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CGCI Awards Program


To learn more about what is being offerred ths year, click here.

Most of What You Need to Know
         About Applying for CGCI Awards

WELCOME to this in-depth look at the CGCI Awards Program, how to go about applying for them ...and hopefully winning them!  To do this, we shall start at the beginning...October 1939 to be exact!

At a CGCI Board Meeting that year it was suggested that if an annual prize was offered to the best yearbook it might stimulate the clubs in California to produce them. This idea went into effect the following year and the first ever CGCI award - a gardening book - was presented at the 1941 convention to Visalia Garden Club for their mimeographed yearbook. The first California club to win an NGC (then NCSGC) award was Piedmont Garden Club, who no longer exist, they won a white ribbon in 1944 for “Outstanding Work in War Activities”.  Well we’ve come a long way since then; dozens of club awards are offered each year, plus several youth awards. And now it is not CGCI who sponsors these awards. Generous clubs, districts, councils and individuals throughout the state provide the, mostly monetary, prizes.

So, if you'd like your club to enter for some awards....

The first order of business is to appoint an Awards Chairman.  You won't expect this person to do all the work alone!  A small committee should be formed to help the Chairman. Then.....Gather your tools to make your job simple and painless
    1. Current CGCI Awards Manual found in your CGCI Yearbook or online here.
    2. A general outline of the current awards program deadlines can be found by clicking here.
    3. Information and Evaluation forms found on this website. Click here.
    4. New club yearbook for the upcoming year
    5. Current CGCI Awards Chairman's phone number and email address because she is there to help you
This committee should get together to review the projects and programs proposed for the new garden-club-year and determine what awards the club may be eligible to apply for. Plan your strategy
  1. Review your club's projects and activities
  2. Review the Awards offered and note which projects and activities mesh with which awards
              HINT: Read over the evaluation forms for each different award.
              The evaluation forms will let you know what the judges will be looking for
              and thus, what your chances are.
  3. Note the award deadlines! If an entry is submitted late, it will NOT be judged.

Early planning is the key to success!

Once you have an idea of which awards you want to enter, it is much easier to plan accordingly.  Read the rules carefully, assemble your book of evidence telling the story of your project or activity. What will help you tell this story most effectively?
  1. Photographs?
    What is required? What would be helpful?
    Make sure someone is assigned to take the photos you will need.
  2. Hand-outs, flyers, brochures, booklets, etc?
    Make sure clean samples are put aside to use for the book of evidence.
  3. Press clippings
    The Press must be invited to be able to cover your story. Invite them early; give them information to help them write their story correctly. Then have someone make sure the articles are clipped and saved so you will have them when needed.
  4. Plan to collect these items as you go along so that when it comes time to present your story (compile your book of evidence), you will have all the elements you need to make your task an easy and enjoyable one.  There is nothing more frustrating than wanting to put together a book of evidence for a terrific project and finding you don’t have all the required components.

Plan to collect these items as you go along so that when it comes time to present your story (i.e. make your book of evidence) you will have all the elements you need to make your task an easy one. There’s nothing more frustrating than wanting to put together a book of evidence for a terrific project and finding you don’t have all the required components.So what awards are being offered this year...

The CGCI Awards program is in a constant state of flux. Awards come and go, criteria change, therefore you must have the current editions of  the Awards Manual, found on this website or in your CGCI Yearbook. All clubs receive a complimentary copy of the CGCI Yearbook from their District Director. The Manual carries complete award information. The most complete, up-to-date manual and information is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week on the  CGCI website. The complete Awards Manual, with all the latest revisions, is available for download from the website in Microsoft Word format.As you read through the awards you find that for some the club has already fulfilled the requirements.

G-2 YEARBOOK AWARD
Print two extra yearbooks and submit both copies to the CGCI Yearbook chairman by December

PR-2 Section 2 CLUB NEWSLETTER
Enter your club newsletters by submitting them in a brown envelope to the CGCI Publicity Chairman by February 1.

PR-2 Section 2 PUBLICATIONS -published during the current awards year
Enter your club’s flyers, history, cookbook, or brochures in the Publications section specifically for such material.

PR-5 WEBSITE AWARD
If your club has a website, submit the website address to the CGCI Webmaster by December

G-6PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTION
(Sec. A- Clubs, Sec. B- Individuals)

G-10 PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD (Individuals)
Encourage photographers in your club to submit entries in the various photography award
categories. Who knows? You may have a winner waiting to be identified!

G-4 THE BLUE RIBBON CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT
Complete the Blue Ribbon Certificate of Achievement form when distributed by your district director. This award distinguished your club as being one of the outstanding garden clubs in the state. Winning this award is worthy of an article in your local newspaper.

For most other awards, a book of evidence will need to be compiled.  This process seems tedious but is really rather simple if you know what is expected ahead of time and plan accordingly.

So how do we compile the BOOK OF EVIDENCE...

A Book of Evidence is defined as a compilation of facts and information explaining what your project/activity is and how it was accomplished.  It should be brief, neat and concise and tell the story of your project or activity. Strive for 100% membership participation and adhere to the deadline for application.

