Brillante Awards FAQs
1. What is the nomination period?
The Brillante Awards nominations close at 11:59 PM PST on August 14, 2023.
2. Who can submit a nomination?
Only Prospanica members can submit nominations, with the exception of the ERG Award. However, anyone currently serving as a Chapter Officer, on the National Board of Directors, or as Prospanica staff cannot be nominated for any Brillante category (or within one year of service). Self-nomination is allowed.
3. What award can a person or organization be nominated for?
Nominations are required for:
Corporate/Government Excellence
Entrepreneurial Excellence
Educational Excellence
Community Service Excellence
Member Excellence
Latino ERG Excellence.
4. Does an individual have to be a Prospanica member to be nominated?
Membership is only required for Member Excellence Award. Individuals and organizations involved with Prospanica or supporting the mission can be nominated for the other award categories.
5. Do you have to be a U.S. Citizen to be nominated?
No. You do not have to be a U.S. citizen to be nominated.
6. Does my company have to be a sponsor of the Prospanica Conference in order for me to apply and win an award?
No. The nomination and peer-review selection process is independent of conference sponsorship.
7. Does a nominee need to be Hispanic to be nominated for a Brillante Award?
No. Nominated individuals nominated do not need to be Hispanics. A non-Hispanic must perform work or outreach activities that strongly impact the Hispanic community.
8. What are the components of a complete nomination package?
The components of a nomination package include:
a. Online nomination form
b. Justification statement (1,000 words or less)
c. Company profile or biography (500 words or less)
9. What is a good justification statement?
Nominators must submit a Justification Statement that is a brief description, in 1,000 words or less, of why the nominated individual is deserving of the Brillante award. This statement should be based on the specific criteria of the award category. Make sure to include precise details and examples of your nominee’s accomplishments—referencing the appropriate measures for the particular award and ensuring that statements are organized and well-written will make it easier for a nominee’s achievements to receive the consideration they deserve.
10. Can I include links to news articles, videos, or other websites, or can I submit other material?
The Review Committee will rely solely on the submitted Justification Statement and profile/bio, not outside knowledge or material. Nothing outside of those two documents will be considered.
11. What is an acceptable length for the profile/biography, and what should it cover?
The profile/biography should be no more than 500 words and should be a personal history, including information the nominee is comfortable disclosing publicly. The profile/biography is an opportunity to share significant early-life experiences and motivating factors leading to their success. Information could include background, struggles and achievements, awards or commendations, family history, special projects, unique hobbies, or other important life events. For an organization, this is an opportunity for any meaningful information that might not be covered by the scope of the Justification Statement.
12. How is the 2023 nomination submission process different from previous years?
The process will be the same as in 2022. The nomination deadline this year is August 14, 2023. You will be able to upload your nomination online. For more information, please visit our website www.prospanicaconference.org or contact us at chapterrelations@prospanica.org.
13. May I resubmit a 2022 nomination packet?
Yes. However, documents should be updated as needed.
14. May candidates be nominated in more than one category?
Yes. However, we do not recommend nominating a candidate for more than two categories in a given year. Two online nomination packages must be submitted, one for each category.
15. Can I nominate an organization or a person who has already won a Brillante award in the past?
Organizations competing for the Corporate/Government, Educational, or Community Service Award can only win once every five years. Thus, to be considered for 2023, an organization must not have won since 2018. Individuals who are Brillante recipients for the Community Service are only eligible to win once in a lifetime for the same category.
16. How are the recipients chosen?
Nominations are judged using the criteria in the award categories section of our website.
17. Who makes up the Selection Committee?
The Section Committee is composed of various Prospanica stakeholders. These committee members are divided into subcommittees to evaluate the nominations.
18. When and how will candidates be notified if they are selected for an award?
All recipients and the individuals who nominated them will be notified via telephone and email. A formal letter of notification with details about the conference, awards show, rehearsals, etc., will be emailed before or by September 5, 2023. A press release announcing the recipients will be posted on the Prospanica website after all awardees have been notified in writing. The nominators of individuals who did not receive an award will receive email communication indicating that their candidates were not selected for an award by the end of September 5, 2023.
19. Is attendance at the Brillante Award Gala mandatory for award recipients?
Yes, recipients should be present to participate, though if pandemic-related concerns prevent participation, we can work with the recipient on a suitable solution. If a recipient is unable to participate, the next highest ranked candidate in that category will be declared the recipient. The only exceptions to this rule are for service men and women who are on active duty, on maternity leave, or in an extreme family emergency. In these cases, a leader from the organization or family member may accept on the recipient’s behalf.
20. What benefits do Brillante award recipients receive?
Recipients will be highly recognized during the 2023 Conference & Career Expo. In addition, recipients receive a beautiful custom award, one full conference registration, recognition on the Prospanica website, and national press releases.
21. What conference provisions are there for Brillante awardees?
They receive one full registration and a beautiful custom award.
22. What if I still have additional questions?
If you have additional questions, please contact us at chapterrelations@prospanica.org.
Please let us know if you know someone who has gone above and beyond to promote the Hispanic community and should be considered for the award.