Call for nominations for 2010 Voluntary Sector Reporting Awards

Awards Program Overview

Accountability and transparency are of growing importance in the not-for-profit sector. They allow donors to make informed decisions about where they give, they help keep staff and volunteers motivated, they let directors demonstrate their organization's integrity, and they build confidence among an often cynical public. The Voluntary Sector Reporting Awards (VSRAs) give not-for-profit organizations a valuable opportunity to prove that they take the issue of high quality reporting seriously.

The VSRAs were created in 2008 by the CA-Queen's Centre for Governance, which is a partnership between the Queen's School of Business and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario. PricewaterhouseCoopers Canada LLP has been a sponsor of the program since its inception. The awards program continues to evolve and innovate with the separation of the international and national charitable organizations category in two separate categories in 2010. Financial awards will be given for annual reports which demonstrate the highest levels of accountability and transparency, and which communicate effectively with beneficiaries, donors and stakeholders. The Awards are designed to recognize the quality of reporting in the not-for-profit sector and aim to:

• reward best practice in financial and non-financial disclosure;
• raise the standard of annual reports including the provision of higher quality financial information in those reports; and
• encourage more voluntary sector organizations to provide their reports and financial information online
  
  

Eligibility and deadline

Awards are open to all registered charities excluding organizations whose principal activities are run by or for municipalities, universities, hospitals or school boards (i.e. the MUSH sector). Eligible organizations for the 2010 competition should be headquartered in Ontario. Divisions of national and international organizations that produce separate annual reports in Ontario are also eligible. Eligible organizations must have audited financial statements either included in the annual report or submitted with the report to complete the nomination.

Anyone can nominate an organization - management, board members, auditor, client or donor. Nominations must be submitted through the nomination link provided by July 15, 2010. The judging takes place until October 4, 2010. Recipients will then be announced at the Awards Luncheon in November.

Selection Criteria and Process

Judges will assess the reports based on the following criteria:

• Availability
  • Are the report and accounts easy to find on-line or are they made readily available to stakeholders? For example, on-line can the report be found within three clicks of the homepage, through a search facility or site map? Are reports that are not on-line distributed promptly to all stakeholders in a manner that is appropriate to the organization?
• Clarity
  • Is your organization's mission clearly stated? Is it easy to find your organization's achievements?
• User friendliness
  • Is there a good balance of design, content and functionality? Have graphs and pictures been used? Does your report complement other areas of your organization's communications strategy?
• Accessibility
  • Is it easy to read and comprehend? Is it available in alternative formats (e.g. downloadable if on screen, large type face if print etc)?
• Impact
  • Does your reporting demonstrate openness and transparency? Do your reports tell a story to draw your supporters into your work? Does it include quality financial and non-financial results? Does it give information about the future?
    
    

A screening group will evaluate the annual reports for technical merit. The highest scoring annual reports will go through to the second stage and be judged by an independent panel of experts.

The winners will be announced at the Awards luncheon in November 2010. Once the awards have been announced, each entrant will receive general feedback. Those that make the short list will receive additional comments from the judges on their reports based on the selection criteria listed.

For examples of factors that contribute to excellent annual reports, see "Best in Class" Annual Reports: Results from a Focus Group, and Imagine Canada's The Ethical Code especially Section C.

How to Enter