Bhayana Family Foundation Awards

2010 Bhayana Family Foundation Award nominations open

The Bhayana Family Foundation Award recognize the outstanding efforts of a staff at United Way agencies in six categories.

Deadline for nominations is September 22, 2010.

The dedication, creativity, and team spirit shown by employees of agencies funded by United Way Toronto are essential to advancing the common good and creating a better city for us all.

The Bhayana Family Foundation Awards recognize extraordinary contributions made by agency staff. They are awarded by United Way based on peer nominations received in the following categories:

All award recipients will be invited to a special event in November to honour their success, when each receives a plaque of recognition and a monetary gift. Their agency will also receive a plaque.

Sponsorship

The Bhayana Family Foundation Awards are made possible by a generous donation from Raksha M. Bhayana and the Bhayana Family Foundation. As a member of United Way Toronto’s Board of Trustees, Raksha is a dedicated community volunteer and a passionate champion for the recognition of those who make a difference in the community every day.

On behalf of the United Way family we would like to express our admiration and gratitude to Raksha and the Bhayana Family Foundation.

Eligibility

Open to all permanent or contract agency staff, full time or part-time (minimum 20 hours per week) at agencies funded by United Way Toronto including member agencies and current grant-funded agencies. The staff person being nominated must have been with the agency since September 2009.

Achievements cover the previous year from September 2009 to August 2010. Award recipients must still be employed at the time of the awards ceremony in November 2010.

For the categories of Dedication, Innovation and Creativity, Leadership, Partnership Builder and Team Achievement:

  • Nominations must be submitted online by two peers or colleagues of the nominee(s)
  • Nominations made by the nominee’s supervisor or above are not accepted but employees may nominate their supervisor. (No downward nomination is permitted)
  • No self-nomination or nomination of family members
  • Teams must consist of two to 10 members

For the new category, Community Partnership:

  • The award will go to a project or initiative rather than an individual or agency
  • One of the partners must be United Way funded (but it is open to funded and non-funded projects and initiatives)
  • The United Way funded partner self-nominates the partnership by submitting an online nomination form; and sending 2 letters from project partners endorsing the partnership to awards@uwgt.org
  • The United Way funded organization must be a key player in the partnership

Note: If you express yourself better through voice or video, the selection panel will consider voice or video recording submissions provided it is in a Windows media compatible file format. Send the file as an attachment via email to awards@uwgt.org. If you have not received a confirmation within two days, please contact us by phone; 416 777 1444 ex. 227 or ex. 663.

Categories

  • DEDICATION

    The purpose of this award is to recognize and reward employees who are dedicated to the mission and values of their agency. These individuals demonstrate unwavering loyalty and commitment to the success of a specific project or to the ongoing interests of the agency.

    Ideal candidates demonstrate:

    • Unwavering commitment to the goals of the organization
    • Excellent and consistent performance and professionalism
    • Exceptional service to external or internal customers over a sustained period
    • Extraordinary levels of team spirit
    • Solid support for colleagues
    • Readiness to participate in special projects or committees
    • Going above and beyond to make a significant contribution to their team, agency, or community

    Download a sample / working copy (pdf) of the Dedication nomination form. Final applications must be submitted online.

  • INNOVATION & CREATIVITY

    The purpose of this award is to recognize and reward employees who introduce ideas, services or practices in new and imaginative ways. These individuals contribute innovative solutions to their organization or make major improvements to agency operations or services provided.

    Ideal candidates:

    • Introduce ideas that increase revenue, reduce costs, or improve service
    • Enhance efficiency, accuracy, or productivity in innovative ways
    • Contribute creative ideas to address issues within the scope of their job, department, or organization
    • Introduce changes to simplify or improve existing processes
    • Challenge existing assumptions and think outside the box
    • Take calculated risks in pursuit of continuous improvement
    • Work with others to promote, implement, and adjust solutions to changing situations

    Download a sample / working copy (pdf) of the Innovation & Creativity nomination form. Final applications must be submitted online.

  • LEADERSHIP

    The purpose of this award is to recognize and reward employees who demonstrate exemplary leadership capabilities and consistently achieve superior, team-based results. These leaders play an exceptional role in helping others contribute to their organization and advance its mission.

