Chapter Planning Leadership Award Criteria
2024 Chapter Planning Leadership Awards Program
The Planning Leadership Awards are the APA Florida Chapter’s highest honors which recognize individuals for their leadership on planning issues. After seeking input from the membership, Leadership Award candidates are nominated by the APA Florida Executive Committee which also serves as the Leadership Awards Jury.
The 2024 APA Florida Leadership Awards will be presented during the Florida Planning Conference, Sept. 3-6, in Tampa.
Award criteria and eligibility and nomination requirements + form at the bottom.
Please note there is separate criteria and eligibility for Best EDI Workplace.
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President’s Lifetime Achievement
Recognizes an APA Florida member's contributions to the development and mission of the American Planning Association in a substantial manner over a sustained period of time of at least 25 years.
ELIGIBILITY: Candidates may not self-nominate. APA Florida membership is required.
REVIEW CRITERIA:
- Support of Planning. Specify how the nominee's work increased the understanding of planning principles and the planning process.
- Support of APA. Detail how the nominee's participation in, and contribution to APA furthered the cause of the association.
- Effectiveness and Results. Describe the contribution the nominee has had to the planning profession, the level of effectiveness the nominee has had in formulating and implementing his or her ideas, and subsequently furthering the cause of planning and APA.
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Distinguished Contribution to the Chapter
Recognizes an APA Florida member who has contributed to the goals and objectives of the American Planning Association Florida Chapter and to its development plan through an extraordinary effort over a short period of time.
ELIGIBILITY: Candidates may not self-nominate. APA Florida membership is required.
REVIEW CRITERIA:
- Support of Planning. Specify how the nominee's work increased the understanding of planning principles and the planning process.
- Support of APA Florida. Detail how the nominee's participation in, and contribution to APA Florida furthered the cause of the Chapter.
- Effectiveness and Results. Describe the contribution the nominee has had to the planning profession in Florida, the level of effectiveness the nominee has had in formulating and implementing his or her ideas, and subsequently furthering the cause of planning and APA Florida during the prior year.
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Legislator of the Year
Recognizes an individual that has made a notable contribution to the planning profession and has substantially assisted in the advancement of the APA Florida Public Policy Agenda and Legislative Priorities.
ELIGIBILITY: Candidates may not self-nominate. APA membership is not required. Nominees shall be any elected member of the Florida Legislature, or United States Congress representing the State of Florida. Nominee must have served in the Florida Legislature or U.S. Congress for at least two years prior to nomination.
REVIEW CRITERIA:
- Support of Planning. Specify how the nominee's work demonstrates leadership and commitment to sound planning initiatives and/or efforts to develop partnerships in the planning process.
- Support of APA Florida. Detail how the nominee's participation with, and contribution to APA Florida furthered the cause of the Chapter.
- Effectiveness. Describe the level of effectiveness the nominee has had in formulating and implementing his or her ideas, subsequently furthering the cause of planning and APA Florida during the prior year.
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Outstanding Local Public Official of the Year
Recognizes an individual, who serves at a higher level of county or municipal government, who has shown outstanding leadership, dedication and commitment to his or her community, such as an advocate for sustainable planning and the formulation of public policy, particularly policies for citizen participation, the environment, transportation, and the economy.
ELIGIBILITY: Candidates may not self-nominate. APA membership is not required. Nominees shall serve in any county or municipal government in the State of Florida, either as an elected official, appointed board member, or executive level staff member. Nominee must have served in the position for at least 2 years prior to nomination.
REVIEW CRITERIA:
- Support of Planning. Specify how the nominee's work demonstrates leadership and commitment to sound planning initiatives and efforts within his or her community.
- Support of APA Florida. Detail how the nominee's participation with, and contribution to APA Florida furthered the cause of the Chapter.
- Effectiveness. Describe the level of effectiveness the nominee has had in formulating and implementing his or her ideas, subsequently furthering the cause of planning and APA Florida during the prior year.
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Student Planner of the Year
Recognizes a graduate student of a Planning Accreditation Board-approved planning program for outstanding achievement during the nominee's academic career in planning.
ELIGIBILITY: Nomination will be accepted from a Planning Accreditation Board-approved planning program at the graduate level. Nominees may not self-nominate. APA Florida membership is required. Attend graduate school for 1 year prior to award nomination.
REVIEW CRITERIA:
- Support of planning. Illustrate how the nominee's academic achievement has demonstrated comprehension of planning principles and the planning process. Show how the nominee's participation and leadership within the planning program demonstrated a sincere enthusiasm for excellence in planning.
- Effectiveness, results, and potential. Describe the contribution the nominee has made to the planning profession. Explain how the nominee demonstrates potential for success as a professional planner
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Outstanding Public Interest Group of the Year
Recognizes a volunteer citizen-based or non-profit group that has advanced or promoted the cause of planning in the public arena. (Examples: Engaged citizen group demonstrating outstanding leadership in a community, region, or state; environmental or historic preservation group; or citizen activists or neighborhood leaders.)
