### [Insert Organization’s Name Here]



## 201 3 Professional Certifying Organization Partner of the Year Written Statement Template

Please c omplete, s ave, and u pload this document to your award a pplication. Compose your written statement by addressing the evaluation criteria below based only on your activities in 201 2 , unless otherwise requested.

Your written statement must be no more than six (6) pages in length . Organize and label your statement using the categories listed below (e.g., “ Certification Program Growth ”). The point values following each category indicate the maximum potential value for all activities within that category. Partners should address as many of the criteria as applicable based on their activities and may also be eligible for an Excellence Award if they demonstra te outstanding accomplishments in one of the categories.

Remember that Partner of the Year awards are based on activities that increase awareness about the WaterSense program, labeled products, new homes and services . General education on the importance o f water efficiency is valued, but the focus of your application should be on activities that specifically integrated WaterSense. If you choose to submit supporting materials that complement your written statement, which is recommended, clearly reference ea ch supporting material in your written statement (preferably with annotations).



## Evaluation Criteria

1. Certification Program Growth ( 25 points)

Provide the number and percentage of your organization ’ s certifications for irrigation professionals that are WaterSense label ed

. Provide the number of irrigation professionals who earned at least one of your organization’s WaterSense

labeled certification s in 2012 and any goals or targets your organization set in 201 2 for increasing that

number in 201 2 ( and beyond )

. Identify how you ma d e your labeled certifications mo re readily available to irrigation professionals in 201 2

. Indicate the number and percentage of irrigation professionals certified by your program(s) who are also WaterSense irrigation partners.

2 . Promoti

ng WaterSense to Irrigation Professionals ( 3 0 points)

Describe how you used your WaterSense partnership and the WaterSense label to recruit certification

candidates , promote WaterSense

, or demonstrate your organization’s commitment to water

- efficient irrigation practices to irrigation professionals

. Describe any in

- person or online (e.g., webinars) events you organized, hosted, or participated in, to encourage irrigation professionals to earn your WaterSense labeled certification(s)

. Identify Water Sense’s

materials you used to educate irrigation professionals about the program.

Describe how you promoted or advertised your WaterSense labeled certification(s) through media
outreach, distributing promotional materials, using social media networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) or in other ways, and i dentify your primary audience ( s ) for the promotion s

. Explain how you encouraged professionals certified by your labeled program(s) to join WaterSense as irrigation partners

.

3 . Promoting WaterSense and Water

- efficient Irrigation Practices ( 30 points)

Descri be WaterSense

- related outreach you conducted (including quantity and estimated reach , if

available ). For example, t his might incl ude developing web content about WaterSense and your WaterSense labeled program; adding WaterSense promotional marks to websites, newsletters or listservs; using bill stuffers; producing public sig nage; giving presentations; using social media outlets (e. g., Facebook, Twitter); or developing work shops or trainings for contractor s.
Describe how your organization promoted hiring WaterSense irrigation partners to:

o Individual homeowners or home owners’ associations

### [Insert Organization’s Name Here]

o Home builders or licensed certification prov iders

o Water u tilities or water districts

Explain how your organization educated end users (homeowners, business owners, etc.) on the WaterSense program and the importance and value of water

- efficient irrigation practices

. Dis cuss any efforts your organization made to educate end users on detecting or preventing leaks or faulty parts.

Explain how you encouraged or trained certified professionals to present the benefits of water

- efficient irrigation practices to current or potential customers

, including track ing water savings data or calculating

return on investment.

4 . Strategic Collaboration ( 1 5 points)

Describe how you collaborated with other WaterSense partners or stakeholders (e.g., utilities, nonprofits,
trade associations, state and local governments , builders, licensed certification providers, etc.) to promote
WaterSense or further a common goal of increasing water efficiency. Provide any qua ntifiable results, if possible.

Describe how and when you collaborated with the WaterSense pr ogram

, supported WaterSense outreach campaigns

, or contributed to the development or revision of a WaterSense labeled program specification

. Describe research your organization conducted, funded, or reviewed that furthered the development of a

WaterSense labeled product or practice specification. (You may include specification support that began prior to 2012 but continued into 201 2 .)