Eligibility Criteria

To ensure fairness and recognize genuine contributions, specific eligibility requirements have been defined for each award domain.

Applicants must meet these requirements to be considered for the Third Sector Awards.

Not-for-Profit Organizations (NFPs)

NFP of the Year and Most Impactful NFP:

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Hold a valid license by the Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi for two years or more at the time of application.
2. Have maintained a compliant or partially compliant status given by the relevant inspections team in DCD during the last inspections cycle.

Rising NFP of the Year:

1. Hold a valid license by the Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi for less than two years at the time of application.
2. Have maintained a compliant or partially compliant status given by the relevant inspections team in DCD during the last inspections cycle.

Social Enterprises (SEs)

Social Enterprise of the Year and Most Impactful Social Enterprise:

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Must hold a valid social enterprise classification by the Authority of Social Contribution – Ma’an.
2. Have been operational in Abu Dhabi for a minimum of 12 months.

Volunteering:

Volunteering Team of the Year:

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Hold a valid volunteering team license issued by the Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi.
2. Have contributed a minimum of 500 volunteering hours within the past 12 months.
3. Have recorded their volunteering hours on the volunteers.ae platform.

Volunteering Opportunity of the Year:

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. The volunteering opportunity must be organized by an entity or volunteering team registered on the volunteering platform (volunteers.ae) and licensed by the Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi.
2. The volunteering opportunity and all associated volunteering hours must be recorded and submitted through the volunteers.ae platform.

AI for Social Impact

AI Powered Entity of the Year

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Either hold a valid NFP license from DCD or a valid social enterprise classification from Ma’an.
2. Have been operational in Abu Dhabi for a minimum of 12 months.
3. For NFPs: Have maintained a compliant or partially compliant status given by the relevant inspections team in DCD during the last inspections cycle.