The Carl & Roberta Deutsch Foundation

PURPOSE

To strengthen and sustain nonprofit volunteer programs

To recognize and reward volunteers doing exemplary work in their communities

INSPIRATION

The Carl & Roberta Deutsch Foundation is inspired by angels in the community, both the volunteers who go above and beyond to promote the betterment of their communities and the nonprofit organizations whose work motivates and supports volunteers. The Foundation finds the special partnership between volunteers and nonprofits compelling. It is the Foundation’s hope that the Halo Award will strengthen and inspire more community members to make a difference through long-term volunteer commitments.

REVIEW PROCESS

A Halo Award Committee, comprised of local nonprofit and Foundation leaders, will select the winners of the award. We expect that every applicant has an extraordinary volunteer to nominate. Therefore, applicants who can articulate a strong, detailed vision for improving and sustaining their volunteer efforts will stand out among the rest.

Please be clear and specific in your writing. Bulleted lists are okay. Award decisions will be based solely on the application. Staff will not make follow up calls for clarification questions, nor will the committee be required to review organizations’ websites. Winners will be notified in November 2015.

DESIGN

The Carl & Roberta Deutsch Foundation aims to provide Halo Awards to volunteer-nonprofit pairs. Each pair will receive a one-time $25,000 Halo Award, which includes:

  • A $20,000 grant for the nominating nonprofit to be used for its volunteer program, as a way to strengthen, implement, and sustain volunteer efforts. This grant is meant to acknowledge a clear and thoughtfully written strategy to implement an action plan to build the capacity and sustainability of the volunteer program (e.g., increased outreach, improved systems, retention methods, volunteer mentors, volunteer coordinator, etc.).
  • A separate $5,000 award for each of the winning volunteers, distributed by the nominating nonprofit organization. This award is meant to reward outstanding volunteers, and the funds may be used at the discretion of the volunteer.
  • Enhanced support in the form of peer networking sessions and one-on-one coaching to assist with developing and/or implementing a volunteer management plan designed to build or enhance organizational capacity around volunteerism. Participation by at least two representatives is required. Expected time commitment is approximately 3-4 hours per month over the course of the awarded year.

A celebratory event will be hosted by the Foundation for all Halo Award recipients, both volunteers and nonprofits, in February 2016 as a way to applaud their efforts and celebrate their partnerships.
Halo Award Application Guidelines

ELIGIBILITY

  • Nominations may only be submitted by nonprofit organizations working with volunteers.
  • One nomination will be accepted per nonprofit organization for any active and unpaid individualvolunteer not serving as a board member.
  • Nominations will be accepted from nonprofits in and serving the Greater Los Angeles area (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties) whose missions align with at least one of the Foundation’s program areas, as listed below:

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The Carl & Roberta Deutsch Foundation

  • Arts Education
  • Career and College Access & Retention
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Foster Youth
  • Homelessness Prevention
  • Mental Health
  • Workforce Development
  • Veterans

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The Carl & Roberta Deutsch Foundation

  • Past winners are not eligible to apply for a second HALO Award.

AWARD APPLICATION

All applications must be sent in a single PDF via email to with the following subject line: Halo Award 2015 – [your organization’s name]. Applications must include:

1)Application form and narrative

2)An organizational budget and income statement with projected revenues and expenses

3)A proposed budget for the $20,000 volunteer program grant

4)A copy of your organization’s 501(c)(3) Determination Letter

5)The Statement of Authority signed by Executive Director and President of the Board

SCORING CRITERIA:

The following table highlights how the selection committee will assess submitted applications. Question numbers correspond to the questions in the nomination form.

Question / Criteria / %Weight
1 / Thoughtful Engagement: Regardless of current capacity, does the organization understand the benefits of utilizing and incorporating volunteers efficiently throughout the organization, as well as the importance of showing its appreciation? / 10
2 / Impact and Sustainability:How will the $20,000 grant strengthen or tip the volunteer program and organization in an important way? How will coaching and peer networking support sustainability of the volunteer program? Is the proposed strategy sustainable beyond the one-time grant? / 50
3 / Creativity: Does the acknowledgement plan highlight the volunteer, volunteer program, and volunteerism in a creative and unique way? / 5
4 / Commitment: How committed is the nominee to the organization? / 10
5 / Added Value: Does the nominee go "above and beyond" the expectations of a typical volunteer and have a positive impact on the organization? / 25
Total / 100

DEADLINE

All application materials must be submitted via email to no later than
July 13, 2015(11:59pm). Answers to frequently asked questions can be found on our website at

Halo Award Application Form

(Form should not exceed 1 page)

Organization Information

Organization Legal Name:

Year Founded: Tax ID Number (EIN):

Address:

Phone Number: Fax Number:

No. Full Time Staff:No. Part Time Staff: No. Volunteers:

Do you have a designated volunteer coordinator:

If yes, Name: Title:

Mission:
(300 Character Max) / Click here to enter text. /
Geographic
Service Area:
(300 Character Max) / Click here to enter text. /
Target
Population(s):
(300 Character Max) / Click here to enter text. /
Programs:
(300 Character Max) / Click here to enter text. /

Is the organization certified by the California Volunteers Service Enterprise Initiative?

How did you hear about the Halo Award?

Primary Contact Information
Select Applicable:Executive DirectorPresidentCEO

Name: Phone: Email:

Secondary Contact Information

Name:Title:

Phone: Email:

Nominated Volunteer Information

Name:

# of continuous years volunteering with your organization:

Approximate # of hours volunteering with your organization per year:

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Halo Award Application Narrative

Please submit a narrative responding to the following questions. We advise each organization to copy the following questions into a word processing document and respond to each of the 5 questions directly by section. Also refer to the scoring criteria on page 2 to understand what the selection committee will review in the application to determine the final awardees.

The narrative should not exceed a total of four pages. Font should be Arial, size should be minimum 11 points with minimum 0.75 inch page margins.

OrganizationInformation (recommended 3 pages maximum)

  1. Please describe your organization’s current volunteer program/efforts, highlighting efforts around recruitment, retention, and recognition of volunteers. Please note areas of strength and improvement to the existing program.
  1. Please describe how the financial and technical resources will benefit your organization. How will your organization utilize the $20,000 grant to strengthen its volunteer program and improve upon program limitations? How will technical assistance help further the achievement of your goals? Highlight how your plan to strengthen your volunteer program will be implemented and sustained, not only financially but also organizationally. Please make sure to explain how your organization views and defines sustainability in this case.
  1. How will your organization publicly and creatively acknowledge or “shine a light” on your nominee and volunteerism, should he/she receive the award? Please note we are looking for more than website and newsletter announcements. (250 Words/1,000 characters maximum)

VolunteerInformation (recommended 1 page maximum)

  1. Please provide a brief description of the nominee and how he/she was introduced to the organization. Include details on how the nominee has been working with your organization.
  1. Please describe how the volunteer has gone “above and beyond” in volunteering? Describe how the nominee has had a positive impact on your organization through his/her unique contributions (e.g., nominee motivates others to volunteer or promotes the organization’s mission in an innovative way?).

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