Desjardins Annual Prizes

2011: 36^th edition

View the list of 2010 winners
View the list of 2009 winners
View the list of 2008 winners
View the list of 2007 winners

The Desjardins Annual Prizes have been awarded since 1975 in recognition of original and innovative projects led by organizations that help communities located on the caisses’ territory.

The community organizations deserving of a Desjardins Annual Prize must have launched an innovative and original project that makes a concrete effort to solve certain problems.

The winning organizations must have a positive influence on the community they serve and show perseverance and tenacity in fulfilling their commitment.

Each prize features a grant.

To apply

Eligibility requirements

Applicants must be:

• private, non-profit groups or organizations, incorporated or non-incorporated;
• democratic operations;
• in operation since at least January 1, 2007 on the territory of participating Desjardins caisses (in Quebec and outside of Quebec);
• Desjardins caisse members.

Applicants must have achieved a community-oriented success.
Applications are evaluated by a jury. Organizations may renew their application each year, as long as they meet the eligibility requirements. They may win only twice, either for one project or for different projects.

Application

To apply, fill out and mail in the application form (PDF, 884 KB) between April 10 and June 10. (Applications must be postmarked by this date). The original form must be filled out legibly, photocopied, and six copies must be submitted. However, a single copy of appended documents is sufficient. Only applications that meet the requirements will be accepted.

Selection criteria

Applicants (groups or organizations) must:

• have significant positive influence in their community and field of activity;
• provide concrete solutions to problems related to the organization's mission;
• be innovative and original;
• show perseverance and tenacity in social commitments;
• provide benefits to as many people as possible resulting from activity spillover;
• maximize the use of human and economic resources;
• be in sound financial condition.

Criteria specific to each annual prize

• Desjardins Annual Prize – Youth Assistance ($5,000)

  Foster the physical and emotional well-being of 6 to 17-year-olds, educate them about harmonious family and social relationships, and support them in their aspirations.

• Desjardins Annual Prize – Senior Citizen Assistance ($5,000)

  Foster the physical and emotional well-being of seniors, improve their quality of life, encourage the sharing of their experience through intergenerational relationships, and help them realize their full potential in the community.

• Desjardins Annual Prize – Community Development ($5,000)

  Create or preserve conditions that are conducive to maintaining or improving the participation of people or groups in their community's life and balance.

• Desjardins Annual Prize - Cultural Services ($5,000)

  Foster increased access to culture, advance new means to promote ownership of the arts and culture by citizens, create synergy between cultural organizations to build bridges between communities. This applies to the arts, cultural and scientific activities, museology, and preservation of our built, religious and living heritage. Ideally, be a source of leadership in the socio-economic life of the community.

• Desjardins Annual Prize – Community Economic Development ($5,000)

  Establish conditions that foster job creation to ensure the economic well-being of the community. Note: Candidates are required to s pecify, if possible, the number of jobs created, viability, methods used to ensure continued leadership and maintain support in some economic sectors.

• Desjardins Annual Prize – Sustainable Development ($5,000)

  Encourage personal and collective responsibility in matters of sustainable development¹ locally, regionally and nationally.

  Demonstrate that the organization's mission and activities respect the principles of sustainable development².

  Demonstrate that the organization's decision-making process takes into account the positive and negative effects its projects have on environmental, social, economic and ethical levels.

  Optimize the use of renewable and non-renewable resources³.

Important dates

Registration period	April 10 to June 10

	By mail	Desjardins Annual Prizes Fondation Desjardins C.P. 7, succursale Desjardins, Montréal (Québec) H5B 1B2
	By phone	Montreal area: 514-281-7170 Elsewhere in Canada: 1-800-443-8611
	By e-mail	Fill out a form

1. Presenting actions or policies to promote (a) the protection and management of the environment (natural resources, land use planning and economic development); (b) reasonable and responsible health, production, consumption, waste and transport practices; (c) fairness among people, integration of local knowledge as well as spatial and temporal solidarity.
2. Sustainable development encourages governments, businesses, organizations and individuals to consider the social, environmental, ethical and economic repercussions of their actions. This way, we ensure that real needs are satisfied without any negative consequences for the next generation so the future is protected. Concretely, it touts the necessity of maintaining or improving the quality of the natural environment, sustaining resources, equalizing the standard of living throughout the world, encouraging community self-sufficiency, and fostering the transfer of knowledge and resources (including natural resources) to the next generation.
3. Particularly by (a) reducing residual material, recycling and recyclable materials; (b) reducing energy consumption of goods and services and especially greenhouse gasses; (c) reducing the use of toxic materials; (d) the durability of products.