‘Just Awards’ (dis)honor NY Times, Rockefeller Foundation

Jan Masaoka of Blue Avocado and Michael Gilbert of Nonprofit Online News have announced the winners of the first "Just Awards," presented for Abominable Press Coverage of the Nonprofit Sector and for Narcissism in Philanthropy. The winners were the New York Times and the Rockefeller Foundation.

As Masaoka put it, "Other industries have their 'Worst Dressed' awards, the 'Golden Fleece' awards for public waste, and the Ig Nobel Prizes for dubious science-related achievements that 'first make people laugh, then make them think.' Until now, the nonprofit sector has lacked its own such award program."

For Abominable Press Coverage of the Nonprofit Sector the judges chose Stephanie Strom’s November, 2009 article “Charities Rise, Costing U.S. Billions in Tax Breaks.” The judges praised the Times for covering the nonprofit sector and said Stephanie Strom was “generally a very good reporter,” but they felt this was the “worst story of the year” and a better headline would have been, “Charities Rise, Saving U.S. Government Billions.”

For the Narcissism in Philanthropy Award, the Just Awards panel of judges chose the Rockefeller Foundation for its “overwhelming and relentless promotion” of its president, Judith Rodin. "Rockefeller promotes its president more than 12 times as often as Ford and more than 176 times as often as Kellogg," they said.

As runners-up the panel chose "all of journalism” for its coverage of ACORN -- “It was a giant frame piece,” commented one judge -- and a California community foundation that gives out approximately $4 million in grants each year, and is building an $8 million headquarters. Nominators said, “They are openly touting the building and have architects’ plans displayed in their offices for nonprofit grantees to see as they grovel for grants of $5,000 and $10,000.”

The Just Awards are sponsored, with tongues in cheeks, by Blue Avocado and Nonprofit Online News. Nominations were received from the public; a nominator was required to submit his or her name to the sponsors, but could request anonymity in public. Click here for more on the awards.