Call for Entries

Environmental Excellence Awards

 

Recognition of Statewide Contributions

FOR A SUSTAINABLE ARIZONA

The Arizona Forward Environmental Excellence Awards, presented by SRP, is Arizona’s most prominent environmental awards program, recognizing exemplary projects throughout the state. Initiated in 1980, the awards program is a benchmark for economic and environmental accomplishment. Award-winning projects are among the most distinguished and impactful achievements in Arizona.

All projects are reviewed based on environmental and sustainability impact to communities, cities, regions, or the entire state. A panel of judges comprising prominent leaders and experts in the community will convene to select projects to receive the coveted Crescordia Award and Award of Distinction.

Submission Details

Before you begin your online submission, please ensure that you have the following required items: 

  • Completed online project entry form
  • Executive Summary (Approx. 250 words)
  • Narrative Description (Approx. 1000 words)
  • 12 high-resolution Photos (at least 300 pixels per inch)
  • Slide Deck (Presentation – 8 slides) OR 3 minute video (Uploaded to https://www.dropbox.com/request/yQZh0q8p2yiNEXoKc4l9 if unable to upload to form directly)
  • Submit payment for entry fee

Executive Summary

The executive summary provides an overview of your project. Please include the following:

  • Definition of the project and its purpose
  • Impact to the community or the environment
  • Metrics (if applicable)
  • Four project highlights

Narrative Description

The narrative description is a more in-depth version of your executive summary. Please provide a detailed description of your project that includes the following:

  • The purpose of the project
  • The strategy involved in the planning and development process
  • Why your project is innovative or unique
  • Qualify the impact to the state, community, or the environment
  • Quantify the impact to the state, community, or the environment

Slide Deck or Video

You may choose to submit either a slide deck presentation (8 slides) OR video (approx. 3 min). This will be an important part of the judging process. The selection criteria listed for each award should be used as the guide. Descriptions of the visual content should be based on the selection criteria listed under each award category (see award category information below).

Entry Fee

A project entry fee of $200 is required for each project submitted per category to be considered for the award. The fee may be paid via credit card or check. If you need an invoice, please email, info@arizonaforward.org.

Deadline

All entries and fee payments must be received no later than midnight (Arizona time) on December 20th, 2024.

Project Entry Submission and Payment Form

Award Categories

2025 Program

Governor’s Award for Arizona’s Future

Creative initiatives that foster the economic vitality and long-term sustainability of Arizona’s future. Encompasses projects, public policies, or collaborative efforts that make Arizona a better place to live, work, and play.

SELECTION CRITERIA

  • Facilitates collaboration and/or public-private partnerships toward innovative sustainability programs, projects, or services
  • Addresses sustainability solutions for Arizona in areas such as land use and open space, water management, energy, transportation, air quality, healthy forest ecosystems, and livable communities
  • Fosters sustainable planning, design, and development

Healthy Communities

Projects, policies, or plans that promote the health and wellness of communities in rural or urban areas and could include neighborhood revitalization, community redevelopment, or cross-sector collaborations.

SELECTION CRITERIA

  • Demonstrates a commitment to environmental quality and/or creating a positive impact on health and wellness
  • Preserves, protects, and enhances environmental resources
  • Advocates policies or plans that foster livable, sustainable communities, regional connectivity, and/or healthy workplaces
  • Facilitates collaboration and/or public/private partnerships toward innovative sustainability programs, projects, or services

Climate Action Solutions

Solutions-oriented actions that address climate risks in Arizona with a future-focused perspective and demonstrate measurable improvements.

SELECTION CRITERIA

  • Facilitates collaboration and/or public-private partnerships toward innovative climate action solutions through programs, projects, or services
  • Showcases a practical and replicable example of what can be done in other regions to address climate change
  • Provides a quantifiable positive impact in addressing climate change

Art in Public Places

Creative works of art visually accessible to the general public that contribute to aesthetic appreciation, add to a sustainable-based culture, and encourage sustainability (public or privately owned).

SELECTION CRITERIA

  • Contributes to aesthetic appreciation
  • Contributes to environmentally based culture
  • Preserves or enhances environmental quality
  • Integrates and is compatible with the natural and built environment

Natural Environment Preservation

Improvements to the natural environment through projects such as hiking trails, riparian areas, preserves, trailheads, parks, and habitat restoration.

SELECTION CRITERIA

  • Preserves open spaces and critical elements of the environment and enhances quality of life
  • Protects essential habitat needed for the continued existence of native plants and wildlife
  • Manages, conserves, preserves, repairs, or prevents deterioration of natural resources or ecosystems

Technology Innovation

Innovative products or processes that use technology to encourage sustainable outcomes and demonstrate an economic benefit to positively address environmental issues.

SELECTION CRITERIA

  • Utilizes new/emerging technologies or innovative applications of existing technologies
  • Conserves or protects natural resources
  • Reduces energy consumption and/or generates clean energy
  • Protects human health and the environment

Site Development

Contributions that enhance the urban environment within large-scale commercial, industrial, and/or public work sectors and could include projects related to waste or water treatment facilities, roadways, bridges, canals, and other types of infrastructure. Completed new buildings, renovations, restorations, interior architecture, and urban/regional plans are eligible.

