PR News has just released the call for entries for its Nonprofit PR Awards competition; the entry deadline is September 14, 2007. Get the specifics and application at http://www.prnewsonline.com/awards/nonprofit/.
I’ve judged the PRSA Silver Anvil awards competition for programs and Bronze Anvil awards competition for tools; I’m always suprised at how much time and money organizations invest in submitting average entries. Not better than average — average. While we all like to think we do award-winning work and we love it when that work is recognized by our peers, we need to be realistic about our projects when it comes to the investment needed to enter an awards program.
That’s why I’m encouraging you to ask yourself if your project truly was creative, well executed, and really, really successful. If it was just ho-hum, put your energy into working on ideas for a whiz-bang program that will move your agency forward and generate an award next year.
If you think you have a winner, take the awards application process seriously. This isn’t something you pull together in the final minutes before the last Fed Ex pickup to meet the deadline. Award-winning entries need to be thoughtful and thorough. And because they are judged by senior practitioners, they should be compiled by your most experienced PR pro.
I’ve been on both sides of the fence — as a winner and as a judge — and would be happy to answer questions on the topic. Reach me at sb@sandrabeckwith.com.
Nedra helps nonprofits and public agencies create positive change on health and social issues through social marketing and transmedia storytelling strategies at Weinreich Communications since founding the company in 1995. She helps organizations make a difference for the populations they serve by strategically designing programs that draw on state-of-the-art behavior change techniques, digital media approaches and the power of stories. 
