Overview

All domestic and international charitable organizations that meet the eligibility requirements, no matter their size or revenues, are encouraged to apply for the NCA Coffee Gives Back Program Charity Showcase and the 2025 NCA Origin Charity of the Year Award.

1. Eligibility Requirements

• Eligible charitable organizations must have 501(c)(3) Public Charity Internal Revenue Service (IRS) status or its international equivalent.
• The charitable organizations and/or their programs must directly benefit and impact coffee communities at origin through initiatives that (1) focus on capacity building or improving livelihoods and (2) create a stronger, more sustainable supply chain.
• Both the Charity Showcase and Award are open to NCA members and to non-members.
• Applicants for the Award must be accepted into the NCA Coffee Gives Back Charity Showcase.
• Subject to availability and the final 2025 NCA Convention program, an employee or representative of the winning charitable organization can be present at the NCA Annual Convention to accept the Award.
• Prior NCA Origin Charity of the Year Award Winners are not eligible for the NCA Origin Charity of the Year Award for three years from the time their organization received the Award.

2. Application Process

The NCA Coffee Gives Back Program Application consists of two sections:

• Section I: Information required to participate in the Charity Showcase. 
• Section II: Additional information is required to be considered for the 2025 NCA Origin Charity of the Year Award.

PLEASE NOTE:

• Showcase applications are accepted on a rolling basis. However, if you wish to be considered for the 2025 NCA Origin Charity of the Year Award, you must fill out and submit Sections I and II of the NCA Coffee Gives Back Program Application by the deadline.
• Application must be in English and financial statements in any language other than English must include English translations.
• If you are resubmitting content from a prior application, you must include updated information to reflect your organization’s work since that submission.

3. Showcase Process and Notification

Charitable organizations accepted to the NCA Coffee Gives Back Charity Showcase will be notified by email. If also applying for the Charity Award, your application will proceed to the Judging phase.

4. Judges and Award Criteria

The NCA Origin Charity of the Year Award Winner and Finalists are selected by an independent group of NCA Directors and Members following a review of application materials.

Each organization applying for the Award is judged on the following six (6) criteria:

• Mission & Vision
• Financial Stewardship
• Governance & Transparency
• Programs' Goals & Objectives
• Programs' Challenges
• Programs' Results and Long-Term Impact

NCA Membership will not be used as an evaluative criterion in judging the applicants for the 2025 NCA Origin Charity of the Year Award.

5. Award Process and Notification

Process

• The Judges will score eligible applicants based on the criteria outlined above.
• The NCA Origin Charity of the Year Award Winner and two Finalists will be determined based on the Judges’ scores and the Judges’ deliberation and consensus.
• The 2025 NCA Origin Charity of the Year Award Winner and the two Finalists will be confirmed by the NCA Board of Directors.
• The Judges may decide not to give the NCA Origin Charity of the Year Award if, in their sole discretion, the judging criteria are not met by any applicant.
• The Judges may decide not to bestow Finalist recognition if, in their sole discretion, the judging criteria are not met by any applicant.

Notification

• The 2025 NCA Origin Charity of the Year Award Winner and Finalists will be notified on or about January 6, 2025.
• The 2025 NCA Origin Charity of the Year Award Winner will be asked to provide promotional photography and short video testimonials for the award presentation.
• Further details will be communicated to the winning charitable organization before the Convention.