Instructions and Criteria

Give your Society the recognition it deserves and enter your Society to win an Outstanding Society Award!

How to Enter
Society Membership Achievement Award
Communication and Public Relations Achievement Award
Education Achievement Award
Community Service Achievement Award
Special Achievement Award
Contact Information

How to Enter

To win, you must provide evidence to LOMA of having met award criteria defined by LOMA’s Society Committee. For the category you wish to enter (see the listing on this page), download the submission form, which is a list of criteria for winning the award. Print the form and place your Society's name on it. Gather any related documentation/evidence of having met award criteria and organize into a neat folder or binder. Your package should include a signed cover letter with contact information so that judges may contact you with any questions. Also please include the name and address of the person who should receive the winner's announcement. Mail/send your submission to LOMA. See contact information, below.

Entries must be received at LOMA by April 30^th. No exceptions will be allowed. Winners will by notified on or before July 31^st. Winners will be presented with an Outstanding Society Award Medallion at LOMA’s Annual Conference & Conferment, and also receive recognition in Resource magazine. 
 Additional Guidelines

Society Membership Achievement Award

Click here for the criteria/submission form for this category

Purpose: To recognize Societies that do an outstanding job of recruiting new members, maintaining current members, recognizing new designation holders, recognizing outstanding members, and involving the membership in Society operations and activities. To earn the award, criteria 1 and 2 must be met, along with three of the remaining six criteria. Societies must submit documentation to prove that the criteria have been met.

As of November 2002, Associate members do count toward your total Society membership. Judges will make the final determination as to whether the criteria have been satisfied.

2. The Society must have added new and previously uninvolved members. (Required documentation: A list of the new Society members)

3. Eighty percent of the membership from the previous Society year must have renewed membership for the Society year under consideration.

4. New LOMA designees must have been personally invited to a recognition activity held in their honor.

5. The Society must have recognized the contributions of its membership by sponsoring a formal membership recognition program, preferably a Distinguished Service Award program as outlined in the LOMA Society Officers' Manual.

6. Society meetings must have been attended by an average of at least 60% of the total membership, or there must have been a 10% increase in average meeting attendance from the previous year.

7. The lesser of (a)10% of average meeting attendance or (b) 20 Society members must be involved in Society committee work.

8. The Society must have provided the availability of at least four meetings and/or events, including an Annual Meeting, fostering the opportunity for all members to network, interact and receive educational information.

Communication and Public Relations Achievement Award

Click here for the criteria/submission form for this category

Purpose: To recognize Societies that do an outstanding job of communicating with the membership and of publicizing Society activities to the industry and the community.

Four of the five criteria must be met to earn this award. Societies must submit documentation to prove that the criteria have been met. Judges will make the final determination as to whether the criteria have been satisfied.

The Society must have produced at least two newsletters during the year. The newsletters must have contained the following information:

1. Report on the previous meeting(s)

3. Committee and officers' reports

3. Names and companies of new LOMA designees

4. Names and phone numbers of Society officers

5. Budget or financial report

The Society must have produced and made available to the membership a membership directory; must demonstrate that it engaged in activities that enhanced the visibility of the Society within the industry or community by having submitted articles for publication in all member represented company publications and/or the community media; and engaged in a formal campaign to promote the Society to company management, including letter writing campaigns and/or formal visits.

During the year under consideration, the Society must have submitted to LOMA at least two articles which were printed in Resource magazine. (Citing the date of publication in Resource is sufficient documentation for this requirement.)

The Society must have developed an attractive, interactive web site that displays a consistent format, with a responsive loading time, clearly displaying the Society Name, board member information including name, company, and e-mail. Graphics should be used purposefully and effectively; screen should be easy to read. The site should clearly identify LOMA and provide links to LOMA and possibly other Society

Education Achievement Award

Click here for the criteria/submission form for this category

Purpose: To recognize Societies that do an outstanding job of encouraging individuals to enroll in LOMA designation programs and to complete their designations.

Criteria 1 along with four of the remaining eight criteria must be met to earn this award. Societies must submit documentation to prove that the criteria have been met. Judges will make the final determination as to whether the criteria have been satisfied.

1. The Society must have fostered ongoing relationships with LOMA Educational Representatives (Ed Reps) by inviting Ed Reps to Society meetings and activities, including Ed Reps on the Society mailing list, and allowing Ed Reps associate membership in the Society.

2. The Society must have made significant efforts to assist students in obtaining instruction for LOMA program courses either by offering formal classes or by proactively collecting and disseminating information about classes being taught in the Society area.

3. The Society must have sponsored a mentor program with at least 10% of the Society members serving as mentors.

4. Society members must have monitored examination centers during the administration of LOMA exams. (This information is on file at LOMA.)

5. The Society must have sponsored or participated in an education fair.

6. The Society must have allowed and promoted the availability of student membership/involvement in the Society.

7. The Society must have worked with local institutions of higher education to seek approval of credit for LOMA program courses. LOMA's academic credit coordinator must have been involved in these activities.

8. The Society must have sponsored a scholarship program for college/university students. The program must have written requirements for both the college/university and the students. Information explaining the details of the program and applications for the program must have been sent to the sponsoring college/university.

9. The Society must have provided an industry related professional development program (workshop, seminar, conference, etc.) i.e. professional development opportunities beyond the regular meeting programming provided by all Societies.

Community Service Achievement Award

Click here for the criteria/submission form for this category

Purpose: To recognize Societies that do an outstanding job of serving their communities.

Both of the following criteria must be met to earn this award. Societies must submit documentation to prove that the criteria have been met. Judges will make the final determination as to whether the criteria have been satisfied.

2. Membership participation in at least one community service project must have equaled no less than 20% of average meeting attendance.

Special Achievement Award

Click here for the criteria/submission form for this category

Purpose: To recognize Societies for outstanding performance or activities not covered in other award categories.

One of the following criteria must be met to earn this award. Societies must submit documentation to prove that the criteria have been met. Judges will make the final determination as to whether the criteria have been satisfied.

2. LOMA may nominate a Society for this award based upon activities that LOMA has been made aware of through communication with the Society. LOMA's nomination(s) will be submitted in writing to the judges.

Additional Guidelines

Unless otherwise noted, "membership" is equivalent to average meeting attendance and includes Associate members.

Societies that have not met certain criteria may apply for an award and request the judges' consideration in spite of the criteria not having been met. Such requests must be supported by documentation of the activity for which the Society feels merits the award and/or documentation of the extenuating circumstances that the Society would like considered.

All documentation should be numbered sequentially and should be referenced by the corresponding criteria. Numbers should be written clearly in the top right-hand corner of each document.

Entries must be received at LOMA by April 30^th. No exceptions will be allowed.

Winners will by notified on or before July 31^st. Winners will be presented with an Outstanding Society Award Medallion at LOMA’s Annual Conference & Conferment, and also receive recognition in Resource magazine.

Contact Information

Mail your award submission to:

LOMA
Attn: LOMA Society Support Team
2300 Windy Ridge Pkwy., Suite 600
Atlanta, GA 30339-8443

To contact the Society Support Team, call 1-800-ASK-LOMA (Option 1), 770-984-3761, or e-mail LOMAsociety@loma.org.