FORT MYERS, Fla. (Oct. 22, 2013) – Local nonprofits are encouraged to apply for the UNITE (Uniting Nonprofits In Teaming for Excellence) Award, an award that recognizes successful nonprofit collaborative models that exemplify excellence and community impact, before online submissions close on Oct. 31.
The award application process was launched on Sept. 1 through the Southwest Florida Community Foundation’s online e-apply portal at www.floridacommunity.com. The first winner of the $25,000 award will be announced in January 2014.
“Just as collaboration has been encouraged among our various local nonprofits, The UNITE Award is a collaboration that began with our firm and eventually evolved into other community leaders, including the Southwest Florida Community Foundation and the United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades Counties, supporting the project as well,” added Steve Brettholtz, principal of Myers, Brettholtz & Company, PA. “Our goal is not only to provide an annual cash award to a successful collaboration effort but also to inform the nonprofit community about collaborative models that have succeeded in our area and to share proven effective practices for nonprofits working together.”
To be eligible for the award, a collaboration must:
- Be based in the five-county Southwest Florida area (Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades)
- Involve two or more entities (i.e., nonprofit organizations, businesses, and/or government agencies)
- Include a lead organization that is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
- Have a structure that is evidenced by a formal written agreement (i.e., memorandum of understanding, contract or merger agreement)
- Be able to demonstrate the impact of the collaboration through measurable outcomes
- Have been in operation for a minimum of 18 months, with a formal written agreement in place no later than March 1, 2012
For more information on applying for the UNITE Award and or to view commonly asked questions, please visit the Myers, Brettholtz & Company website at www.mbcopa.com, the Southwest Florida Community Foundation’s website at www.floridacommunity.com or the United Way’s website at www.unitedwaylee.org.
Since 1979, Myers, Brettholtz & Company, PA has been working with nonprofit organizations in Lee and Collier counties helping them achieve their goals. The company serves clients across the nation by performing accounting and auditing, tax preparation, bookkeeping and consulting.