ELIGIBILITY: Group may not self-nominate and cannot earn their living primarily from the planning profession while engaged in the volunteer citizen-based or non-profit group activity. APA Florida membership is not required.
REVIEW CRITERIA:
- Support of planning and planners. Illustrate how the nominee's work has increased the understanding of the planning issues. Indicate how the nominee has shown a clear understanding of, and support for, the role of planners in public life.
- Effectiveness and results. Describe the extent that the nominee has been effective in formulating and implementing plans and ideas in support of good planning. Identify the level of influence and effectiveness achieved by the nominee within different segments of the community during the prior year.
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Outstanding Citizen Activist (NEW IN 2024)
Recognizes outstanding efforts of an individual citizen to their community. Those who are heavily participatory in local planning, community building, and other issues important to our sense of places should be recognized for their efforts. Oftentimes these are our unsung heroes who work tirelessly and passionately behind the scenes or in front of the issues. (Examples: Engaged citizen demonstrating outstanding leadership in a community, region, or state environmental or historic preservation activities, or a citizen activist or neighborhood leader.)
ELIGIBILITY: Candidates may not self-nominate. APA membership is not required. Nominees shall be a Florida resident. Nominees cannot use work directly tasked as part of their employment as in a fashion that the type of work being nominated for is part of their employment duties. Those nominating the candidate must demonstrate a history of impactful and measurable activity.
REVIEW CRITERIA:
- Support of planning and/or the planning profession. Specify how the nominee’s volunteer work demonstrates positive change to a community or communities, or the role of planners in public life.
- Effectiveness. Describe the level of effectiveness the nominee has had in formulating the implementing his or her ideas, subsequently furthering planning practices, community involvement, or exemplary influence to decisions made.
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Outstanding Media Leadership
Recognizes an individual, who through media or programming, uses information and education about the value of planning to create greater awareness among citizens or specific segments of the community.
ELIGIBILITY: Candidates may not self-nominate. APA Florida membership is not required.
REVIEW CRITERIA:
- Originality. Document how the media or programming uses new ideas or combines tools to address a demonstrated need for planning information or education within the community.
- Quality. Describe how the nominee’s work represents excellence of thought, analysis, writing, and graphics throughout the media or programming.
- Education. Show how the media or programming has increased the understanding of planning principles and the planning process. Explain how the results have been measured and internalized.
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General Submission Information
Nominations must be submitted electronically to the APA Florida Chapter Office.
Each award nomination must include the following:
- Summary of the entry (max. 500 words)
- Description of how the entry meets the award category criteria (max. 800 words)
- Letters of support
- At least one (1); up to three (3) one-page letters of support.
- Letters should be addressed to: Chairman Leadership Awards Jury.
- Letter(s) should offer support for the value of the nominated effort.
- Letter(s) may not be written by the nominator of the submission or by the nominated individual or group.
- Comments from APA Florida sections, members, and other stakeholders involved with the subject of the nomination are encouraged.
Complete award package in electronic form must be received by the APA Florida Chapter Office no later than 5 pm ET June 7, 2024.(no exceptions).
Please direct any questions about the awards program to Stefanie Svisco at 850-201-3272 or here. If you are having issues with the submission form, please contact Patti Shea at 850-201-3272 or here.
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Best EDI Workplace Submission Information
Recognizes one private-sector, public-sector, or non-profit organization that is engaged in the planning profession in Florida and demonstrates achievement and commitment to expanding equity, diversity, and inclusion in Florida’s planning profession. For this award, diversity should be interpreted broadly, including age, race, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and/or veteran status.
The 2024 Chapter Award for Best EDI Workplace will be presented during the Florida Planning Conference, Sept. 3-6 at the Tampa Convention Center.
ELIGBILITY: Nomination will be accepted from a manager, director or corporate officer of the organization. Organization must operate in Florida.
REVIEW CRITERIA:
- Diversity of employees.
- Diversity of management.
- Equity/inclusion practices. Examples are hiring and recruitment, promotional criteria, pay equity; mentoring initiatives, affinity groups, awareness efforts.
- Budgeted or pro bono service to underresourced communities, community or student associations, and/or educational institutions.
- Other efforts to promote a culture of inclusion and belonging.
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Submission Information For Best EDI Workplace Award:
Nominations must be submitted electronically to the APA Florida Chapter Office.
Each award nomination must include the following:
- Submittal letter summarizing the major points of the application, identifying a point of contact for the application, and signed by a manager, director, or corporate officer.
- Narrative addressing all criteria with specific examples of how each criterion is met, as well as 3 to 5 high-resolution graphics.
- Optional Supporting documents, such as budgets, trend data, newsletter articles, press releases, links to videos or websites, brochures, and event flyers
- Letters of support
- up to three (3) one-page letters of support from communities, associations, educational institutions, and/or groups cited in the application .
- Letters should be addressed to: Chairman Leadership Awards Jury.
- Letter(s) should offer support for the value of the nominated effort.
- Letter(s) may not be written by the nominator of the submission