As we inch ever closer toward the entry deadline for the 2020 PRNEWS Nonprofit/CSR Awards, it's hard not to get a bit nostalgic about ceremonies past.
We remember the words of Elizabeth Davis, World Wildlife Fund specialist, media & external affairs, who helped create the WWF’s winning 2018 “Living Planet Report.” “We’ve lost 60 percent of wildlife on planet Earth in the last 40 years,” she said during an acceptance speech for winning the Top Nonprofit Media Relations Campaign in 2019. Placing the Report’s message in 48 states and nearly every major media market, she added, was not not only successful—it was deeply gratifying.
She also touted the role of influencers, such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Pamela Anderson and M.C. Hammer, reminding all in attendance that partnering with a celebrity who shares your values remains a surefire way to boost the visibility of your efforts.
We also remember a particularly powerful winning speech from Larry Kopp, president of the TASC Group, who accepted Nonprofit Awards in the Event PR and PR on a Shoestring Budget categories. Kopp said that the launch of the Heather Heyer Foundation, which earned TASC the win, was among his proudest moments. "After the incident where they lost their daughter in Charlottesville, we were able to launch their foundation in 10 days," Kopp said. "Susan Bro has since become a national figure at fighting racism and white nationalism around the country."
Alexandra Frank, who accepted the Nonprofit Award in the Blog category on behalf of Counterpart International's Building Better Lives in Guatemala campaign, also impressed us with an earnest reminder about how small teams can be successful. "It's really not about the big budget production," she said, "it's about telling people's stories and creating that meaningful connection, even if it comes from a great quote and a cell phone picture."
There are still a couple of weeks left to enter to celebrate your nonprofit's hard work over the past year! Review this year's awards categories and enter here to share your best work with the PR community. We'll see you in March.