The Emerging Leaders in Historic Preservation Award recognizes an emerging leader in the preservation field who has made significant achievements in preservation. The Emerging Leaders Award highlights the promise and potential of the preservation field through its talented emerging leaders.

Key Dates for 2024

• November 8, 2023: Nominations open.
• January 12, 2024: Nomination deadline. Nomination deadline extended to January 26, 2024.
• June 2024: Nominators and award recipients notified. The nominator will be notified for those not selected.
• October 28-30, 2024: The award ceremony is currently scheduled to take place at PastForward 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Eligibility

• Individuals nominated for the Emerging Leaders Award must have ten or fewer years of experience in the preservation field.
• Nominations submitted in previous years that were not selected to receive an award may be updated and resubmitted.
• Nominations may be made without the knowledge of the nominee.
• Self-nominations will be accepted.
• Nominations for posthumous awards will not be accepted.
• National Trust for Historic Preservation Trustees, Advisors, and staff are not eligible to receive a National Preservation Award for individual achievement during the period of their active service and for three years thereafter.
• Properties owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation will not be considered, nor will individuals or groups of individuals for their work relative to National Trust properties.

Award Criteria

To be considered for the Emerging Leaders in Historic Preservation Award, nominated individuals must meet the following criteria:

• Have ten or fewer years of experience in the preservation field
• Demonstrate a serious commitment to preservation through their work, both paid and volunteer
• Raise the visibility of preservation through their efforts
• Be an innovator in the field and demonstrate measurable impacts of their work
• Have influence in their community

Award Benefits

The Emerging Leaders in Historic Preservation Award recipient will receive a physical award.

Expectations

• Recipient must appear at the awards ceremony during the PastForward conference, as determined by the National Trust.
• Recipient are responsible for their own travel, lodging, and registration fees to PastForward.
• Recipient will be available to provide quotes and background information for press releases and other media surrounding the award and the award presentation.
• Recipient may be asked to give brief remarks during the awards ceremony.
• Recipient may be asked to write a story for the National Trust website and/or contribute to a National Trust publication.
• Recipient may be asked to serve as panel members for educational sessions at PastForward.
• Recipient will be asked to publicize their award through their social media channels, if applicable.

Nomination Process and Procedures

Nominators must complete one nomination form (requirements listed below) and submit it by the deadline in order for the nominee to be considered. All nominations must be submitted using our online form in Submittable. Paper or email submissions will not be accepted.

Nominations must conform to the procedures outlined on this page to be considered for an award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. A link to the nomination form can be found at the bottom of this page. Please be sure to read all guidelines and eligibility information before starting your nomination.

Nomination Requirements

Please include in your nomination form:

• A concise narrative (7,500 characters or less including spaces) that describes the individual’s preservation achievements and addresses the award’s specific criteria (listed above)
• Up to 5 brochures or news clippings
• Up to 3 letters of recommendation
• Up to 10 photos. We strongly recommend including a headshot of the nominee and photos demonstrating their preservation work.
• Up to 2 video files related to the nominee's work. Examples: footage of preservation projects, community testimonials, news cuts, etc.

Nomination Form

Click here to access the National Preservation Awards submission form. To begin your nomination, you will need to sign up for a Submittable account or sign in to an existing Submittable account if applicable. Once you have signed into Submittable, the submission form will become available. Answer the first question according to which award category you are submitting a nomination for. If you wish to be considered for multiple categories, you will need to submit multiple nominations. Once you begin your nomination, you will be able to save your progress and return to the site to continue working on the form by clicking "Save Draft" at the bottom of the page.

If you have any questions, please contact us at awards@savingplaces.org.