Submitting a Nomination FAQ
Yes! See the Nominating Yourself section below for more information.
Can I submit a nomination by email or another way off-line?
No, all nominations must be submitted using the online nomination form. For individual awards, you can use a checklist to prepare for a self-nomination or this sample form to prepare to nominate someone else. For the Organizational Diversity award, you can use a checklist and sample form to prepare a nomination. However, everything must be submitted online.
Can I save my submission and finish it later?
The form must be completed in one sitting – it cannot be partially completed and saved for later. There is no time-out on the form. The nomination must be submitted by August 2, 2021
Nominees may return to the form, via a link in the notification or confirmation email, to update their submission until the submission deadline of Aug 2, 2021.
Note: The deadline to complete the nomination is 11:59pm August 2- the nominee has a few extra days to complete the submission.
Nominees must be at least 14 years of age. Nominees aged 14-24 are generally only considered for the Youth Achievement category, although exceptions have been made with extenuating circumstances (at the discretion of the Selection Committee).
I don’t see an option to select an award category.
Anyone aged 14-24 will automatically be put in the Youth Achievement category. The list of award categories will show only if the question Is the Nominee a Youth is set to ‘no’.
Categories are only listed on the Individual Nomination form; the Organizational Diversity Award has a separate nomination form.
The IDA Selection Committee reserves the right to move applicants to another award category if they deem appropriate.
What are the award categories?
Click here for a complete list of award categories and descriptions.
The IDA Selection Committee reserves the right to move applicants to another award category if they deem appropriate.
The Organizational Diversity Award has a separate nomination form than the individual awards.
Can an individual or organization who was nominated in a previous year be nominated again?
Past nominees who did not receive an award are eligible to be nominated for the same award or in any other category. Past recipients are only eligible to be nominated in a different category than the award previously received.
Can an individual be nominated in more than one category?
An individual may be nominated in a maximum of two categories. If multiple nominations for the same individual are received, they will be merged and submitted to the Selection Committee as a single nomination package. If an individual is nominated in more than 2 categories, the Selection Committee will have discretion to decide which 2 categories to review.
I submitted a nomination last year, do I need to re-submit it this year?
Completed submission packages will be kept on file and may be reconsidered, at the sole discretion of this year's Selection Committee, for up to 2 years. If you submitted a nomination for the 2020 IDA, we encourage you to resubmit the nomination by clicking the 'continue' button below, to ensure that the nomination is considered for the 2021 IDA and especially if a nominee's circumstances change - eg. additional awards received or volunteer contributions made.
Can an individual be nominated more than once?
If multiple nominations for the same individual are received, they will be merged and submitted to the Selection Committee as a single nomination package. If an individual is nominated in more than 2 categories, the Selection Committee will have discretion to decide which 2 categories to review.
Can I nominate an individual or organization who received an award in previous years?
Past recipients are only eligible to be nominated in a different category than the award previously received.
How do I determine the appropriate award category?
Awards are divided into eight distinct categories. Please review the award categories list and description before submitting your nomination.
What is the process of choosing award recipients?
After the nomination submission closes, an independent Selection Committee will review the nominations to determine finalists. All nominees must be willing to be screened and vetted in a formal interview process.
Who is on the IDA Selection Committee?
The IDA Selection Committee is an independent, anonymous panel of judges formed on the basis of individual expertise in at least one of the award categories. The IDA Selection Committee reserves the right to move applicants to another award category if they deem appropriate.
Finalists will be notified by late September. At this time, all nominees and nominators will be notified.
Someone nominated me, what do I do now?
If you were nominated you should have received an email with a dedicated link to complete your nomination package. If you need the email resent, please email stephanieb@immigrantservicescalgary.ca.
Complete submission packages must be received by 11:59pm on August 2, 2021. If you do not provide the required information and documents to complete the nomination package, the nomination will not move forward to the review and selection stage.
You can use this checklist and sample form to prepare your nomination package but everything must be submitted online. This sample form is for preparation purposes only and will not be accepted via email or other means as a valid submission.
More information about submitting a complete nomination package is available under the Nominating Yourself section below. (a letter of support is applicable only to self-nominated candidates)
Nominating Yourself
All of the information is in my resume. Do I still have to fill out the fields?
To facilitate the review process we require some information be included in the form fields. You can copy and paste from your resume or CV. This is also an opportunity to elaborate on your achievements and provide the selection committee with more detail on your qualifications.
What information will I need to complete the nomination package?
You can use this checklist and sample form to prepare your nomination package but everything must be submitted online. This sample form is for preparation purposes only and will not be accepted via email or other means as a valid submission.
