Presidential Acknowledgment for Chapter Excellence (PACE)

Purpose

To recognize APWA chapters annually for contributions made that positively impact their chapter membership, the profession, APWA, and their communities.

Eligibility

APWA chapters are eligible to submit a nomination for consideration when:

• Step 1: All required fiscal year-end financial reporting was submitted by July 31, 2025, and chapter utilizes QuickBooks.
• Step 2: Chapters will be notified by APWA Staff as to their eligibility to submit a nomination for the 2026 PACE Award.
• Step 3: Complete the PACE nomination form.

Selection

PACE submittals are reviewed by a panel comprised of APWA’s current president, president elect, and the three most recent past presidents.

Criteria

There are nine sections in which the chapter is evaluated. Each section has specific criteria used to evaluate the chapter’s programs and services to the membership and community. All chapters, regardless of size, are strongly encouraged to submit for this recognition.

• Finance management
• Membership development
• Leadership development and succession planning
• Administration
• Committees and taskforce development
• Education and special events
• Community service and outreach
• Marketing and communication
• Advocacy

Please be concise with your responses. As a guideline between 250 and 500 words per section is acceptable. We encourage you to also upload pictures, event flyers, and other supporting documentation within each section. Chapters with less than 500 members are not required to meet all criteria. When this applies, the exemption will be noted within the relevant section.

Qualification

All chapters, regardless of size, are strongly encouraged to submit for this recognition.

Nomination Process

Every APWA chapter may submit a nomination for the PACE award if the eligibility requirements for financial reporting have been met (pass/fail). The submittal must include supporting documentation/information to illustrate that the chapter has met each of the section goals. Also, each chapter is encouraged to highlight new or innovative initiatives from any of the nine sections so that they can be shared with other chapters.

A new or innovative initiative is a task or event that has previously not been done by the chapter. The nomination will cover the calendar year of January 1 through December 31.

Presentation

Those chapters receiving the PACE recognition will receive a certificate and chapter banner patch, be recognized at the PWX awards recognition ceremony, and be featured in APWA publications.