Process and Criteria
The process for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards begins in April with the Call for Nominations and concludes in November with a final Awards Gala Celebration.
- Nomination Process: Anyone may nominate a worthy candidate, including entrepreneurs themselves.
- Deadline: June 16, 2011. For more information, click here.
- Application Process: Nominees are all sent a letter of congratulations which will acknowledge the nominator and will include a link to the application. Applicants must determine their eligibility, complete a survey declaring their intentions, and submit an Application Package.
- Deadline: August 8, 2011 - 6:00pm EST. For more information, click here.
- Application Resources: When filling out an application, there are a number of resources available:
- Selection Process: Applications are reviewed for completeness and eligibility, and then submitted to the National Judging Committee. Candidates will be judged on their unique qualities as an entrepreneur, specific attributes that qualify them for the Award, their business strategy and results. For more information, click here
- Finalists Announcement: October 26, 2011
- Awards: All finalists will be invited to participate, and the winners will be announced at the Awards Gala.. For more information, click here
- Awards Gala: November 28, 2011
- Nominate Online
- Download a Nomination Form
- Nomination Deadline: June 16, 2011
Nomination Process
The search for qualified nominees for the 2011 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards is underway! Do you know someone extraordinary? If so, we'd like to hear from you. Or, if you would like to be considered for an Award, you may simply request an application form for yourself.
New this Year: All Nominees will be listed on the Nominees listing, and in the members directory on the Women of Influence members site.
1. Establish that they are eligible according to the following criteria:
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
- A nominee must be active in a profitable business registered and operating in Canada for three full years as of May 31st, 2011. At a minimum, this business must have three complete 12-month periods of financial statements.
- The nominee must own shares of the company, hold the senior executive title and/or be the chief decision maker. She must be responsible for the day-to-day management and the financial bottom line of the company.
- She must be the founder of the business or have had a significant impact on the company if acquired.
- For more specific information on eligibility please click here
2. Complete this survey, declaring Intention to Apply
3. Submit a complete Application Package by the Application Deadline: August 8, 2011 - 6:00pm EST.
- Apply Online
- Submit Hard Copy Application
APPLICATION PACKAGES:
Applicants must provide the following information, prepared specifically for this Awards program. They may send 5 hard copies, fill out the Online Application Form, or Upload a completed Application Package (in PDF form).
1. Select and Apply to one Award Category (please select one only).
Apply to the appropriate Award Category by submitting 250 words on what uniquely qualifies you to win this specific award. Please include information that is not communicated in your business plan or financials that you believe contributed to the success of you, your business and/or had an impact on your community.
Click here to read the descriptions of the Awards Categories
Click here to view the Judges' Scorecard and see their criteria for each Category
Click here to view videos of Past Winners in each Award Category
2. Submit your business plan
Be sure to include business definition, company structure, competitive, growth and financial strategies and external references. Please feel free to summarize if your business plan is too long.
If you do not have a business plan, please click here for resources .
3. Submit company financial data
The financial information is an important and quantifiable indicator of success for our judges. It is required that this section be completed for all Award categories. All the information submitted is confidential. Our judges are bound by a strict confidentiality agreement.
Extra pages of attachments, media clippings, etc. may be submitted. No videos or products will be accepted.
The application should not exceed 20 pages including introduction, award category choice, business plan, financial information and any extra attachments.
Applications are valid for two years, however updated financial information will be required. If you applied in 2010, and would like to use last year's application, please contact info@womenofinfluenceinc.ca or 416-923-1688 to submit your new financials.
For additional information and support in completing your application, please review the available resources . This page provides insights for selecting your Award Category, summarizing your business plan, and calculating your financial data. If you have additional questions, please contact Women of Influence, and they will put you in touch with a local RBC representative.
Format
Hardcopy:
The application package must
- Be typewritten in 12-point
- Shall not exceed 20 single-sided pages.
- Extra pages of attachments, media clippings, etc. may be submitted but are included in the 20-pages.No videos or products will be accepted.
- Five unbound copies of the completed applicate package must be provided.
- Materials will not be returned.
- Incomplete or late applications will automatically be disqualified.
Electronic:
Applicants have two options for electronic submission. You may fill out the Online Application Form or you may Upload your Complete Application Package.
Online Application Form: It is recommended that you prepare your answers in a word processing program (i.e. Microsoft Word), and copy-and-paste these into the form. Upload functionality will be available for each section of the form.
Upload Complete Package: Using the Application Form for reference, applicants can submit their completed application package electronically. Only PDF format will be accepted.
Selection Process:
- Each application will be reviewed for completeness and eligibility before being accepted.
- The National Judging Committee will review each application that qualifies based on the Judges' Scorecard. You will be judged on your unique qualities as an entrepreneur, specific attributes that qualify you for the Award have been selected, your business strategy and success, and your application package.
- A finalist from each Region (West, Central, East) will be selected.
- West: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Territories
- Central: Ontario
- East: Quebec, Newbrunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Labrado
- The finalists will be subjected to a due diligence process carried out by Deloitte.Selected candidates will be required to send their most recent three years of financial statements directly to Deloitte. These statements will be treated as confidential, seen only by Deloitte, and reviewed on the basis of consistency of information, evidence of good financial practices and the financial strength of the company. A site visit will be conducted by the auditors and references will be checked
- Judges' selections are final and are not subject to any review.
- Judging and Due Diligence will be completed by October 17, 2011
Awards
- Finalists will be announced on October 26, 2011
- All finalists will be included in preparations, Video presentations, PR and invited to attend the 2011 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards Ceremony to be held in Toronto on November 28, 2011. Winners will not be announced to anyone until the Gala. Click here to purchase tickets to the Awards Gala.
What happens if you win?
- The Awards dinner receives national media coverage through our sponsors The National Post, and PROFIT magazine.
- Press releases will also be distributed to the winner's local media outlets.
- Past winners have gone onto much greater heights.
- Many have found this Award to be a stepping-stone to prominent board positions and recognition by other Award or professional recognition programs including Canada's Top 40 Under 40, placement on the PROFIT/Chatelaine Top 100 Women Business Owners List, Canadian Women's Mentor Award and the Order of Canada.
- Many nominees, applicants and past winners feel that the Award has opened new doors, generated respect and approval from their peers and customers, and in some cases, launched them into the international marketplace.
For more information please contact:
Women of Influence Inc.
36 Lombard Street, Suite 550
Toronto, ON, M5C 2X3
Tel: 416-923-1688
Fax: 416-923-2862
E-mail: info@womenofinfluenceinc.ca
