COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARDS
Celebrating our shared commitment to Calgary.
March 12, 2026
An evening of celebration, connection and purpose
The Community Impact Awards bring together workplaces, donors, volunteers and community leaders to recognize the meaningful difference made through United Way of Calgary and Area.
This annual gala celebrates the organizations and individuals who saw the needs in our city and stepped forward. Together, we will reflect on the achievements of the 2025 campaign, recognize outstanding workplace leadership and generosity, and look ahead to the year to come.
Come celebrate what we accomplished together and the impact made possible when we unite for our community.
An unforgettable voice for community leadership
Priscilla Cherry
Social Artist and National Mental Health Peer Practitioner
This year’s Community Impact Awards welcomes an inspiring and dynamic host: social artist and national mental health peer practitioner Priscilla Cherry. Once supported by a United Way–funded community partner, she now stands as a powerful advocate for resilience, healing and hope.
Featured on Netflix, TED, and Entertainment Tonight Canada, Priscilla brings authenticity, lived experience and an unwavering commitment to community wellbeing, setting the stage for an evening that celebrates impact, leadership and lasting change.
Where impact meets extraordinary entertainment
Whether commanding a stage or setting the vibe, Jesse Peters delivers unforgettable moments and this year he’s bringing that magic to the Community Impact Awards. Calgary based entertainer, artist and DJ Jesse Peters combines legendary piano skills, powerful vocals and a finely tuned instinct for energizing a crowd.
He has performed around the world, with appearances in New York City, a six city tour across China and locally at the Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show. Signed to Sound of Pop Publishing, Jesse has also secured song placements on CBC TV, Global, Syfy and Showcase.
Jesse Peters
Entertainer, Artist and DJ
Event at a glance
The Community Impact Awards bring together more than 400 leaders from Calgary’s top workplaces.
This year’s gala will be held on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at the Percheron Ballroom, BMO Centre Calgary.
Networking reception: 5:00 p.m.
Program: 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Ticket details: $100 each; tables of 8 are $725.
Your evening includes inspiring speakers, live entertainment and a three-course meal while celebrating impact that truly matters.
Awards
The Culbert Family Award for Philanthropy is presented annually to two young professionals for their charitable giving and outstanding work in their community. Recipients of this award receive $2,000 to invest in their professional development or philanthropic endeavours.
Recipients:
Nicolas Herrera & Bill (Yuan Jie) Zheng
The President’s Award can be awarded to an individual, corporate partner or other group and is our most prestigious award. It is at the sole discretion of the President with insight provided by staff. Recipients are not eligible if they have won the award in the past 5 years.
Recipient:
Canadian Natural Resources Limited
This award recognizes organizations that have demonstrated outstanding and innovative campaigns with active Leadership giving and a commitment to making Calgary a resilient and caring community where everyone thrives.
Nominees:
Imperial
TD Bank Group
Tourmaline
TransAlta
Worley Canada Services Ltd.
Recipient:
TransAlta
This award recognizes organizations that have demonstrated outstanding and innovative campaigns with active Leadership giving and a commitment to making Calgary a resilient and caring community where everyone thrives.
Nominees:
Krywolt Insurance Brokers
MLT Aikins LLP
Ricochet Oil Corp.
Trican Well Service Ltd.
Recipient:
Trican Well Service Ltd.
This award recognizes a team or an individual who has exceeded expectations and created a greater awareness of United Way in the community and workplace by demonstrating involvement in campaign-related activities, fostering inclusivity across the organization, and maintaining a positive attitude that inspired others to engage and contribute.
Nominees:
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Co-operators
Keyera
NOVA Chemicals
Nutrien
Recipient:
Keyera
This award recognizes organizations and their employees who have achieved a significant growth in the current year over the previous year, including an increase in funds raised and increase of donors. Candidates also demonstrated an increase in overall giving and significant management support.
Nominees:
AltaLink
Bennett Jones LLP
BMO Financial Group
PCL Construction Management Inc.
Suncor
Vermilion Energy Inc.
Recipient:
AltaLink
This award recognizes organizations and their employees who have achieved a significant growth in the current year over the previous year, including an increase in funds raised and increase of donors. Candidates also demonstrated an increase in overall giving and significant management support.
Nominees:
Baccalieu Energy Inc.
Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP
McDaniel & Associates Consultants Ltd.
Peters & Co. Limited
Tundra Oil & Gas Ltd.
Recipient:
Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP
This award recognizes an organization that has demonstrated commitment, creativity and passion towards making their campaigns exceed any notion of prior expectations and create ripple effects of positive impact in the local community. The organization successfully transitioned by offering meaningful and engaging opportunities to their staff through a variety of means, both virtually and physically distanced in person. Volunteerism, education and engagement has been judged based on an organization’s involvement in the following categories: United Way’s Impact Speeches, Day of Caring© projects, Facilitated Activities and Webinar attendance, as well as Special Events developed by their Employee Campaign Committee. All these activities demonstrate strong spirit of engagement with United Way of Calgary and Area.
Nominees:
AltaLink
BMO Financial Group
The City of Calgary
Enbridge
NOVA Chemicals
Pembina Pipeline Corporation
Suncor
Recipient:
BMO Financial Group
This award celebrates noteworthy workplace campaigns that exemplify industry excellence. Recipients of this award will have demonstrated one or more of the following: strong management support, a significant increase in Leadership giving and total donations, a surge in employee involvement or a fresh approach to their United Way campaign.
Recipients:
ARC Resources Ltd.
Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP
Canada Revenue Agency
Enbridge
Tourmaline
This award recognizes organizations that are supporting United Way of Calgary and Area for the first time through empowering their employees and networks to participate with United Way in improving the quality of life for all Calgarians. To be eligible, the organization must not have conducted an employee campaign during the past two consecutive years. Eligible candidates demonstrate a commitment to the community by supporting United Way in any of the following ways: sponsorship, volunteerism, collaboration and/or fundraising.
Recipients:
BHE Canada
Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc
Ricochet Oil Corp.
Tourism Calgary
Hear from last year’s award winners
The Community Impact Awards are proudly sponsored by
Decor Sponsor
AltaLink
Community Impact Sponsor
In 2025, United Way supporters chose to see the need in our community and take action. By sponsoring the Community Impact Awards, you honour that collective impact while continuing to fuel meaningful change across Calgary and area.
Sponsorship opportunities deliver visibility, connection, and purpose. They align your organization with compassion, leadership and measurable community impact.
Please reach out if you are interested in sponsoring this one-of-a-kind social impact event.
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