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Submission Guidelines

Before you fill out the nomination form, be sure to review all of the requirements below.

  • Nominator Guidelines. If you are nominating an individual, group, or organization, first review the eligibility requirements. If the person you wish to nominate is eligible, you will need to compose a Nomination Letter and an Abstract to support your nomination.
  • Nominee Guidelines. If you have been nominated for an award, be sure to complete the nominee steps to keep your nomination process moving. The nomination will not be considered without your complete information.

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Nominator Guidelines

  1. Essential information. Each form must include the nominee's full name and email address. An automatic email notification will be sent to nominees so that they can complete their part of the submission.

    Note: If you are nominating an organization, program or team, please provide the name and email address of the individual(s) who would accept the award on behalf of the organization.

  2. Nomination letter. Each nomination form must be accompanied by a letter that reflects as much as you know about the nominee's accomplishments and services in supporting crime victims. Review the Nomination Letter page and be sure that your letter answers all of the questions asked, depending on the award category. Your nomination letter should include your title, affiliation, and mailing and email addresses. No anonymous nominations will be accepted.

    Each nomination letter, in addition to addressing all criteria under the award category for which you are nominating an individual or group, must explain how the nominee—

    1. has contributed efforts to the victim services field that are unique, exceptional, or go beyond his or her job duties;
    2. has demonstrated leadership or teamwork in achieving these efforts; and
    3. has brought about change for victims or the victim services field that is or will be enduring.

Note: Your nomination letter should not exceed two single-spaced, single-sided, letter-size (8.5" x 11") pages and should be typed using a standard 12-point font. Hint: Compose your letter in a word processor prior to initiating the nomination process. You may not save and return to your submission at a later date.

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Nomination Letters

Each nomination form must be accompanied by a nomination letter. Your nomination letter should include your title, affiliation, and mailing address. Your nomination letter should not exceed two single-spaced, single-sided, letter-size (8.5" x 11") pages and should be typed using a standard 12-point font. Hint: Compose your letter in a word processor prior to initiating the nomination process. You may not save and return to your submission at a later date.

If you are nominating a group of individuals who work on a specific project, please submit only one nomination letter for the group of individuals. The online nomination form provides space for the contact information for each individual in the group.

Nomination Letter Guidelines:

Use the following guidelines to help compose your nomination letter:

  • Use the letter to provide a complete picture of the nominee's accomplishments. Assume that the selection committee is completely unfamiliar with the nominee's work.
  • Address all criteria under the award category for which you are nominating an individual or group.
  • Include specific examples that address what the nominee has achieved, how the nominee accomplished these achievements, and why the nominee's achievements have significance that should be recognized with a National Crime Victims' Service Award:
    1. Explain what efforts the nominee has contributed to the victim services field that are unique, exceptional, or go beyond his or her job duties. Describe efforts such as—
      • extraordinary actions,
      • significant obstacles overcome, and
      • groundbreaking achievements.
    2. Explain how the nominee has demonstrated leadership or teamwork in achieving these efforts. Describe elements
      such as—
      • visionary thinking or initiative,
      • innovative methods or creative ideas, and
      • collaboration or bringing together different groups.
    3. Explain why the nominee's efforts represent change for victims or the victim services field that is or will be enduring. Describe efforts such as—
      • extraordinary benefits, restitution, or healing for victims,
      • laws that have been passed, and
      • programs that have been replicated.
  • Be as specific as possible, and include milestones, numbers, statistics, and monetary amounts where appropriate.
  • Write clearly and directly, and include pertinent details without providing extraneous or unrelated information.
  • Ensure that all information submitted is accurate.

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Nominee Guidelines

  1. Essential information. Your submission must include your full name, title, affiliation, address, telephone number, and email address. If your application for nomination is accepted, an OVC staff member will contact you with the next steps for your nomination in the award process. As the nominee, you may be required to provide your date of birth and Social Security number, which the U.S. Department of Justice will use to conduct a background check. Your date of birth and Social Security number do not need to be provided until requested by OVC

  2. Voluntary information. Demographic information is collected on a voluntary basis. You are not required to fill out this information to be considered for an award.
  3. Acceptance agreement. If this nomination is chosen for
    consideration—

    The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), a component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, is authorized to contact the nominee for his or her date of birth and Social Security number in order to initiate a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) name check. This information is needed to provide enough identifying data to allow a search of FBI records and federal, state, and local law enforcement civil and criminal records. The results of the name check are used to assist OVC in making a determination of suitability or eligibility to receive a National Crime Victims' Service Award. Furnishing this information is voluntary; however, if a nominee chooses not to provide it, the refusal may result in a determination of ineligibility to receive a National Crime Victims' Service Award. To participate on stage in the awards ceremony, award recipients (for both individual and team awards) and accompanying officials must provide the same information for a name check upon request.

    If chosen for an award, the nominee agrees to—

    • Participate in all National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony events taking place in Washington, D.C. The award recipient's travel expenses will be reimbursed within Federal Government guidelines. For group nominations, expenses will be reimbursed for a maximum of two nominees.
    • The general use by the media and posting to Federal Government component websites and social media platforms of their photographic portraits or pictures, digital images, videotapes, other media material, and sound recordings. The media will be invited to participate in all events associated with National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
    • The public dissemination of their biographical information, including award-related personal and/or professional stories.

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The Office for Victims of Crime is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

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