Are you looking to nominate your council for a Schwartz Prize? We are here to help! Following are frequently asked questions regarding the 1) Nomination Packet & Eligibility, 2) Awards Process and Ceremony, and 3) Promoting the Schwartz Prize
The deadline for Schwartz Prize nominations is Thursday, August 3, 2023.
Schwartz Prize FAQs
Nomination Packet & Eligibility
Q: What needs to be included in the 2023 nominating packet?
A: The nominating packet should include the following information:
- Nominating statement (see below)
- Clear indication if you are submitting in council-conducted or grant-funded category
- Electronic image(s) and/or links to media
- Link to program information online (either council, partner, or program-specific webpage)
- Answers to application questions (see below)
- OPTIONAL: pre-approved testimonials from participants (attendees, staff)
- OPTIONAL: Up to 10 Media and/or Partner Organization contacts to send announcements to on your behalf, should you win
NOTE: Please submit the nominating statement, interview answers, and any optional materials (see above) in one PDF packet. Image(s) should be sent separately in .png or .jpg format, preferably via Google Drive or a similar sharing tool.
Q: Where can I find examples of nomination packets?
A: You can find past nomination packets on the Federation’s website at the bottom of the Schwartz Prize page.
Q: When is the deadline to submit a nomination?
A: Nominations to the 2023 Schwartz Prize are due no later than Thursday, August 3, 2023. To submit a nomination, please review the nominating packets criteria, including the nominating statement, and send all materials to events@statehumanities.org. You have until midnight in your time zone to submit a nomination on August 3, 2023.
Q: Can I submit more than one nomination to the Schwartz Prize?
A: Yes! Councils have always been eligible for more than one nomination, and this year we have even more opportunities to do so. Up to three Schwartz Prizes will be awarded across two different categories: Council-conducted programs and Grant-funded programs. If more than one of your Council’s programs meets the eligibility requirements in either category, you may nominate it.
Q: The 2023 Schwartz Prize is looking for 2022 programs? What does that mean?
A: It means that the majority of the program needs to have taken place in 2022. For work to be eligible, it can have started before 2022 or gone beyond 2022, but most of the work or the final event must have taken place in 2022.
Q: How do we know if a program we conduct or support is worth nominating for the Schwartz Prize?
A: Great question! A number of past nominees have told us that their council hosts a staff meeting to discuss past programs and see if any meet the criteria for the Schwartz Prize. We’ve also heard that sometimes a board member suggests nominating a particular program, and sometimes the nomination comes from sharing the Call for Nominations with grantees, who then wish to have their program nominated. Other times, councils have reached out to one another to encourage someone to submit a program they found particularly innovative, impactful, or inspiring. The Federation encourages you to review the criteria announced in the call for nominations to ultimately determine whether you think the program should be nominated.
Awards Process and Ceremony
Q: When and where is the Schwartz Prize Awards Ceremony?
A: The 2023 Schwartz Prize awards ceremony will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana on Friday, October 27, 2023. The ceremony is held in conjunction with and as a part of the National Humanities Conference, which runs from October 25-29, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. To attend the Schwartz Prize awards ceremony, you must be registered at the National Humanities Conference.
Q: When are the winners notified?
A: Winners of the 2023 Schwartz Prize will find out during the live Schwartz Prize awards ceremony on Friday, October 27, 2023.
Q: Do I need to be at the Schwartz Prize Awards Ceremony in November to submit a nomination?
A: While we’d love to see you at the awards ceremony, you do not have to be in attendance. We do recommend appointing a representative to receive the award on your behalf. Please note that if it is funding that is preventing you from attending the National Humanities Conference and the Schwartz Prize, the National Humanities Conference offers to help offset the cost of the conference for eligible attendees. Contact events@statehumanities.org with questions.
Q: I submitted a nomination but cannot attend the Schwartz Prize Awards Ceremony in Indianapolis on October 27. Is my nominated program still eligible, and how do I find out whether or not it won?
A: While plans are still being made for this year’s Schwartz Prize, in past years we have either live streamed the awards ceremony through Facebook or recorded the ceremony and published the video on the Federation’s YouTube channel. We also post about it on our social media channels and tag the council winners. Additionally, the Federation reaches out to the main contact on the Schwartz Prize nomination packet to share the official press release, a template press release, and the judges’ statement about the winning program(s) to the Schwartz Prize winner(s).
Q: What do the winners receive?
A: In addition to a modest financial award, Schwartz Prize-winning programs have typically received increased publicity, press, and national interest. As the nominations are judged by peers and partners, the programs naturally receive increased exposure, and the Federation uses the winning programs to demonstrate council capabilities, reach, and innovation to potential partners, funders, and other supporters.
Q: Who are the judges and how are they selected?
A: The judges for the Schwartz Prize come from the previous year’s Schwartz Prize winners and Federation national partners or board. Typically, the judging panel comprises an executive director, program officer, board member, and/or partner. The judges for the Schwartz Prize remain anonymous until the Schwartz Prize awards ceremony.
Q: Can I be a Schwartz Prize judge?
A: If your council received a Schwartz Prize award last year and you wish to be considered as a judge, or you are a national partner of the Federation and are interested in judging, please email Phoebe Stein at pstein@statehumanities.org with your request. All requests must be received no later than Monday, July 31, 2023.
Promoting the Schwartz Prize
Q: Can I let my community know that our council nominated a program for the Schwartz Prize?
A: Yes, but we ask that you wait until September before promoting your nominated program. This gives the judges enough time to review and make their decision without the influence of social media or other promotional activities. After September, please tag @humfed and #SchwartzPrize in your social media promotion and forward any Schwartz Prize-related content from your newsletters to Carrie deGuzman at cdeguzman@statehumanities.org.
Once winners are announced, the Federation provides a logo, Federation announcement, template press release, graphics, and judges’ statements to the winner(s) to help in additional promotion.
Q: How does the Federation promote the Schwartz Prize winners and nominees?
A: The Federation uses the nominated programs in its efforts to increase visibility of the work of the humanities councils to its partners, supporters, funders, and interested public. Throughout the year, the Federation highlights winners and nominees in its newsletters, social media, and in conversations with partners to demonstrate the award-winning work and capabilities of its members. We use #SchwartzPrize on social media.
Additionally, once all nominations are received, the Federation may contact nominees to schedule an interview, obtain optional audio, additional images, or video related to the nominations to be used for promotional and archival purposes.
Once winners are announced, the Federation provides a logo, Federation announcement, template press release, graphics, and judges’ statements to the winner(s) to help in additional promotion.
Q: What is the Schwartz Prize hashtag and should I tag anyone on our social media posts regarding the Schwartz Prize?
A: So glad you asked! Yes, please use #SchwartzPrize and tag us @humfed when posting across all social media channels.
I still have questions, who do I ask?
A: For any other questions, please contact events@statehumanities.org.
