceived to recognize and celebrate nonprofits’ innovative revenue-generating initiatives. The award has evolved to a national scale, offering a single $50,000 unrestricted grant to the winning organization, allowing them to allocate funds as they see fit. Deb outlines the importance of sustainability, creativity, impact, implementation, and overall impression in the judging criteria. With over 430 applications from nearly all states in 2023, the Resourcefullness Awards have become a prestigious recognition for nonprofits of all sizes and ages.
The 2023 winner, Project Chimps, exemplified creativity by developing a hiking trail through their sanctuary for retired research chimpanzees, leveraging their community for support and revenue generation. Judges, external thought leaders in the nonprofit sector, assess applications and determine the winner based on the outlined criteria.
Deb extends an invitation to nonprofits to apply for the 2024 awards, with the application period opening on July 11th and closing on August 9th. She speaks about clarity and conciseness in applications, sharing that the process aims to be non-burdensome for applicants.
Additionally, a webinar on February 27th will provide insights into past winners’ experiences and offer inspiration for prospective applicants. Finally, EideBailly plans to host a nonprofit-focused week in October, providing further opportunities for engagement and support within the nonprofit community.
Deb also explained that EideBailly, as a top 25 CPA firm, provides services beyond auditing and taxes, including outsourced accounting and technology needs for nonprofits.