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Frequently Asked Questions

Below are the Gold Circle Awards program's frequently asked questions. If you have additional questions, or require further assistance, please email  goldcircle@asaecenter.org.

Why should I consider entering the Gold Circle Awards competition?

  • The Gold Circle Awards represent the best of association marketing, membership, and communications. Receiving the Gold Circle Award in any category demonstrates the excellence of your work to your peers, fellow staff members, and your membership.

 

What organizations may enter the Gold Circle Awards competition?

  • The Gold Circle Awards competition is open to all 501(c) nonprofit organizations, both members and non-members of ASAE. Entries may be submitted on behalf of a 501(c) nonprofit organization by for-profit business partners; however, only the 501(c) nonprofit organization will be recognized as the winner.

 

How do I submit an entry form or multiple entry forms?

  • Applicants in all categories must complete an electronic entry form (even if you are submitting print materials in the Publications category). Payment can be submitted via check or credit card. Proof of payment should be sent along with your entry submission by attaching a PDF copy of your confirmation.

 

Can print materials for an entry submission in the Publications category and check payments be postmarked by February 5, 2026?

  • No, all entries, materials, and payments must be RECEIVED (not postmarked) at ASAE headquarters by 5 p.m. ET on February 5, 2026. Hard copies are especially relevant if submitting a print publication in the Publications category and must be received by February 5 to be considered.

 

Why is the entry submission period February 5, 2026, when winners are not announced until April? 

  • In February, the ASAE staff and GCA Committee leadership team review judges and their assignments to prevent conflicts of interest. Judges are then given time to review and score all entries, between mid-February and mid-March. The scores are processed before final category calls are held in late March to select winners. After all 15 judging meetings conclude, the GCA Committee meets in early April to choose the GCA Overall Excellence winner. Winners are notified in April, in advance of the Marketing, Membership, Communications and Tech Conference, where they will be recognized. This timing is important to maintain the integrity of the program and its standards and to allow enough time for all entries to be thoughtfully considered.

 

What should I put for the project overview; goals/objective; strategy/tactics and success metrics/results parts of the application?

You should include the following:

  • Project Overview: This should include a summary that provides a high-level introduction to your GCA entry. It should give the judges a sense of the intent of your project BEFORE they review the project goals/objectives, strategy/tactics, and success metrics/results achieved. These additional questions will require specific information that will be used to judge your entry. Please limit your response to 500 words.
  • Project Goals/Objectives: Goals and objectives should be clearly stated and expressed in specific and measurable terms/outcomes, with an exceptional level of detail. Please limit your response to 500 words.
  • Strategy/Tactics: Strategy/tactics should outline the plan, strategy, or tactics you used to reach the goals and objectives set with an exceptional level of detail. Describe and demonstrate how the campaign or project’s strategy was innovative; how the strategy addresses conscious inclusion; and how the tactics implemented support the strategy while being well executed across the channels with an exceptional level of detail. Please limit your response to 500 words.
  • Success Metrics/Results Achieved: For the measurement of your goals and objectives, please indicate your metrics for success. Specifically describe the campaign or project’s achievement of the success measures, including whether the goals were met or unmet, with an exceptional level of detail. Please limit your response to 500 words.
  • Key Takeaways or Lessons Learned: Describe any pitfalls or challenges that you encountered that had to be overcome. Share how you recommend other associations avoid similar challenges. While not a formal question in the application, this info can be a valuable addition to incorporate into the responses described above.

 

What is the difference between the Publications and E-Newsletter Categories?

  • Publications are magazines, blogs, or other periodicals in print or digital format, with the exception of email newsletters. If submitting a print publication, print samples must be received by ASAE headquarters by February 5, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET to be considered for this category. 
  • E-Newsletters are digital periodicals that are deployed through email and may include a web-based copy of the content in an online archive.  

 

What is the cost to enter the Gold Circle Awards competition? Can my colleague sponsor our entry, so we receive the member rate for the entry fee?

  • Yes. If a member of your organization’s staff is a member of ASAE, the entry fee is $150 per entry. The non-member entry fee is $300 per entry.

 

How much time does ASAE estimate that preparing an entry will take?

