FORT MYERS, Fla. (Nov. 12, 2013) – Established by Myers, Brettholtz & Company, PA and supported by the Southwest Florida Community Foundation and the United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades Counties, the UNITE (Uniting Nonprofits In Teaming for Excellence) Award received 27 entries during its first application submission process held Sept. 1 through Oct. 31, 2013.

The Unite Award is an award that recognizes successful nonprofit collaborative models that exemplify excellence and community impact. Its goal is to provide information to the nonprofit community about collaborative models that have succeeded in our area and to share proven effective practices for nonprofits working together.

The first winner of the $25,000 award will be announced on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014 at the annual Myers, Brettholtz & Company’s full-day nonprofit seminar held at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, located at 1380 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers.

“We are thrilled by the number of applications received; to receive 27 entries during our inaugural year is outstanding,” said Lori Sampson-Wilson, principal of Myers, Brettholtz. “It clearly shows that our community nonprofits are trying to work together to achieve positive collaborative results.”

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 the UNITE Award, call 239-939-5775 or visit Myers, Brettholtz & Company’s 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 Southwest Florida’s five-county region, helping them achieve their goals. The company serves clients across the nation by performing accounting and auditing, tax preparation, bookkeeping and consulting.