Award Categories, Eligibility & Criteria
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Review the award categories below to learn what each award recognizes, who or what is eligible, what information to include in a nomination, and the criteria judges will use to evaluate submissions.
Each nomination for the Awards of Excellence in Economic Development is carefully reviewed by a panel of experienced judges who evaluate submissions based on clear, thoughtful criteria specific to each award category. These criteria help ensure a fair and consistent process—recognizing true innovation, impact, leadership, and collaboration in economic development across Oregon.
Whether you’re nominating a visionary leader, a transformative project, or a powerful partnership, reviewing the judging criteria is a great way to craft a compelling, competitive nomination.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SUCCESS
The Business Development Success Award recognizes an outstanding project, initiative, or program that has resulted in meaningful business growth and economic benefit within an Oregon community or region.
Eligibility & NOMINATION Details
Eligible nominations may include successful business recruitment, retention or expansion projects; entrepreneurship or small business development initiatives; industry development efforts; redevelopment or site development projects that directly supported business investment; or other initiatives that helped create or retain jobs, attract private investment, strengthen the local tax base, or support long-term economic growth.
Nominations should clearly describe the business development challenge or opportunity, the role of the organization or partners involved, and the measurable results achieved.
Judging Criteria
Nominations will be evaluated based on:
- 🏆 Business Growth & Investment
Demonstrated business recruitment, retention, expansion, entrepreneurship, private investment, or other meaningful business development activity. - 🏆 Jobs & Economic Impact
Evidence of job creation or retention, increased wages, tax-base growth, capital investment, increased economic activity, or other measurable economic benefits appropriate to the project. - 🏆 Achievement of Project Goals
The extent to which the project successfully addressed an identified business or economic development need and achieved its stated objectives. - 🏆 Economic Development Leadership & Execution
The effectiveness of the strategies, resources, tools, partnerships, or problem-solving approaches used to move the project forward. - 🏆 Long-Term Community Benefit
The project’s potential to provide sustained economic value, strengthen the local or regional business environment, or create opportunities for continued growth.
SUPPORTING MATERIALS
- You may upload photos or other supporting materials that help illustrate the nominated project.
- Additional high-resolution images and project information may be requested from award recipients prior to the Awards of Excellence Ceremony.
Exceptional Marketing & Promotions
The Exceptional Marketing & Promotions Award recognizes an outstanding marketing, communications, branding, or promotional initiative that effectively advances an economic development objective.
Eligibility & NOMINATION Details
Eligible nominations may include business recruitment or retention campaigns, community or regional branding efforts, websites, digital or social media campaigns, videos, publications, advertising, events, targeted outreach, or other communications initiatives designed to support economic development.
Nominations should clearly describe the economic development objective, intended audience, marketing or communications strategy, and the results or evidence of effectiveness achieved.
Judging Criteria
Nominations will be evaluated based on:
- 🏆 Strategy & Purpose
The strength of the connection between the marketing effort, its intended audience, and a clearly defined economic development objective. - 🏆 Effectiveness & Results
Evidence that the initiative successfully reached, engaged, influenced, or informed its intended audience. Results may include inquiries, leads, participation, website traffic, engagement, earned media, business interest, stakeholder response, or other outcomes appropriate to the initiative. - 🏆 Quality of Execution
The overall quality, clarity, professionalism, consistency, and usability of the campaign or materials. - 🏆 Creativity & Innovation
The originality of the concept, message, format, delivery method, or use of available resources. - 🏆 Economic Development Value
The extent to which the initiative strengthened business development, community or regional positioning, stakeholder engagement, investment attraction, workforce efforts, or another clearly identified economic development priority.
SUPPORTING MATERIALS
- You may upload examples of marketing materials, screenshots, publications, photos, videos, links, or other supporting materials that help illustrate the nominated initiative.
- Additional high-resolution images, graphics, logos, or campaign materials may be requested from award recipients prior to the Awards of Excellence Ceremony.
Outstanding Collaborative Partnership
The Outstanding Collaborative Partnership Award recognizes an exceptional partnership that brought organizations, jurisdictions, sectors, or stakeholders together to successfully advance an economic development initiative or shared community goal.
Eligibility & NOMINATION Details
Eligible nominations may include partnerships involving public agencies, private businesses, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, Tribal organizations, utilities, workforce partners, community organizations, or other entities working together on an economic development project, program, or initiative.
Nominations should clearly describe the purpose of the partnership, the organizations involved and their respective roles, how collaboration contributed to the success of the effort, and the results achieved.
Judging Criteria
Nominations will be evaluated based on:
- 🏆 Strength of the Collaboration
The extent to which partners worked together in a meaningful, coordinated way with shared goals, responsibilities, and commitment to the initiative. - 🏆 Partner Contributions & Shared Resources
How effectively the participating organizations contributed expertise, funding, staff capacity, relationships, facilities, tools, or other resources toward the shared effort. - 🏆 Results & Community Impact
The measurable or demonstrated economic and community benefits achieved through the partnership, such as business growth, investment, job creation or retention, infrastructure improvements, workforce development, redevelopment, or other relevant outcomes. - 🏆 Problem-Solving & Innovation
The partnership’s ability to overcome barriers, align competing priorities, develop creative solutions, or accomplish something that would have been difficult for one organization to achieve independently. - 🏆 Lasting Value of the Partnership
The extent to which the collaboration created lasting benefits, strengthened relationships among the partners, established a model for future cooperation, or positioned the community or region for continued success.
SUPPORTING MATERIALS
- You may upload photos, project materials, links, reports, articles, or other supporting information that helps illustrate the partnership and its accomplishments.
- Additional high-resolution images, partner information, logos, or project details may be requested from award recipients prior to the Awards of Excellence Ceremony.
