SACNAS CHAPTER AWARD PROGRAM GUIDELINES & CRITERIA
The SACNAS Chapter Program provides students and professionals with a year-round platform, local support, access to resources and leadership development that directly aligns with the SACNAS mission. SACNAS encourages Chapters to grow in membership, build professional development, support fundraising, serve their community, and strengthen leadership within their chapter. As a result, the Chapter Award Program was created to allow Chapters to identify their strengths and compete in categories based on the SACNAS mission.
Eligibility:
All Chapters in good standing may apply. Chapters considered in good standing must have:
o Submitted their Chapter Annual Report by April 27.
o Chapters are only allowed to receive the same Award no more than two
consecutive years.
Award Categories:
Chapters in good standing are eligible to apply to no more than two Award categories and are eligible to win in both categories. A separate application must be submitted for each Award category. The following Award categories are based on SACNAS mission, values, and past awards:
o Recruitment and membership retention
o Professional development
o Community outreach and service
o Fundraising
o Chapter Development (community building, leadership, succession planning)
o Chapter of the Year (overall achievement in all five categories)
Chapter Awards Application Deadline: June 12, 2018
Required Application Components
Chapters must submit a separate application for each award they are applying for.
1. Cover Letter
Create a cover letter that summarizes the chapter’s qualifications of the award category that the chapter is applying for.
2. Advisor Letter of Support
Ask the Chapter Advisor for a Letter of Support specific to the award category that the chapter is applying for. Chapters will upload the Letter of Support upload via the Online Application.
3. Activities Report
Create an Activities Report for each Award Category the chapter is applying for
(between 500-800 words for each category).
a. If the chapter is applying in two categories, an Activities Report need submitted for each application
b. Fundraising category requires submission of a budget. A budget template is available to download on the website.
c. Chapter of the Year requires an Activities Report that includes a 500 word section for each category (5 sections in total)
d. Chapter of the Year requires submission of a budget. A budget template is available to download on the website.
4. Media Presentation
Create a multi-media presentation (no longer than 3 minutes duration) that demonstrates chapter activities for the category you are applying for. Media Examples: Powerpoint, Prezi, Videos, etc.
Content examples to synthesize into one presentation can include:
• Event Photos/Videos
• Chapter Member Quotes
• Unique hashtag creation that trended
• Videos (YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram)
• Event Agendas/Evaluations
• Programming Evaluation Data
• Marketing/advertisements
5. Online Application Submission
After collecting all of the required documents, go to the Online Application, fill out the required fields and upload all required documents.
*If you are an award-winning chapter, you agree to allow SACNAS to use your application as an example that can be shown to other chapters and/or be posted on the SACNAS website.
CATEGORY AWARDS CRITERIA
The Chapter Committee reviews and rates all submitted applications. The Committee will be looking for how the chapter has addressed certain criteria. The criteria were developed based on the SACNAS mission, goals, and the development of SACNAS Chapters over the last five years.
We encourage chapters to reflect upon the one or two categories in which you excel above all others. The intention of having chapters applying in specific categories allows them to focus on describing very specific goals of their chapter as well as simplifying the application process. It also allows for transparency when selecting award winners.
Questions to reflect upon when compiling the components of the application and writing your Activities Report:
• What were the chapter goals in your category to begin with and how effective was your program this year? How do you know?
• Who did it impact?
• With the program/event/system that the chapter implemented, how unique was its creation or implementation strategy?
• How did you improve in this category from previous years? What made the difference?
• How can other chapters benefit and learn from your program/event/system?
Recruitment and membership outreach
Describe your recruitment and membership outreach activities. How did the Chapter demonstrate strategies that impacted your success in recruiting and retaining members? How were these activities inclusive of Chicano/Hispanic and Native American students and/or community? This award will be evaluated on the following criteria:
1. Creative strategies
2. Retention of members
3. Outreach to members from different disciplines, ethnic backgrounds, and Native American communities
4. Reflection of SACNAS mission
Professional development activities
Describe how your chapter provided opportunities for members to grow professionally through organized chapter activities such as seminars, guest speakers, workshops, etc.
This award will be evaluated on the following criteria:
1. Impact of professional development
2. Participation
3. Uniqueness and/or creativity of professional development
4. Reflection of SACNAS mission
Community outreach activities
Describe your community outreach activities and what strategies you created or incorporated that were successful. How did activities impact target populations of Chicano/Hispanic and Native
American students and the community outside of your academic institution? This award will be evaluated on the following criteria:
1. Collaboration with other groups and organizations
2. Participation and networking
3. Community service impact
4. Reflection of SACNAS mission
Fundraising*
Describe your fundraising strategies and how you created and followed through with fundraising goals for your chapter. Please include a budget with the Application Packet for this category (template provided). This award will be evaluated on the following criteria:
1. Purpose and impact of fundraising (how can other chapters use these strategies)
2. Participation
3. Budget management
4. Lesson learned for next year
Chapter Development (community-building, leadership, succession planning)
Describe how your chapter builds community among members, creates opportunities for member
leadership and what its strategy is for new officer development. This award will be evaluated on the following criteria:
1. Unique community-building activities
2. Member participation
3. Succession planning strategies
4. Reflection of SACNAS mission
Chapter of the Year
Please refer to each category description to create an Activities Report for Chapter of the Year. Chapters write a section for each category above. Each category must be no more than 500 words and must be clearly identified.
Media Presentation
The purpose of submitting a multi-media presentation is to show photos, videos, or creative marketing strategies that impacted Chapter activities in categories of awards. SACNAS National may further leverage these presentations to visually demonstrate what SACNAS Chapters are doing across the country.
Application Presentation
The overall application needs to be complete, all appropriate sections submitted on time, and all instructions followed. Were all components of the application submitted (cover letter, advisor letter of support, activities report, and media presentation), submitted on time, and all together? We will be assessing spelling and grammar as well as neatness of the entire application.