Nominations

Nomination are accepted year round.  Deadline to nominate for the current year is the third Friday in May.

To nominate an individual or organization, please complete our online form.  The online form requires the following uploads: nomination summary and evidence. If nomination procedures are not followed exactly, the nomination will be rejected. 

  • Nomination Summary:  The summary must be no more than two-pages (8 1/2 X 11). It should follow this formatting and include:
  1. Typewritten
  2. Double-spaced
  3. 1″ margins
  4. Standard font (10-12 point)
  5. Blind summary of your nominee’s accomplishment. Do not identify the nominee or the nominator in this summary. Information as to location, political affiliation, gender, race, religion, etc., must be omitted in order that these nominees may be judged without concern of prejudice. Refer to “nominee”, “city”, or “state”. Do not use letterhead, page#, charts, graphs, annotation, footnotes in this summary.
  6. Summary should detail specific action(s) and results with a time frame given.

              The initial stage of selection is based on this blind summary alone.

  • Evidence: All nominations MUST include evidence of your nominee’s accomplishments such as commendations, endorsements, newspaper/magazine articles, TV/radio clips, or other links. These materials are necessary for verification and validation purposes. All submitted materials become the property of the Foundation. An elaborate presentation is not necessary. Substance counts.

          If you have any questions regarding the nomination guidelines, please email: executivedirector@foundationforimprovementofjustice.org.

Continue to Online Nomination Form


Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is considered a “self-nomination”?

    The Foundation for Improvement of Justices does NOT accept self-nomination submissions.  The definition of “self-nomination” is that JOHN DOE cannot nominate JOHN DOE.  However, an individual affiliated with an organization and/or program is eligible to nominate his/her organization and/or program.  This can be done with the understanding that the contact person for the nominated organization and/or program is not the nominee.

  • Can the nomination summary be longer than two pages?

    No.  All nominations MUST be restricted to two pages with the following guidelines:

    • Double-spaced
    • Typewritten (10” to 12” standard font)
    • 1 ” margins
    • NO reference to personal names, political affiliation, gender or geographical location.
    • Use references such as “nominee”, “city”, “state”.
    • Do NOT use letterhead, page#, charts, graphs, annotation or footnotes in this summary.

  • How does the Foundation select its annual award recipients?

    All nominations that are received by the third Friday in May and fall within the established guidelines are eligible for consideration.  These two-page nomination summaries are submitted to each Board member for review.  The Board of Directors meet in June and vote for their top choices.  The initial stage of judging is based on the two-page summary alone, and therefore it should include all pertinent information.

  • Is it necessary to include evidence and/or supporting documentation along with my submission?

    Yes.  This MUST be included along with the submission in order to be considered “in good standing”.  This information is necessary for verification purposes.

  • What type of evidence and/or supporting documentation can I send?

    Many forms of supporting documentation are acceptable.  You are encouraged to include accomplishments of commendations, endorsements, newspaper/magazine articles, TV and/or Radio clips or other links.  Substance counts!

  • What would make my nomination stand-out to Board members?

    The Board is looking for innovative projects that solve a justice system problem (e.g. legal reform, crime prevention, child protection, speeding the process, crime victims' rights, alternative sentencing, lowering the cost, improvements to the civil litigation process, access to justice.)  Moreover, it seeks accomplishments of high impact as well as broad based improvements. Be sure to include specific details regarding number of years the project has been ongoing, number of people impacted, etc. Tell us why the project is unique in the way it addresses or resolves a justice issue.

    There are many individuals/organizations who have dedicated their lives to doing great work in the justice field. They are to be commended! But, the Paul H. Chapman Award is not a lifetime achievement award for good works. Try to choose a specific initiative the individual/organization implemented with outstanding results. If they helped pass a legislation, share the details of the importance of the legislation. If they lowered the cost of accessing justice, detail how the cost was lowered and by how much. If they increased access to justice, explain what obstacle was overcome for what group of people and how those people were impacted. 

    Focus on what makes your nominee stand out from the crowd. Details make a nomination stand out!

  • What type of information should I include in my nomination?

    It is important to convey the details of proven results and time frames of the project for which the individual or organization is being nominated.  Be specific when explaining the areas of achievements and the impact the nominee has made. What problem was uniquely addressed by the project? Who was impacted? How many people were impacted? How long has the project/program been successful? When applicable include data and statistics regarding the project.

  • When can I expect to hear regarding the selection of this year’s award recipients?

    Each nominator will be informed by the end of July regarding the Board’s decision on the year’s award recipients.

  • If my nomination is not selected, can I resubmit for the following year?

    Yes, you may resubmit a nomination by completing the online nomination form again and uploading the 2 page summary and evidence.