Past Philanthropy Awards

Please visit our YouTube channel to view profiles of our past Philanthropy Awards Honorees!

Honoring extraordinary vision and dedication. 

Outstanding people and organizations known for effecting dynamic changes in our communities have been  honored recipients of the Annual Philanthropy Awards hosted by the Oregon Chapter of the International Association of Fundraising Professionals since 1986. The vitality of Oregon and Southwest Washington's non-profit enterprises is driven by the extraordinary vision and dedication of outstanding philanthropists and volunteers. The awards are presented at the Annual Philanthropy Awards celebration of National Philanthropy Day in November.

Awards Selection Process for  Philanthropy Awards

The AFP Oregon Awards Selection Committee is committed to ensuring as great a diversity as possible among nominees and among awardees in all the categories that represent the richness of the area: ethnicity, gender, race, age, and geographic location.  Nominations are solicited in the first quarter of the calendar year through mid April for the November awards.


Vollum Award for Lifetime Philanthropic Achievement 

This award recognizes individuals who during their lifetimes have tirelessly committed themselves to bettering their community through serving, funding and enlisting support for a range of community charitable causes.

Jan & Steve Oliva, Michael Alexander, Christine & David Vernier, Karen & Sid DeBoer, Lee & Connie Kearney, Jim & Cathy Rudd, Ben & Elaine Whiteley, Bill Furman, N.B. Guistina Family, Lorry I. Lokey, Ed & Dollie Lynch, John Gray, Wes & Nancy Lematta, Al &Pat Reser, E.W. & Mary Firstenburg, Ken & Joan Austin, John & Carol Hampton, Joe Weston, Albert & Susanne Corrado, Donna Woolley, Maribeth Collins, Maurie D. Clark, James F. Miller, Thomas E. Autzen

Outstanding Philanthropists
This award pays tribute to an exceptional individual donor who generously provides a lead gift or substantially assists a nonprofit organization - an individual or family who offers philanthropic leadership.

Jo Marie & Steve Hansen, Barbara Coit Yeager, Anne Naito-Campbell, Vanessa Morgan & Bob Quillin, Bill Dickey, Susan & John Bates, Rick & Erika Miller, Jim & Judith Youde, Cheryl Ramberg Ford & Allyn Ford, Pat & Trudy Ritz, Marcia H. Randall, Bob & Charlee Moore, Harry Merlo, Connie & Lee Kearney, Peter & Julie Stott, Bill & Karen Early, Laura & Roger Meier,  Harry & Kaaren Demorest, William & Joyce Furman, Thelma & Gilbert Schnitzer; and the families of Leonard, Morris and Manuel Schnitzer,  Judith & Martin Kelley, Cindy & Duncan Campbell, Tom Holce, George & Carolyn Propstra, Mary & Pete Mark, Dr. & Mrs. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr., Arlene & Harold Schnitzer, Carolyn Chambers, Samuel C. Wheeler, Robert P. Booth, John D. Gray, Douglas C. Strain, Robert Chandler, Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Wessinger, Mr. & Mrs. William Wessinger, L.L. "Stub" Stewart, H.J. Casey, Edmund Hayes

Thomas Lamb Eliot Award for Service to Philanthropy
The Dr. Reverend Thomas Lamb Eliot served as senior minister at First Unitarian Church of Portland for more than a quarter century (1867-1893). As a civic leader, his sense of community concern led him to join the board, and most often as president with the following organizations that we now hold dear to us, including Reed College, Oregon Humane Society, Boys & Girls Aid Society, Portland Library Association, Multnomah County Schools, Park Commissioners and the Portland Art Association.  In this spirit of community service the Association of Fundraising Professionals, AFP Oregon, established the Thomas Lamb Eliot award to recognize individuals who have served nonprofits and the community through dedicated service.

Nancy Steuber, Charlie Walker, Greg Chaille, Hillman Lueddemann, Rabbi Joshua Stampfer, Gerry Frank, Tom Stoel, Charles Rooks

Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation
This award recognizes a business that, through their foundation, corporate giving program, or their employees, commits significant financial or in-kind resources to assist organizations in meeting community needs - an entity that is a solid community-minded corporate citizen.

Hayden Homes, Northwest Farm Credit Services, OnPoint Credit Union, Tillamook County Creamery Association, Reser Fine Foods, Daimler Trucks North America, Starker Forests, Inc, Cambia Health Solutions, Wells Fargo, New Seasons Market, Safeway, The ODS Companies, Ferguson Wellman Capital Management, NIKE, Bank of America, The Standard, Vernier Software, Alpenrose Dairy, Intel Corporation, Deschutes Brewery, JELD-WEN, inc., ESCO Corporation, Fred Meyer Stores, Northwest Natural, Willamette Industries, Inc., Pacificorp Foundation, The Hoffman Corporation, First Interstate Bank of Oregon, Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, Tektronix Foundation, U.S. Bancorp / U.S. Bank, Portland General Electric Company, Mentor Graphics Corporation

Outstanding Philanthropic Foundation
This award recognizes a private or community foundation or community grantmaking organization that supports not only nonprofit organizational goals but also offers encouragement and motivation to nonprofits and grantmakers alike - a grantmaker providing innovative approaches to philanthropy. 

