Nominated Organizations:
- Organizations named as “First Place Winners” of the Sapphire Awards in previous years for the collective impact of all their health-related programs are not eligible to submit another ORGANIZATION nomination application. They may submit an INDIVIDUAL nomination application or a PROGRAM nomination application if the two potential nominees have not been named First Place Winners.
- An Organization may submit a Sapphire Award nomination application to seek recognition for the collective impact of all its health-related services and interventions.
- An Organization seeking recognition for a single health-related program should submit a PROGRAM nomination application.
- Organizations submitting applications for a Sapphire Award must be incorporated in the state of Florida and the programs for which they are seeking recognition, either individually or collectively, must be currently conducted in the state of Florida.
- The nominated organization must be in operation for a minimum of five years.
- Organizations applying for a Sapphire Award (all categories) must possess exemption by the Internal Revenue Service under section 501(c)(3), or be a unit of Florida government (e.g., county health department, K-12 school, college, university, etc.).
- Organization nomination applications must include two References from non-staff people such as current/former patients/clients, community leaders, elected officials, funders, or representatives from partner agencies/organizations. Spouses and family members of staff may not be references or nominators.
- Type III Supporting Organizations and private foundations are not eligible to submit a nomination application in any category.
Nominated Individuals:
- Individuals named as “First Place Winners” of the Sapphire Awards in previous years are not eligible for nomination for another Sapphire Award.
- Nominated Individuals must be licensed healthcare professionals, administrators, or volunteers who have worked and/or volunteered in the state of Florida with “qualified” health-serving organizations that are physically located in Florida. Qualified health-serving organizations must be a 501(c)(3) organization, or a unit of Florida government (e.g., county health department, K-12 school, college, university, etc.).
- Nominated Individuals must have a proven record of more than five years of work, expertise, and accomplishments in the field.
- Can be active or retired.
- Must be alive and a resident of Florida at the time the nomination application is submitted. Posthumous nomination applications will not be considered.
- Individuals may be nominated:
a. For their work as a professional, service as a volunteer, or a combination of both, and the nomination should focus heavily on the individual’s professional work and/or volunteer service performed in Florida.
b. For a career that spans more than one organization or community, with a focus on Florida.
c. By a peer, colleague, co-worker, staff member, board member, volunteer, patient, client from the organization where the individual works and/or volunteers, or from separate organizations. Spouses and family members may not be nominators nor references for the individual category.
- Self-nomination applications for the individual category will not be accepted.
- Nominations from spouses and family members will not be accepted.
- Organizations submitting an Individual nomination application must possess exemption by the Internal Revenue Service under section 501(c)(3), or be a unit of Florida government (e.g., county health department, K-12 school, college, university, etc.).
- Nomination applications for individuals must include two References from people who know the work of the individual. The references may come from two non-staff people, including, a board member, volunteer, patient, client from the organization where the individual works and/or volunteers, community leaders, elected officials, funders, or representatives from partner agencies/organizations. Spouses and family members of the individual and staff may not be references.
- Type III Supporting Organizations and private foundations are not eligible to submit a nomination application in any category.
Nominated Programs:
- Programs named as “First Place Winners” of the Sapphire Awards in previous years for the impact of a single health-related program are not eligible to reapply for the same program. These First Place Winners may submit a nomination application seeking recognition for a different program.
- An Organization seeking recognition for a single health-related program should submit a PROGRAM nomination application.
- Organizations submitting a Program application for a Sapphire Award must be incorporated in the state of Florida and the programs for which they are seeking recognition, either individually or collectively, must be currently conducted in the state of Florida.
- The nominated program must be in operation for a minimum of three years.
- Organizations submitting a Program nomination application must possess exemption by the Internal Revenue Service under section 501(c)(3), or be a unit of Florida government (e.g., county health department, K-12 school, college, university, etc.).
- Program nomination applications must include two References from non-staff people such as current/former patients/clients, community leaders, elected officials, funders, or representatives from partner agencies/organizations. Spouses and family members of staff may not be references or nominators.
- Type III Supporting Organizations and private foundations are not eligible to submit a nomination application in any category.
For additional requirements see the Special Notes section on the Full Grant Text RFP.
