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Eligibility

All NACWA Member Agencies are eligible to apply for the Association’s Excellence in Management Recognition (EIM) program. Platinum honorees from 2020, 2021, and 2022 may not reapply until a three-year recognition period has expired. If you applied in the previous year but did not receive Platinum recognition, please only highlight the Attributes of Effectively Managed Water Sector Utilities (Attributes) not receiving NACWA Awards Committee endorsement the prior year of 2022 (you may only resubmit an application once consecutively otherwise you will need to submit a completely new application next time). If you were selected as a Platinum honoree, you will be excluded from consideration of future EIM recognition for a period of three years.


Recognition Criteria

To receive recognition, applicants must submit a written narrative describing the management practices and actions the public utility has implemented, or taken substantive steps to implement, consistent with a defined number of Attributes, as well as identifying relevant Keys to Management Success that played a role in implementation. Please see the accompanying listing of Attributes & Keys to Management Success for additional information.
 

Applicants may describe past actions, but the written narrative must illustrate how those actions impact current accomplishments (within the past 12 months of the 2022 calendar year). Every application must include the Attributes of Product Quality and Financial Viability. 
 

  • Product Quality (Required Attribute for all Applicants)

  • Financial Viability (Required Attribute for all Applicants)

  • Customer Satisfaction (Metrics Required)

  • Stakeholder Understanding & Support

  • Operational Optimization (Metrics Required)

  • Employee & Leadership Development

  • Enterprise Resiliency (Inclusive of all enterprise resiliency initiatives, not solely emergency management)

  • Infrastructure Strategy & Performance (Metrics Desired)

  • Community Sustainability

  • Water Resource Sustainability

View eligibility guidelines, application basics, and application samples by using the Program Guidelines menu above. Or download the application packet pdf for reference.