BizTimes Media presented the seventh annual awards program to salute southeastern Wisconsin’s best corporate citizens and most effective nonprofit organizations on November 6th, 2020. The awards shine a light on excellence in philanthropy and nonprofit leadership.

Creating Collaborations

Partnerships that confront Milwaukee’s biggest challenges

Health inequities, education disparities, generational trauma and social isolation are among the deep-rooted issues that Milwaukee has faced for years. The COVID-19 pandemic this year has only exacerbated those challenges, while also taking a toll on the nonprofit organizations that work to confront them. But amid the tumult and tightening budgets, several community leaders are forging new partnerships and innovating to tackle these longstanding problems.

Nonprofit Excellence Awards featured a panel discussion of nonprofit leaders who are collaborating to move the needle toward a healthier and more equitable Milwaukee.

Panelists

• Greg Wesley, Senior Vice President, Strategic Alliances and Business Development, Medical College of Wisconsin (1)
• Carrie Wall, President and CEO, YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee (2)
• Amy Lovell, Steering Committee Member, Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee (SWIM) (3)
• Anne Basting, Founder and President, TimeSlips (4)

 Moderator: Lauren Anderson, Associate Editor, BizTimes Milwaukee

Corporate Citizenship Awards

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.

• Winner – The Ramirez Family, Husco International

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.

• Winner – CG Schmidt
• Finalists – Belman Homes, Kohl’s, The Lueder Financial Group

Corporate Volunteer of the Year: This award is given to a for-profit non-executive 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.

• Winner – Jennifer Ott
• Finalist – Dan Davis

Nonprofit Awards

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.

• Winner – Next Step Clinic
• Finalists – Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers, American Cancer Society and Kohl’s Healthy Families program; The Kellogg PEAK Initiative

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.

• Winner – Tom Schneider, COA Youth & Family Centers
• Finalists – Laurie Winters, Museum of Wisconsin Art; Maureen Atwell, Hebron Housing Services

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)

• Winner – Easterseals Southeast Wisconsin
• Finalists – Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, Milwaukee Center for Independence

Small (operating budget under $3M)

• Winner – Artists Working In Education
• Finalists – Florentine Opera, Riverwest Food Pantry

Social Enterprise: This award recognizes a nonprofit organization that demonstrates creative application of the principles of social enterprise in the operation and funding of the organization.

• Winner – Mission Fuel

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• 2019 Nonprofit Excellence Awards
• 2018 Nonprofit Excellence Awards
• 2017 Nonprofit Excellence Awards
• 2016 Nonprofit Excellence Awards
• 2015 Nonprofit Excellence Awards
• 2014 Nonprofit Excellence Awards