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Award Nomination Guidelines

IMPORTANT: Keep Oklahoma Beautiful has made a few recent changes to improve and clarify the nomination process. Please read the following guidelines carefully.

2013 Guidelines:

Cost to enter: FREE

  • Online Submission Opens: July 2, 2013
  • Online Submission Deadline: September 7, 2013

Note: Beginning in 2010, Keep Oklahoma Beautiful began accepting nominations online only - saving paper, time and postage. If this presents a problem for you, please contact Jordan Scott, KOB Projects Coordinator, at 405-286-9141 or jordan@keepoklahomabeautiful.com.

Requirements:

  • Each award nomination must fit one of the award categories listed on the left side of this page. Complete category descriptions can be found here.

  • Award nominations will describe a single outstanding PROJECT or exemplary PROGRAM completed within the 12-month period ending June 30th. DO NOT submit a report of your organization's complete agenda for the year. Eligible projects will focus on one or more of the following areas:
    • Beautification & Landscaping
    • Environmental Improvement/Sustainable Practices
    • Classroom, Workshop, Conference & Online Training
    • Communications & Public Awareness
Note: Detailed descriptions of the focus areas can be found on the left side of this page.
  • SUMMARY: Each nomination will begin with a typed summary of the project or achievement, no longer than 3 pages in a 12pt font, double spaced with .5 inch margins. You may upload the document as a .doc, .docx or .pdf file.
    • The summary should include:
      • A clear description of the program/project
      • The planning process for this program/project
      • The impact and potential for longevity of the program/project
      • If the program/project requires on-going maintenance, how that is being addressed
      • How and to what extent the community (volunteers, city leaders, businesses, other organizations/groups) was involved (i.e. time, financial or in-kind donations) with the program.
  • BUDGET: Include a copy of the project/programs budget. If your project/program already has a prepared budget, submit that. But if you don't, click here to download a sample budget as a starting point. Plug in your own values and items.

  • REFERENCES: Include the contact information for two (2), no more than four (4), persons/organizations that funded the project and/or who benefited from the project.  Provide: name, title, org., mailing address, city, state, zip, email address and phone number. You may upload this information as a .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx or .pdf file.

  • SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS: At least two (2) and no more than four (4) supporting documents are required.  Examples would include news clippings, project graphics, brochures, screen captures of web pages, videos (2-minutes max)  and charts and graphs highlighting the growth and/or impact of the project. If you are unable to upload these at the time you submit your online nomination, you may mail them to KOB, making sure to label each piece with the name of the NOMINEE and CATEGORY. This must be received at KOB by the nomination deadline August 31, 2012.

  • PHOTOS:  Include at least 5, no more than 10 photos that accurately represent your project or achievement.  For projects/programs that are showing improvement (landscaping, mural, building restoration, etc), before & after photos must be included. If you are nominating an individual, at least one of the photos must be a recent head & shoulders shot.

Judging:

  • Each nomination is evaluated by an independent panel of judges - and their individual scores are averaged for a final value. You are encouraged to download the actual judging evaluation sheet (found here) before you submit your nomination.  Make certain you are covering the bases and increase your project's chances of becoming a finalist.

  • Nominees must score at least 65 out of 85 points to be considered a finalist.  The highest score is the category winner.  Ties are broken by agreement of the judges.  Rarely, two winners are chosen in a single category.

  • Finalists will be notified by September 12, 2012 and invited to attend the 22nd Annual Environmental Excellence Awards Celebration at the Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City on November 1, 2012 where winners will be announced.

  • Each complete entry and its contents becomes the property of Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, Inc.

Award Nominations are due September 7, 2012

All entries will be acknowledged by email.  If you submit an entry and do NOT want the nominee to be notified unless they are a finalist, please mark the box "notify only if finalist" on the nomination form.

To learn more about the Award Categories and Focus Areas, click here.

To learn more about the Awards Celebration, click here.

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Judging Criteria

Improve the quality of your nomination by reviewing the exact sheet Judges will use when determining the finalists. Click here to download the Judging Evaluation Form.

Environmental Excellence
Awards Categories

  • KOB Youth Awards
  • Business
  • Collegiate Effort
  • K-12 Educators & Educational Institutions
  • Government Programs
  • Nonprofit Organization (501(c)(3) not required)

Nomination Focus Areas

Nominations will focus on one or more of the following:

Environmental Improvement & Sustainable Practices: Includes projects, programs and campaigns designed to reduce, prevent and control litter, improve water or air quality, reduce waste, conserve natural resources.  Projects that demonstrate sustainable practices such as source reduction, reuse, recycling...organic farming, buy-local, use of alternative energy, etc. Measurable results should be illustrated, if applicable include before & after photos. Cleanup projects are considered environmental improvement.


Beautification & Landscaping: Includes tree and flower plantings, landscaping, maintenance, art in public spaces, hardscaping, seasonal decor, historical preservation and restoration - creation of green spaces, pocket parks, walking, hiking and bicycle trails & playgrounds. Before and after photos strongly suggested.

Classroom, Workshop, Conference & Online Training: Educational campaigns involving school children, development of innovative teaching tools.  Offerings of adult workshops or conferences.  Exhibits, demonstrations, webinars for specific audiences. Websites or webpages with significant environmental education value.


Communication & Public Awareness: Promotional and public relations efforts targeting the general public, designed to raise awareness of environmental issues, sustainable practices and their advocates.  This could be social media campaigns, public service advertising, newspaper stories, television campaigns, radio interviews, certain websites or web pages, email campaigns, video production, printed materials such as posters, brochures and t-shirts.