GCNA award nominations step-by-step guide

This guide is designed to help create a nomination for the GCNA's awards. Carefully review the steps outlined here to get a sense of the details before beginning the process of nominating. Given the highly confidential nature of the process, it is highly recommended not to inform the nominee on the nomination.

Step 1. Understand the nomination cycle timeline

The completed nomination packet is due to the Awards Committee no later than January 15 each year. Awards are conferred annually at the GCNA Congress.

Step 2. Decide whom to nominate and for which award

See the GCNA Awards Policy for the most current list of awards and qualifications.

Step 3. Prepare the nomination packet

All documents must be typed and submitted as a PDF. Handwritten submissions will not be accepted.

Step 3.1. Assemble a nomination team

A nomination team must consist of at least 2 and no more than 4 individuals. At least 2 members of the nomination team must be GCNA members in good standing, and no more than 1 team member may be affiliated with the nominee's organization.

Select one member of the nomination team to serve as the nominator. The nominator is responsible for coordinating and submitting the complete nomination packet and serving as the primary point of contact with the Awards Committee. The nominator notifies the Awards Committee that a nomination packet is being developed and provides the name of the nominee.

Step 3.2. Complete the nomination form

The nominator fills out and signs a nomination form, which lists the award type, the nominee, the nomination team members, and other relevant information.

Step 3.3. Write letters of support

Each member of the nomination team develops a signed and dated letter of support. Successful letters of support are generally 1-to-2 pages in length and justify why a nominee should win an award. People who have first-hand knowledge of the nominee and who can include examples that support and demonstrate the nominee's "acknowledged eminence" are good resources.

The nominator assembles all letters of support for submission in a single nomination packet; letters are not sent individually to the Awards Committee.

Step 3.4. Write a qualification narrative

The nominator writes a succinct and clear narrative which illustrates the specific ways in which the candidate meets the requirements for the given honor. The maximum length of the qualification narrative is 200 words. Elements of this narrative will serve as a basis for the text which will appear on the award and other promotional material.

Step 3.5. Write a biography

The nominator submits a summarized biography of the nominee. The biography is written either in narrative prose or in the form of a résumé or curriculum vitae (CV). The maximum length of the biography is 1,000 words. Elements of the biography will appear on the GCNA website in an ongoing effort to document the award recipients.

Step 4. Submit the nomination packet

The nominator assembles all PDF documents and emails the nomination packet to the Awards Committee chair at awards@gcna.org on or before January 15. It is recommended to organize the packet as a single PDF as opposed to separate files. The correct order of the elements in the nomination packet is below.

1. Nomination form
2. Letters of support
3. Qualification narrative
4. Biography

Step 5. Stand by during Awards Committee review

The nominator will receive a notice of receipt of the nomination packet. It will be reviewed for completeness. If documents are found lacking, the nominator will be advised and have 3 weeks from the notice to complete the packet. If the packet is not completed by the imposed deadline, the nomination will be held as pending for the following year's cycle and not be forwarded to the Board of Directors.

Step 6. Stand by during Board review

The Awards Committee will send the complete nomination packet and any comments to the Board of Directors by March 1. The nominator will receive periodic updates related to the nomination packet from the Awards Committee and the Board of Directors.

Questions?

Please see the GCNA Awards Policy for additional information. Should you have questions that have not been addressed in this guide or in the Awards Policy, please contact the Awards Committee chair at awards@gcna.org.