Roundhouse Foundation, Hopscotch Foundation, James and Shirley Rippey Family Foundation, MRG Foundation, ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists), PGE Foundation, Ann & Bill Swindells Charitable Trust, Northwest Health Foundation, Pendleton Foundation Trust, The Snowman Foundation, Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust, The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, Community Foundation for Southwest Washington, Leo Adler Foundation, Ray Hickey Foundation, Juan Young Trust, Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund, Don & Willie Tykeson Foundation, Spirit Mountain Community Fund, Paul G. Allen Foundations, Samuel S. Johnson Foundation, Carpenter Foundation, Chiles Foundation, The Ford Family Foundation, The Collins Foundation, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Oregon Community Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust

Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser
This award is presented to a special volunteer who motivates others to give, commits time and energy without compensation and offers organizations and fundraising staff their talent for strategy, relationship enhancement and the successful solicitation of donations.

Caron Ogg, John Herman, Chris & Tom Neilsen, Marc Grignon, Kimberly Cooper, Julie Shiffer Vigeland, Mark Matthias, Jerry Hulsman, Harry Merlo, Rob Shick, Jordan Schnitzer, Ken Thrasher, Al Gleason, Gary Maffei, Sho Dozono, Mario Pastega, William R. Swindells, Nancy Russell, Jim Rudd, Jim Putney, Ken Lewis, Gwyneth Gamble & Brian Booth, Myron Child, Claris Poppert, Julie Emry, Edwin M. "Ted" Baker,  Jackie Gango, William R. Moffat, Ed & Sue Cooley, Worth Caldwell, Frank Brawner, Don Frisbee, Lou Perry 

Outstanding Innovative Project
This award is presented to groups demonstrating an exceptional degree of innovation and creativity resulting in broad-based community impact. Events recognized have excelled at building grass-roots support, raising funds and increasing public understanding of the organization's mission. 

Black Oregon Land Trust, Whitney (Rutz)'s Giant Cinnamon Roll Fundraiser, Portland Homeless Family Solutions, Every 28 Days, Lincoln Place, The Rosewood Project (by Human Solutions), DonorsResource.org, Oregon Jewish Community Youth Foundation, Kroc Center Initiative Committee, Cycle Oregon, Kows for Kids/New Avenues for Youth and Trillium Family Services, School House Supplies, Metropolitan Family Services Classic Wines Auction, ¡Salud! Oregon Pinot Noir Barrel Auction, KINK FM "Lights Out" CD, Credit Unions for Kids, The Fred Meyer Challenge by Peter Jacobsen Productions, Inc., Portland Public Schools Foundation, CASA’s Our Children’s Store, Kids Making Miracles for Doernbecher

Outstanding Volunteer Group
Volunteers are the lifeblood of philanthropy. They start, support and/or enhance the programs and services that organizations provide. They often make the difference in an organization being able to serve its community, expand its services to a wider audience or move its programs to a higher level of service to the community.

Lan Su Chinese Garden Volunteers, Building for Tomorrow’s Leaders Capital Campaign Committee
De La Salle North Catholic High School, B'nai Brith Men's Camp Association, CARES Northwest, CASA for Children of Multnomah, Washington, and Columbia Counties, Humane Society for Southwest Washington, Medical Teams International Volunteers, USS Blueback OMSI Volunteers, Japanese Garden Volunteers, Clark County Food Bank, Outdoor School Volunteer Leaders, Portland Art Museum Docent Council, Audubon Society of Portland, Tillamook County Charities, Dougy Center Facilitators, Silverton Hospital Auxiliary, SOLV, 17th Annual Hands on Portland, The Old Kerr Nursery Association, Rotary Club of Portland, Friends of Trees, Platt Electric Supply Care Team, Junior League, Portland General Electric, ECHO Community Help Organization, Fred Meyer Volunteers

Youth in Philanthropy
This award celebrates the future by recognizing young people who have dedicated themselves to improve the community and increase opportunities for others through direct financial support, development of charitable programs, volunteering and leadership in philanthropy.

Benjamin Olshin, Union High School National Honor Society, Alazar Manning, Youth United Steering Committee Habitat for Humanity Portland Metro/East, Jimmy Fowkes, Ben Walker & Rory Bialostosky, Katelyn Tomac, Nancy Serna, Madras Youth Community Action Team, Community 101 – A PGE Foundation Program, Young Audiences of Oregon and SW Washington, Tillamook High School, Jennifer Fletcher

The Allan Price Award for Distinguished Service 
The Allan Price Award for Distinguished Service to the Fundraising Profession recognizes fundraising professionals who demonstrate exceptional skill and enthusiasm for their work, who pursue big ideas and successfully engage others in achieving them, and who inspire new levels of giving among donors.

J.S. May, J. Michael Goodwin, Carolyn Winter, Julie Diamond z"l, Pete Sommerfeld