SELECTION CRITERIA

  • Preserves or enhances natural resources and the environment
  • Integrates with the natural environment
  • Integrates with the man-made environment
  • Contributes to environmental awareness, education, or cultural/aesthetic appreciation

Environmental Education and Communication

Achievements in education and/or communication that are designed for a wide audience and produce increased awareness, change in behavior, or a deeper appreciation of sustainability or climate action initiatives.

SELECTION CRITERIA

  • Contributes to environmental education and awareness
  • Demonstrates an impactful environmental program
  • Engages or educates the public in ways that are meaningful, informative, effective, creative, and innovative
  • Conserves natural resources
  • Includes the production of collateral materials; investigative or research-driven reports; written, digital and broadcast media; or campaigns on environmental topics

Buildings, Structures, and Landscape Design

Civic, commercial, or institutional buildings, structures, or landscapes that represent elements that preserve environmental quality, incorporate sustainability, integrate with the natural or built environment, and create aesthetic appreciation.

SELECTION CRITERIA

  • Preserves or enhances environmental quality
  • Integrates with the natural environment
  • Integrates with the man-made environment
  • Conserves natural resources and/or creates/preserves habitat
  • Contributes to environmental awareness, education, and cultural/aesthetic appreciation

Circular Economy Solutions

Best practices and/or programs that eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials at their highest value, and regenerate nature, achieving positive environmental and economic results.

SELECTION CRITERIA

  • Enables products to be designed, accessed, and used in ways that eliminate waste/pollution
  • Demonstrates collaboration for systems change such as fostering public-private collaborations across value chains, removing barriers, developing new policies, and/or aligning with existing ones
  • Promotes management of resources to preserve value through the development of business models and resource management systems
  • Demonstrates investments in innovation, infrastructure, and skills
  • Reduces energy consumption, water use, or waste and enhances environmental quality
  • Fosters customer awareness of/participation in environmentally friendly actions
  • Demonstrates that environmentally friendly actions can contribute positively to the bottom line

Project Entry Submission and Payment Form

The Sustainability Rising Star Award

This award recognizes the inspiring efforts and achievements of an early career sustainability/environmental professional who is driving positive change within their organization and the wider sustainability/environmental community.

SELECTION CRITERIA

  • Under 40 years of age
  • Nominated by someone other than themselves
  • Evaluated on all-around abilities, not only on academic and work-related achievements
  • Demonstrates enthusiasm/passion for sustainability
  • Demonstrates distinguished contributions to the profession
  • Demonstrates the significance of those contributions and where possible the degree of influence the nominee had in the project or activity
  • Shows evidence of the nominee’s career achievements (could include significant contribution to a project)
  • Provides references of work over the past 2 years or since the beginning of the nominee’s career (a concise statement of the contributions made to the sector by the nominee, including any voluntary work)
  • A 60-90 second video of the professional describing their key achievements and why they should be considered. If selected as the winner, this video will play at the awards ceremony, so ensure the quality is of a professional level.
  • A 500 written word description of their key achievement and why they should be considered

NOMINATE A CANDIDATE

Project Eligibility

Selection Criteria

  • An individual person, firm, agency, organization, or business in the public or private sector conducting work in Arizona that positively impacts sustainability in areas of social, environment and the economic well-being of the state is eligible for this program.
  • Entries must represent a completed project. An exception is the Healthy Communities Award category in which adopted plans or policies are eligible.
  • Projects that have received a Crescordia Award or an Award of Merit/Distinction in past years are ineligible. There are no timeframe limitations for project entries. Projects may be completed and implemented prior to this past year.
  • The same project may be entered in more than one category but may only be eligible to win a Crescorida for one category. Separate fees are required for each category entry
  • The judging panel may elect to shift an entry to a category that may be more appropriate for the project.
  • All projects will be reviewed based on the sustainability impact to communities, cities, regions, or the entire state of Arizona and not on size of the organization or project budget.

Project entries will be reviewed using one or more of the criteria listed below:

  • Demonstrates a quantitative/measurable impact to social, environment, and economic areas related to communities, cities, regions, or the entire state of Arizona.
  • Demonstrates a qualitative impact to social, environment, and economic areas related to communities, cities, regions, or the entire state of Arizona.
  • Implements practices that reduce or eliminates the use of materials or natural resources that negatively impact the environment and promotes positive alternatives.
  • Contributes to the preservation and the balance between the natural and built environment.
  • Promotes a healthy society that contributes to quality of life and/or economic growth for Arizona.
  • Addresses sustainability solutions to create healthy ecosystems.
  • Contributes to the awareness of sustainability issues and inspires solutions and actions.
  • Establishes a model, practices, or actions that can be used as a benchmark and replicated by other organizations in the state of Arizona.

Project Entry submission and Payment Form

Our Presenting Sponsor

salt river project

SRP is a founding member of Arizona Forward and a presenting sponsor and partner in the awards program for the last 20 years. Paralleling nicely with the mission and vision of Arizona Forward, SRP has a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and is proud to support Arizona’s leading environmental and sustainability organization and this prestigious awards program.