We’re highlighting organizations dedicated to making the world a smarter, safer, healthier and more sustainable place. Show us how corporate social responsibility is woven into the fabric of your mission.
You’re leading the charge on diversity, organizational transparency, service learning, public health and education. We want to see how you developed, promoted, executed and told stories about those efforts and how they’ve made a difference for your organization.
We’re excited to honor the campaigns, programs and initiatives that are changing the world for the better.
Want to know how your ideas and execution stack up? See last year’s winners here.
See a full list of categories and eligibility requirements, and read how to enter below.
Eligibility Requirements
These awards are open to in-house, agency and independent communication practitioners in the private, corporate, nonprofit and government sectors. Enter your work, the work of your organization or submit entries on behalf of your client.
Companies from around the world are welcome to enter as long as the entry is submitted in English.
Contact Brendan Gannon to find the perfect category for your campaign or project. You can reach him at 312-960-4407 or brendang@ragan.com.
This year’s program is open to any work executed between Jan. 1, 2018, and April 19, 2019, inclusive.
Recognition
Each category winner will receive:
- A featured write-up in a Special Edition of Ragan.com
- An elegant trophy
- One complimentary registration to any Ragan event, webcast, or conference within 12 months of winning
The winners of the Grand Prize categories also will receive a one-year membership to Ragan Training —a premium online training library featuring hundreds of hours of the very best content from Ragan events. Find out more about the site here: https://ragantraining.com/
CATEGORIES
ENGAGEMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
CSR Event
*NEW!* Internal Communications Campaign
Media Relations or PR Campaign
Report (Annual or One-time) (Print or Electronic)
Social Media Campaign
Stakeholder/Employee Engagement
Video or Visual Design
SOCIAL IMPACT
Cause Advocacy Campaign
Community Affairs
Corporate-Community or Nonprofit Partnership
Disaster Prevention or Relief
Education or Scholarship Program
Fundraising and Philanthropic Initiative
Global CSR Initiative
Public Health or Safety Initiative
BUSINESS PRACTICES
Brand Activism
Employee Volunteer Program
Green and Environmental Stewardship
Diversity and Inclusion Initiative
Organizational Transparency
GRAND PRIZE
Campaign of the Year
Agency of the Year
How To Enter
On the entry form, be sure to include a thorough synopsis explaining the purpose and scope of your project. We ask that the synopsis be at least 1,000 words (max: 1,250 words) and include the following sub-headings (when applicable):
- Goals
- Strategy and tactics
- Execution
- Evaluation: success, results or ROI
Be sure to follow the guidelines laid out in the category descriptions, as the judges will look for those elements when they select the winners.
You will be able to upload up to five additional documents to your submission. We encourage you to include press releases, design concepts, videos, analytics, testimonials and anything else you feel will give us a better sense of your project. Proprietary or internal information can also be attached and will not be shared with the public.
Supporting documents that can’t be uploaded to the system should be mailed to:
Brendan Gannon
Ragan Communications
10 S. LaSalle St., Suite 310
Chicago, IL 60603
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should you apply?
Our award programs help you measure the success of your work and prove the value of your contributions to your organization. You can set yourself apart in the industry as an expert, which will open doors throughout your career. As a winner, you’ll earn publicity for your brand across our websites and social media audiences, free training at a Ragan conference of your choice, a custom write-up about your campaign and a trophy.Who can enter?
Entries may be submitted by organizations worldwide. The only requirement is that entries be submitted in English. Most programs are open to in-house, agency and independent communication practitioners in the private, corporate, nonprofit and government sectors. Our Nonprofit PR Awards are reserved for nonprofit organizations.What does it take to be a winner?
Although each award program is unique, we look for top-quality work that shows clear, bold and creative ideas that benefit your business or client. Please provide metrics or media coverage that back up your claims, and share creative collateral such as videos, visual design or websites that were a part of your project. Please look at our past award winners to see what gets recognized and rewarded. We encourage you to submit the same campaign to multiple categories, if you feel they are relevant. Doing so increases your chances of winning.What are the entry requirements?
The entry form requires that you submit a synopsis explaining the purpose and scope of your project. The synopsis—1,000 to 1,250 words, please—should include the following sub-headings (when applicable):- Goals
- Strategy and tactics
- Execution
- Evaluation: success, results or ROI
Why are some deadlines extended?
We extend deadlines based on applicant needs and upcoming promotional opportunities.Who are the judges?
We currently work exclusively with an external judging partner. We are not looking for new judges for our programs at this time.When will I find out results?
We try to announce a list of finalists six to eight weeks after the close of the program. The announcement of the winners comes about three to four weeks after the announcement of the finalists. Each announcement will be made with a headline on our website, in our daily email newsletter and on our social media platforms. Emails notify entrants in advance of these announcements. As deadlines are extended, so are expected announcement dates.Additional Questions
Additional Questions
If you have any questions about the program or problems submitting your entry, please call Brendan Gannon at 312-960-4407 or email him at brendang@ragan.com.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Sponsorship Opportunities
If you are interested in sponsoring one of Ragan Communications’ award programs, please contact our sponsorship team at sponsorship@ragan.com.