Visionary Indigenous Business Excellence Award Nomination Form

The VIBE Award in Leadership exists to recognize Indigenous business leaders in Manitoba. Ideal nominees are those who take action with innovative ideas, have proven track records, and exemplify adaptability, creativity, or resilience within a business or economic development context. 

Criteria 

1. Nominees should be leading in their field or industry and demonstrate sustained leadership with a proven track record of success.
2. Must demonstrate measurable and sustainable efforts in creating positive impacts on communities, organizations, or the economy within Manitoba.
3. Must be First Nations, Métis, or Inuit with their primary residence in Manitoba.
4. Elected officials currently serving in office are ineligible to receive a VIBE Award in Leadership until they no longer hold their position. For example, ineligible nominees include but are not limited to; Chiefs and Councilors, Ministers, MLAs or MPs, or Electoral Party Leaders.
5. Previous VIBE Award recipients are ineligible for recognition. 

The VIBE Award in Organizational Impact exists to recognize Indigenous-owned organizations in Manitoba with meaningful impact on the communities they serve and support. Ideal nominees are for-profit businesses or social enterprises that solve a community need, are innovative in their approach to business, or provide strong employment opportunities for Indigenous peoples with meaningful institutional investment. 

Criteria 

1. Nominees must demonstrate their ability to solve a community need, is innovative in its approach to business, or provide employment opportunities for Indigenous peoples with meaningful institutional development. This could be through:
2. A proven track record demonstrating sustainable, measurable, positive impacts in Indigenous communities served, including but not limited to the organization's own employees.
3. Demonstrating success of one or more initiatives or projects that increase access, quality, or representation in their services for one or more Indigenous communities in Manitoba and beyond.
4. Must be 100% Indigenous owned or majority ownership resting in control of First Nations, Métis, or Inuit persons, verifiable by disclosing ownership structure through certifiable methods.
5. Must be primarily based in Manitoba.
6. Preference is given to organizations comprised of majority Indigenous employees.
7. Official and independent political organizations are ineligible to receive a VIBE Award in Organizational Impact.
8. Previous VIBE Award recipients are ineligible for recognition. 

True to our roots, the VIBE Award in Entrepreneurship exists to recognize visionary or innovative work of an individual Indigenous entrepreneur in Manitoba, separate from their ventures. Ideal nominees are those who demonstrate longstanding entrepreneurial spirit, and who have had meaningful and measurable impact on the communities they serve and work within. 

Criteria 

1. Nominees should have launched at least one for-profit business or social enterprise with majority Indigenous ownership.
2. Demonstrate a track record of entrepreneurial success.
3. Preference is given to those whose ventures seek to solve community needs.
4. Must be First Nations, Métis, or Inuit with their primary residence in Manitoba.
5. Elected officials currently serving in office are ineligible to receive a VIBE Award in Entrepreneurship until they no longer hold their position. For example, ineligible nominees include but are not limited to; Chiefs and Councilors, Ministers, MLAs or MPs, or Electoral Party Leaders.
6. Previous VIBE Award recipients are ineligible for recognition.