Council on Foundations Now Accepting Nominations for 2017 Council Awards

The Council on Foundations today announced that the nomination period for its 2017 Awards Program is open now through January 18, 2017.

Every day, Council members stand at the forefront of innovation, exploring creative ways to advance the common good and finding solutions for complex issues. The Council's Awards Program was established to recognize excellence in philanthropy and to honor exemplary leaders for their dedication to uplifting the sector. As we continue this legacy, the Council will bestow the following awards in 2017:

• The Distinguished Service Award, philanthropy's highest honor, celebrates a visionary leader who inspires and embodies the qualities that define excellence in philanthropy, including commitment, courage, entrepreneurship, and impact. Nominees for the Distinguished Service Award must be practicing grantmakers.
• The Scrivner Award recognizes an innovative grantmaker who is making a critical difference in a creative way and demonstrates collaboration, risk, and innovation in the sector. Nominees for the Scrivner Award must be practicing grantmakers.
• The Wilmer Shields Rich Award for Excellence in Communications honors an organization that has creatively and effectively implemented strategic communications to further its mission and goals and has provided models of excellence to the field of philanthropy. All entrees for the Wilmer Shields Rich Award must have the endorsement of a chief executive officer and be for work produced between January 2012 and the day of submission.

The Council will honor award winners during a special ceremony at the Council's Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas on Tuesday, April 25, 2017. A concurrent session is planned to highlight the work and legacy of the Distinguished Service Award winners, and award winners will gain additional recognition among their peers through profiles on the Council's website and blog.

Full details, submission criteria, and eligibility requirements for all awards can be found on the Council's 2017 Award Programs page: www.cof.org/awards.

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About the Council on Foundations

An active philanthropic network, the Council on Foundations (www.cof.org), founded in 1949, is a nonprofit leadership association of grantmaking foundations and corporations. It provides the opportunity, leadership, and tools needed by philanthropic organizations to expand, enhance and sustain their ability to advance the common good. With members from all foundation types and sizes, the Council empowers professionals in philanthropy to meet today’s toughest challenges and advances a culture of charitable giving in the U.S. and globally.