As part of a growing sector-wide movement to address governance and talent management in charities using best practices, Hilborn:ECS, in collaboration with several partners, has developed the Canadian Nonprofit Employer Of Choice™ (NEOC) Awards. Launched this year, the program intends to recognize charitable organizations that have committed to become better managers of financial and human resources. 

“As service delivery is downloaded to non-profits, we have to do more. At the same time, the public demands better and more transparent practices. Our sector suffers when we lose the public’s faith or lose good talent,” says Colleen Fleming, chair of NEOC’s advisory board.

Colleen says the annual awards program will inspire organizations to be creative about supporting good governance and cultivating talent. “Simply completing the evaluation is a good exercise to raise awareness within an organization, which can have a very positive impact,” she says.

The application process is similar to taking an inventory, says Jeff Doran, a member of the NEOC project team. “This is way for a charity to learn what it is doing well, and plan on how to make it better.”

The program is also designed to establish a body of knowledge to further advance and strengthen non-profit employment practices. The data from the evaluations will form the basis of a report. “As we collect and assess data, we can help the sector to understand the trends that can inform a development plan. Our long-term plan is to create a valuable resource for the sector,” says Jeff.

After a successful first round of award submissions, which closed on October 31, the project partners are keen to see NEOC grow. “We want to see charities recognized for making positive steps for the sector,” Colleen says. “Fostering best practices and continuous improvement is what will allow our sector to continue to do good work for years to come.”

To learn more about the awards program for 2016, click here.