This year the campaign sees the first ever FA Community Awards, presented by McDonald’s, which builds on McDonald’s continued commitment to improving standards of community football and increasing participation across all aspects of grassroots football through Charter Standard Clubs and Leagues. The awards will recognise and reward the hard work that goes on around the country week in, week out, to provide the best possible experience for those participating in grassroots football.
The awards are split into eight categories with a national shortlist being created from the nominations for each category, chosen by a regional judging panel. The winners for each category will be chosen by a national judging panel and announced at The FA Community Shield at Wembley in August.
The Awards Categories
- Outstanding Contribution to Community Football Award
- The FA Charter Standard Community Club Award
- The FA Charter Standard Development Club Award
- The FA Charter Standard Club Award
- The FA Charter Standard League Award (Regional & National Awards only)
- Volunteer of the Year Award
- Young Volunteer of the Year Award
- Coach of the Year Award
Criteria for each of the award categories can be found in Appendix 1. Download your nomination form now which can be found under Related Documents.
The Nomination process
The awards call on the support of the County FAs as well as local clubs, leagues and officials to nominate those in their county that they think worthy of winning an FA Community Award presented by McDonald’s. There will be no county FA Charter Standard League Award winners, only regional and national winners of this category.
Nominations are open from 8 March – 12 April. Once all nominations have been collected by the County FA, they will be assessed and seven county winners announced. The seven county winners, plus a maximum of one nominated FA Charter Standard League per County FA will be submitted to a regional judging panel who will decide which of the nominees will be identified as regional winners. The eight regional winners will be submitted to the national judging panel where 8 national winners will be decided.
The judging panels
The county judging panels will be made up of representatives from the local County FA who will then submit a shortlist for each award to The FA and the regional panel. The regional panels will be made up of FA Regional Managers, County FA representatives and other guests including McDonald’s representation where possible. The regional winner of each category will go before a national judging panel who will then select the overall eight national category winners. The national judging panel will be made up of both Senior FA and McDonald’s representatives.
Key Time Scales
- 8 March - Local Nominations Open
- 12 April - Local Nominations Close
- 19-23 April - Local CFA judging panels held
- 26 April - CFA judging panels notify FA Regional Manager of winners and forward winners applications/nominations
- 10-14 May - Regional judging panels held
- 17 May - Regional Managers notify The FA of regional winners and forward winners applications
- 24 May - National shortlist circulated to National judging panel
- 7-11 June - National judging panel
- 8 August - The FA Community Shield –winners announced in The FA Club pre match
- 10 August onwards - Images and press release detailing winners issued to local media following Awards Ceremony