Categories & Eligibility

Open to APA members and nonmembers. Individuals cannot self-nominate. Open to efforts within the United States.

Criteria

1. Social and economic. Describe how the nominated effort addresses the needs of at-risk individuals or populations that society typically overlooks. How does the effort advance or sustain sound, ethical, and inclusionary planning within the planning field, within a specific community, or in society at large?
2. Engagement. Explain how various stakeholders and community members were engaged in the planning process. How were typically hard-to-reach populations included in the planning process? Detail any non-traditional engagement efforts used to obtain community input. Share how challenges such as limited accessibility and digital divides were addressed.
3. Effectiveness and results. Specify how your entry has had a positive impact on the lives of those it was intended to help. Indicate how these efforts have touched a wider audience, helped increase diversity and inclusiveness within the planning field, or in helping support diverse populations. Share how this effort has elevated the value and importance of planning within the community.

Eligibility

Open to APA members and non-members. The award is given for group achievement and may be made to a planning agency, planning team or firm, community group, or local authority. There are no limits on the size of jurisdiction. For efforts within the United States.

Criteria

1. Originality and innovation. Document how your entry presents a visionary approach or innovative concept to address needs. Explain how the use of the planning process in this context broadened accepted planning principles within the context of the situation.
2. Quality. Explain how your plan is state-of-the-art in terms of presentation and methodology. Identify what makes this plan different or stand out compared to other comprehensive plans.
3. Engagement. Explain how various stakeholder interests were involved and the extent of that involvement. Competitive entries demonstrate a strong effort to solicit input from those who historically have been left out of the planning process. Show how the nominated plan obtained public and private support, and helped to bring the community together over shared goals.
4. Promotion of Planning. Clarify the role, significance and participation of planners. Demonstrate the connection between the effort's success and increased awareness in the community of planners and planning. Explain how the nominated effort helped to elevate the value of planning within the community.
5. Effectiveness and Results. State how your entry addressed the need or problem that prompted its initiation. Be explicit about how the results have made a difference in the lives of the people affected. Explain what steps have been taken to build momentum and public support for development and implementation of the plan. State the positive or unintended outcomes. Convey the level of effectiveness your entry can have over time.

Eligibility

Open to APA members and non-members. For efforts within the United States.

Criteria

1. Originality and innovation. Identify how the strategy builds upon best practices and identifies innovative approaches for addressing a community's specific needs or reducing its risks. How does the initiative improve recovery efforts if a disaster does strike, or address cascading disasters or stresses (i.e. landslides result from excessive rains, public health emergencies create economic stress)?
2. Engagement. Describe how the strategy used an inclusive planning process and engages diverse partners and stakeholders, and/or breaks down institutional or structural barriers to facilitate decision making so all community members' voices are represented. Describe what steps were taken to build momentum and support for your entry. Explain how planners helped facilitate outcomes that gained support for planning practices.
3. Integration. Describe how the strategy integrates or augments existing planning efforts within the community, county, or region such as corresponding comprehensive or master plans or other related initiatives. Explain how the effort or initiative can be adapted or applied by other jurisdictions and supports the broader needs of the community and surrounding region.
4. Economic Impacts. Describe how the strategy represents realizable and practical actions, leveraging multiple funding sources and partnerships to deliver co-benefits for diverse populations. How will the effort lessen the financial impact disasters or economic downturns can have on communities?
5. Effectiveness and Results. Demonstrate how the initiative has strengthened the resiliency of the community. Identify what benchmarks were used to determine success and be explicit about how the results have made a difference in the lives of people affected. How has this initiative increased resident understanding and awareness about potential disasters, as well as the roles and responsibilities of individual community members, along with the community as a whole, in helping to mitigate the severity of potential disasters? How has this initiative positioned the community for a stronger, more resilient future?

Eligibility

Any planning agency, planning team or firm, community group, or local authority helping civic leaders and citizens play a meaningful role in creating communities that enrich people's lives may submit a nomination. No restrictions on the size of the jurisdiction. For efforts within the United States.

Criteria

1. Originality and innovation. Describe how your entry addresses a known community need or challenge, and better positions the community for a stronger, more equitable future for all. Identify any tools, resources, or skills that helped to advance the effort within the community. Demonstrate how this effort compliments or builds upon existing planning efforts and supports the overall planning goals of the community. Explain how this effort also helps move the planning profession forward?
2. Methodology and Transferability. Explain the process, budget, and project timeline for the nominated effort. Identify how planning and/or planners were instrumental in this effort. Share how the community is kept updated and informed of progress and implementation of the effort. Demonstrate how your effort can be applied in other communities and the methodology used to help advance the value of planning.
3. Engagement. Address what steps have been taken to build momentum and public support for your entry. Share how all community members were involved, including those who historically have been left out of the planning process. How did planners help facilitate bringing together competing community interests for the betterment of the whole community? Describe stakeholder involvement and how the entry brought together elected leaders, public, private, and non-profit stakeholders, and community members. Identify, if applicable, any unique strategic partnerships or funding sources that was used to help move the effort forward.
4. Effectiveness and Results. Provide measurable results or how success will be tracked. What are the long-term outcomes generated or expected from the effort? Convey the level of effectiveness your entry can have over time or be a catalyst to future efforts. Be explicit about how the results have made a difference in the lives of those who live in the community. How has this entry positioned the community for a stronger, more resilient and equitable future?