The Orange County Citizens Foundation is now accepting nominations for its 2016 Placemaking Awards, which will recognize individuals, organizations, projects, and festivals that have contributed to the creation or transformation of public “places” to improve the local community, and have exemplified placemaking concepts and practices.

Awards will be presented at the Citizens Foundation’s Eighth Annual Orange County Placemaking Conference & Awards on Friday, June 3, 2016.

Nominations can include self-nominations, as well as nominations of others. Nominations can be submitted through December 7^th, 2015 by filling out the application form that can be downloaded at http://www.occitizensfoundation.org/initiatives/placemaking/.

Projects will be looked upon favorably if applicants can answer the following questions:

• Is there a plan to engage youth?
• Is there a plan to engage a diverse population?
• Is this project accessible to all?
• How did the organizers reach out to the community to develop the project?
• What groups/governments/organizations were involved?
• How will the project be sustained?
• Is there a historical preservation or is local history interpreted in this project?
• What are the environmental impacts of this project?

Last year’s awards included:

The Urban Revitalization Placemaking Award, presented to the Middletown Community Health Center and The Ruby Group, for the Middletown Community Health Center’s Pathway to Health Project, for its elements of historic preservation, adaptive re-use, and community health in an urban setting;

The Community Placemaking Award, presented to the Town of Crawford, for the way in which it engaged the public in developing a planned space that would benefit all; and

The Beautification Placemaking Award, presented to the Sugar Loaf Community Foundation, for its efforts in creating new, inviting places, through gateway gardens and flower plantings.

For more information about the conference and the 2016 Placemaking Awards, or to register, contact the Orange County Citizens Foundation at 845-469-9459 or visit www.occitizensfoundation.org.