Celebrating the Region’s Top Corporate Citizens and Nonprofits

BizTimes Media presents the 12th annual awards program to salute southeastern Wisconsin’s best corporate citizens and most effective nonprofit organizations on July 24, 2025. The awards shine a light on excellence in philanthropy and nonprofit leadership.

Lifetime Achievement Award: This award is given to a philanthropic member of the southeastern Wisconsin business community who for many years has provided significant support (financial or otherwise) for area nonprofit organizations.

Corporate Citizen of the Year: This award is given to a for-profit organization in recognition of its impact to a single or multiple nonprofit organizations through financial contributions collective efforts to promote, encourage and organize fundraising efforts and company-sponsored programs and/or events engaging employees to participate in volunteerism.

Volunteer of the Year: This award is given to a for-profit volunteer who demonstrates outstanding dedication to a nonprofit or multiple nonprofit organizations. Active volunteerism can be ongoing or linked to a specific single project or cause.

In-Kind Supporter: This award is given to a company or individual working on behalf of the company that provides pro-bono work or other in-kind services (such as materials, skills, or matched-based volunteering) to help a nonprofit organization or multiple organizations accomplish their mission.

Next Generation Leadership: This award is given to for-profit, (under 40 year-old) businessperson who demonstrates leadership and significant contributions to single or multiple nonprofit organizations through active leadership on a board and/or strategic management/guidance.

Nonprofit Collaboration of the Year: This award recognizes a collaborative project that encompasses developed collaborative relationships with other nonprofit organizations engagement of multiple stakeholders within the community being served and innovation in approaching a community problem or issue and have leveraged these relationships to make and even more meaningful impact in the community. Note: since this award recognizes a project that may involve multiple organizations or individuals, it may be “awarded” to more than one part of the project in recognition of their contributions.

Nonprofit Executive of the Year: This award is given to a nonprofit leader who demonstrates vision and innovation in advancing the mission of the nonprofit extensive involvement in a nonprofit and/or creativity in bringing new resources and opportunities to the nonprofit.

Nonprofit (Organization) of the Year: This award is given to a nonprofit organization (not an individual) in recognition for creativity and innovation in building a sustainable organization excellence in teamwork and an outstanding dedication to the organization’s mission in the community organizational excellence in management and operations. – Large (operating budget $3M and above) – Small (operating budget under $3M)

Social Enterprise: This award recognizes a venture within a non-profit organization that generates revenue through selling products or services, with the primary goal of achieving a social mission rather than maximizing profit, reinvesting most of the earned income back into the organization’s programs to address social issues.

Innovation in Education (New in 2025): Awarded to an initiative or program at a K-12 school, college or university that demonstrates a unique approach to helping prepare the next generation of talent for success in the workforce and in life, with an emphasis placed on innovative ideas and demonstrated outcomes.

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• 2024 Nonprofit Excellence Awards
• 2023 Nonprofit Excellence Awards
• 2022 Nonprofit Excellence Awards
• 2021 Nonprofit Excellence Awards
• 2020 Nonprofit Excellence Awards
• 2019 Nonprofit Excellence Awards
• 2018 Nonprofit Excellence Awards
• 2017 Nonprofit Excellence Awards
• 2016 Nonprofit Excellence Awards
• 2015 Nonprofit Excellence Awards
• 2014 Nonprofit Excellence Awards