The Community Foundation of the Ozarks is now accepting nominations for the 2024 Humanitarian Award to honor a southwest Missouri resident for service that contributes to the betterment of their community. The deadline for nominations is noon, Monday, Sept. 16. Nominations must be made online at formstack.com/forms/CFO-humanitarian.
The recipient of the Humanitarian Award will be honored with others recognized during the local celebration of National Philanthropy Day on Nov. 19. The CFO is partnering with the Missouri Ozark Region Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals to honor a wide range of individuals and organizations for their contributions to the region.
An independent committee organized by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce will evaluate the nominations. The committee plans to include chamber representatives from Branson, Joplin and West Plains, along with clergy members from Springfield. Springfield Chamber Chair-elect Bob Helm will chair the committee.
Humanitarian nominees should be “an individual who has the courage to take decisive action, the wisdom to face aggressive challenges, and the willingness to sacrifice to affect these causes that have a long-term impact on the betterment of the community.” The award is designed to recognize a living person; posthumous nominations are not accepted. More criteria information is available at cfozarks.org/humanitarian.
The National Philanthropy Day luncheon will take place at the DoubleTree Hotel on Tuesday, Nov. 19. The winner will be honored there with a cash award, which the recipient traditionally donates to a favorite charity.
This year will mark the 35th annual Humanitarian Award. The award was founded by the late Jewell Thompson Schweitzer, a significant donor to the CFO. She left several bequests in her estate to the CFO that have significantly increased the CFO’s unrestricted grantmaking endowment, along with endowments designated for First & Calvary Presbyterian Church, Drury University, Cottey College and College of the Ozarks.
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks is the region’s largest public charitable foundation serving donors, nonprofit partners and 55 regional affiliate foundations with assets totaling $490 million as of June 30, 2024. The CFO’s mission is to improve the quality of life for everyone in central and southern Missouri through resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership.
