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Apply Now for Social Current’s 2025 Innovative Impact Award

Social Current logo Social Current
January 30, 2025

Social Current is seeking competitive submissions for its 2025 Innovative Impact Award. Too often great ideas are kept in-house without recognizing their potential to create change beyond the communities where they were born. Social Current’s Innovative Impact Award identifies, documents, and celebrates examples of successful approaches to management and service delivery practices adopted by our network organizations.

The Innovative Impact Award will spotlight the efforts of Social Current network organizations—their staff, board, volunteers, and partners—who innovate for good to create lasting change with families and communities.

We invite you to share your successful strategies and serve as a resource for community-based organizations, leaders, researchers, and advocates across the full spectrum of human and social services.

Applications should be submitted online by March 24. Submissions must include a synopsis of your innovative practice and a case study narrative that addresses the evaluation criteria.

Learn more about our 2024 Innovative Impact Award winner Children & Families First Delaware, which was recognized for its Brain Science Training Institute. Read their guest article, The Business of Healing: How Trauma-Informed Care Revolutionizes Organizational Strategy, online.

Winner Benefits

The 2025 Innovative Impact Award winner will receive national visibility and promotion from both Social Current and participating national associations. The winner will also receive the following benefits:

  • Showcase on Social Current’s website, newsletter, and social media platforms
  • A virtual interview promoting your strategy
  • Special award promotion toolkit including image assets, quotes, and sample language to develop your communications and use on your website
  • Award plaque
  • An opportunity to present a 90-minute workshop Social Current’s SPARK 2025 conference in Chicago, Oct. 20-21.
  • Guest article on Social Current’s website

Submission Guidelines

Use our online submission form to submit a synopsis (2,500 character maximum) and case study narrative (five page maximum) about your innovative practice by March 24, 2025. Your case study narrative should introduce the innovative practice and how it has contributed toward positive service delivery outcomes and organizational success. In writing your case study narrative, note the award evaluation criteria and consider addressing the following:

  • Describe your target population
  • Describe your program and the practices or approach that make it innovative
  • What evidence or results show the positive impact of the program

When filling out the form, you’ll need to indicate:

  • Your organization’s name
  • The primary contact for the award submission
  • The name of your innovative practice

Evaluation Criteria

Planning and Presentation (20%)

  • Well-written, succinct, and logical presentation of the goals
  • Well-designed and detailed plan of approach and implementation of the innovative practice
  • Practice addresses an important problem or issue
  • Applicant made effective use of all resources in the implementation of the innovative practice

Performance and Quality Improvement (30%)

  • The goals of the improvement activity show measurable results, as documented in program, client, or other positive organizational outcomes
  • Statistical data and/or conclusions drawn from qualitative and/or quantitative data are sound and support positive outcomes over a sustained period of time
  • Risk factors or other obstacles associated with the practical have been identified, and a plan for mitigating them has been developed
  • Results can be replicated and innovative practices can be implemented and integrated into existing systems at other organizations

Innovation (50%)

  • Descriptive evidence that the applicant supports creative activities that lead to innovation
  • Demonstration that the case being highlighted is new and forward thinking as evidenced by a creative, novel, inventive, or original improvement in an area(s) that ultimately provides measurable benefit (i.e., increases in service quality, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, learning, collaboration, timeliness, etc.) to the organization, its workforce, and/or the population targeted for service
  • There is reach, depth, and impact of the innovative practice:
    • On the community, government regulations and/or initiatives, and/or the human services field, in general
    • In addressing an urgent, relevant, or complex need
    • In expanding traditional organizational boundaries

Eligibility Terms and Conditions

  • The primary applicant must be either currently COA-accredited, undergoing COA Accreditation (in-process) with no major vital occurrences on file, and/or an Engagement Package holder.
  • Applicants must submit a complete and thorough application form and case study narrative according to the directions.
  • Previously published case studies may be submitted if the author has already received permission from the award committee for republication. This permission must be documented on the application form.
  • Case studies that were applicants for Social Current’s Innovative Impact Award in previous years may only be resubmitted when the associated practices and/or outcomes have significantly changed.
  • The applicant must agree that they have read and understand the following conflicts of interest statements:
    • Award applications do not confer, impart, or guarantee positively or negatively on any current or future accreditation decision.
    • Applications representing more than one organization need to have the consent of all applicable parties.
    • Organizational applicants that permit research with service recipients are in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
  • Winning applicant agrees that Social Current can promote and distribute the case study narrative in its entirety and recognize the organization and authors in any related marketing promotions.
  • Social Current reserves the right to consider public and organizational record information pertaining to any applicant for the Innovative Impact Award.

Note: Social Current will not accept submissions that are designed to endorse, market, or sell commercial products and/or services.

Apply online by March 24. Contact Social Current with questions.

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About Social Current

Social Current is the premier partner and solutions provider to a diverse network of more than 1,800 human and social service organizations. Together with our network, we are activating the power of the social sector to effect broader systemic change that is needed to achieve our vision of an equitable society where all people can thrive. We support, strengthen, and amplify the work of the social sector in five core integrated areas including brain science and trauma-informed approaches; COA Accreditation; child, family, and community well-being; government affairs and advocacy; and leadership and organizational development.