This award was after Wilmer Shields Rich, the first executive director of the National Council on Community Foundations (now the Council on Foundations) and an early champion of public accountability by charitable foundations in both their resources and their activities. She encouraged this accountability through publications and other forums. In 1955, her 784-page foundation directory was published. Rich was subsequently referred to as “the person responsible for the greatest invention since the Geiger counter for discovering valuable ore.”

The award was created in 1984 to recognize and encourage excellence in communications. It showcases the ways in which foundations and corporate giving programs use communications strategies and techniques to advance their grantmaking goals.  This year, the Council is honoring 79 foundations with 106 Awards in five different categories, five different asset levels and three types of foundations. The foundation types are: Community and Public Foundations, Corporate Foundations and Giving Programs and Independent, Family and Operating Foundations. The asset levels for Community and Public Foundations as well as Independent, Family and Operating Foundations are:

• More than $250 Million
• 101 – 250 Million
• $21 – 100 Million
• $5 – 20 Million
• Less than $5 Million

For Corporate Foundations and Giving Programs, $2.5 Million grants per year or less than $2.5 Million. The categories are: Annual or Biennial Reports, Newsletters, Special Reports, Public Policy Campaigns and Websites. The awards are given in Gold, Silver and Bronze. A complete list of the Honorees is attached for your information.

2010 Awards open for Nominations. Click here