The New York Times Company Announces Second Annual Nonprofit Excellence Awards

The New York Times Company is now accepting applications for the second annual New York Times Company Nonprofit Excellence Awards, recognizing outstanding nonprofit organizations based in and serving the communities of New York City, Long Island and Westchester. Online applications are available at www.NYTimes-community.com and will be accepted through Friday, Nov. 30. The Times Company is working with the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York (NPCC) and the New York Regional Association of Grantmakers (NYRAG) on the program and will consider applications from any New York State nonprofit organization operating in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau County, Suffolk County or Westchester County. Four awards for management excellence will be presented. The winner of the general excellence award will receive $25,000, while the three other honorees will each receive $5,000 for outstanding performance in at least one key area of nonprofit management. Key areas correspond to the following criteria, which form the basis for evaluation of nominees: focus on results; governance structure that moves the organization forward; strong, transparent and accountable financial management; inclusive and diverse organizational practices; enlightened use of human and other resources; regular and effective communications; and effective, ethical fundraising and resource development. Each of the four winning organizations will also receive a scholarship of $4,500 to be applied toward the Columbia Business School Executive Education Institute for Not-for-Profit Management. The awards program was launched in December 2006 and received 144 qualified applications. From that pool, Good Shepherd Services was chosen as the winner of the overall excellence award; Center for Urban Community Services won for excellence in sustained impact; Families United for Racial and Economic Equality won for excellence in meeting emerging issues; and WITNESS won the award for excellence in communications. "We were thrilled with the reception this program received when we launched it late last year,” said Diane McNulty, executive director of community affairs and media relations, The New York Times Company. "The Times has worked closely with hundreds of nonprofit organizations throughout the New York area for many years as part of our community outreach. We are delighted to have the opportunity to honor the nonprofit community as a whole by recognizing the accomplishments of extraordinary organizations, particularly since we are able to collaborate with two of the community’s most noteworthy members, NPCC and NYRAG.” "There are thousands of extremely talented managers running New York City area nonprofits,” noted NPCC president Michael Clark. "This program gives us a chance to recognize the best of the best among them. It's also a great learning opportunity for anyone interested in the management strategies and practices that produce excellent results.” "NYRAG members know that the quality of nonprofit management makes a real and tangible difference in the outcomes we are all seeking to achieve together,” said Ronna Brown, president of NYRAG. "We spotlight member-recommended nonprofits through our Web site, publications and programs, and are thrilled to have the opportunity to further celebrate the work of these organizations. We are honored to work with such eminent partners on this important and exciting program.” A selection committee of leaders from the nonprofit community will consider applications, evaluate finalists during site visits and make the final determination of winners. Committee members include: Victoria Bailey, executive director, Theatre Development Fund Irene Baldwin, executive director, The Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development Fran Barrett, executive director, Community Resource Exchange Joyce Bove, senior vice president, The New York Community Trust Jessica Chao, vice president, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Rodney Christopher, vice president, advisory services, Nonprofit Finance Fund Don Crocker, executive director and C.E.O., Support Center for Nonprofit Management Michael Davidson, chair, Governance Matters Sean Delany, executive director, Lawyers Alliance for New York Dennis Derryck, professor, Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy Denise Gray-Felder, president and C.E.O., Communication for Social Change Consortium Geoffrey Knox, president and founder, Geoffrey Knox & Associates Sandra Lamb, president and C.E.O., Lamb Advisors Sr. Paulette LoMonaco, executive director, Good Shepherd Services Lillian Rodriguez Lopez, executive director, Hispanic Federation Mary McCormick, president, Fund for the City of New York Yvonne Moore, executive director, The Daphne Foundation Ana Oliveira, president and C.E.O., The New York Women’s Foundation Michael Park, director of finance and administration, Robin Hood Foundation Suvasini Patel, communications and outreach manager, WITNESS Hilda Polanco, consultant, Fiscal Management Associates Hildy Simmons, consultant and grantmaker, Philanthropic Advisory Services Darren Walker, vice president, The Rockefeller Foundation Mr. Walker will again serve as the chair of the selection committee, which does not include any representatives from the Times Company. The four awards, which are intended to honor nonprofit management excellence rather than program content, will be presented at a special event at TheTimesCenter, the performance space in the new Times building, in June 2008. Additional financial and in-kind support is provided by the Surdna Foundation, The New York Community Trust, and RSM McGladrey, Inc. About The New York Times Company The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT), a leading media company with 2006 revenues of $3.3 billion, includes The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 15 other daily newspapers, WQXR-FM and more than 30 Web sites, including NYTimes.com, Boston.com and About.com. The Company’s core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment. The Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc., (NPCC), "the voice and information source for New York nonprofits,” is a service and membership organization for more than 1,450 nonprofit organizations in the NYC area. It informs and connects nonprofit leaders, saves nonprofits money, and strengthens the nonprofit sector by building positive relations with government and advocating effective, accountable and transparent management and governance by nonprofit organizations. NPCC publishes a monthly newsletter, New York Nonprofits, runs workshops and roundtables on management issues, offers cost-saving group purchasing services, coordinates an esteemed Government Relations Committee that works on sector-wide government and legislative issues, and maintains a website loaded with information on operating a nonprofit. The New York Regional Association of Grantmakers is a nonprofit membership organization of more than 285 grantmaking foundations and corporations in the tri-state New York area and beyond. Its members represent more than $73 billion in assets and award more than $3.9 billion annually to charitable organizations in New York and around the globe. Its mission is to promote and support the practice of effective philanthropy for the public good. This press release can be downloaded from www.nytco.com.