First, read the General Rules (they vary for CGCI, Pacific Region and NGC), if they are applicable, in the Awards Section of the CGCI yearbook.  Remember Flower Show Awards and Youth Awards have their own General Rules.  Make sure you read the Rules carefully.  Note the Awards Year is January 1 to December 31.  This applies to all entries except the Club Yearbook Award (G-2), the District Yearbook Award (G-3), and the Club Program Award (G-8), which are based on the club year.  Next, assemble your supplies needed

  1. Binder/Folder:  A lightweight, solid color, theme-type pronged-binder should be used to secure the pages. (BEWARE!  Slick binders do not hold glues.)  No 3-ring binders are permitted for any award.
  2. Pages:  The size is not to exceed 8.5” x 11”, up to six (6) sheets of paper, of which the front and back of each page being used, for a maximum of twelve (12) pages. Note exceptions:  Publicity Press Book award (PR-1) has no limit to number of pages; California Flower Show Awards and NGC Flower Show Achievement Awards have a maximum of ten (10) sheets or twenty (20) pages.
  3. Clear Plastic Page Protectors:  Each page protector will display two pages:  one showing front and one showing back.  This can be two sides of one sheet or two separate sheets of paper.
  4. Adhesive Label:  Required on outside cover and should include name of award; award number including section, if any; name of club; number of club members and district.  NOTE:  Make sure the number of club members listed is the same as the number of members for which the club has submitted dues to CGCI.  NGC label requirements differ.
  5. #10 Business Envelope:  Glue to inside back cover for the award’s evaluation form.
  6. Loose material such as handouts, flyers, etc. should be affixed to a page inside a page protector.
  7. Number the pages.
  8. Application Form: Each entry requires a current Award Application Form unless otherwise stated under the award description. Download an application from the website in Word format or obtain from the Awards Chairman.  Complete as directed and insert it in the sheet protector as page one (1) of your book of evidence.  Include a brief summary of your entry on the application (three to four sentences).  Make sure the Application Form is complete!
  9. Evaluation Form:  Obtain the appropriate evaluation form from the CGCI website and place it in an envelope affixed inside the back cover of the folder.  Judges will evaluate your entry using this form. HINT:  Read over the evaluation forms for each different award.  Use the scale of points on the award Evaluation Form as a guide to know what the judges will be looking for when making your book of evidence

Now, you are ready to start working on the book of evidence.  It may be compiled in two ways:

  • Gluing the components onto sheets of paper
  • Printing pages from the computer
  • All text to be typewritten (word-processor on computer, typewriter, etc.)
  • The description summary on the application form should be very brief, only three to four sentences.
  • Page 1 is to be the CGCI Application Form.  Make sure it is complete!
  • Data:  The pages after page 1 should include a clear and concise report of the project plus other evidence that fits the award description, i.e. photographs, publicity, financial report (record of income and expenses), letters of appreciation, etc.  (Newsletters qualify as publicity).
  • Photographs:  Take before, during and after photos.  Neatly trim and caption all  photographs – both film and digital are acceptable.  Secure photographs neatly and well.
  • Publicity:  Neatly trimmed and identified press clippings/cuttings.
  • Loose material:  Handouts, flyers, etc. should be affixed inside a page protector.  Ensure all material is securely glued into the book of evidence.
  • Number the pages.
  •    Double check the rules and PROOFREAD CAREFULLY!

NOTE:  When the same project is eligible for various awards, submitting exact duplication of books of evidence is not acceptable.  The text should address the specific award requirements.

Things NOT needed:

  • No Title Page
  • No Table of Contents
  • No summary
  • Double spacing of typed material
  • Photos need not be matted
  • Cutting photos with decorative scissors is usually distracting
  • Extra information in back pocket of folder
  • No specific size for label on outside cover
  • No unrelated materials i.e. decorations, stickers, etc.

So, now it’s ready, where do I send it?
     Under each award listed in the Awards Section of the Yearbook, it says “SUBMIT TO” and gives the judging chairman.  You will find the person’s name listed in the Chairman of Standing Committees and their address in the CGCI Board Directory sections of the CGCI yearbook.  This is where the book of evidence is to be sent.  For most books, the deadline is February 1; exception are G-2 and G-3 Yearbooks, all NGC Flower Show Achievement Awards and all NGC awards but excluding #44 Publicity Press Books are due December 1.  All Pacific Region awards, NGC #44 Publicity Press Book, and recommendations for Special CGCI awards are due January 10.  NOTE the deadlines!  If any entry is submitted late, it will NOT be judged.

Conclusion……
Read all the rules and instructions carefully and double check them to make sure you covered every item required.  Making a book of evidence is a rewarding activity, however, it is time-consuming so be aware of your deadline – don’t leave it until the last minute.

You are on your way to picking up your award on Awards Night! Best of all, come to the Awards Banquet at the CGCI Annual Convention and collect your Blue ribbon! 

Click Here for list for where to mail your awards

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