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Organizations self-nominate for the Catalyst Award, submitting during any given year discrete or comprehensive initiatives undertaken to advance women.

The Catalyst Award Evaluation Committee assesses the initiatives through screening and telephone interviews and determines a select number to examine during intensive, on-site visits. Though interviews and focus groups with executives, senior women, human resources professionals, and other employees at the sites, the Committee gauges each initiative’s effectiveness and how it permeates the organization. It then choses the winners.

Applicants benefit from a third-party perspective on diversity and inclusion efforts. Organizations selected for site visits receive more than 500 hours of review and may request a meeting during which Committee members assess strengths and opportunities for improvement.

Criteria

The Catalyst Award Evaluation Committee measures each nominated initiative on it own merit and against previous Award winners, the current pool of nominees, and the following seven criteria:

• Business Rationale: There must be an explicit connection between the initiative and the business strategy.
• Senior Leadership Support: Upper management must demonstrate commitment to the initiative.
• Accountability: Formal monitoring mechanisms must support the initiative, measure its impact, and hold individuals accountable for results.
• Communication: There must be procedures for engaging and informing employees of the initiative and its business rationale.
• Employee Engagement: Support and involvement from employees at various levels must be demonstrated, as well as ways in which the initiative has changed employee attitudes.
• Innovation: Initiatives must include new and different approaches, particularly with regard to industry and/or cultural context, as well as provide new knowledge to the business community.
• Measurable Results: A minimum of three years of documented evidence must be provided to demonstrate the impact of the initiative since its inception, and data must show improvement since the start of the initiative.

Timeline

• Applications due and preliminary review (June).
• Evaluations, including telephone interviews and additional data requests (June–August).
• Selection for site visits (August–September).
• Site visits (September–October).
• Winner selection (December–January).
• Public announcement of winners (January).
• Awards Conference and Dinner (March/April).

Application

The following forms comprise a completed application packet. The Catalyst Award Application (not to exceed 35 pages) must be signed by the primary contact, address all questions in the order in which they appear, and be submitted by both mail and email. In addition, nominating organizations must complete the CEO Attendance Verification Form or the Managing Partner/Director Attendance Verification Form, with original signatures, as well as the Nomination Fee Form, and submit both by mail. Applications for the 2011 Catalyst Award were due June 4, 2010.

Download the 2011 Catalyst Award Application:

• PDF
• Microsoft Word

Download the Attendance Verification Form:

• CEO Attendance Verification Form (PDF)
• Managing Partner/Director Attendance Verification Form (PDF)

Download the Nomination Fee Form:

• PDF