A strong nomination letter makes a specific, evidence-backed case for why someone deserves recognition, an award, or a position. It goes beyond listing accomplishments and instead tells a story about the nominee’s impact through concrete examples. Whether you’re nominating a colleague for a company award, a mentor for professional recognition, or a community member for an honor, the structure and strategy are largely the same.
Start With Who You Are and Why You’re Writing
Your opening paragraph needs to accomplish three things quickly: identify yourself, name the person you’re nominating, and state what you’re nominating them for. The selection committee wants to immediately understand your relationship to the nominee and why you’re in a position to speak about their work.
Keep this to two or three sentences. Something like: “I’m writing to nominate Jane Rodriguez for the Outstanding Service Award. As her direct supervisor for the past four years, I’ve seen firsthand how her work has transformed our department’s operations and culture.” This tells the reader exactly what’s coming and establishes your credibility as a nominator. If the award has specific criteria, briefly signal in the opening that your nominee meets them.
Build the Body Around Specific Examples
The body of your letter is where most nominations succeed or fail. The key principle: show, don’t list. A nomination letter should not read like a resume, a catalog of educational achievements, or a job description showing what the nominee was hired to do. Instead, tell the reader what makes this person unique and how they go above and beyond expectations.
Structure each body paragraph around one quality or contribution, then support it with a specific example. If you’re highlighting someone’s problem-solving ability, describe a time they took a vague or difficult situation and figured out what was needed with minimal guidance, then delivered results that exceeded expectations. If you’re recognizing leadership, describe an event they organized, a process they built, or a team they developed.
The most effective examples share a few traits:
- They include outcomes. Don’t just say someone “organized a department retreat.” Say the event received rave reviews and helped build the department’s culture. Whenever possible, attach a number, a result, or a reaction from stakeholders.
- They show initiative. Committees are drawn to nominees who identify problems on their own and take ownership. Describe moments when the person went beyond what was asked of them.
- They connect individual actions to bigger goals. The strongest nominations show that the person understands the organization’s strategy and aligns their daily work with it. A nominee who improved a filing process is good. A nominee who improved a filing process because they recognized it was slowing down a strategic initiative is better.
- They demonstrate consistency. One great moment is nice, but sustained excellence is more compelling. If your nominee has developed processes and procedures over several years that create stability even as leadership changes, that pattern of reliability is powerful evidence.
Two to four body paragraphs typically give you enough space to paint a full picture without losing the reader’s attention. Quality matters more than quantity, and a concise, well-written submission is more likely to succeed than a long one that repeats itself.
Use Active, Confident Language
Write in active voice throughout. “She redesigned the onboarding process” is stronger than “The onboarding process was redesigned by her.” Active voice puts the nominee at the center of the action, which is exactly where you want them.
Your tone should be professional but genuinely enthusiastic. You’re making a case, not filling out a form. Avoid vague praise like “she’s a wonderful person” or “he’s always so helpful.” Those phrases feel empty without evidence behind them. Replace them with specific observations: “When new faculty members arrive, she personally welcomes them and helps them navigate everything from building access to local logistics. Guest speakers and visiting candidates consistently comment on how smoothly their trips are arranged.”
Avoid hedging your endorsement. Phrases like “I think she might deserve this” or “he seems like a good candidate” undermine your nomination. You chose to write this letter. Be direct about why.
Close With a Clear Endorsement
Your final paragraph should leave no ambiguity about where you stand. Summarize the nominee’s most compelling quality in one sentence, then state plainly that you believe they deserve this recognition. This is also a good place to offer yourself as a resource if the committee wants additional information.
A strong closing might read: “In four years of working together, I have never seen someone take more ownership of their role or care more deeply about the people around them. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this award, and I’m happy to provide any additional details the committee may need.”
Before You Submit: A Quick Checklist
Review your letter against the award’s specific criteria. If the program lists three qualities it values, make sure your letter addresses each one, even briefly. Selection committees often score nominations against these criteria, and missing one can cost your nominee points regardless of how strong the rest of your letter is.
Read through the letter once more and ask yourself: could this describe anyone, or does it clearly describe one specific person? If you could swap in a different name and the letter would still make sense, you haven’t included enough concrete detail. Go back and add the particular projects, moments, and outcomes that belong only to your nominee.
Check any word count or page limits specified in the nomination guidelines. When no limit is given, one to two pages (roughly 400 to 800 words) is a solid target for most awards. Finally, proofread carefully. A letter filled with typos or grammatical errors can distract from an otherwise compelling case.