What are the IAP2 Core Values Awards?

Each year, IAP2 affiliates around the world recognize leaders in the profession through the IAP2 Core Values Awards. The awards go to projects which best demonstrate IAP2's Core Values and help to raise the bar in the field of public engagement by sharing best practices and inspiring the P2 community to learn from one another. 

Competition for the 2020 IAP2 USA Core Values Awards was some of the keenest to date, making for a challenge for the judges. The winners were announced at out first ever virtual Core Values Awards Celebration on 9/30/20.

Public participation is based on the belief that those who are affected by a decision have a right to be involved in the decision making process.

Congratulations 2020 Core Values Award Winners!

The 2020 IAP2 USA Core Values Awards were presented September 30th, 2020 at the first virtual Core Values Awards Celebration. 

Core Values Award: General Project

"Embracing Our Heritage; Enhancing Our Future: The Southside Community Specific Plan"

City of Flagstaff, AZ and Southside Community Association 

Sara Dechter, AICP, CP3 

Comprehensive Planning Manager, City of Flagstaff

Deborah Ann Harris, M.Ed.

President, Southside Community Center

The holistic approach to engaging the entirety of this historic community, to celebrate the past and to co-design how they will look to the future, is the embodiment of meaningful public participation.

The judges also selected this entry to submit to compete against other IAP2 affiliate winners in the International Core Values Award Project of the Year to be announced later this year in Australia.

This program tackled a historically significant political and cultural issue affecting multiple ethnicities. When initial techniques did not elicit the kind and level of participation sought, they added and innovated techniques until the public participation objective of that phase was met before moving on to the next phase. Their robust partnering with community associations and their explicit attention to creating a plan that built in sustainable decision making and adaptation made this program an outstanding example of Public Participation. 

This project also won the IAP2 International Project of the Year Award. 

The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) is pleased to announce the 2020 International Core Values Awards honoring award winners from around the world.

IAP2 International Chair, Kylie Cochrane congratulates the winners on behalf of the Board of Directors and regional affiliates. “IAP2’s seven Core Values go to the very heart of our association and guide how we think about and practice authentic engagement and I’m proud to acknowledge the best of the best.”

These award winners represent best practice in our field and serve as model of excellence for others to emulate. Winners and finalists are recognized for their contributions to the field in the areas of indigenous engagement, community development, health, infrastructure, environment, disaster and emergency services as well as for their creativity, innovation and inclusion. This is a testament to the tremendous expansion, professionalism and impact of our field of expertise.

Finalists for the ’best of the best international awards were gathered from entries submitted by IAP2 Regions in Australasia, Canada, and United States.

https://flagstaff.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=a0f4722f35fe4503942aa8e8066b100a

IAP2 USA Diversity, Inclusion and Culture Core Values Award:

by Prosper Portland & JLA Public Involvement.

This program took a strong focus on how past practice and bias can disenfranchise parts of our communities and this really gets to the heart of how we need to deal with inclusion in P2. The framing question “how can redevelopment planning provide an opportunity to rebuild relationships, reconnect cultural ties, and honor both the past and future?” is a clear embodiment of the intersection of public participation and social justice. The connection of stakeholder engagement and input to the selection of developers fully actuates the power of public participation. The variety of tools selected were focused and respectful of the range of interests that needed to be engaged and heard. Clear focus was placed on ensuring that all of the right voices were heard and respected in the project. The agency was committed and genuine in their intent and implementation of the project, they fully embraced the role of the public and the input they received.

The project identified its clear promises to the public and kept those promises making it a key example of a P2 project.

Read Submission     Watch Submission  

Honorable Mention:

"Arizona Assumption of the Clean Water Act Section 404 Dredge and Fill Program"

From the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality

Honorable mention goes to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality in the Diversity, Inclusion and Culture Project of the Year - for their project entitled Arizona Assumption of the Clean Water Act Section 404 Dredge and Fill Program . It was refreshing to see a large governmental body to go through such a rigorous collaborative rule making process, to thoughtfully consider all input, and then decide not to go forward with the proposed change.  This decision showed they truly listened to the stakeholders. In addition it was an excellent example of engaging all relevant stakeholders in the decision process and demonstrating that the public isn’t necessarily only the citizen.  

Watch Submission