Two nonprofits receive prestigious Managing for Excellence award

March 27, 2015
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ATLANTA – March 27, 2015 – Each year, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta honors two exemplary nonprofit organizations with its competitive and prestigious Managing for Excellence award. Sponsored by Boston Consulting Group, this award recognizes organizations that demonstrate attributes similar to Fortune 500 companies – they must have strong leadership and business practices that provide a stable infrastructure and supports their mission and impact. The 2015 Managing for Excellence award recipients are Dad’s Garage Theatre and Families First.

“We are pleased to honor both Dad’s Garage and Families First as winners in our flagship program, Managing for Excellence,” said Alicia Philipp, president of The Community Foundation. “Both organizations exemplify the name of the program – they operate with true excellence and are wonderful representations of a well-managed nonprofit.”

Dad’s Garage Theatre, winner in the under $2 million category, is a mid-sized theatre that engages, cultivates and inspires artists and audiences alike by producing innovative, scripted and improvised works that are recognized locally, nationally and internationally for being undeniably awesome. Managing for Excellence Review Committee members felt that Dad’s Garage was an incredibly resilient organization that thinks through issues facing the organization and has good alignment to its mission.

“For two years, Dad’s Garage has been in the middle of significant, but positive, change,” said Lara Smith, managing director of Dad’s Garage Theatre. “The funds we receive from this grant will allow us to make strategic investments into our new facility. But more than that, this award feels like a vote of confidence. We at Dad’s succeed by pushing boundaries and blurring lines–redefining what it means to be a theatre; borrowing best practices from all sectors, including for-profits; trying new tactics all the time to see what sticks. Receiving the Managing for Excellence award illustrates that our hard work during this tumultuous time has paid off and we’re headed in the right direction.”

The Review Committee was likewise impressed with Families First, the winner in the over $2 million category. Families First’s mission is to ensure the success of children in jeopardy by empowering families. The Review Committee felt that Families First is very multi-faceted and was impressed by the organization’s financial management and resource development.

“I am beyond grateful and humbled that Families First has been awarded The Community Foundation Managing for Excellence award,” stated Kim Anderson, chief executive officer of Families First. “For 125 years our mission has been to serve, impact and support Atlanta’s most vulnerable children and families with excellence and passion. This award recognizes not only our dedication to the community we serve, but also shines a light on our passion to create an agency that achieves the greatest impact and influences best practices nationwide.”

Managing for Excellence is more than just an awards program. Organizations can utilize the application materials to compare their management practices with standards drawn from national best practices. Staff and boards of directors may use this information to identify strengths and develop plans for improvement. This program has helped inform the Foundation’s best practices for nonprofit organizations, which is used during grant review and is shared publicly in a best practices document posted on its website. The two nonprofits who have won this award are considered to be two of the region’s premier social service and arts organizations.

Winners each receive a $75,000 cash award, a short-term consulting engagement with Boston Consulting Group, a marketing package, inclusion in The Foundation’s An Extra Wish publication (sent to all Foundation donors), and a schedule of events that include and/or feature Managing for Excellence winners.

“The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is proud to sponsor and participate in Managing for Excellence,” shared Matt Beckett, associate director in BCG’s Atlanta office. “We look forward to working with both Dad’s Garage and Families First as they build upon their existing strengths and continue their outstanding work in the metro Atlanta community.”

About Managing for Excellence
Established in 1984, the Managing for Excellence (MFE) Award program recognizes local nonprofits that demonstrate outstanding managerial achievement. The program selects the most accomplished organizations among competitors by focusing on management expertise, not programmatic success. Nonprofit organizations are ranked against criteria of over 80 characteristics to win the award. Following a formal application and site visit process, a review committee selects a winner in each of two budget categories – under $2 million and over $2 million. Managing for Excellence is sponsored by Boston Consulting Group. For more information including a list of past winners, please visit https://cfgreateratlanta.org/Managing-For-Excellence-Award.aspx.

About The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
Since 1951, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has been connecting donors, nonprofits and community leaders to strengthen the Atlanta region through philanthropy. We do this by providing quality services to donors and innovative leadership on community issues. Our work is influenced by our four goals: engaging philanthropists; strengthening nonprofits; advancing public will; and practicing organizational excellence. In 2014, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta received more than $78 million from donors (unaudited). The Foundation distributed more than $107 million to support nonprofits throughout the 23-county region and beyond. Visit our website at www.cfgreateratlanta.org to learn how we’re connecting people to the issues and organizations making a difference in our region.

For more information:
Erin Dreiling
Marketing and Communications Manager
404-588-3207
edreiling@cfgreateratlanta.org