Annual Member Awards Nominations Being Accepted

Nominations for 2024 OCCD Member Awards

Nominations for the 2024 OCCD Member Awards is now open. These awards recognize Community Development Staff, Community Development Departments/Agencies, and Community Development Partners/Advocates who have made exemplary contributions to our field. Winners will be announced at the OCCD Annual Summer Meeting on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio.

Nominations due Friday, May 10, 2024

Nominations:  Only OCCD Members may be nominated, except in the case of the Partner of the Year award, whereby a nominee does not have to be a member but must be a partner of a current OCCD member. You may also nominate yourself or your own organization for an award. Please use the online nomination form to submit your nomination - /surveys/occd-annual-award-nomination-application

Include the name, address, phone number, and e-mail addresses of both the nominator and the nominee and the name of the award for which they are being nominated. Please include a description of the nominee (500 words or less) detailing why the individual, organization, or project should receive the award, as well as a digital photo to be used during the awards ceremony for publicity purposes. Also include two third party letters that support the nomination.

Please submit nominations for the following OCCD Member Awards:

Community Development Professional of the Year 
Recognition will be given to a community development professional whose work on a project or program has had a major impact in their community.

Young Community Development Professional of the Year  
Recognition will be given to a young community development professional whose work on a project or program had a major impact in their community. A young community development professional is considered to be an individual under 35 years of age with a minimum of two years of work experience.

Community Development Department of the year 
Recognition will be given to a department whose programs collectively or one program singly has made a significant impact in their community.

Community Development Partner of the Year 
Recognition will be given to a non-profit or faith-based organization, individual, business, financial institution, foundation, intermediary, government agency, or other entity that has demonstrated exceptional support of community development initiatives (can be non-OCCD member).

Community Development Intern of the Year 
Recognition will be given to community development students who have performed exemplary work in and exhibited overwhelming commitment to their internship. The student must be enrolled in a program related to community development at an accredited institution in Ohio. Each awardee will receive free registration to four OCCD quarterly meetings.

President’s Award for Innovative Practices 
In recognition of unique and creative programming that at least partially uses HUD or State funds in the delivery of housing and community development services. Selection will be based upon: the significance of need addressed, the ability to sustain the impact over time, the ability of the project to be replicated elsewhere with similar success, and the scope of the impact on the community.