AFP Global Awards Program

Writing Tips

We recognize that there are many competing priorities, but we encourage you to take the below into consideration. There is no substitute for a well written nomination. Judges will rely on the information provided to make a decision and a point system is utilized to evaluate award criteria. It is imperative that the required information is included. To that end, you must have the time and information to do so, and hopefully a few helpful colleagues or chapter members that can help. This is an international award, as such those that will be reviewing the nominations have high expectations for the caliber of the nominations, which will include attention to details, grammar and punctuation.

  • Please ensure that you have thoroughly reviewed the award criteria. Samples have been provided to aid you in understanding what the end product should mirror. Please give thought to your nominee to ensure that your nominee meets, or exceeds, the criteria and the high standards of each category.
  • This award nomination requires accurate and thoughtful mastery of writing. We strongly encourage you to customize your responses to our award format. Cutting and pasting from a previous nomination will not bode well and may cause the nomination to lose points if the requested criteria is not addressed appropriately.
  • Bullet points should only be utilized where needed (e.g., lists of key grants or gifts, organizations where the nominee volunteers). The judges are interested in narrative style writing which will help in better understanding what the nominee has achieved and why the individual has made a difference or impact. Every nominee has a story—our judges want to hear that story.
  • It is very important to include metrics as this quantitative information is used in judging. Please ensure that the information you provide is accurate.
  • Please help the judges understand what makes your nominee unique. Judges are drawn to different criteria and items every year. WHY should this nominee be selected?
  • Please do not exceed the number of characters allowed; likewise, we encourage you to use the maximum limit. The judges want to get to know your nominee. You’ll need to ensure you have the right balance of information, not too much and not too little.
  • If you have a great nominee but are not a good writer, we encourage you to find someone to help. Over years, some nominations have not advanced because the nomination was poorly written.