Award Entry Checklist
The checklist below contains important rules and is an integral part of your entry. Please read it carefully and follow the instructions step-by-step.
Scoring of entries will be based on four phases: research, analysis/planning, communications/execution and evaluation. Failure to address these elements will result in a significantly lower score and may lead to disqualification.
- A substantial part of your program should have taken place between July 2023 and June 2024.
- Choose the most appropriate category. A program may be entered in one Aurora Award category only. Pieces of a program may be entered in the appropriate Award of Excellence categories.
- You will be asked to provide a name/title for your entry. This will be printed on the award. You’ll also be asked to share up to five names of individuals who worked on the campaign.
- Nomination write-up – Introduce your activity with a concise nomination no longer than two typewritten pages for Aurora Awards and one typewritten page for Awards of Excellence, and address each of the following:
Aurora Awards
Research
(25% of total score.)
- Methodology
- Relationship to situation
- Strategies
Analysis/Planning
(25% of total score.)
- Objectives
- Originality
- Identification of need
- Techniques
- Budget
- Problem resolution
Communication/
Execution
(25% of total score.)
- Implementation methods
- Materials used
- In progress adjustments
- Communication techniques
- Tools and tactics
- Support personnel
- Employment of resources
- Creativity and originality
- Budget allocation method (need not show actual budget numbers)
Evaluation
(25% of total score.)
- Evidence of success
- Method of evaluation
- Connection to objectives
- Analysis and quantification of results
- Cost effectiveness
- Support materials – Include additional information such as data points, pictures, letters, screenshots and other items used for this activity. The more supplemental information you can provide, the better it is for the judges who live in another state and likely have never heard of your campaign. Video or audio files should be uploaded through another avenue and links to the files should be provided in the support materials section of the nomination.
- Upload 1-3 photos that visually represent your entry. These will be used on-screen during the announcement of the winners at the Aurora Awards celebration. (In the past, entrants were asked to submit the images as part of a PowerPoint slide. That is no longer necessary. Please submit stand-alone images.)
- Brief summary – a summary, no longer than 80 words, of the Aurora Awards campaign. This will be used by the judges in consideration for the APR’s Choice Award. Tip: the summary should include a reference about the impact the campaign and its success.
Awards of Excellence
Research
(25% of total score.)
- Objectives
- Originality
- Identification of need
- Techniques
- Budget
- Problem resolution
Communication/Execution
(50% of total score.)
- Implementation methods
- Materials used
- In progress adjustments
- Communication techniques
- Tools and tactics
- Support personnel
- Employment of resources
- Creativity and originality
- Budget allocation method (need not show actual budget numbers)
Evaluation
(25% of total score.)
- Evidence of success
- Method of evaluation
- Connection to objectives
- Analysis and quantification of results
- Cost effectiveness
- Support materials – Include appropriate information such as an example of the piece, data points, pictures, letters, screenshots and other items. Video or audio files should be uploaded through another avenue and links to the files should be provided in the support materials section of the nomination.
- Upload 1-3 photos that visually represent your entry. These will be used on-screen during the announcement of the winners at the Aurora Awards celebration.