Leader of the Year
The Leader of the Year Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and made a significant contribution to economic development in Oregon through recent accomplishments, initiative, and service.
Eligibility & NOMINATION Details
Eligible nominees may represent public agencies, economic development organizations, nonprofit organizations, Tribal organizations, utilities, educational institutions, private-sector partners, or other organizations actively engaged in economic development.
Nominations should clearly describe the nominee’s recent accomplishments, leadership role, the challenges or opportunities they helped address, and the impact of their work on their organization, community, region, or the broader economic development profession.
The Leader of the Year Award is intended to recognize exceptional leadership and accomplishments demonstrated in the recent past, rather than an individual’s cumulative career achievements.
Judging Criteria
Nominations will be evaluated based on:
- 🏆 Leadership & Initiative
The nominee’s ability to provide direction, inspire action, build momentum, and move important economic development efforts forward. - 🏆 Recent Accomplishments & Results
Demonstrated achievements and measurable or clearly identifiable outcomes resulting from the nominee’s work during the recent past. - 🏆 Collaboration & Relationship Building
The nominee’s effectiveness in building partnerships, engaging stakeholders, strengthening relationships, and working across organizations or sectors. - 🏆 Problem-Solving & Innovation
The nominee’s ability to navigate challenges, identify opportunities, develop creative solutions, or improve the way economic development work is carried out. - 🏆 Contribution to the Economic Development Community
The nominee’s broader contribution through mentorship, professional involvement, knowledge sharing, advocacy, service, or efforts that strengthen the economic development field in Oregon.
SUPPORTING MATERIALS
- You may upload a letter of support, articles, project information, links, or other materials that help demonstrate the nominee’s leadership and accomplishments.
- Additional biographical information, a professional headshot, and other presentation materials may be requested from the award recipient prior to the Awards of Excellence Ceremony.
IMPACT Award
The OEDA IMPACT Award recognizes an individual whose sustained leadership, service, and professional contributions have made a significant and lasting impact on economic development in Oregon.
Eligibility & NOMINATION Details
Eligible nominees should have a substantial record of professional service in economic development or a closely related field, generally reflecting 10 or more years of meaningful contribution.
Nominations should describe the nominee’s sustained accomplishments and contributions over time, long-term influence, service to the profession, and the lasting impact of their work on communities, organizations, regions, or economic development practice in Oregon.
The IMPACT Award is intended to recognize an individual’s body of work over time, rather than a single recent project or accomplishment.
Judging Criteria
Nominations will be evaluated based on:
- 🏆 Sustained Leadership & Service
The nominee’s demonstrated commitment to economic development over an extended period of time, including leadership, professional service, and continued contribution to the field. - 🏆 Lasting Economic Development Impact
The extent to which the nominee’s work has produced meaningful and enduring benefits for communities, regions, organizations, businesses, or Oregon’s broader economy. - 🏆 Career Accomplishments
The significance, breadth, and consistency of the nominee’s professional achievements across their career. - 🏆 Contribution to the Profession
The nominee’s influence on economic development practice through mentorship, volunteer service, professional involvement, knowledge sharing, advocacy, or support of other practitioners. - 🏆 Legacy & Broader Influence
The degree to which the nominee’s work has strengthened organizations, shaped programs or policies, developed future leaders, improved economic development practice, or created benefits that extend beyond their own position or organization.
SUPPORTING MATERIALS
- You may upload a letter of support, articles, professional background information, project examples, or other materials that help demonstrate the nominee’s career contributions and lasting impact.
- Additional biographical information, a professional headshot, and presentation materials may be requested from the award recipient prior to the Awards of Excellence Ceremony.
Urban Renewal Project of the Year
The Urban Renewal Project of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding urban renewal or tax increment financing project that has helped transform, revitalize, or strengthen an Oregon community through strategic public investment.
Eligibility & NOMINATION Details
Eligible nominations may include redevelopment projects, infrastructure improvements, site development, public-private development, housing, commercial or mixed-use development, placemaking, or other projects supported in whole or in part through urban renewal or tax increment financing.
Nominations should clearly describe the project, the community or redevelopment need it was intended to address, how urban renewal or TIF resources were used, the partners involved, and the measurable results or community benefits achieved.
Judging Criteria
Nominations will be evaluated based on:
- 🏆 Catalytic Redevelopment Impact
The extent to which the project stimulated redevelopment, private investment, additional development activity, or broader revitalization within the district or community. - 🏆 Measurable Project Results
Demonstrated outcomes such as increased assessed value, private investment, job creation or retention, new housing or commercial activity, infrastructure improvements, redevelopment of underutilized property, or other results appropriate to the project. - 🏆 Community Transformation & Benefit
The extent to which the project improved the physical, economic, or community conditions of the area and created meaningful benefit for residents, businesses, property owners, or other stakeholders. - 🏆 Effective Use of Partnerships & Resources
The effectiveness of public, private, nonprofit, or other partnerships and the strategic use of urban renewal/TIF resources to successfully deliver the project. - 🏆 Community Engagement & Long-Term Value
The degree to which community input informed the project and the extent to which the project creates lasting value or positions the area for continued redevelopment and investment.
SUPPORTING MATERIALS
- You may upload photos, project summaries, plans, maps, reports, articles, links, or other supporting materials that help illustrate the project and its impact.
- Additional high-resolution images, project data, partner information, or presentation materials may be requested from award recipients prior to the Awards of Excellence Ceremony.
SUBMIT A NOMINATION
Ready to recognize outstanding economic development work in Oregon? Complete the nomination form below. Please review the applicable award criteria above before submitting.
Nominations must be submitted by October 15, 2026.