Overview

1. Any member of the public may submit nominations at any time of the year. Nominators do not have to be residents of the state of Georgia.
2. Annually, GWA formally encourages individuals and groups to submit nominations.
3. The annual deadline for submission is October 1st.
4. An unsuccessful nominee may be resubmitted in subsequent years.
5. The Board of Selections is afforded a minimum of 30 days to review the nominations and cast a ballot. Decisions of the Board are completed by the end of November and are final.
6. The selectors may choose from zero to three honorees.
7. Successful and unsuccessful nominees are notified in December.

Selection Criteria

All nominees must meet the following criteria.

1. Must be clearly identified with the state of Georgia.
2. Must have made significant contributions to the state.
3. Must be deceased at least 10 years at the time of nomination.

Nominations are judged in three areas. No one area is more important than another.

1. Nominee’s contributions were of historical significance. Successful nominations answer questions such as:
   • What was the degree of difficulty of the achievement?
   • What was the scope of the contribution? Was it local, statewide, national, international?
   • Was the impact of the contribution during the woman’s lifetime or after?
   • Approximately how many people were impacted by her work? In what ways?
   • What first-time achievements for women or Georgians were made by this nominee?
   • To what degree did the nominee take personal risks or make personal sacrifices in order to achieve her goals/dreams?
   • What were her personal circumstances and how did she use or overcome them in pursuit of her goals?
2. Nominee was regarded during her lifetime as a woman of character and would be a role model to the youth of today because of her enduring qualities. Successful nominations cite specific character traits and give examples of how the traits were demonstrated.
3. The nominee is similar in caliber (overall contributions and character) to previous recipients of the GWA award.

Documentation

Successful nominations are those that concisely present well organized, thorough documentation about the nominee. While nominations are not judged on the technical aspects of the writing style, it is a truism that a well-written nomination is the most effective way to describe a nominee’s merit for the award. Please note that GWA produces video biographies of all honorees, so it is imperative that you include as many photos of the honoree and her life as possible, in the nomination. For example, photos of her as a child, young adult, and other points in her life and photos of her house, town, schools, family members, institutions where she worked, etc. For more information, please contact us at info@georgiawomen.org or (770) 633-4202.

Assistance

Nominators are encouraged to contact their local public library, college library or the Georgia Department of Archives and History in Atlanta for assistance in researching historical data to support the nomination. The Georgia Women of Achievement staff is also available to provide general guidance.

Nomination Form

A two-page form is available on this website. Both pages must be completed:

• Nomination Form

These forms can be filled out on your computer and then printed and mailed. Since your nomination must contain additional material, mailing the forms with the supporting material is the best method for submitting a nomination.

Use the tab key to go from one line to the next on the form. Be careful not to type too close to the margins or your information might not print.

If you have questions or want a printed nomination form, contact the Georgia Women of Achievement office at info@georgiawomen.org or (770) 633-4202.