    Ideal candidates:

    • Empower others and delegate responsibility
    • Demonstrate strong relationship building abilities
    • Foster cross organizational teamwork
    • Promote and celebrate diversity
    • Have exceptional communications and listening skills
    • Introduce and manage change effectively
    • Inspire those around them

    Download a sample / working copy (pdf) of the Leadership nomination form. Final applications must be submitted online.

  • PARTNERSHIP BUILDER

    The purpose of this award is to recognize and reward employees who make outstanding contributions to their community by recognizing, engaging, and maximizing the potential of relationships with key external partners, such as residents, schools, associations, other agencies, businesses, and funders.

    Ideal candidates:

    • Have developed partnerships that meet community needs and make a difference
    • Demonstrate a commitment to creating healthy and vibrant communities
    • Engage with and mobilize stakeholders to get the job done
    • Foster a sense of common purpose to address root causes of social problems
    • Effectively manage conflict and balance competing interests
    • Promote and celebrate diversity
    • Develop partnerships that are innovative, mutually beneficial, and sustainable

    Download a sample / working copy (pdf) of the Partnership Builder nomination form. Final applications must be submitted online.

  • TEAM ACHIEVEMENT

    The purpose of this award is to recognize and reward teams who work toward a common goal. Together, these individuals demonstrate commitment to success through excellent and consistent performance.

    What is a team?

    A team may or may not be an organizational unit. Nominations for cross-departmental teams are encouraged. What is most important to the selection panel is that the nomination demonstrates the active participation of each and every team member towards the achievement of common goals.

    Number of team members

    Teams must consist of two to 12 members. However, if you feel strongly that a team of up to a maximum of 15 members should qualify, please send us an email that explains why the selection panel should consider this exception. We will contact you within three business days with the selection panel's decision.

    Ideal teams:

    • Demonstrate the basic principles of teamwork
    • Make a significant contribution to their agency or the clients they serve
    • Implement projects that increase revenue, reduce costs, or improve service
    • Increase efficiency, accuracy, or productivity of a department or across the agency
    • Put the team’s objective ahead of individual personal gain
    • Champion their cause at all times, both internally and externally
    • Actively support other teams and projects in the agency

    Download a sample / working copy (pdf) of the Team Achievement nomination form. Final applications must be submitted online.

  • COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

    For the purpose of this award, a partnership is an alliance between three or more organizations that commit themselves to working together on a specific project or initiative to produce outcomes that one partner working alone could not achieve.

    Note: One of the partners must be United Way funded (but it is open to funded and non-funded projects and initiatives.)

    Ideal members of a successful partnership:
    • Make a significant contribution to the community they serve
    • Foster a sense of common purpose to address root causes of social problems
    • Champion their cause at all times, both internally and externally
    • Effectively manage conflict and balance competing interests
    • Actively support other team members
    • Promote and celebrate diversity
    • Demonstrate the basic principles of teamwork
    • Develop an innovative, and mutually beneficial relationship

    Download a sample / working copy (pdf) of the Community Partnership nomination form. Final applications must be submitted online. In addition to submitting the online application, you must send two letters from project partners endorsing the partnership to awards@uwgt.org.

How to nominate

  • Submit the online nomination form
  • For all categories other than Community Partnership, nominations must be submitted online by two peers or colleagues of the nominee(s)—nominations made by the nominee's supervisor are not accepted
  • Please consider reviewing previous award recipients for insight into what the selection committee is looking for in your nominations
  • All information provided will be verified by contacting the nominee’s supervisor.
  • All nominations will be reviewed by a selection panel comprised of six volunteers: three members from different United Way funded agencies (one management representative and two frontline staff), one member from a non-United Way funded agency, one Community Investment volunteer, and one labour representative.
  • Only fully completed applications will be considered by the selection panel; the panel will not accept those that do not meet minimum criteria.
  • This year's award recipients will be announced in November 2010.
  • All monetary awards will be paid by cheque as a non-taxable benefit.
  • United Way reserves the right to use all information provided to further promote its mission.

Questions?

Email: awards@uwgt.org

Katelyn Field, 416 777 1444 ex 227 or Pam Campbell 416 777 1444 ex 663

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