  • Previous applicants report anywhere from 3 to 10 hours, typically, to assemble their application. Several factors impact how long it will take to develop a quality application. The key is not to spend a great deal of time writing long narratives and to instead focus on a succinct description of the initial goals or objectives, the tactics used to achieve those goals or objectives, the success metrics used to measure if goals were achieved, and the outcomes of the campaign or project. Responses may be in bullet format provided the criteria of the category are addressed in the response. These factors are critically important in the judging process, so be sure to plan your entry to supply this essential information and remain within the word limit. We recommend that using the sample application template to ensure your application is concise and complete. We recommend that you minimize information around your organization’s mission, vision or values at the expense of the descriptive information needed to address the review criteria for each category, and specifically, the goals, objectives, tactics, success measures, and outcomes of the campaign or project.

 

What forms of payment are accepted for Gold Circle Awards entries?

  • ASAE accepts credit card payments or checks. If you are paying by check you MUST list the check number on your electronic application. If you are submitting an entry requiring hard copies, please include a copy of the check with the entry.

 

Can I submit multiple entries in the same category?

  • Yes, multiple entries may be submitted in one or more categories, provided each entry is submitted on a separate entry form and includes the additional entry fee and any required samples. A maximum of 2 entries per category for each organization is permitted. An organization may not submit the same entry to multiple categories.


Is there a discount for submitting multiple entries?

  • No. Each entry requires an individual application fee.

 

If I submit an entry for one category, but the judges decide that my entry should be in a different category, will it automatically be moved, or have I lost my chance?

  • Your entry will be checked for accuracy and to make sure it is in the appropriate category. If time allows, ASAE will contact you to correct any inaccuracies in your entry. However, as stated in the Gold Circle Awards Eligibility Requirements, ASAE reserves the right to disqualify any entry that includes incomplete or incorrect information.

 

When must my entry have been completed to be eligible for the 2026 Gold Circle Awards program?

  • The program/subject/publication entered in the 2026 Gold Circle Awards program must be completed and/or distributed between January 1 and December 31, 2025.

 

Judging, Recognition & Ceremony

 

How are entries judged?

  • The evaluation criteria for each category are listed within the category descriptions published on the Gold Circle Awards website. An independent panel of judges is selected to evaluate submissions within each category. Entries are scored on a five-point scale within each area of review. Please review the rubric for more details.

 

Who are the judges?

  • The judges are volunteers recruited from ASAE membership and non-members with experience in specific categories. Anyone with marketing, membership, and communications expertise can volunteer to serve as a judge. The Gold Circle Awards Committee reviews and approves all requests to be a judge.

 

Can I participate as a judge if my association has entered the competition?

  • Yes, however, you will not be allowed to judge any category in which your organization or your clients have entered.

 

Do I receive CAE credit if I am a judge?

  • No, unfortunately, this volunteer opportunity is not eligible for CAE credit.

 

How are winners notified and recognized?

  • Following the judging and selection process, ASAE will notify, via email, every applicant as to the outcome of their entry, those selected as winners, as well as those not selected. . Once winners are notified, an announcement will be made via press release and recognized on ASAE’s website, conference sessions, and other relevant outlets. Winners will receive a beautiful, engraved crystal trophy that includes their organization name, the Gold Circle Awards logo for that year, and the category won.

 

Will ASAE help me with promoting the news if my organization wins an award?

  • Yes. ASAE will provide a press release template that can be used to spread the word among your media contacts and members. ASAE also issues its own press release listing all the winners.

 

Will you return my entry materials following the application period?

  • No. Entries become the property of ASAE and will be included in the Knowledge Center.

 

Will I receive feedback on my entry following the competition?

  • Your organization may receive feedback on your entry, based on the judge's election to share their feedback/comments. If they elect to do so, they will be provided to you following the conclusion of the judging process.

 

Is there an appeals process if I don’t win?

  • There is no appeals process. This is an awards competition, and decisions agreed to by the Gold Circle Awards judges are final. Entrants are not permitted to lobby for entry.

 

What is the Gold Circle Awards for Overall Excellence and how is it selected?

  • The Gold Circle Awards for Overall Excellence is chosen from all Gold Circle Awards winners each year. The Gold Circle Awards Committee reviews all the winning entries  and selects one as the “best of the best.” The recipient of this award is announced during the Marketing, Membership, Communications & Tech Conference.

Is there a permanent, ongoing roster of winners from previous competitions?