Contest Q&A
Q: What is the cost to enter?
A: Awards of Excellence entries are $55. Higher Goals entries are $30 each.
Q: My latest issue is dated next year, but we actually published it this year. Can I enter it in this year’s contest?
A: To be eligible for the contest, material must have been published in an issue dated in the calendar year of the contest. The issue date (not your press or mailing date) is what determines eligibility for each year’s contest. If you publish a December-January issue that carries dates from two years on its cover, it’s your choice — but select a year. That issue cannot be entered both this year and next.
Q. How many entries can we make in the Awards of Excellence?
A. Generally, you enter once in Traditional (print and PDF) or once in Digital, depending on your membership. If you have a dual print-digital membership, you can submit both a traditional and a digital entry. Beginning in 2026, we are allowing entries in more than one category if your title fits logically in more than one category.
Q. What are Associate (individual) members allowed to enter?
A. Associate members may enter any Higher Goals category for which they have a suitable entry. There is no provision for Associate members in the Awards of Excellence.
Q. What is the policy regarding the use of AI in entries?
A. All contest entries are to be original works created by humans and not generated or altered by AI. Limited use of AI tools, with direct human involvement and oversight, is permitted for the development of ideas, editorial refinement such as grammar and spelling checks, and minor stylistic enhancements of original works.
Q: Can we enter non-original material?
A. In Higher Goals entries must be original with the publication. No reprints from other sources and no newswire articles.
Q: Is my entry judged only against others from my membership category or against all entries?
A: The Awards of Excellence contest, which looks at the entire publication, is divided by membership category, with awards offered in each category. The Higher Goals and Most Improved Publication contests are open competitions, with publications from all membership categories vying against one another.
Q: Can I enter more than one item in a category?
A: Yes. You may enter two items in each Higher Goals contest. If your publication has an associated website and that website has its own EPA digital membership, you may enter two articles from the website (whether or not they also appeared in print). This means it is possible for a publication to enter four different articles in a single category (two from the printed publication, and two from the website), but only if they hold dual memberships.
Q: What happens if we enter two items in a category and both entries are winners?
A: A publication may only win once per category. The highest ranking entry will receive an award. The other entry, unfortunately, gets nothing. Yes, we have actually had a publication receive two perfect scores from the judge. The judge was asked to declare one First Place award.
Q: Can I enter the same article in more than one category?
A: Yes. You may enter an article in more than one category. For instance, a piece may qualify for both Editorial and Humorous Article. If you think it qualifies, it probably does, though a judge may disagree.
Q: What happens if I think something qualifies in a Higher Goals category, but a judge disagrees?
A: You’re probably not going to win in that category.
Q: Explain the two Blog categories.
A: The Blog: Website category is a competition for the complete blog site authored by one person or a group of individuals. It can be part of an organization’s website or other online site. The Blog: Single Post category is exactly what it says — a single blog post. Both categories are open to digital publication members and associate members.
Q: I’m not sure if my publication is an EPA member or if we renewed our membership for this year. How can I find out?
A: The contest is open only to EPA members in good standing. Each individual publication must be a member. Being part of a publication group that includes a member publication is not sufficient. The EPA Executive Director is the final authority on membership matters.
Q: My publication is registered in the General category, but we really fit better in the Organizational category. Can I enter under Organizational in the Awards of Excellence contest?
Q. We no longer print our magazine, but we produce a traditional PDF on a digital platform. Do we enter the print division or the digital division?
A. We treat a paginated PDF as a “traditional” publication, even though it is a digital membership. The Traditional division is for both print publications and PDF-generated publications.
A: Publications should enter their designated membership category. You can discuss changing membership categories with the Executive Director, the final authority on membership matters. That said, we now allow multiple entries, so if you think you fit logically under a second category, you may enter twice.
Q: When will the award winners be announced?
A: All awards are announced during the awards presentation at the annual EPA convention. It is one of the highlights of the convention. An Awards Liaison is printed and distributed at the end of the convention and later made available to all members. The award winners are also posted online after the convention.
Q: Who do I contact with questions?
A: Email your questions to the Executive Director or call 1-888-311-1731.