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IECA Chapter Leader Resource Center

Partners for Excellence Program

Partners for Excellence is an awards program that encourages Chapters to work together with IECA for the benefit of the erosion and sediment control profession.

Aligned with IECA’s Long Range Plan, the Partners for Excellence Chapter awards program encourages parallel goals for IECA and its Chapters and promotes teamwork to accomplish the association’s vision and mission.

The structure of this awards program aims to help Chapters with management, communication, member recognition, working with volunteers and strategic planning. The program is geared towards goal-setting to encourage Chapter officers to plan activities in a manner that will be recognized and rewarded.

• Minimum Requirements
• How the Program Works
• What will the Chapters Win
• Recognition
• Eligibility
• Submission Deadline
• Judging
• Official 2010 Points Sheet in WORD
• Events and Outreach Tracking Form for Tasks 2, 5 and 18

Why Participate?

The documentation process involved in participating in the Partners for Excellence awards program can serve as an excellent guideline for Chapter leaders as they plan goals, tasks and activities for the year.

It is required that all chartered IECA Chapters participate in this program by indicating on the Partners for Excellence Points Sheet those items that the Chapter completed by the specified deadline. The submittal will serve as each Chapter’s annual activity report. Chapters will want to use the Events and Outreach Tracking Form for Tasks 2, 5 and 18 to report all Events and Outreach activities.

Please Note: It is not required that the Chapter complete all of the items listed on the Points Sheet. The items included are simply the framework for a road map that can help guide the Chapters’ activities throughout the year.

Having each Chapter complete the Points Sheet each year by indicating which tasks were completed and which ones were not will capture Chapters’ strengths and weaknesses, providing the opportunity for IECA to recognize excellence and also to address areas in which Chapters may need more assistance.

Minimum Requirements for Chapters

There ARE minimum requirements that all chartered Chapters are required to complete annually, as outlined in the Charter Agreement. These 6 items should be your priority. If you are having trouble meeting these, please contact IECA. Chapters that do not meet these will be permitted to complete a Points Sheet (since it serves as your annual activity report), but you will not get extra credit for any items associated with the 6 minimum requirements. These minimum standards are the following:

1. Submit to IECA an Annual Financial Report according to the guidelines established by IECA.
2. Complete the Partners for Excellence Points Sheet, which will serve as each Chapter’s annual activity report. Be sure to track Events and Outreach activities for Tasks 2 and 5 by using the Events and Outreach Tracking Form for Tasks 2, 5 and 18 provided.
3. Conduct a minimum of 2 educational events per year.
4. Publish a Chapter newsletter, minimum two times per year.
5. Conduct an annual Chapter membership meeting.
6. Conduct at least 2 Chapter Board of Directors meetings per year.

How the Program Works

IECA Chapters are encouraged to complete items in three core areas: Chapter Management, Member Development/Services/ Communication; and Education/Outreach.

Chapter Management

This category includes such concepts as structure, planning, review and resources. Structure deals with the Chapter's important documents and written job descriptions. Planning and Review evaluates the Chapter's strategic planning process, budgetary development, general meetings and leadership selection.

Membership Development Services/Communication

This category addresses such concepts as member recruitment and retention plans and overall services to Chapter members. Also evaluated are the Chapter's communications efforts to Chapter members. Evaluated are such services as newsletters, web sites, needs assessment surveys and welcome procedures.

Education/Outreach

Stressed here is the theme of service to the association and service to the profession. This area includes activities that strengthen and educate the erosion and sediment control profession and extend the visibility of IECA and the Chapter. Activities evaluated include community service and outreach programs, recognition programs, educational and event programming.

Awards

Awards for the above three core areas are based on a points system tied to accomplishing specific tasks in each of the above three areas. The points given for each task are based on the level of difficulty and/or the importance of each task.

The tasks that are the most important and/or the most difficult to complete have been given a points value of 100, and those tasks which are not as difficult to complete have been given a points value of 25. There are some exceptions to this general guideline, which are reflected in the Points Sheet.

The six minimum requirements listed above on this document have not been given a points value, since these are tasks that all Chapters must complete on an annual basis to maintain their charter.

What will Chapters Win?

There will be an award for each of the three categories listed above given to both Large and Small Chapters. A Large Chapter has 200 or more members; a Small Chapter has 199 or fewer members. The determination of Large and Small will be reviewed on an annual basis. Members as of April 1, 2010 is the date used for this year's Large and Small category determinations.

Large Chapters are Great Lakes, Mountain States, Pacific Northwest, South Central, Southeast and Western. Small Chapters are Australasia, Great Rivers, IberoAmerica, Malaysia, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Northern Plains and South Africa. India and Ontario fall into the Small category and are not yet chartered, but are welcome to complete the Points Sheet.

• Awards of Distinction: The Chapters receiving the most overall cumulative points from the three core areas will receive these awards. The award for Large Chapters is called the Rick Granard Award of Distinction, named for IECA’s past Board president and Chapter Development Committee chair, who was devoted to Chapter progress and excellence. The Small Chapter will receive the Award of Distinction for Small Chapters. These awards are IECA’s highest honor given to a Chapter. In the case of a tie, both Chapters will be presented the award.


• Awards also will be presented to those Chapters (both Large and Small) with the most points in each of the three core categories: Chapter Management, Membership Development/Services/Communication and Education/Outreach.


• Most Improved Awards: There will be two awards presented for Most Improved Chapter – one for Chapters with 199 or fewer members and one for Chapters with 200 or more members. The awards will be based on percentage completion of tasks from the 2010 program as compared to the 2009 program. Other criteria may be considered as well if the Chapter Advisory Committee deems appropriate.

Recognition

Chapters winning awards are recognized at IECA's annual conference where they will be presented an elegant award. Announcements also are made in IECA's E-Update, on the web site and in Erosion Control Journal.

Eligibility

All chartered Chapters of IECA are required to participate in Partners for Excellence by indicating which items were completed and which ones were not during the year. Remember, Chapters are required to complete only the minimum standards.

Chapters are not required to finish all of the items listed on the Points Sheet; however, it is recommended to complete as many items as possible to ensure high standards of service for Chapter members. Participation serves as the Chapter’s annual activity report and ensures compliance to the annual standards required for maintaining charter status.

Submission Deadline

All entries must be received by IECA no later than Monday, December 13, 2010. Chapters should submit their entries using the WORD document Points Sheet provided. Please contact Meg Tully if you encounter any difficulties with your submission or you have any questions.

Winners will be notified within 2 weeks after receipt of all entries.

Judging

The Points Sheet states the number of points given for each task a Chapter completes during the year. Winners will be determined based on total points obtained. This criterion is intended to make the judging process purely objective. IECA reserves the right to question any submission. All submissions are based on the honor system.