Chapter Awards
The 2026 award nomination period will open August 4th.
The Arkansas Chapter of the American Planning Association awards recognize outstanding achievements in planning within the Arkansas Chapter by professional planners, students, and supporters. The nomination period for the 2026 Awards cycle will open on Tuesday, August 4th. Award recipients will be recognized during the Annual Chapter Conference in Hot Springs, AR on Thursday, October 1st.
Award Categories
- Great Places in Arkansas • recognizes and celebrates outstanding places within Arkansas that demonstrate excellence in planning, design, and community development.
- Jim von Tungeln Award (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 plan that has significantly contributed to the improvement of an Arkansas community or region.
- Project of the Year • recognizes an outstanding technical planning project that has advanced community goals through exemplary code/regulatory work or other specialized planning effort.
- 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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