Award Criteria
Requirements
An organization, individual, initiative or project can be nominated by a community member or they can self-apply. Three Nominees/Applicants will be selected as finalists in each category by an independent panel of community development stakeholders. Each finalist will have a video produced for them that will be revealed at the event. One winner from each category will be awarded at the Awards in fall 2024.
This year we are soliciting nominations in 4 award categories with projects that were completed prior to January 31, 2024.
Livability: Creating healthy, active, and beautiful places
Recognizes an organization, individual, initiative or project with a long-standing commitment to healthy communities. Organizations that have created communities in which residents have daily access to art, nature, recreation and beauty. Livability also includes the natural and cultural amenities that will improve the health and well-being of residents and make their community more attractive to new stakeholders. These elements could include the character, creativity, and condition of natural and built environments. Desirable amenities could include pedestrian and bicycle connectedness, recreational programs and spaces, access to quality health care, local high-quality food access, cultural attractions, and the preservation and enhancement of natural spaces.
Projects submitted in this category could include:
- Food access projects; change in food insecurity rate
- Health/recreational projects
- Community/police activities; decrease in criminal activity for neighborhood area
- Cultural/creative place-making projects
- Greenspace improvements
- Connectivity improvements
- Improvements of lighting, landscaping, street cleanliness, safety measures and maintenance
Nominee questions
Please answer each of the following questions, taking into account the criteria specified for your selected award category.
- Please provide a brief bio of this organization, individual, initiative or project and identify the problem or need that has been addressed through this effort.
- Please describe the timeline of the implementation of the effort, and identify and explain the measurable results.
- Describe any plans for expansion or replication. What are the lessons learned for others who may do similar work?
- What sets this effort apart and why should it be honored as a winner for this year?
- How does this effort work toward improving livability in your neighborhood?
- How does this organization or project work to improve Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice efforts in your neighborhood? Who does this organization or project benefit?
Opportunity: Fostering Entrepreneurship and Employment
Recognizes an outstanding organization, individual, initiative or project with a focus on building human capital, supporting existing businesses and redeveloping commercial property for viable new businesses, which requires the deployment of capital and technical support to bolster community entrepreneurs. Through coordinated investment in human capital, technical support, marketing and “shovel-ready” real estate, communities have retained and attracted growing small businesses and larger enterprises that create jobs. May also entail redeveloping older industrial and commercial areas (often including brownfields) to meet the location needs of growing regional business sectors. Additionally, it includes retail- level enhancements that offer essential goods and services in mixed-use places.
Projects submitted in this category could include:
- Small businesses assisted
- Brownfields tested/remediated/redeveloped
- Facades improved
- Industrial and Commercial Square footage improved
- Access to new capital for small business
- Access to financial incentives
- New businesses opened/attracted
- Jobs created
- Veteran Business Enterprise, Minority Business Enterprise or Women Business Enterprise businesses assisted, attracted or retained
- Infrastructure improvements
- Reduction in commercial vacancy rate
- Increase in local employment rate
- Increase in percent of residents employed in their own neighborhood
Nominee questions
Please answer each of the following questions, taking into account the criteria specified for your selected award category.
- Please provide a brief bio of this organization, individual, initiative or project and identify the problem or need that has been addressed through this effort.
- Please describe the timeline of the implementation of the effort, and identify and explain the measurable results.
- Describe any plans for expansion or replication. What are the lessons learned for others who may do similar work?
- What sets this effort apart and why should it be honored as a winner for this year?
- How does this effort work toward improving opportunity in your neighborhood?
- How does this organization or project work to improve Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice efforts in your neighborhood? Who does this organization or project benefit?
Vitality: Reviving a growing and diverse population
Recognizes an organization, individual, initiative or project that has helped to retain and attract residents to under-populated communities in a way that diversifies household income levels that leads to enhanced density and prosperity of these communities and the city. Increasing renovation and new construction, investments support creative financing options, land banking, targeted home repair financing, energy efficiency improvements and code enforcement for existing buildings.
Projects submitted in this category could include:
- Creation and investment in community plans that improve quality of life
- New housing units produced or improved
- Successfully managed a plan to attract housing and population to a community.
- Increase in Population
- Increase in Property values
Nominee questions
Please answer each of the following questions, taking into account the criteria specified for your selected award category.
- Please provide a brief bio of this organization, individual, initiative or project and identify the problem or need that has been addressed through this effort.
- Please describe the timeline of the implementation of the effort, and identify and explain the measurable results.
- Describe any plans for expansion or replication. What are the lessons learned for others who may do similar work?
- What sets this effort apart and why should it be honored as a winner for this year?
- How does this effort work toward improving vitality in your neighborhood?
- How does this organization or project work to improve Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice efforts in your neighborhood? Who does this organization or project benefit?
Education: Offering excellent lifelong learning opportunities
Recognizes an organization, individual, initiative or project that has contributed significantly to the enhancement of the learning opportunities in communities. Communities that offer a rich array of educational opportunities to their residents from cradle to career to ensure that all children in these areas will have access to quality schools, and that adults will have opportunities to improve their employment skills.
The assurance of high-quality K–12 education is fulfilled by first supporting the health of existing high-performing schools serving the area. If existing schools are academically failing, efforts have been made either to convert them into Innovation schools or to attract new schools.
In addition to K-12 education, this category highlights programs and organizations that support an effective workforce ecosystem to provide employers with a strong pipeline of neighborhood talent.
Providing opportunities and pathways to young adults to prepare them for future success.
Projects submitted in this category could include:
- Workforce development programs that train and educate
- Assists community educational institutions in improving or expanding their facilities
- Reduce barriers for employers to meet this demand for low- to mid-skilled workers
- Provides support in expanding enrichment activities for community residents from pre-K to workforce
- Educational facilities or programs
- Increase in high school diploma attainment
- Increase in area median income
- Increase in number of quality early childhood care centers
Nominee questions
Please answer each of the following questions, taking into account the criteria specified for your selected award category.
- Please provide a brief bio of this organization, individual, initiative or project and identify the problem or need that has been addressed through this effort.
- Please describe the timeline of the implementation of the effort, and identify and explain the measurable results.
- Describe any plans for expansion or replication. What are the lessons learned for others who may do similar work?
- What sets this effort apart and why should it be honored as a winner for this year?
- How does this effort work toward improving education in your neighborhood?
- How does this organization or project work to improve Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice efforts in your neighborhood? Who does this organization or project benefit?
People’s Choice LOVE Award
After the Awards broadcast, anyone will be able to vote for your favorite finalist and help award the $5,000 People’s Choice Award to one of the 12 finalists!
