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CNM New Generations Award

Award Summary:

CNM believes that nonprofits need to respond strategically, embracing creative ways to reach new clients, volunteers, donors, sponsors, and supporters. As agencies continue to serve their current clients through well-established programs, they must also implement plans for accessing new constituents and supporters, including those in different age groups (younger or older), new Middle Tennessee residents, and previously untargeted demographics (“New Generations”). Not only are there new constituents, but also new circumstances and information to convey in an ever-changing environment.

To encourage and reward these efforts, the CNM New Generations Award will be given for the effective utilization of specific projects, programs, activities, or campaigns that engage new clients, volunteers, and donors. Any marketing techniques, projects, or campaigns differentiated from a nonprofit’s established programs and used to connect with New Generations can be considered. Organizations must clearly describe and quantify how these efforts attract New Generations of constituents, stakeholders, and supporters. Although effective use of social media is one way to focus these efforts, it is not necessary for being an award candidate. Examples of initiatives that warrant potential award consideration include:

  • Effectively enhancing the agency’s customer base or reaching prospective new clients of the agency’s services, particularly those customers or clients of an age or demographic not historically accessed, through new projects, programs, or activities.
  • Creating programs, events, or marketing campaigns to increase New Generations involvement with the agency, either through serving new clients or increasing volunteers and donors in this category.
  • Developing recognition of the agency or its programs in new pockets of the broader community through social media or focused marketing and outreach campaigns; or
  • Furthering the agency’s mission using other marketing tools, projects, or campaigns directed at specific New Generations.

Finalists Awards:
A $5,000 award will be presented to the winner and $1,000 to each of two finalists at the Center for Nonprofit Management’s Salute to Excellence Awards.

Requirements for the New Generations Award:

  • Must be an organization that has been a 501(c)(3) entity for at least three years, is a member of CNM, and provides significant services to the Middle Tennessee area.
  • Local chapters of national organizations are eligible to apply provided the chapters are locally managed, have financial information available on a local basis, and the program highlighted in the application had or has direct impact on the Middle Tennessee area.

Previous Winners and Finalists:

  • Winners and finalists of this award are not eligible to reapply for the same award for one year. (I.e., if the agency was a finalist in 2022 or a previous year, the agency is eligible to re-apply for this award in 2024.)

Questions:

CNM believes in creating an equitable, connected community. We aspire to be a brave, inclusive, collaborative space for nonprofits, their partners, and the communities they serve. If applicable, we encourage responses that reflect how diversity, equity and inclusion may have informed your approach to reaching new generations.

Thank you for taking the time to share this nomination – we look forward to learning about your exceptional work!

1. Describe the program, project, activity, or campaign that you have undertaken to reach New Generations, including its goals and your strategies to accomplish those goals. Include quantitative metrics wherever possible.  (Limit response to 300 words.)

2. How have you included New Generations in this effort, either as recipients, advocates, volunteers, or targets of the activity or campaign?  Please explain in detail who those targeted New Generations are.  (Limit response to 200 words.)

3. What engagement, marketing, and outreach strategies were used to access and recruit your New Generations audiences?  Describe the resources needed and utilized to accomplish your New Generations efforts and achieve your campaign goals.  (Limit response to 300 words.)

4. What has been the timeline and impact of this effort and how has it resulted in services to new Middle Tennesseans, success in increasing New Generations volunteers or donors, and/or enhanced revenues from New Generations to your agency?  Was this a one-time program or an ongoing initiative?  Include specific metrics to quantify results wherever possible.  (Limit response to 300 words.)