JUDGING CRITERIA  
Entrants are judged on the Research, Planning, Execution, and Evaluation methods described below using the judging rubric. Entrants should describe their project as fully as possible to earn the score their work deserves. Each entry is judged on its own merits. You’re competing only against yourself. There can be multiple awards and multiple Certificates of Excellence awarded in each category - or none.

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Entrants are highly encouraged to download the judging rubric and develop a submission

that covers the criteria completely. 

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SCORING
1.    Research (10 points)
2.    Planning (15 points)
3.    Implementation (15 points)
4.    Evaluation (10 points) 
Entrants are highly encouraged to review the 2023 Impact Award Scoring Rubric prior to entry submission. All entries are evaluated by an independent committee from a partner PRSA chapter based elsewhere in the United States.

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All entries receiving 40 or more points will receive an IMPACT Award of Excellence, while entries earning 35-39 points will receive an IMPACT Certificate of Excellence. The high-scoring entry among all submissions will be awarded the coveted Best in Show Award and will be submitted to the PRSA Western District for further consideration and recognition on the regional level. Each entry will be reviewed and scored by three judges from another PRSA chapter. The average score from all three judges scores determines if an Impact Award, Certificate of Excellence, or neither are given.  

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Research
Identify the PR problem or opportunity the program or project is designed to address. When addressing the actual research component, describe how the use of research was appropriate for the project and purpose, how it helped re-define the situation, how was the research relevant to shaping the planning process? How did the research help define the audience(s) or the situation? Be specific on what types of research methods were used, both primary and secondary (focus groups, surveys, media analysis, observations, etc.) 

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Planning
In general terms, what was the plan? What was the overall strategy employed? Who was involved in the planning? State the goal or outcomes of your communication plan. For example, what were the specific objectives of the program? Who were the target audiences? Identify primary and secondary target audience?   
 
Implementation
In general terms, how did plan flow? Describe the specific communication tactics used to meet the identified objectives. Describe both traditional public relations tactics and non-traditional tactics employed? What resources were used? Were other organizations involved? What was the timeline? What was the budget? 

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Evaluation
Demonstrate how the program or project met its defined goals and objectives via quantitative and qualitative measures. What measurement method(s) were used in the evaluation process? What were the lessons learned?  

 

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