EDWARD A. SMITH
DISTINGUISHED LECTURE SERIES and AWARDS PROGRAM

The Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership is proud to announce the  Edward A. Smith Awards for Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership Program.  The purpose of these biannual, national awards is to honor and continue the legacy of Edward A. Smith, a devoted civic leader and community catalyst, by recognizing and celebrating others across the country who exemplify extraordinary leadership in nonprofit service organizations.  We look to honor leaders who have displayed leadership for the long term, not in a single endeavor.

We seek nominees who embody the exemplary modeled by Edward A. Smith. This leadership is characterized by a comprehensive model that reflects three distinct and interrelated dimensions: 

• Leadership Qualities
  "Leadership is a subtle process of mutual influence fusing thought, feeling and action to produce cooperative effort in the service of purposes and values of both the leader and the led." ~ Lee Bolman
• Leadership Roles
  "In learning organizations, leaders' roles differ dramatically from that of the charismatic decision maker. Leaders are designers, teachers, stewards." ~ Peter Senge
• Leadership Impact
  "Leaders who strengthen their people may create a legacy that will last for a very long time." ~ John Gardner

Awards Criteria

• Vision - sees beyond the here and now and provides clear direction toward a shard purpose
• Passion - possesses a deep, heartfelt drive for achieving goals
• Courage - willing to take risks and meet resistance to change with tenacity
• Wisdom - can see the big picture and has the ability to make the complex simple
• Ethical Foundation - consistently does what is morally right based on the common values of his community
• Leader as Designer - acts as an architect in building a framework for the development of ideas
• Leader as Teacher - helps those around him gain insight into the connection between their action and results
• Leader as Servant - motivated by a sense of community rather than a sense of self
• Leader as Innovator - create an environment that encourages new ideas for better serving communities and customers
• Impact on Systems - generates results that affect institutions and issues in his community, country or even the world
• Impact on Institutions - creates results that affect an institution's capacity, growth and service to community
• Impact on People - produces results that motivate and unify individuals in his community or organization

The awards recognize four exceptional leaders, 2 serving in the greater Kansas City area and 2 from other parts of the U.S. In each category, excellence in both executive and volunteer leadership are honored.

Each of the four winners receives $5,000 and a beautiful commemorative award symbolizing dedication to the skills, abilities, and characteristics that are essentials for exceptional nonprofit leadership. There is also an honorable mention category recognizing other nominees who have distinguished themselves as nonprofit leaders.