This award honors a WNC business or corporation that demonstrates outstanding commitment to philanthropic causes through both financial support and motivation of others to take philanthropic leadership.

Nominations are open to any business located in Western North Carolina. If the business supports causes outside of WNC, its support for causes in WNC should also be well explained. Nominations may be made by any individual or organization; membership in the local AFP chapter is not required. However, self-nominations are not accepted. Nominators cannot be employees or board members of the business or their family members. Nominations and letters of support must originate from an individual or organization external to the business.

Award nominations are reviewed by the AFP WNC National Philanthropy Day Committee and recipient recommendations are made to the AFP WNC Board of Directors. The Board of Directors makes the final decisions regarding all award recipients. If an appropriate candidate/recipient is not determined, the award will not be presented for that year.

The nominee selected will receive the award at the annual AFP WNC National Philanthropy Day Celebration on November 15, 2023, at the Renaissance Hotel in Asheville. Attendance is mandatory and awards cannot be given in absentia. We are planning for an in-person event only this year. You must obtain permission from the prospective nominee before you submit the nomination and confirm their ability to attend the event if selected as the award recipient.

Include a summary statement that best describes your nominee and their philanthropy. If your nominee is selected, your summary statement may be used in whole or in part for social media, the event program, and other community outreach efforts. Please limit your summary statement to 50 words or less.

Nominations should tell the full story of your nominee’s philanthropy and impact in the community (as outlined in the criteria below), as the selection committee’s consideration is based solely upon the response written in this nomination and letters of support. Explain your nominee's contribution in each area separately in the fields below. Please cite specific examples and results of your nominee's efforts.

Nominations are evaluated based on the criteria below. Please limit total response to 500 words.

Direct Financial Philanthropic Support as illustrated by:

-Financial support of projects located in WNC, nationally or internationally
-Consistency and longevity of philanthropic support
-Evidence of encouragement and motivation given to employees of the organization to philanthropically invest in the   community (locally, nationally, internationally)

Volunteer engagement and philanthropic leadership as illustrated by:

-Evidence of consistent engagement in the community
-Longevity of engagement in the community
-Evidence of encouragement and motivation given to employees of the organization to take leadership roles toward community involvement

Impact of gift and volunteer support on projects or initiatives as illustrated by:

-Description of impacts made
-Description of specific achievements accomplished through the organization’s efforts and funding
-Evidence of philanthropic support of innovative approaches to solving problems and sharing of best practices

Letters of support from people who can attest to the nominee's impact should enhance, rather than replace the narrative. These are optional, but do factor into awards decisions. Please email as a PDF to nominations@afpwnc.org and use the file names below.

(Nominee Last Name)_Outstanding Business1
(Nominee Last Name)_Outstanding Business2
(Nominee Last Name)_Outstanding Business3