Select the award category that best fits your project. Nominations should be made for one category only. Listing of one secondary/alternate category is permitted. Final determination of the most appropriate category will be made by the awards jury.

The award categories are as follows:

• Students – Any project completed as part of an undergraduate or graduate program, including team efforts. Projects awarded in this category should demonstrate a positive contribution to the planning community.
• Implementation – Examples of projects awarded in this category include site selection, site plans, constructed projects, project delivery or evaluation, capital improvement programs, shoreline management projects, projects linking planning and public health, and success in implementing Growth Management Act comprehensive planning.
• Comprehensive Planning/Development Regulations-Large Cities & Counties – (Cities > 40,000 population and Counties > 60,000) Master plans, urban design standards or guidelines, comprehensive plans, downtown improvement plans, revitalization plans, historic preservation plans, natural resource plans, development codes, economic planning, strategic planning, etc.
• Comprehensive Planning/Development Regulations-Small Cities & Counties – (Cities < 40,000 population and Counties < 60,000) Master plans, urban design standards or guidelines, comprehensive plans, downtown improvement plans, revitalization plans, historic preservation plans, natural resource plans, development codes, economic planning, strategic planning, etc. This is a broad category that includes planning efforts underway across rural areas of Washington State, such as rural elements, natural resource land plans, subarea plans, and local areas of more intensive rural development (LAMIRDS).
• Transportation Plans – Transportation planning, corridor studies, transit planning, non-motorized plans, pedestrian plans, and transportation demand management.
• Community Involvement – Community outreach, participation or education efforts related to planning programs or constructed projects, relationship and acceptance of community stakeholders; this includes projects working with special populations such as youth or communities not typically engaged in planning.
• Sustainability– Creating and/or implementing plans, initiatives, programs, and projects related to sustainability and climate change.

The nominated plan or project must demonstrate how it meets the following criteria:

1. Outstanding application of planning principles: How the nominated plan or project not only meets but exceeds sound planning principles and practices.

2. Implementation of community values: How community values, as contained within a planning document/vision statement, are reflected in the plan or project.

3. Contribution to specific planning technologies: such as wireless devices, web-based tools, permit review & tracking systems, etc. How the plan or project used emerging technologies and/or techniques plus how your experience can serve as a model or be applied by others.

4. Furtherance of GMA: How the plan or project advanced the goals of the GMA in a local jurisdiction.

5. Suitability of the solution to the problem or context: How the plan or project provides an appropriate approach to an issue and how it has been embraced or implemented by the community/client.

6. Innovative and/or creative solution or project, and demonstration of applicability to other projects: How the plan or project has successfully used a new or rarely used approach to a problem and how transferrable this innovation is to other planning scenarios.

Nominated projects must also comply with the following eligibility requirements:

• Regional projects or plans that extend beyond Washington State may be eligible but must have a substantial nexus to planning in Washington.

• All plans must have been completed, meaning a document has been finalized for formal consideration by local government (i.e., Planning Commissions, Councils or Commissioners) or has been adopted.

• For construction projects, improvements must be substantially complete by March 10, 2023.

• For student projects, submittals must be completed as required by your degree program.

1. Nominations shall be submitted electronically via the link provided. The nomination will be judged solely on the electronic submittal.

2. Submittal responses shall be a maximum of 12 single-sided 8 ½ ″ x 11” electronic document pages, minimum 11-point font. In addition, up to 5 letters of endorsement and up to 5 graphics as large as 11″ x 17″ in size may also be submitted. Submittals exceeding these limits will not be considered. After your complete your nomincation, please click here to submit your final documents.

3. Winning submittals will be retained for archival purposes.

4. The Awards Committee will attempt to notify applicants of the jury’s decisions on or before Friday, April 21, 2023.

5. Award recipients will be contacted by the Awards Committee for arrangements for the Awards Ceremony, to be held in-person during the PAW Annual Conference in Chelan, WA on Thursday, April 27, 2023.

Payment will be required as part of the online submittal and may be made through the online form or by requesting an invoice. Payment is non-refundable.

Fees (per application):

• Students and Non-profit Organizations: $25.00
• APA or PAW Members: $150.00
• Non-members: $200.00

Questions regarding payment should be directed to:

Amy Ohlinger, Executive Director

Planning Association of Washington
5727 Baker Way NW, Ste 200

Gig Harbor, WA 98332

(253) 525-5160 or toll-free, 1-877-460-5880

Email: Amy@aminc.org