LAI GW Awards Submission Form

Nominations Submittal and Deadline  

Quesitons about nomination packages should be submitted to the Awards Chair,
Garner Chandler, garner@garnerchandler.com 

Nominations for the Chapter Awards program are due on Wednesday., October 1, 2025 by 5:00 p.m.  NEW DEADLINE: Friday, Oct. 3 at 12:00 pm (Noon) ET.

Please only submit one project per entry form.

The George Washington Chapter Lambda Alpha International Awards Program recognizes the accomplishments of members and other individuals who have advanced the field of land economics through their achievements and service to their profession, the Greater Washington community, and the George Washington chapter. 

We encourage submission of nominations advancing the cause of land economics in the National Capital Region. The awards categories for this year’s program are:  

•        Member of the Year 

•        Outstanding Plan or Program  

•        Outstanding Project (more than 200,000 SF or 250 or more residential units) 

•        Outstanding Project (less than 200,000 SF with less than 250 residential units) 

Judging of the submissions will be done by a panel of LAI members who are active in the Baltimore  LAI chapter.  The awards will be presented at the LAIGW Investiture and Awards event on later this fall at the Cosmos Club on Massachusetts Ave in Washington DC.

1. CHAPTER MEMBER OF THE YEAR AWARD (PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD)

The Chapter Member of the Year Award will be based upon commitment to Lambda Alpha, to the nominee’s profession, and to achievements in land economics and related fields in the private or public sectors, research, or education. Related fields include real estate economics, architecture, civil engineering, geography, landscape architecture, land use planning, urban planning, urban development and redevelopment, public administration, law, environmental design, historic preservation, zoning, real estate consulting, appraisal, and real estate development. 

A member who receives the Chapter Member of the Year Award may be submitted to LAI as a nomination for the International Member of the Year Award. This Award is selected from Chapter nominations of Chapter Member of the Year honorees for the current or prior year by the International Awards Committee.

Must be a current member LAI GW Chapter to be nominated. No charge to enter this category. May be self-nominated or nominated by another current LAI (any Chapter) member.

FORMAT FOR CHAPTER MEMBER OF THE YEAR

Nomination submissions should upload two (2) separate files:

A. Upload a single-page (8.5x11" Letter) PDF that includes a concise narrative describing the nominee’s:

1. Name and current employeer/organization
2. Commitment to Lambda Alpha International and the GW Chapter
3. Professional achievements in land economics or related fields
4. Contributions to their industry and community

B. Headshot (JPG)
Upload a high-resolution JPG image of the nominee (professional headshot preferred).

PROJECT AWARDS

1. AWARD FOR A COMPREHENSIVE, AREA, OR GENERAL PLAN OR IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM  

This Award will be made for a comprehensive, area, or general plan or implementation program that advances the science and art of planning or land economics.  

Eligibility  

The award is given for group achievement and may be made to a planning agency, planning team or firm, community group, or local authority.  Any plan, project, program, tool, process, report, or ordinance entered must have been published, implemented, or completed within three years of the date of submission.  Published drafts of plans are not acceptable Judging Criteria.  

Originality and innovation. The entry presents a visionary approach or innovative concept to address needs. Explain how the use of the planning or program development process broadened the acceptance of planning principles. 

Quality. The entry is state-of-the-art in terms of presentation and methodology. Identify what makes this plan exceptional or stand out compared to other plans. 

Engagement. Explain how various stakeholder interests were involved and the extent of that involvement. Describe how the plan obtained public and private support. 

Completeness. Describe in detail the completeness and financial viability of the project. A program and/or process (i.e. growth management strategy or publicly guided development program) must be fully implemented and must be a sound investment of private and/or public funds in terms of their success in transforming communities and neighborhoods.

Visionary and able to be emulated. Illustrate how the project steps out from the norm, taking a concept to a brand-new level that others will want to emulate.

 

2. AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING COMPLETED PROJECTS  

Size of Projects:  

•        More than 200,000 SF or over 250 residential units

•        Less than 200,000 SF or less than 250 residential units

This award honors a development that demonstrates sound land economic and good planning principles in the preservation, development, or use of land resources. Projects submitted in this category must have been completed within three years of the date of submission.

Judging Criteria Design
All projects must exemplify excellence in planning, design, and implementation.  Projects will be judged on quality of design, community context, planning concept, environmental sensitivity, and sustainability.

Process
The process involved in completing a project will be evaluated.  This includes achievement of community goals, successful community collaboration, public/private partnerships, funding strategies, outreach, and financial viability.   

Impact
All projects should demonstrate a positive impact to the overall value of the community. This can include economic, environmental, and recreational benefits, increased mobility, improved safety, job creation, enhanced community image, sense of place, and the social, cultural, and economic health of the community.  

FORMAT FOR PLAN/PROJECT AWARD NOMINATIONS

Nomination submissions should upload three (3) separate files limited to 10 MB combined:

TITLE SHEET (Items 1-6 on one page 8.5x11" Letter - PDF):

1. Name, City, State of Project
2. Award Entry Category
3. The principal team member’s name, address, phone number, and email address. 
4. All of the companies/individuals that were involved in the project.
5. A 2-3 sentence “overview” paragraph describing the project. 
6. When the project was completed (ready for occupancy).

PROJECT NARRATIVE (Items 7-8 on up to ten pages 8.5x11" Letter - PDF):

To maintain anonymity during judging, do not include the name of the nominating firm or any consultants. You may include the name of the owner or tenant, as long as they are not the nominating firm.

7. A brief (up to two pages) description of how the project meets the Judging Criteria. 
8. (Optional, but recommended) Include up to 8 images (one per page) with a title or short caption on letter-size paper. High resolution images of plans and/or photographs, preferred over renderings, that clearly demonstrate the project and help in the evaluation of the application. Submit as a PDF, please.

HERO IMAGE (Item 9 - JPG image max 1 MB):

9. One “hero” image to represent your project in a separate file (jpg)

Please send all nomination materials electronically using the online nomination form and applicable payment is due at the time of submittal.

PROJECT AWARD ENTRY FEES

LAIGW Members

$250 - the first project

$200 - each additional project

Non-LAIGW Members

$300 - the first project

$250 - each additional project

Please submit your nomination information using the File Upload form, below. Please using 8.5x11" Letter sheets for the PDF Files. All uploaded files are limited to 10 MB per submission.

Submit all documents in the form box, below.