Community Achievement Award Applications due 21 January

By Tricia Spayer | Chair of the Community Achievement Award Committee

What is a Community Achievement Award (CAA)?

This award honors STC communities that have achieved success. There are three levels of recognition: Merit, Excellence, and Distinction. An award of Merit means that a community is a) running properly, and b) providing programs and services that further the mission of the Society. Excellence and Distinction awards are given to communities that go above and beyond the minimum requirements.

The CAAs will be presented at the 2014 STC Summit in Phoenix. Two of the outstanding CAA honorees will also be awarded “Most Improved Community” and “Community of the Year.”

Who should apply for the award?

All STC communities (chapters, SIGs, and student chapters) should apply for this award! An award of Merit means that your community is doing what it should be doing. Every community should be able to earn at least a Merit award.

Earning a CAA means that you have a successful community. You can post the award banner on your website, brochure, or other communications. It gives your community credibility. People are more likely to join your community if you have a good track record.

Earning Excellence or Distinction is a huge deal, giving communities bragging rights. All community members present at the Honors Banquet at the Summit are invited on stage to receive the award and all its accolades.

Tips for applying

• Plan ahead: While it’s too late to begin planning for the 2013 year, use the award criteria as a success plan to run your community in 2014. Assign a community member to keep track of accomplishments, and have council/board members report to that individual when they have accomplished something. An immediate past president/manager is often a good choice for keeping track of accomplishments.
• Use innovative activities: If your community is doing activities you believe should count on your application, send a description of those items to the committee before the deadline, and before you submit your application—and allow the committee enough time to review them.
• Review Excellence criteria: Most successful communities are doing these activities. Some criteria are no-brainers—take a look! Use substitutions if necessary.
• Review Distinction criteria: Although there are only a few “Required Distinction” criteria, communities achieving Distinction typically will have numerous activities completed in the “Optional” categories. Communities of Distinction are voted in by the committee as truly outstanding from other communities.

What’s new this year?

• New committee email: stc.caa@gmail.com.
• The application has been simplified for your convenience and now contains six sections instead of seven—Fundamental and Merit have been combined.
• Criteria in the application have been aligned with Community Success Plan
• Some criteria have been moved to another level (from Merit to Excellence, for example). Contact the committee for details.

Get more information

The 2013 Community Achievement Award Guidelines and applications are available on the STC website at www.stc.org/membership/recognition/awards.

Questions?

Contact the Community Achievement Awards committee (Tricia Spayer, chair) at stc.caa@gmail.com.