The Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Immunotherapeutic Consortium, or VIC, has been named a Classy Awards Finalist—one of the 100 most innovative nonprofits and social enterprises of 2016! Classy Awards Finalists are a prestigious group of nonprofits and social enterprises selected for their excellence in social innovation and ability to solve a social problem. This year, the Classy Awards whittled down the finalists from a field of over 1250 programs representing a broad gamut of causes and expertise. The application process was highly competitive, rigorous, and intensive, and the VIC was judged using stringent criteria that assesses an organization’s potential to solve a problem through the development and implementation of an innovative solution.
The VIC, along with the 99 other Finalists, is now in the running to become a Classy Award Winner. Our nomination is being passed on to the Leadership Council, a diverse board of experts and thought leaders who will collectively vote to determine the 10 Classy Award winners. Awards will be presented in Boston on June 14-16 during the Collaborative + Classy Awards—the largest social innovation event of the year! Other attendees include leaders from the United Nations Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Echoing Green, charity:water, and many more. The event ends with the Classy Awards, where the 10 Winners are announced live on stage in a surprise celebration.
The VIC is at its core a collaborative project that depends upon the integrity, trust, and willingness of our members to share research, ideas, and reagents in order to advance the field of viral immunotherapeutics. Funding comes from the NIH and an NIAID Centers for Excellence in Translational Research grant.