All existing U.S.-based CivicPlus^® customers are eligible to be nominated. Nominations may recognize a department, a project team, a department, or an entire agency, including special districts, higher education institutions, and school districts. Due to legal compliance restrictions, we regret that we cannot accept nominations from customers outside the United States.

Nominations may be submitted by individuals who are either employed by an organization that is a current CivicPlus customer, or who reside in a community served by one. Individuals may nominate others or self-nominate their own team, department, agency, government, or special district. 

CivicPlus employees may not submit on behalf of a customer. 

The nomination window begins on Friday, May 1, 2026, at 8:00 am ET and ends on Friday, May 22, 2026, at 11:59 pm ET.

A panel of judges will select the top ten winners from all submissions.

• From there, the top three winners will each receive a $1,000 charitable contribution to an organization of their choice and a recognition trophy. A video will be created to showcase the stories of the top three winners, which will be featured in the press release.
• The remaining seven winners will receive a spotlight on our winners’ landing page.

A panel of CivicPlus employees, previous CivicPlus award winners, and CivicPlus partners will select the winners.

Winning submissions to the Community Impact Awards will showcase meaningful projects, policies, or process improvements that have transformed community experiences through innovation, efficiency, and public service. The judges are looking for stories that demonstrate how local leaders, teams, or agencies have optimized operations, modernized services, or deepened resident engagement, resulting in measurable outcomes such as time or cost savings, increased staff satisfaction, or improved public trust. These initiatives reflect the everyday efforts that drive extraordinary impact and strengthen the communities we call home.

Judges will use the following criteria when reviewing submissions:

• Innovation: How creative and original was the initiative? Did it introduce new methods, tools, or ideas to solve a community issue or improve public services?
• Community Impact: What measurable or observable impact did the initiative have on the community or residents? How has it improved the quality of life or civic engagement?
• Scalability & Sustainability: Is the initiative sustainable and scalable? Can the initiative be continued over time, or potentially leveraged by other communities?
• Resident Experience: Did the initiative deliver improved engagement, access, inclusion, and/or equity?

Nominations do not need to reference a CivicPlus product or solution. The judges are looking for entries that speak to the ways you’re making a difference in your community. However, if a CivicPlus solution played a role in your success, we encourage you to include that in your story. Submissions that highlight how our products have enhanced community experiences may also be considered for a future case study opportunity.

In June, the top ten finalists will be notified. With the help of a CivicPlus videographer, the top three winners will bring their submissions to life using video.

In mid-October, we’ll announce the winners using a multi-media press release that will include videos of the top finalists.

The top three winners will each receive a $1,000 charitable contribution to an organization of their choice and a recognition trophy. A video will be created to showcase the stories of the top three submissions, which will be featured in the press release announcing the winners.

The Civic Experience Awards have evolved into the Community Impact Awards to more inclusively recognize the wide range of meaningful work our customers are doing. This new name captures the full scope of impact, from service improvements to community engagement, driven by public servants, educators, and governments making a difference in the places we live, work, and learn.