Tag: Reliant credit union

Nonprofits can now apply for Matchstick Prize  

Causewave Community Partners is joining forces with The Credit Union Collective – The Summit, Pittsford and Reliant Credit Unions – and News 8 WROC TV to award an outstanding small local nonprofit organization with the Matchstick Prize for the seventh year.  

Nominations are now being accepted through 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28. 

A panel of community judges will review the nominations of small nonprofits in the Greater Rochester area that have demonstrated meaningful impact.  

Five finalists will be selected, and one organization will receive a cash prize of $5,000 (funded by The Credit Union Collective), along with a media grant valued at $20,000 courtesy of News 8 WROC TV.  

In addition to an overall winner, the judges will select four finalists that will each receive a video, produced by sponsor News 8 WROC TV. 

Finalists will be notified in mid-December and the winner will be announced in mid-January. 

Causewave established the award in 2015 to recognize the impact the nonprofit sector creates in Greater Rochester.  

To qualify, applicants must be a nonprofit with a yearly budget of under $1 million and demonstrate meaningful and measurable change in our community. 

“Small nonprofits are important in the lives of so many in our community,” said Todd Butler, Causewave president and CEO. “These organizations have done extraordinary work during the pandemic, and they are stepping up as we emerge into a new normal.” 

Previous winners of the Matchstick Prize include Rochester Accessible Adventures, The Coffee Connection, NAMI Rochester, R Community Bikes, C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer and Teen Empowerment. 

Go to https://www.causewave.org/matchstick-application-form to access the nomination form. 

There is also information on a free, online workshop online workshop for nonprofits interested in learning more about the Matchstick Prize application process.  

[email protected] / (585) 653-4021 

Causewave collaborates on Matchstick Prize for local nonprofit

Causewave Community Partners is partnering with the Credit Union Collective — the Summit, Pittsford and Reliant Credit Unions — Rochester Area Community Foundation and News 8 WROC-TV to award an outstanding small, local nonprofit organization with the Matchstick Prize. It is the sixth year the prize has been awarded.

As the pandemic continues to affect the community and nonprofit sector, the collaborative will choose four finalists that each will receive customized capacity-building programming facilitated by Causewave. Additionally, the group will choose one overall winner, as it historically has.

Todd Butler

“Small nonprofits are so important to so many in our community,” said Causewave President and CEO Todd Butler in a statement. “They provide critical support and fill gaps in services to underserved populations – and their work is needed even more now, in the era of COVID-19.

“Nonprofits, like many of us, have been hit hard financially, whether they provide direct services or not. We are proud to be able to expand the Matchstick Prize this year to support more nonprofits as they support our community,” Butler added.

A group of community judges will review the nominations of small nonprofits in the Greater Rochester area that have demonstrated meaningful impact. Five finalists will be selected and one organization will receive a cash prize of $5,000, funded by the three credit unions, along with a media grant valued at $20,000, courtesy of News 8 WROC-TV.

Finalists will be notified in late November and the winner will be announced in mid-December, officials noted.

“Making a positive difference in people’s lives is an integral part of what we do at The Summit,” said Twanda Christensen, vice president of marketing and community engagement at the Summit Federal Credit Union. “We are happy to partner with other credit unions to sponsor the Matchstick Prize and help local not-for-profits in their work to strengthen our community.”

Causewave established the award in 2015 to recognize the impact of the nonprofit sector in the region. To qualify for the award, applicants must be a nonprofit with a yearly budget of less than $1 million and demonstrate meaningful and measurable change in the community.

This year, Causewave has streamlined the nomination process, reflecting the time demands being placed on small nonprofits. Particular consideration is being given to qualifying nonprofits that have been impacted by COVID-19 and are adapting services to constituent needs. Nominations are due by Nov. 12 at 5:00 p.m.

“Nonprofits have been the backbone of support for so many in our community and their heroic efforts often go unrecognized. We hope expanding the Matchstick Prize’s reach will help bring the importance of nonprofits’ work to the forefront,” said Community Foundation President and CEO Jennifer Leonard.

Previous winners of the Matchstick Prize include Coffee Connection, NAMI Rochester, R Community Bikes, C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer and Teen Empowerment.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
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