Hats Off Awards FAQs

On Tuesday, October 3, 2023 from 5:30-7:30 PM at the Cohen Pavilion at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach.

Nominations in 10+ categories will open to the public on June 19, 2023. They close at 5:00 PM sharp on July 31st.

Nominations are open to the public. Anyone may nominate an organization or an individual for an award. All nominees will be announced and honored. We kindly ask that you notify the person or organization before you nominate them to make sure they can attend the celebration on Tuesday, October 3, 2023 from 5:30-7:30 PM at the Cohen Pavilion at the Kravis Center.

Nominations are evaluated by a panel of 40+ leaders from the business and philanthropic communities who are independent of Nonprofits First. Complete transparency regarding the judging process is critically important to the Hats Off Nonprofit Awards committee. Strategic measures are taken to ensure the highest degree of integrity, including keeping the names of the judges confidential, so there is no opportunity to lobby for an individual or organization. We are confident in the nomination and judging process and appreciate the professionalism of our 40 judges.

Judges are looking for applications that are a good fit with the award category. They want a compelling story and examples that illustrate how the nominee is making a difference in the community.

No. Although there will be "honorees", Hats Off is about honoring all nominees and celebrating the Palm Beach County nonprofit community. The anticipation is part of the experience! Please join us!

Unfortunately, no. We work hard to keep the ticket price reasonable, and we hope you will purchase a ticket and enjoy the party! 

Honorees will be announced live at the Hats Off Nonprofit Awards. Honorees will be kept secret up until that point.

Yes. Nominations are not, though, weighted by the number of submissions either in a particular category or overall. Each submission is scored individually.

No. Nominations are open to the public. Anyone who meets the eligibility requirements listed on any category.

Nominations are open to the public. Anyone may nominate an organization or an individual who meets the eligibility requirements listed on any category.

Yes.

Yes. Please see eligibility requirements for each category, but yes, a nominator is not limited in the number of nominations they may submit.

Nominees must work or volunteer on behalf of a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose program(s) serve the Palm Beach County community. Winners in these categories have best contributed to the long-term impact of the nonprofit that he or she serves and whose leadership exhibits best practices in nonprofit governance. For Volunteer of the Year, active volunteerism can be ongoing or linked to a specific single project or cause.

Nonprofit Innovation Award:
The nominee should be an individual or organization who has demonstrated a creative or non-traditional approach to solving a community challenge. This award is intended to honor true innovation in the work of a nonprofit and is not intended to recognize overall organizational achievements.

Nonprofit Lifetime Achievement:
The nominee should be an individual who has made a positive and notable difference during their career in the nonprofit or public sector in Palm Beach County and whose actions and influence have created positive change. 

Nonprofit of the Year:
Three Awards will be given in this category. Nonprofits of all sizes and services operating in Palm Beach County are eligible. One small, medium and large-sized organization will be honored in this category. Budget size can be found on line 12 on Form 990 or line 9 on Form 990-EZ for the most recent fiscal year. 

1. Organization with an annual operating budget less than $500,000
2. Organization with an annual operating budget between$500,001 and $2.49 million
3. Organization with an annual operating budget over $2.5 million

Nonprofit Executive, Professional, MVP, and/or Volunteer of the Year:
Nominees in any of these four categories are not eligible in the other three of the four categories. However, they may be eligible for any of the categories beyond these four. These awards are intended to honor an individual, who depending on their role/title is recognized for their contributions in their organization or in the greater community.

Community Collaborators:
Nominees in this category should include those who have a demonstrated partnership of 2 or more organizations to achieve a common goal to address a problem that could not have been solved as effectively by a single organization. Nonprofit organizations, individuals, and other entities whose combined efforts have had a significant impact on our community are eligible. Examples include but are not limited to a for-profit business collaborating with one or more nonprofit organizations on a common goal; two or more organizations collaborating on a single project or goal; or one or more organizations collaborating with an elected official on a specific project or goal.
   
People’s Choice Live Award
Organizations who have been nominated in the Nonprofit of the Year category are automatically entered to win the People's Choice Award. The winner will be chosen "live" at the event via ballot voting by event attendees. Ballots will be distributed at the door and must be received by 6:15 PM.

Yes, if an organization has a fiscal sponsor, is a chapter member, or works under a "parent organization", that organization must also be listed on the Nomination Form. Example: Susie's Nonprofit, A Chapter of the Susy Q National Nonprofit Org. We also prefer the EIN of the organization who holds the 501(c)3 Determination Award (letter). 

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