What they’re looking for
Essentially, the Honours Committee is looking for candidates from all walks of life who are leaders in their field and who have gone the extra mile, done something extraordinary or made a positive impact on wider society.
The way in which an honours nomination is presented to the Honours Committee is key to a successful outcome. Your nominee could be an ideal candidate, but if the nomination and the accompanying letters of support are not persuasive then the nomination is unlikely to succeed. The nomination should outline your candidate’s recent achievements – focusing on the last 5 years – and substantiate the information.
The basics
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to keep your nomination a secret! It’s strongly advised to contact people who know your nominee well and who can offer letters of support for the nomination. There’s a minimum number of two letters of support and while there’s no upper limit we recommend between 5 and 15 letters to add strength and credibility to the nomination.
It’s also important to remember that the nomination is for an individual. So while your nominee may have contributed to a wider community initiative, or worked within a group, you are nominating a single person. Their individual efforts must be the focus and you must indicate why they, and they alone, deserve a Royal Honour.
Why, why, why?
When you begin drafting your nomination consider why the nominee is worthy. Why should they be recognised with one of the most highly regarded and prestigious accolades that one can receive? Why are the candidate and their achievements special?
All about evidence
Honours nominations are all about providing evidence! Of course, you are nominating the candidate because you think their achievements are incredible, but the committee doesn’t know them or what they have accomplished. Therefore, providing plenty of evidence to support why your nominee deserves the recognition of a Royal Honour is essential to being properly considered. In what ways do they continue to be outstanding, what is the impact of their efforts and achievements, and how can you best substantiate your proposal?
Think outside the box
Your submission can be handwritten or typed, depending on your preferences. It can also include relevant photos of the nominee to add a bit of life and colour to the nomination.
It’s not a CV!
The Honours Committee doesn’t want to read a list of the nominee’s achievements as if it were a professional CV. This is a common mistake.
Instead, make sure that you tell a story about your candidate. Creating a compelling overview, with plenty of evidence that truly reflects how brilliant your nominee is will be invaluable to both the Honours Committee and your candidate.
Apply with Awards Intelligence
Feeling the pressure? We know it can be a stressful prospect of doing your nominee justice and giving them the best chance of receiving recognition for their efforts.
You can get in touch with us today to have a chat with a member of our team and find out more about the application process and how we can help you.