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06/18/2025
Call for 2025 APA-IL Awards Program Nominations!
The APA-IL is now accepting nominations for our 2025 Awards Program! Each year, the Illinois Chapter of the American Planning Association recognizes the best in planning across Illinois, celebrating those that exemplify tremendous planning efforts and outstanding achievements in innovation.
Submit your project or person in one of two categories:
Project Awards Category
- Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan
- Strategic Plan
- Best Practice
- Advancing Diversity and Social Change
- "Make No Little Plans" (new for 2025!)
- Student Project
Service Awards Category
- Planning Advocate
- Distinguished Service or Contribution
- Emerging Planner
- Lifetime Achievement (new for 2025!)
- Most Valuable Planner
View the 2025 Awards Program guide here for all the details.
Nominations are due by 5:00 pm, July 11, 2025.
(the deadline will not be extended)
All nominations must submit nominations via an online Google Form. You will need a Google Email address. (If you do not have a Google email address, email admin@ilapa.org for special instructions.)
PROJECT NOMINATIONS PAYMENT:
Once you have submitted all project nominations, please click the button below to pay the $75 nomination fee for project nominations through authorize.net. There is no fee for Student Project and Service Nominations.
FAQ:
Where do I get all the program details?
Download the 2025 APA-IL Awards Program guide (.pdf) for this year's details and instructions.
How do I pay my $75 project nomination fee?
Please see the button above to pay through authorize.net.
Can I submit a project that hasn't been finalized?
There is no eligibility criteria that mandates a plan's approval or a letter of support from the organization that the plan is for. However, we encourage you to thoroughly review the criteria that will be used to evaluate each of the nominations. Not having either could affect the jury's scoring of the plan.
Can I submit a Service Award nomination as a non-member?
Yes. APA-IL's policy changed in 2025 and now any interested parties can submit a service award nomination.
Do I have to have a Google email address to submit a nomination?
No. All nominations must submit nominations via an online Google Form. You will need a Google Email address. If you do not have a Google email address, email admin@ilapa.org for special instructions.
Can I mail you a paper copy of my nomination?
No. All submissions must be submitted online. Hard-copy submissions will NOT be accepted.
Where and when will a winner be recognized?
Award winners will be honored in conjunction with the State Conference,. An Awards Ceremony and Reception will be held on October 8, 2025. Conference attendance is not required.
Questions?
Contact Paula Freeze at admin@ilapa.org
