'It brought priceless self-belief'

Craig Dearden-Phillips Founder and CEO, Speaking Up, 2002 winner

"It was like going to the Oscars." Those were the words of Amy Forgacs, who has learning difficulties, upon collecting our Guardian Charity Award. As a small, struggling organisation, we had entered more in hope than expectation. But, for once, size didn't matter. Small, it seems, was beautiful - at least to the judges.

Not only did it raise our spirits, it also had a pretty good effect on our bottom line, too. Suddenly, we were in the news, which aroused the curiosity of funders. Since then, Speaking Up has never really looked back. Today, we are a £3m national organisation working with 3,000 disabled people - a far cry from where we were before our win.

Yet the biggest difference winning made wasn't all the new dosh it attracted, but the confidence it gave us. The really magic thing about entering and winning the Guardian Charity Awards isn't that it solves all your problems - it can't and it won't - but that it will give you new self-belief. And that is priceless.

Ray LewisEastside Young Leaders Academy, 2007 winner

We realised that the awards are really highly thought of. First of all, it gave us a degree of validation because it was the Guardian. It really has been a flag for us to wave for funders. For bigger charities, it probably wouldn't matter so much, but for smaller charities it really does say something. There is a real sense that here is an established award and it is respected.

It has been particularly good for staff because we work in such a specialist area, and it helps them know that what they are doing is really worth it. Then there's the fact that lots of people have contacted us, so the publicity has been a real plus.

The bonus has been almost perverse as we have had a strong association with the [political] right, and by being recognised by the Guardian it has kind of balanced the scales in terms of how people see us.

Lindsey ReadManager, Colchester Rape Crisis, 2007 winner

To anyone thinking of entering, I would just say: "Go for it!" I was surprised when we won because we are quite small and there was so much competition. It felt there was some recognition and validation of what we are doing.

Funding is such a huge issue for small charities. It's a constant struggle and sometimes it's easy to think that no one appreciates what you are doing. So for someone like the Guardian to say "Well done!" was a great morale boost for everyone involved. On a day-to-day level, it's done a lot to improve our status. It's a great thing to tell people . . . you can see them thinking: "If they've won an award from the Guardian, they must be doing something right."

Michelle McCrindleChief executive, Food Train, 2004 winner

The award was the single biggest leg-up we've had. To get recognition on a national scale for a small organisation from Dumfries and Galloway is almost unheard of. Its about recognition for volunteers. People have a perception it would only be big charities getting mentioned in the national press. But this proves that's not necessarily the case.

It's definitely built our confidence and it's made us think that we can get our message across on a national level. After the awards a lot of people contacted us out of the blue - people who would never have heard of us - and our website hits went up by 1,000%. Local papers covered it, we were on the radio, and people locally and nationally got to hear about us.

Our winnings went towards buying a van, which allowed us to double our delivery capacity. It really helped because it gave us [quantifiable] evidence, and helped us with putting the case to our funders.

Ingrid von ArnimManager, Fife Young Carers, 2007 winner

What winning did for our confidence was unbelievable. We now feel we are punching above our weight, with five people and a management committee helping 500 kids. It also really increased the confidence of the kids - they feel very proud of their organisation that has achieved so much.

The money in the first instance was very useful, of course. We spent half on sending 38 children on a three-day outdoor activity programme over the summer, and half is being used to set up specialist issue groups for the kids.

Winning has brought in more funding, more credibility, more contacts, and a bigger profile. As a direct result of the film that was posted on the Guardian's website, an ecological charity in Fife got in touch with us and we are now looking at doing an ecological arts programme for 18 kids. We now have twice the rate of referrals we had before winning the award.

Jane FisherDirector, Antenatal Results and Choice, 2007 winner

We work in a very sensitive field and it can be very challenging to get fundraising and recognition for what we do, so for us winning was the recognition of the importance of our work. That made a huge difference. We've had a lot of positive feedback.

On a practical level, it was great - the money has allowed us to revamp our website and, as this is our 20th year, it was a great birthday present. The environment for charities such as ours is quite challenging at the moment: it is proving more and more difficult to get funding. Winning the award can help because it has drawn attention to the great work charities such as ours do on very limited resources.

I would wholeheartedly advise other charities to just go for it. Winning the award was fantastic - it was like Christmas had come early.

How to enter

Some of the best work done by charities often goes unnoticed - especially if they are small, local or offer specialist services, and are struggling to attract funding or raise their profile. Every year, the Guardian Charity Awards set out to ensure that such organisations are recognised and rewarded.

Ray Lewis, founder and chief executive of one of last year's winners, Eastside Young Leaders Academy, an after-school programme for socially excluded black boys in London, says: "In terms of how it has affected our clients and users and staff, it has been a real motivator. From the point of view of staff, it has been particularly good because we work in such a specialist area and it helps them know that what they are doing is really worth it."

Today, we launch the 2008 awards, and the judges will be looking for innovative organisations that can prove they make a difference to people's lives. The awards are for charities with an annual income of between £5,000 and £1m that deliver practical solutions to pressing problems. Each winner receives £6,000 cash, a PC and a range of consultancy and media advice.

To enter, go to SocietyGuardian.co.uk/charityawards, complete all sections of the form and submit. The deadline for entries is August 1. Winners will be announced at a ceremony in December.