About the Awards
The Locality Awards celebrate the most dedicated and inspiring people and organisations in the Locality network.
They step in when others look away, they fill a need that’s not being met, and create spaces at the heart of our communities where lives are transformed.
What winners receive
Each Locality Award winner will receive a:
- Trophy for recognition of their work
- £1,000 cash prize to invest into their community or organisation
All finalists and their achievements will also be celebrated and promoted throughout the Locality network and may even get a mention in the press!
Eligibility and applying
To be eligible for all Locality Awards (except for the Keep it Local Award), organisations must be Locality Members with an Essentials or Membership Plus package. To be eligible for the Keep it Local Award, organisations must be a local authority.
Eligible members receive the link to apply by email. Please contact us at communications@locality.org.uk if you are an eligible member and haven’t received your link or if you are a local authority and would like to apply.
Locality Awards shortlist 2024
Find the shortlisted organisations for each award listed below. You can read more about our shortlisted organisations on our news page.
This award celebrates a community organisation working with local people to shape their own future and to build a fairer society where everyone in the community thrives.
This award celebrates a community organisation whose support has had a significant impact on changing local people’s lives.
Shortlisted nominations:
Supported by Howden. This award celebrates a community organisation that supports diverse groups of people and creates inclusive spaces.
This award celebrates a community organisation that has developed a creative business model that makes them successful and financially resilient.
Supported by Lloyds Bank Foundation, Keep it Local is Locality’s campaign calling for public bodies to move away from bureaucratic commissioning and big outsourcing contracts.
This award celebrates an outstanding local authority, Integrated Care Board or other local health body that has instead created strong local partnerships with local community organisations and worked in an innovative way to unlock the power of its community.
Five Award categories
The Locality Awards are the chance to shine a spotlight on the community organisations in the Locality network, and celebrate your outstanding achievements.
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Power of Community Award
This award celebrates a community organisation working with local people to shape their own future and to build a fairer society where everyone in the community thrives.
Previous winners include:
* Hackney Co-operative Developments CIC, London
* WECIL, Bristol
* Back on the Map, Sunderland -
Transforming Lives Award
This award celebrates a community organisation whose support has had a significant impact on changing local people’s lives.
Previous winners include:
* Keighley Healthy Living, Bradford
* One Community Development Trust, Tilbury
* The Cellar Trust, Bradford -
Building Inclusive Communities Award
This award celebrates a community organisation that supports diverse groups of people and creates inclusive spaces.
This is a new award for 2024.
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Enterprising Organisation Award
This award celebrates a community organisation that has developed a creative business model that makes them successful and financially resilient.
Previous winners include:
* Love Withington Baths, Manchester
* Adrenaline Alley, Corby
* Moat House Community Trust, Coventry -
Keep it Local Award (sponsored by Lloyds Bank Foundation)
Supported by Lloyds Bank Foundation, Keep it Local is Locality’s campaign calling for public bodies to move away from bureaucratic commissioning and big outsourcing contracts.
This award celebrates an outstanding local authority, Integrated Care Board or other local health body that has instead created strong local partnerships with local community organisations and worked in an innovative way to unlock the power of its community.
For advice on the Keep it Local Award (open to local authorities, Integrated Care Boards or other local health bodies), please contact policy@locality.org.uk.
Award Categories
Focus on impact – use specific evidence, examples or testimonials
- let the story of your beneficiaries be heard
- quantify your achievements where possible.
Avoid jargon – keep it simple and authentic.
Highlight your qualities – is there anything unique that sets you apart from others?
Write as if we don’t know you – tell your story as if you are writing to someone who is unfamiliar with how brilliant and passionate you are.
Write in collaboration - discuss with others in your organisation for a strong nomination.
Proof-read - always take the time to read back through your responses.
Online nomination form
Page 1 Introduction text and instructions.
Page 2 Complete your contact details.
Page 3 Tell us a bit more about the nominated organisation and which award you are applying for.
Page 4 Answer two questions specific to the award. Your answers to these will be scored by our panel.
Page 3 Accept our terms and conditions and submit your nomination.
