Cheryl Stephens Innovation Award

Criteria

The Cheryl Stephens Innovation Award will be presented to a person or organization whose plain language activities have brought significant benefit to the community through one or more of the following areas:

• Technology – adapting emerging technology to develop new services and systems
• Advocacy – extending the scope and influence of plain language internationally
• Research – strengthening the knowledge base for plain language
• Professional development – helping to develop the skills of plain language practitioners and the institutions supporting them.
• The Award will especially seek to recognize individuals who have contributed to plain language and the community through voluntary activities.

Eligibility and Judging

To be eligible for the Award, a recipient will generally be a PLAIN member. Serving PLAIN Board members are not eligible for the award.

To select a winner, the PLAIN Board does one or more of the following:

• calls for nominations from members
• establishes a selection committee chaired by a PLAIN Board member
• discusses it at a Board meeting

To be considered, a person must be nominated by a PLAIN member. Their nomination must:

• be in writing (maximum of 5 pages total for nominating and supporting documents)
• document the nominee’s achievements, referring to the criteria shown above
• be supported by another PLAIN member and at least one other individual active in the plain-language profession but not necessarily a member of PLAIN