How do I prepare a letter of support?
The letter of support is an endorsement from another individual. This letter should confirm your qualification for the award category and tell the selection committee why your nomination should be considered.
The letter should be from a neutral party such as a supervisor, esteemed colleague, professor or teacher, etc. Reference letters from family members are not recommended.
Who should I ask for a letter of support?
The letter of support can be from anyone who can speak to your achievements and qualifications for the award category. Ideally it should be someone with first-hand knowledge of achievements in the award category - such as a colleague, teacher or mentor. The letter should be current and from a neutral party such as a supervisor, esteemed colleague, professor or teacher, etc. Reference letters from family members are not recommended. Ideally the letter should be specific to the Immigrants of Distinction Awards but a recent recommendation for another purpose may be accepted.
What additional documents should I provide?
Supporting documents may be provided to enhance your nomination package. Photos, articles, testimonials or other materials that demonstrate your achievements will help tell your story to the Selection Committee.
You can upload documents individually or compile them into a single document and upload everything together.
Why should I provide supporting documents?
The Selection Committee has limited information about you – the information you provide in your nomination package. Photos, articles, testimonials or other materials that demonstrate your achievements will help tell your story and give the Selection Committee a more complete understanding of your qualification for an award category.
Nominating Someone Else
Can I nominate more than 1 person?
Yes! You can submit as many nominations as you like – a form must be completed for each nominee.
Can I nominate an individual who is no longer living, in memory of his or her work?
No, awards are not given posthumously.
What information will I need to submit a nomination?
You can use this sample form to prepare your nomination but everything must be submitted online. This sample form is for preparation purposes only and will not be accepted via email or other means as a valid submission.
Nominations by family members must be endorsed with a letter of support from a neutral party such as a supervisor, esteemed colleague, professor or teacher, etc.
How much detail do I need to include for the nominee’s story?
Use the fields in the About the Nominee section to tell the Selection Committee why they should consider the nominee for the award category. This is an endorsement that should confirm the individual’s qualification for the award category. You can be brief or tell the Selection Committee about specific examples of how the nominee is outstanding and their impact on their community or profession.
Will the nominee know who nominated them?
You can submit a nomination anonymously. We will request additional information from the nominee and knowing who nominated them may encourage a quicker response.
What additional information will be requested from the nominee?
Click here for a checklist of things the nominee will need to provide for a complete nomination package.
What happens if someone I nominate does not complete the nomination package?
Complete submission packages must be received by Aug 2, 2021. (Note: The deadline to complete the nomination is 11:59pm Aug 2 - the nominee has a few extra days to complete the submission.) We will follow up with nominees prior to this date but any incomplete nominations will be discarded after the deadline. If you nominate someone and they do not provide the required information and documents to complete the nomination package, the nomination will not move forward to the review and selection stage.
Nominating an Organization
Can I nominate an organization where I work?
Yes, employees can nominate an organization they work for.
Can I nominate an organization if I’m not an employee?
Yes! Anyone can nominate an organization that meets the eligibility criteria. You will need to provide a contact at the organization so we can request additional information from them.
Are immigrant and refugee serving organizations eligible?
Immigrant and refugee serving organizations will not be considered for the Organizational Diversity award. This category recognizes organizations (businesses, government bodies, non-profit organizations, or media outlets) that champion workplace diversity initiatives and have made significant contributions to supporting and integrating an ethnically diverse workforce.
What information will I need to submit a nomination?
If you are the primary contact for the organization you can use this checklist and sample form to prepare your nomination package but everything must be submitted online. This sample form is for preparation purposes only and will not be accepted via email or other means as a valid submission.
If you are not an employee and/or the primary contact, you must provide a contact at the organization so we can request additional information from them. You will also be required to tell us, briefly, why the organization deserves this award and describe the positive impact of the organization's diversity initiatives. You can use this sample form to prepare your nomination but everything must be submitted online. This sample form is for preparation purposes only and will not be accepted via email or other means as a valid submission.
What happens if an organization I nominate does not complete the nomination package?
Complete submission packages must be received by Aug 2. (Note: The deadline to submit the nomination is 11:59pm Aug 2 - the nominee has a few extra days to complete the submission.) We will follow up with nominees prior to this date but any incomplete nominations will be discarded after the deadline. If you nominate an organization and they do not provide the required information and documents to complete the nomination package, the nomination will not move forward to the review and selection stage.
Will the organization know who nominated them?
You can submit a nomination anonymously. We will request additional information from the organization and knowing who nominated them may encourage a quicker response.