Page 3 of the Online nomination form asks
Write a short description to introduce the organisation to the panel. (50 words)
This question is not scored by our panel. Your answer helps us to get to know you.
Consider telling us:
- Why you exist – what’s your passion, mission or purpose.
- A sample of the key activities or services you run.
- About your community.
- Any notable achievements you are proud of.
You won't get this all in 50 words – pick and mix what works for you.
1. How did you involve the community in making decisions and in delivering projects? (150 words)
This question will be scored - it will make up 50% of your total score.
Tailor your response to this specific question. The highest scores will be given where there is a clear answer to the question with evidence.
Consider telling us:
- How you went about engaging people in your community.
- How you ensured everyone in your community could get involved.
- Statistics and stories of people involved that can evidence your work.
2. What impact has your work had in your community? (150 words)
This question will be scored - it will make up the remaining 50% of your total score.
The highest scores will be given where there is a clear tailored answer to the question with supporting evidence.
Consider telling us:
- Numbers or statistics that clearly show your impact.
- Testimonies from people in your community that demonstrate your impact.
- What is different in your community because of your work.
1. What impact have you had on local people’s lives? Please provide evidence. (150 words)
This question will be scored by our panel and will make up 50% of your total score.
The panel will give the highest scores to answers where there is a clear tailored answer to the question with supporting evidence.
Consider including:
- What is different because of your work.
- Include metrics and other evidence that shows positive changes
2. How have you transformed local people’s lives? Please provide specific examples of individuals or groups. (150 words)
This question will be scored by our panel and will make up the remaining 50% of your total score.
The panel will give the highest scores to answers where there is a clear tailored answer to the question with supporting evidence.
Consider telling us:
- Testimonies or feedback from people in your community.
- Stories to explain how you transformed lives.
1. How did you support different people and groups, including across ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion, belief, gender, and/or sexual orientation? (150 words)
This question will be scored by our panel and will make up 50% of your total score.
The panel will give the highest scores to answers where there is a clear tailored answer to the question with supporting evidence.
Consider telling us:
- Who you've worked with, their backgrounds and how you found out their needs.
- How you provide targeted support to meet their needs.
- What’s changed as a result of this work – use evidence and examples.
2. How have you strengthened relationships between people whose experiences of life have not been the same? (150 words)
This question will be scored by our panel and will make up the remaining 50% of your total score.
The highest scores will be given where there is a clear answer to the question with examples as requested.
Tailor your response to this specific question. Consider telling us:
- Specific things you've done to bring diverse groups of people together.
- Why you chose to do the things you did?
- What the impact has been?
1. What makes your business model unique? (150 words)
This question will be scored by our panel and will make up 50% of your total score.
The highest scores will be given where there is a clear answer to the question with evidence.
Consider telling us:
- Your value proposition – what issue did you help, how did you tackle it differently?
- Data and stories to show how effective your business model is.
- Any collaboration or partnerships that help your model.
2. How has your business model had to change and what impact did this have? (150 words)
This question will be scored by our panel and will make up the remaining 50% of your total score.
The highest scores will be given where there is a clear answer to the question with examples as requested.
Consider telling us:
- Any changes you made to your business model, and why they were necessary.
- Highlight how you were able to adapt to the changes.
- What is different because of your work?
- Provide testimonies to demonstrate how they have been impacted
1. How the organisation embedded the Keep it Local principles in their strategic approach/vision.
2. How the organisation embedded the Keep it Local principles in their strategic approach/vision.
How the organisation implemented this strategic vision in practice. Please give a specific example such as an innovative approach to commissioning, community capacity building or neighbourhood-level service coordination.
For advice on the Keep it Local Award (open to local authorities, Integrated Care Boards or other local health bodies), please contact policy@locality.org.uk. We thank Lloyds Bank Foundation for their support for this award.
Once you press submit your nomination will be sent to the Locality team who will be in contact with you within seven working days to confirm receipt of your application.
Submit your nomination by Tuesday 11 June 2024.
Shortlisted nominees will be announced in October.
The Locality Awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday 12 November during Locality ’24 – our annual convention in Manchester.