Chapter Awards

The 2025 award nomination period will open June 2, 2025

The Arkansas Chapter of the American Planning Association is pleased to invite nominations for its 2025 Awards Program! These awards recognize outstanding achievements in planning within the Arkansas Chapter by professional planners, students, and supporters. Award recipients will be recognized during the Bi-State Conference in St. Louis, MO this September.

APA Arkansas members are invited to nominate a person, group, institution, or organization in the award categories listed below.

The submission deadline for nominations is August 1, 2025.
Nominations are made online (link to form will be available below on June 2, 2025)

Don’t miss this opportunity to recognize distinguished individuals and highlight successful planning projects!

Award Categories

• Great Places in Arkansas • recognizes and celebrates outstanding places within Arkansas that demonstrate excellence in planning, design, and community development.
• Planner of the Year • recognizes an individual [citizen or professional planner] who has made outstanding contributions to their community or the planning profession.
• Plan of the Year • recognizes an exceptional planning project that has significantly contributed to the improvement of an Arkansas community or region.
• Outstanding Community Engagement • recognizes a planning initiative that has demonstrated exceptional community engagement and participation in the planning process.
• Outstanding Student Project • recognizes a student/group of students for an outstanding project that demonstrates exceptional creativity, analysis, and insight into planning or a related field.
• Block, Street, and Building Award • recognizes a physical project or development in Arkansas that exemplifies visionary urbanism and demonstrates a commitment to creating vibrant, sustainable, and inclusive communities.
• Bill Bonner Award • recognizes an individual who has dedicated their career to advancing the field of planning.

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Award Category Evaluation Criteria

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