Write a Nomination Letter

Nomination letters are used to help committees choose individuals to receive an award, position, scholarship, or some other prize. Understanding how to write a nomination letter can take time, but it is important to remain focused, detailed, and organized so that your nomination stands out from the others.

Steps

  1. Learn all you can about the nomination itself. Nominations can be for a position, scholarship, or award. It is important to learn as much as you can about it so you can create a stronger case for your nominee. What are the criteria for nominating someone? What characteristics are the reviewers looking for? How will they select the winner? When is the deadline? Is there a sponsoring organization? Who has won in the past?
  2. Identify the person you would like to nominate. You may already have an individual in mind for this nomination. If not, brainstorm potential nominees. List individuals who manifest the qualities the reviewers seek to reward.
  3. Compile a list of reasons that your nominee should be selected. Reasons could include examples, stories, illustrations, and statistics about an individual's work. It is important that you be as specific as you can in your nomination letter. Bring this person to life; help the reviewers visualize this individual.
    • Get a copy of their resume or CV. This might provide you with information about their background that you do not already know. It also gives you a place to start with your writing.
    • Talk to the nominee to learn more about them. They may surprise you with other things in their background and experience.
    • Ask others for more information. Talk with them in person or request that they email you. Ask if they have a story or example they can share.
  4. Find a theme. Revolve your nomination letter around one big idea. This helps the reviewers follow along. It also helps them remember your nomination because everything will point back to a single theme instead of a lot of disconnected information.
  5. Write the first draft of your nomination letter. Look over the list of reasons you compiled for nominating this individual. Include the stories, examples, and statistics that relate to your theme.
    • Stay organized. Order the information in a way that makes sense and is easy to follow. Use bullet points when appropriate. If necessary, list your reasons as headers and include appropriate examples in each section.
    • Practice good writing skills. Vary sentence structure, format your paper into paragraphs, and use appealing language.
    • Use concrete examples. The more specific and detailed you can be when sharing a particular story, the better your chances of the review committee remembering your nomination. Keep the examples concise, but detailed.
  6. Edit your nomination letter. Read your letter and check for spelling and grammatical errors. Ensure that the format is consistent and clean. Ask others to look it over, as well. They will be able to provide more objective feedback, as well as a different perspective.
    • Make sure you spelled the nominee's name correctly and listed their appropriate title. Spelling the name or title wrong is embarrassing for you and the nominee, and it gives the deciding body the impression that you don't know the nominee all that well after all.
    • Keep your nomination letter under two pages. Anything longer than that is unlikely to be remembered in a positive light.
    • Ensure that everything is related to the theme you chose. Again, this keeps everything unified.
    • Check that you meet the criteria for the nomination letter. Avoid immediate disqualifications due to not following the guidelines.
  7. Make final changes. Decide what you need to cut, what you need to modify, and what you might need to add. Take the ideas and suggestions of others into consideration. Then submit it via the guidelines provided by the committee.

Tips

  • Try again if your nominee is not selected. Most scholarships and awards are given out on a regular basis. Take a second look at your nomination letter and do everything you can to make it stronger.
  • Take your time. Writing a strong nomination letter takes time and practice. Do not try to get it finished in 20 minutes. Write and rewrite until your letter fits all criteria and is free of errors.

Sources and Citations

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