With a staff turnover rate of just eighteen months for senior leadership roles in the nonprofit sector, the retention of skilled professionals is a serious issue for charitable organizations across the country.

In particular, demand for good fundraising talent has resulted in job-hopping becoming a common practice among fundraising professionals. A high turnover rate does not help to improve perceptions about how fundraisers add value to organizations, nor does it help nonprofits raise more money for their missions.

Nonprofit Employer of Choice Award

now in its eighth year, The Hilborn Group has been a proud sponsor of the Nonprofit Employer of Choice (NEOC) Awards program. The NEOC award recognizes Canadian organizations that have committed themselves to better business management practices ensuring successful mission achievement. Developed in partnership with CCEOC Inc. and The Goldie Company, this awards program for nonprofit employers is the first of its kind in Canada.

“Since 2004, CCEOC has worked to elevate corporate reputations, increase worker morale and engagement, improve business performance and help create better work environments. We will continually look for new ways to create a better, more enjoyable working world and we are thrilled to help do the same for the nonprofit sector,” says Jeff Doran, President of CCEOC.

Who is eligible?

Participating nonprofits must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Registered as a Canadian nonprofit (or charity)

• Have a physical presence in Canada

• Have 10 or more full-time employees

• Have been in operation for a minimum of one year

All winners must successfully complete the NEOC Organizational Profile and Employee Commitment Survey achieving a minimum overall score of 75% to qualify for the award.

In a quest to create "decent workplaces" thought leaders are debunking the myth that employees in the nonprofit sector are willing (and should be expected) to work in exchange for the opportunity to “do good.” Today, talented people can find a socially meaningful career outside a traditional nonprofit organization, which intensifies the competition for qualified staff. And, while there are larger systemic issues, Imagine Canada found there are also practical human resource (HR) issues at the organizational level that cause young professionals to leave the sector including: inadequate HR management, challenging organizational cultures, lack of clarity around job expectations, and limited training and career development.

Jim Hilborn adds, “For over twenty-five years Hilborn has been providing the resources and tools that fundraisers need to do their jobs well. It is our hope that by recognizing excellence in talent management in the sector, the NEOC program will further motivate nonprofits to advance their missions by cultivating an inspiring and fulfilling work environment. We look forward to a day when every nonprofit in Canada will take the required steps to become an Employer of Choice."

For further information and to submit your application for 2022 visit http://neoc.ca/. Deadline is October 31, 2022.