HOW TO APPLY

Award Application and Submission:

The submission and review process for the Awards of Excellence is a three step process.

• Step One: Applicants must complete a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) and submit online by the appropriate deadline.  The Foundation will review each submitted LOI, evaluate the project and determine whether it is competitive enough to move forward.  The Foundation will invite 10 organizations in each award category to submit full project descriptions. Click here for the Letter of Inquiry for Affordable Housing Built Responsibly.
  
  The Letter of Inquiry for Sustainable Community Development is only being made available to cities that are either a member of the Urban Sustainability Director’s Network (USDN) or a member of the National League of Cities (NLC). The NLC membership that is targeted includes cities that participated in the 2009 NLC Green Conference or participate in specific sustainability-related committees.
  
  Applicants will receive an email notification within approximately 2-3 weeks of the LOI deadline inviting organization to complete a full project description.  Those organizations that do not qualify will receive a declination email.
  
  
• Step Two:  Applicants asked to complete full project descriptions must submit proposals online to The Home Depot Foundation by the appropriate deadline.  Proposals must include a detailed description of the project and all program specifics, such as the life cycle costs of greening the project; additional capital costs and operating savings; and details regarding any special funding received for greening.  Those requested to submit full proposals will be provided information about how to access the application.  Only full project descriptions that are completed and submitted by the deadline will be reviewed.
  
  
• Step Three: An advisory committee of experts from a variety of affordable housing, community development, building sciences and environmental organizations participate in the evaluation and selection process.  The advisory committee recommends the winners to The Home Depot Foundation's Board of Directors who make the final approval.  Award winners will be notified by Foundation staff following Board approval. All finalists will receive recognition at a Fall national conference.

Award Dates and Deadlines:

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