The inaugural presentation of the ALDE Spirit of Giving Award at the international level occurred in 2004 in the city known for its SPIRIT, St. Louis. This award is intended to recognize an individual/family who exemplifies generous contribution of service, time and support that inspires others to greater commitment and involvement. Any individual/family involved with an ALDE organization or with any other nonprofit is eligible for nomination for this ALDE Spirit of Giving Award.

ALDE chapters are encouraged to seek nominations and recognize an individual/family each year. The recipients from the chapters will be the nominees for the international award, to be presented annually at the ALDE International Educational Conference. Nominations are due to the chapter president by October 1, 2009; nominations from each chapter to ALDE are due by November 2, 2009.

Attributes of the Spirit of Giving Award recipient include:

Examples of who might receive the Spirit of Giving Award:

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The Outstanding Executive Award is designed to honor a deserving CEO or president who serves the Lutheran church through deed and example. Any executive of a church-related agency or institution, or any Lutheran serving a non-Lutheran organization, is eligible. Nominees need not be members of ALDE.

Attributes of the Outstanding Executive are:

• Visionary leadership
• Effectiveness in management and fundraising
• Inspirational leadership of staff and volunteer constituency
• Boldness in proclaiming the importance of Christian stewardship through public speaking or writing
• Commitment to the mission of the church beyond the sphere of his/her organization

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The prestigious Virgil Anderson Award is presented to an active ALDE member who has demonstrated exemplary leadership and service to a Lutheran organization within the fundraising and/or public relations fields. The recipient should be an active or retired ALDE member.

Distinguishing qualities of the Virgil Anderson Award recipient include:

• Extraordinary service to the development profession
• Participation in and service to ALDE
• Positive influence among peers
• Service to the church and community at-large

In keeping with tradition, all nominations for this award will remain confidential. The winner will be selected without his or her personal input and will not be notified until the awards ceremony.

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This award honors Jay’s spirit of leadership, networking, welcoming personality, drive for knowledge and enthusiasm for ALDE. The Jay Bleeke Award is presented to a young ALDE member who has taken a leadership role within ALDE and has demonstrated exemplary leadership and service to a Lutheran organization within the fundraising and/or public relations fields.

Distinguishing qualities of the Jay Bleeke Award recipient include:

• An ALDE member under 35
• Exemplary participation in ALDE: involvement at local and/or international levels
• Inspiration to others regarding greater commitment and involvement

ALDE chapters are encouraged to recognize an individual with the Jay Bleeke Award each year. The recipients from the chapters become the nominees for the international award, presented annually at the ALDE International Educational Conference. Nominations are due to the chapter president based on the chapter's deadline; but nominations from each chapter to ALDE are due by November 2, 2009.

Unlike with some other ALDE awards, Jay Bleeke Award nominees from chapters are to be kept confidential and not recognized at the chapter level. 

The Outstanding Chapter Leader Award is designed to honor an ALDE chapter member for exhibiting extraordinary effort in leading a chapter and providing a model of exemplary chapter leadership. The honoree will be selected by ALDE's Chapter Support Team.

Attributes of the Outstanding Chapter Leader are:

• Ongoing vision and committed leadership
• Effectiveness in helping a local chapter move ahead in its program and in its benefits for ALDE members
• Active chapter member (does not have to be a chapter officer)

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The Creativity Award recognizes excellence in work performed or closely guided by an ALDE member and includes a cash prize. You are encouraged to submit your most successful and creative project, technique, or program. Several entries may be recognized, with the winning entry announced during the conference. All Creativity Award entries will be displayed at the 2010 conference in the Exchange of Ideas Show, which is an opportunity for ALDE members to learn and benefit from your ideas. You may wish to place items on a board or in a binder with the description added. Additional entries are welcome in the Exchange of Ideas Show but will not be judged for the Creativity Award if submitted after January 8, 2010.

Guidelines for the Creativity Award:

• Items submitted typically include: fundraising appeals, donor upgrade strategies, recognition techniques, capital campaigns, grant proposals, youth and philanthropy programs, newsletters, brochures, videos, and Web sites
• Entries will only be accepted from ALDE members, as entries should largely be the result of a single ALDE member’s ideas and efforts. However, others who participated should be credited whether ALDE members or not.
• ALDE members working for professional consulting firms are welcome to participate.
• More than one entry may be submitted, but ALDE reserves the right to limit display space for individual entries.
• You are responsible for bringing your entry to the conference, setting it up and taking it down. If you are not attending the conference you may arrange for another member to do these things for you, or contact ALDE staff for assistance.
• Include DVDs, CDs, brochures, etc. with submitted entry. They will be returned at the conference.

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