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06-09-2011.
The Fifth VIRTUS Competition Open- The Award for a Company That Cares

Balkan Community Initiatives Fund traditionally awardsthe VIRTUS award for corporate philanthropy to the most responsible companies in Serbia.

The competition for the VIRTUS award for corporate philanthropy opens on September 6th 2011.  The deadline forsubmitting applications is October 7th 2011.  Balkan Community Initiatives Fund is awarding the award for the fifth time in a row, with financial support from United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and in cooperation with Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC).

VIRTUS award was established in 2007, as the first recognition of its kind in Serbia.  It is intended for companies and enterprises which have during 2010/11 contributed to the general welfare in the most effective manner, by providing nonprofit organizations or civil society organizations with material or other type of support.

VIRTUS promotes the idea of corporate philanthropy and responsible business, with a goal to maintain the support of the public for the projects which contribute to the general welfare, and to motivate as many companies, entrepreneurs and individuals as possible to partake in similar actions.  Unabated interest of a number of foreign and domestic companies for this award during the past years testifies to the fact that giving for the general welfare is becoming an integral part of the business in Serbia.

The competition is open to all domestic and foreign companies, corporations, public and state-owned enterprises, small-scale and medium-scale enterprises, media houses and corporate funds and foundations, with an exception of non-for-profit organizations, public institutions and administrative bodies.  All interested citizens, individuals, non-for-profit organizations, media, PR and marketing agencies may suggest the award candidates, while the companies and enterprises themselves may apply with their programs.

The 2011 VIRTUS Award will be presented in four main categories:

- Main Award for the Contribution on the National Level

- Award for the Contribution to the Local Community the Company Operates    In

- Award for Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises

- Award for the Long-term Partnership between the Business and Non- for    Profit Sector

Apart from those awards, three special recognitions will be presented as well:

The winner announcement ceremony will be held in Belgrade in early December. The decision on the award winners will be made by an independent jury which comprises ofprominent individuals and experts from the business, non-governmental, media and marketing sectors.

The VIRTUS competition and the official award ceremony are organized by the Balkan Community Initiative Fund in cooperation with USAID, Institute for Sustainable Communities(ISC), VIA Foundation, Rockfeller Brothers Foundation (RBF), C.S. Mott Foundation, Executive Group, Radio Television of Serbia, Ekonom:east Media Group, eKapija, Belgrade Media Center, Public Relations Society of Serbia, the City of Belgrade, the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, and other numerous institutions, media and corporate societies which have recognized the importance and value of this initiative.

Competition conditions in detail, as well as new application forms are available on the official Internet presentation of the award- www.bcif.org/virtus

For additional information please contact:

Ksenija Graovac, Philanthropy Program Manager

phone: 011 328 8723

e-mail: ksenija@bcif.org , filantropija@bcif.org

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