Nominations
Are now closed
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Women of Influence Nanaimo Awards
Nominate the influential people in our community! The WIN Awards is a prestigious event that recognizes and honours the outstanding contributions of women, non-binary, 2-spirit, and gender-diverse people who have made a significant impact in various fields.
WHO WILL YOU NOMINATE?
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Friends/Loved Ones
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Colleagues
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Yourself
Yes, You can nominate yourself! It's safe to celebrate our own triumphs.
Media Sponsors
Date: Wed, February 5, 2025
Location: Vancouver Island Conference Centre - 101 Gordon Street, Nanaimo,
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NOMINATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
In our commitment to honouring and celebrating every nominee equally, the Women of Influence Nanaimo Awards has a directive of no finalists. Because of the capacity limitations with our selection committee, Barbara Anne Photography, and our venue, we can only accept a maximum of 150 nominations.
The nomination period will run from October 1st to October 31st, or until we reach 150 submissions, whichever comes first. This measure is in place to protect the integrity of the awards and to ensure we can provide a platform to genuinely celebrate the influential individuals in our region. Thank you for your understanding and support.​​
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The awards salute the unique achievements of diverse people representing various spheres, careers, and initiatives that help the advancement of women and the fabric of our community. Each recipient has left their mark on this world: contributing to the greater good through their efforts, resourcefulness, example, and advocacy; breaking barriers; blazing new trails; or using their influence to provoke change.
11 Award Categories:
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Business Impact
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Creative Innovator
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Breathe Fire
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Arts & Culture
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Health & Wellness
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Fan the Flame (Ally) [Fan the Flame award is open to everyone – women, men, non-binary, 2-spirit, and gender-diverse people]
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Community & Social Responsibility
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Trades
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STEM
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Matriarch (For those 55+)
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Youth Resiliency (Youth award ages 16-30)
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PLEASE NOTE: Previous nominees can be nominated again this year. However the past 11 winners from the 2024 inaugural gala are NOT eligible for re-nomination.
Criteria
REGION: The Women of Influence Nanaimo (WIN) Awards is a yearly event that recognizes exceptional people who live in the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) - Nanaimo, Lantzville, Parksville, and Qualicum Beach as well as the areas of Gabriola and Ladysmith. These people are chosen for their phenomenal leadership, community involvement, and commitment to making a positive impact in their community.
ELIGIBILITY: Eligible nominees must live in the regions stated above and consent to the nomination and publication of their name and information.
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Nominations can be submitted by anyone including friends, family, co-workers, etc.
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Nominees can nominate themselves. (WE ENCOURAGE SELF-NOMINATION)
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Posthumous nominations will not be accepted.
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Nominees will be contacted and be given the opportunity to accept or reject the nomination. (nominators have the option to remain anonymous while submitting the form)
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Nominations must satisfy the criteria and requirements for the award.
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Significance of contributions must be demonstrated through clear, specific, and relevant examples in accordance with the award category being considered.
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Only one nomination per person. (People cannot be nominated in more than one category)
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If someone is nominated by several people in other categories, the nominee will be given the choice on which one category they want their nomination to stand.
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The WIN Selection Committee reserves the right to change a category of a nomination if they feel the submission would fit the criteria better in an alternate award category.
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WIN Committee Members are NOT able to be nominated. We appreciate the consideration.
When We Influence As a Collective, We Win
There are 3 ways to nominate someone for a Women of Influence Nanaimo Award.
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Click the link to fill out the nomination form seen below and hit submit. (we suggest writing answers in Word and then copy and paste into submission form)
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Download the fillable pdf WIN Nomination Form and then email it to woinanaimo@gmail.com. (when you submit your nomination through email: Put nominee's first and last name in subject line and the award category)
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BRAND NEW For 2025! SUBMIT a Video. In an effort to be more accessible and inclusive, We will have a separate video submission form to upload a video answering the 4 questions stated on the forms​
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If these forms are a barrier for you, please contact the WIN team at woinanaimo@gmail.com or 778-269-1216 and we will work with you to provide an accessible/alternative way to apply.
Helpful Tips To Writing A Stellar Submission
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Be Concise & Clear in answering the questions.
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Ensure you paint a picture and tell the story.
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Utilize Chat GPT as a tool.
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Avoid writing just one sentence in each section - Provide descriptions, examples, and even quotes! Each question allows up to 300 words each so a 1200 word full story of someone's life. (HINT: Aim to get as close to 300 words in each section)
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Attachments will not be accepted.
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Ask the person you are nominating for details that pertains to the questions and category.
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Who they are, who you are at the core​
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The Hurdle or Challenge
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The Why & The How they are influential
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The Impact on the world​
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the Award Winners be announced?
At the WIN Awards Gala on February 5th, 2025. Please follow @woinanaimo on social media for details.
Who can apply?
All women, non-binary, 2-spirit, and gender-diverse people who live in the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) - Nanaimo, Lantzville, Parksville, and Qualicum Beach as well as the areas of Gabriola and Ladysmith are eligible to apply.
Previous nominees can be nominated again this year. However, the past 11 winners from the 2024 inaugural gala are NOT eligible for re-nomination.
Can men be nominated as well?
Yes, there is one category that is open to everyone! Fan the Flame (Ally) Award.
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Are there application fees?
No, there are no application fees.
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What if an organization or individual has more than one initiative?
One application can cover multiple initiatives. The more impactful initiatives included in one application, the more chances that the application will be successful as long as it pertains to the award category. But only one nomination per person/organization will be accepted.
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Do Nominees get free tickets?
No, but if the ticket price is a barrier for you please contact the WIN team and arrangements can be made to ensure you can attend the WIN Awards gala. Email woinanaimo@gmail.com.
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How are the winners selected?
A selection committee composed of diverse backgrounds and expertise will grade each application against preset criteria and select the winners for each award category. There is no online voting & no finalists. All nominees will be honoured at the Awards Gala and then the announcement of winners will follow.
Are there Finalists? No. In our commitment to honouring and celebrating every nominee equally, the Women of Influence Nanaimo Awards has a directive of No Finalists. Because of the capacity limitations with our selection committee, Barbara Anne Photography, and our venue, we can accept a maximum of 150 nominations.
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The nomination period will run from October 1st to October 31st, or until we reach 150 submissions, whichever comes first. This measure is in place to protect the integrity of the awards and to ensure we can provide a platform to genuinely celebrate the influential individuals in our region. Thank you for your understanding and support.
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