The best in local nonprofit agency impact, innovation and governance was celebrated Sept. 13 as the Nonprofit Network and presenting sponsor U.S. Bank handed out their nonprofit excellence awards.
Winners were the Free Clinic of Southwest Washington, Empower Up, the Children’s Center, Share and Columbia Credit Union.
The Free Clinic, which provides general and specialized medical care for people who cannot afford to pay, won the Governance Award for demonstrating excellence in planning, financial and programmatic oversight, resource development, visibility, board development and responsiveness to change.
Empower Up, a technology re-use and recycling facility, won the Innovation Award. The award is limited to small nonprofits with gross revenues of less than $500,000 per year, and recognizes innovative strategies or approaches.
The Children’s Center and Share tied for the Impact Award. Share is a leading operator of homeless shelters, free meal services, housing subsidies and other service for the poor; Children’s Center provides mental health services for families and children. The award recognizes demonstrable and measurable impact on the problem or need being addressed.
Columbia Credit Union won the Corporate Community Support Award for its donations, volunteering and in-kind services for other nonprofit groups.
Each award recipient received a check for $1,000. Since the Impact Award was a tie, each group received a check for $500. The emcee, U.S. Bank Vice President David Wynde, made a surprise announcement that each of the three finalists — Affordable Community Environments, Northwest Association of Blind Athletes and Columbia River Mental Health would also receive $500 checks from U.S. Bank.
More than 170 people attended the event, which was held at the Red Cross Building on the Vancouver Historic Reserve.
