LONG ISLAND IMAGINE AWARDS ELIGIBILITY

The Event will be held

Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Crest Hollow Country Club
8325 Jericho Turnpike
Woodbury, NY 11797
5:30pm – 9:30pm
Tickets $200 | Nonprofit $125

DEADLINE TO APPLY IS MIDNIGHT, NOVEMBER 25, 2024

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THE 13th ANNUAL LONG ISLAND IMAGINE AWARDS

To be eligible, the organization or executive must meet all of the following requirements:

  • Recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) organization.
  • Must significantly service Nassau and/ or Suffolk County communities.
  • Must be innovative in operations, activities, etc.

The applications process is EASY and as follows: Applicant organizations may apply in multiple categories. After the organization completes and submits the online application, it will be reviewed by the selection committee in mid-December. If selected to move forward to the semi-finalist round, a member of the organization’s staff or volunteer board will meet with a member of the selection committee who will submit a summary of the interview and the application to the anonymous judging panel. The judges will then select the 24 finalist organizations from the pool of semi-finalists. The finalists are notified in early February and scheduled to tape their video between then and end of March.

The deadline to submit online nominations is November 25, 2024. All applicants will receive an email by December 19th informing them whether they have made it to the semi-finalist round of the review process. All nominees that advance will be announced publicly, and will then be scheduled for interviews and tours by the Event Committee to take place by early-January, 2025. After the interviews are completed, the Event Committee will advance the names of the semi-finalists to the judging panel, who will select the 24 finalists, and ultimately, the six final winners. Finalists may be asked to meet and work with our video production team between January 30th and March 30th.

By applying, the organization agrees to respond to all email inquiries and coordinate with the Event Committee to be interviewed. If selected, the organization agrees to timely coordinate with our video production team and sign appropriate legal waivers, etc. Furthermore, applicants nominated as finalists will be provided 2 free tickets to the Gala. In addition, we will randomly be selecting names of applicants to receive free tickets to the event. Finally, thanks to our Diamond Sponsor SterlingRisk, each of our finalists will receive $1,000 the night of the event.

IMPORTANT TIPS:

  • Make your application stand out. Explain in detail what sets you apart and makes your nonprofit unique.
  • Show your organization’s impact and leverage. Include metrics and statistics on how you measure your organizational impact.
  • Include examples and specifics. This helps us connect with your organization.
  • Using technology does not necessarily make you innovative. Explain how you use it innovatively.
  • Include examples of how your organization works with others. Are there synergies with other organizations that have helped you become more impactful?

APPLY IN THESE CATEGORIES

Cerini & Associates Social Impact Award
This award will be given to a nonprofit that measures success not just by meeting its mission, but by affecting the surrounding community. Impact goes beyond the number of children served, shelters provided, and mouths fed. Impact looks at how the organization impacted the Long Island community as a whole, and how the results have been measured.
Certilman Balin Leadership Excellence Award
This award recognizes an exemplary nonprofit leader (who may be an Executive Director, board member, staff member, volunteer, etc.) whose accomplishments have advanced his/her organization. The leader must work in and reside in either Nassau or Suffolk Counties. This is not about traditional volunteering, directors, or funding, but focuses on innovation in driving organizational change and social impact.
Claire Friedlander Family Foundation Arts & Culture Award
This award is available to any arts and/or cultural organization that has had a significant impact on Long Island. This includes organizations that have had a significant, measurable impact on their community, developed new and/or innovative programming, developed effective fee-generating programs, or have demonstrated outstanding achievement in their artistic and/or cultural field.
Flagstar Private Bank Innovation Award

This nonprofit has been innovative in adopting new platforms that have led to a significant increase in the organization’s ability to meet its mission. This could include the implementation of technology that enables the organization to achieve cost savings and better communication; a strategic approach to fundraising; a unique and effective public relations campaign; etc.

Vanguard Benefits Rising Star Award

This award will recognize a nonprofit generating under $2 million in revenue for its outstanding innovation, impact, and achievements in meeting its mission. The award will be given to an organization who demonstrates an outstanding record of sustained achievement, has successfully demonstrated successful financial performance, and has built a reputation for excellence within the community.

*Sponsorship Still Available* DEIA Award

This award recognizes an organization for prioritizing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and/or Accessibility within its mission OR within its programming to deepen and expand its DEIA impact and to strive to build DEIA into program design and delivery, staff recruitment and engagement, volunteerism, and donor engagement. The organization needs to show that DEIA is a primary focus and how the organization is effectively addressing DEIA issues through its programming and its organizational culture (from the top down).

CONTESTANT APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

501(C)(3) NONPROFITS SERVICING LONG ISLAND CAN APPLY IN UP TO 6 CATEGORIES! THE WINNER IN EACH CATEGORY WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THE EVENT AND WIN $5,000

APPLICATIONS DUE NOVEMBER 25, 2024

INTERESTED IN
BECOMING A JUDGE?

APPLY USING THE LINK BELOW FOR CONSIDERATION

APPLICATIONS DUE NOVEMBER 25, 2024

ADDITIONAL CATEGORIES

Jovia Financial Credit Union Hall of Fame Award

2025 Hall of Fame Recipient – LGBT Network

The Long Island Imagine Awards Hall of Fame was established to honor those organizations that consistently excel in the areas of leadership, impact, and operations. These organizations continuously operate at the highest level and have been recognized by the Imagine Awards as a consistent winner or finalist.

Nerds That Care Fan Favorite Award
Each finalist is automatically entered into the voting pool to win the $3,000 Fan Favorite Award. Voting typically runs for 3 weeks in March/April. The public can vote daily via social media and each finalist is encouraged to share the link. The finalist with the most votes is declared the “Fan Favorite” and is announced LIVE at the event.

NEED HELP FILLING OUT YOUR APPLICATION?

Check out these videos Ken created to give you some tips on completing your application!