Selection Process and Schedule
- Submission period opens in January, 2013.
- Submissions due by
March 15March 29 2013 (Final deadline extension). - Jury announces finalists in June.
- Jury members will contact finalists after the announcement to schedule site visits to each project.
- At least one jury member visits each finalist project.
- Jury reconvenes to choose winners in September. Winners will be contacted immediately after the meeting to arrange travel to the awards announcement, which is held at the ULI Fall Meeting in Chicago, November 5-8.
- The 2014 call for submissions opens in January/February
- Questions? Write to awards@uli.org.
Application Dos and Don’ts
What makes a successful ULI Awards for Excellence application? We polled members of past ULI Awards juries for their ideas. Here are their top ten guidelines for completing a successful awards application:
1. Read the entry form carefully, paying close attention to the criteria. The project must be substantially completed and financially viable or, in the case of the public and special projects/programs, must make a significant contribution toward the betterment of its community. The project also must demonstrate excellence in land planning, design, and/or amenities that set a high standard within the community and the industry.
2. Decide who will spend focused attention on completing the submittal. You may wish to reassemble the team that developed the project so that team members can help draft responses to the application. However, the application will be most effective if one person coordinates and processes all information.
3. Make certain that your photographs truly represent the quality of your development. Submit images that convey special characteristics and make sure they are very clear in showing exteriors, interiors, and landscaping. Images of interiors should highlight the unique features of the project.
4. Review the success factors of your development and explain and document them carefully. Describe target markets, using examples and hard numbers. Focus on communicating how the project demonstrates excellence and why it is worthy of special consideration. Clear, factual information is important.
5. After you have completed the application, let your public relations advisers review it for language, illustrations, and effective communication of your project. Remember that ULI Awards jurors are human beings. They will favor an entry that is persuasive and to the point.
6. Finalists will be notified in the month of May and a ULI Awards jury member will contact them to schedule on-site visits. ULI may request additional information about the project at that time.
7. Don’t forget to number, and assign photo credits to all images. Provide a contact sheet with the captions and credits.
8. Don’t forget to include the appropriate entry fee. An entry fee must accompany each project submitted. Fees for the 2013 ULI Global Awards for Excellence are: US$500 Private Sector, US$200 Public Sector/Nonprofit. Please note that these fees apply to the type of company or organization submitting the application, not the type of project completed.
9. Don’t forget to include the authorization form. Download and complete the authorization form to include with the digital submission. The authorization form guarantees the legitimacy of the submission and enables the submission to be approved for evaluation.
