Contest Dates:

The contest is open for entries through April 2nd, 2018, at 11:59:59 p.m.EST. Results will be announced at an awards banquet during the ACI conference in July.

Rules:

The sponsor of this contest is the Association for Conservation Information, Inc., also known as ACI.

Membership is required: Only agencies and organizations that are current members of ACI as of the last day of the contest year may participate. For example, to enter work created in 2017, your agency or organization must be a member as of Dec. 31, 2017. Associate, individual and sustaining members are not eligible. Contact ACI Treasurer Judy Stokes Weber if you have a question about your membership status.

Category-specific rules: Each category has its own rules. These consist of the category description (including any guidelines for completing the Statement of Purpose) and the requirements for submitting an entry. Those rules are incorporated here. Incomplete entries will not be judged. The Awards Chair may, at his or her discretion and with the advice of the Category/Group Chair and following consultation with the entrant, direct an entry from one category into another category that is more suitable.

Limit on entries per category: Included in every category description is a statement about the number of entries allowed per member. Entries in excess of that number will be disqualified.

No multiple entries: A single entry cannot be entered in more than one category.

Eligibility: Except as noted in the description of the Communications Campaigns, Education, Photography, and Website categories, entries must have been completed during the 2017 calendar year.

Creative control: Submitting agency or organization must have maintained complete editorial, design and/or creative control over all entries submitted to this contest.

Judging: Entries are judged on the basis of criteria established for each category. Judges are selected on the basis of expertise and encouraged to reward excellence. In addition to providing a numerical score for each entry, judges are asked to provide constructive criticism that promotes craft improvement. Decisions of the judges are final and binding.

Winners: The numbers one through three winners in each awards category receive a plaque, except when fewer than four enter a category, wherein only a first place is awarded. In the event of a tie, both winners receive the plaque.

Cost: Each entry costs $40. The ACI Treasurer bills entrants after the summer conference.

Right to cancel or suspend contest: If for any reason the contest cannot be run as planned, due to infection by computer virus, denial of service attack, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of ACI that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this contest, ACI reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the contest.

Winners list: Each contest year's winners are announced at the annual conference. A list of winners is made available within two weeks of that announcement at ACI's website.

Data privacy: Entrants agree that personal data, especially name and address, may be processed, shared, and otherwise used for the purposes and within the context of the contest and for any other purposes outlined in these rules. The data may also be used to verify the entrant's identity for the purpose of verifying eligibility to participate in the contest. Personal data will be used exclusively for the purposes stated herein.