Eligibility, Requirements, and Awards Descriptions

Each year the National Trust for Historic Preservation celebrates the best of preservation by presenting the Richard H. Driehaus National Preservation Awards to individuals, organizations, agencies or projects whose contributions demonstrate outstanding excellence in historic preservation.

A select number of recipients are chosen for the National Preservation Honor Awards. One recipient is chosen for each of the other special category awards. The National Trust invites you to participate in the celebration of the best of historic preservation by nominating those individuals and organizations you believe are most deserving of a National Preservation Award.

Eligibility
Nomination Requirements
Nomination Procedures and Key Dates
Contact
Award Descriptions
Nomination Form

Eligibility

  • Any individual, organization, agency or project involved in historic preservation is eligible to receive a National Preservation Award.
  • Nominated projects must have been completed within the past three years.
  • Nominations submitted in previous years that were not selected to receive an award may be revised, expanded and resubmitted.
  • Nominations may be made without the knowledge of the nominee.
  • Self-nominations will be accepted for all categories except the Crowninshield Award.
  • 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 or affiliated with the National Trust for Historic Preservation will not be considered, nor will individuals or groups of individuals for their work relative to NTHP properties.

Nomination Requirements

Nomination materials must include:

  1. A completed nomination form
  2. $30 nomination fee
  3. A concise description/narrative (6,000 characters or less including spaces) of the project, program, organization, or individual that is being nominated. This description/narrative should address the following:

     

    If the nominated project involves a site or district, explain its historical significance, the challenges overcome, unique strategies and activities carried out, and the impact of these activities on the community.  Also include any information that is available on the craftspeople and laborers who were involved in the original construction or work. Describe the people involved and how this project could be a model for other communities. Those who made a significant contribution to its success must be listed as co-nominees. If the nominee is an individual or organization, describe their accomplishments and contributions to the area of historic preservation.

    The National Trust is particularly interested in projects that relate to the topics below. If your project relates to any of these issues, please explain in your narrative:
    • Showcase historic preservation as a strategy to renew the viability of diverse older neighborhoods
    • Revitalize the livability of older communities
    • Protect historic resources on America's public lands
    • Meet community needs through the rehabilitation and active use of individual landmarks
    • Demonstrate that older buildings are excellent examples of "green" and sustainable construction
    • Demonstrate that historic preservation supports economic, environmental and cultural sustainability in communities
    • Broaden the ethnic and cultural diversity of historic preservation
    • Use innovative, replicable strategies that create new models for historic site interpretation, stewardship, and/or reuse
    • Involve properties that benefitted from the Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program, which promotes historic preservation and community revitalization by encouraging private investment in historic building rehabilitation

    4.  

  4. An additional narrative (4,000 characters or less including spaces) addressing the specific criteria of the award for which the applicant is applying. Please refer to the description of the award category for which you are applying when answering this question.
  5. Up to five supporting brochures or news clippings.
  6. Up to three letters of recommendation that demonstrate community support.  A listing of any awards received may also be included. Letters can be addressed to the ‘Awards Committee.’ Letters should be scanned and uploaded electronically with your other supplemental materials, not sent separately by the person writing the letter.
  7. Fifteen (15) jpeg digital images at a minimum resolution of 300 dpi and a document including photo captions and credit information. With respect to size, photos no less than 800 x 600 pixels are proposed. Most images should be in a horizontal format. Images should illustrate various aspects of the project or program – before and after results, overall exteriors from a variety angles and interior shots.  Significant architectural details should be identified with close-up shots.  Images should include people and activity around the site, including a shot of the project in the context of the greater community. Nominations for individual achievement must include at least two different head shots of the nominee.  The balance should illustrate the body of work for which the individual is being nominated, including shots of the nominee actively engaged in the work, if possible.

Nomination Procedures and Key Dates

Nominations must conform to the procedures outlined on this page to be considered for a Richard H. Driehaus National Preservation Award. A link to the application can be found at the bottom of this page. Please be sure to read all guidelines and eligibility information as well as the description for your award category before starting your application. The deadline for the Richard H. Driehaus National Preservation Awards is March 8, 2013.

National Preservation Award recipients will be notified no later than August 1, 2013.  The nominator will be notified for those not selected.  Award announcements and presentation are made at a special ceremony during the National Preservation Conference, and award recipients are required to be present, along with co-nominees able to attend.  The 2013 Ceremony will be on Friday, November 1, 2013 in Indianapolis,  Indiana.

Contact Us

If you have questions, contact:

Brendan McCormick
Grants and Awards Assistant
National Trust for Historic Preservation
1785 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
202.588.6315
awards@savingplaces.org

Award Descriptions

The National Preservation Honor Awards recognize the efforts of individuals, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and corporations whose skill and determination have given new life to their communities through preservation.  Click here to read more.

The National Trust/Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) Award honors outstanding partnerships that advance the preservation of important historic resources and have an impact on the community. It celebrates a project or program in which a federal agency and one or more non-federal partners have achieved an exemplary preservation outcome.  Click here to read more.

The National Trust/HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Historic Preservationrecognizes organizations and agencies for their success in advancing the goals of historic preservation while providing affordable housing and/or expanded economic opportunities, particularly for low- and moderate-income families and individuals. Click here to read more.

The American Express Aspire Award recognizes an emerging leader in the preservation field who has made significant achievements in preservation, and to highlight the promise and potential of the preservation field through its talented emerging leaders.  Click here to read more.

The Peter H. Brink Award for Individual Achievement recognizes an individual who has made extraordinary contributions toward saving a historic place in the past year.  Click here to read more.

The Trustees’ Award for Organizational Excellence recognizes a nonprofit organization, large or small, that has demonstrated sustained and superlative achievement in historic preservation.  Click here to read more.

The Louise du Pont Crowninshield Award is the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s highest national recognition.  Click here to read more. 

Nomination Form

Thank you for reading the nomination requirements! To begin your nomination, you will need to create a login for our application system here.  Once you have logged into the system, click "apply" on the left-hand side of the screen and select the 2013 Richard H. Driehaus National Preservation Awards application.   Once you being your application, you will be able to save your progress and return to the site to continue working on the form.