Nominate Someone for the Mayor of Swale's Civic Awards

Writing a Nomination

Most civic awards look for individuals who:

• provide outstanding service to the community
• go above and beyond normal expectations
• have provided long‑term commitment or exceptional impact

Panels assess nominations only on what is written, not on reputation or prior knowledge.

Common mistakes

Try to avoid making common mistakes when writing your nomination. Common mistakes include:

• leaving sections blank or very brief
• assuming the panel already knows the nominee
• using praise without evidence

Writing your nomination

Your nomination should:

• open with a strong summary statement
• explain the context of your nomination
• provide evidence to support your statements
• clearly demonstrate the impact the nominee has had
• show why the nominee stands out
• use a clear document structure, including headings where appropriate
• confident
• finish with a strong closing statement

Open with a strong summary statement

The Panel may form an early impression in the first few sentences. Begin with a short paragraph that clearly answers the question who's being nominated and why they deserve this award. For example:

"I am nominating Jane Smith for the Community Involvement Award in recognition of her 15 years of tireless voluntary service, during which she has transformed support for older residents and strengthened community connections across the ward."

Explain the context of your nomination

Selection panels may not know the nominee, their role, or the community issue. You should briefly explain:

• what the situation or need was
• what the nominee’s role was (paid or voluntary)
• why the work mattered locally

Avoid jargon or industry references.

Provide evidence to support your statements

Avoid vague statements. For example, try to avoid saying:

• “very dedicated”
• “works incredibly hard”
• “well‑known in the community”

Instead, prove it with:

• specific actions
• clear outcomes
• real examples

Ask yourself what did they do, how did they do it, and what difference did it make.

Clearly demonstrate the impact the nominee has had

Strong nominations compare before and after. For example, you might try to answer these questions:

• how were things before the nominee got involved?
• what changed because of their actions?
• who benefited and how?

Where possible, include:

• numbers (years, people helped, events organised)
• frequency (weekly, daily, ongoing commitment)
• outcomes (services created, lives improved)

Show why the nominee stands out

Civic awards are competitive, even at local level. You should try to explain:

• what makes this contribution exceptional
• why it goes beyond what others normally do
• any challenges or obstacles overcome

These are often deciding factors for the Panel.

Use clear structure

The Panel prefers a clear structure.

Good nominations are:

• clear
• logical
• easy to scan
• have a a good document structure
• no longer than they need to be

Good nominations also use short paragraphs, bullet points for examples or achievements, and present one idea per paragraph.

Confident

You should try to use confident language. For example:

• outstanding
• exceptional
• transformational

Every claim must be backed up by examples.

Finish with a strong closing statement

Finish your nomination by reinforcing:

• the nominee’s lasting contribution
• why recognition is deserved now
• how the community has benefited overall

A strong closing statement might read something like this:

"For over two decades, John has given his time selflessly and without recognition. His contribution has strengthened the community fabric and improved the lives of countless residents, making him a truly deserving recipient of a Civic Award."