NFA Awards 2015
15-16 July 2015, TheHilton Hotel, Deansgate, Manchester
The2015NFA Awards form part of the NFA’s two day Annual Conference: Building communities the ALMO way, taking place at the Hilton Hotel, Deansgatein Manchester,15/16 July 2015. The awards ceremony and dinner will take place on the evening of the 15th July.
This year the NFA has introduced three new categories celebrating the fantastic work ALMO undertake in communities with their tenants and residents, and the diverse range of services being delivered in partnership with their local authorities. Recently we have seen many ALMOs working hard to challenge the negative images and stereotypes portrayed in the media of social housing and tenants and this ambition is reflected in the most effective communications campaign award.
We welcome entries from all ALMOs.
The new 2015 NFA Awards categories are:
1. Best new build scheme
2. Creating greener homes and reducing fuel poverty
3. Improving the Private Rented Sector offer
4. Integrating housing, care and support services
5. Tackling worklessness and investing in social enterprise
6. Helping tenants manage the impact of welfare reform
7. Most innovative resident engagement initiative
8. Working in partnership with your local authority to deliver diversified services
9. Most effective communication campaign – Tackling negative perceptions
10. Apprentice of the year
Awards are now open for entry, with a closing deadline of 12 noon, 8 May 2015.
For further information on the awards timetable, and details of how to book your place at the Awards Ceremony and Dinner please contact
Entering the awards
- ALMOs may submit entries for as many different award categories as they wish
- Eligibility for entering the awards is that your organisation is an ALMO and is a member of the NFA
- To qualify for the NFA awards 2015 a project must have been completed or running between 1 May 2014 – 1 May 2015.
- Please do not exceed the word limits, words submitted over the defined limits will be excluded from judging
- All completed awards entry forms should be emailed inWordformat, include contact details for the person submitting the entry to
- The deadline for submitting entries is 12 noon, 8 May 2015. Late entries will not be accepted.
- All received entries will be acknowledged by e-mail within 48 hours. If you do not receive an acknowledgement please contact CIH Events Team on 02476 851722 to confirm receipt of your entry
- Judging will take place by independent housing and business professionals on22 May 2015
- Finalists will be notified during week commencing 12 June 2015
- The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence or discussion will be entered into or feedback given regarding the selection of short-listed nominations or winners
- NFA has reserved the right to extend the closing deadline, amend categories or not award categories should the standard of entries received not reach the required standard
- Winning case studies may be used in post-event materials to promote future events or best practice. Entrants have the right to mark any information or sensitive parts of their entry as ‘not for publication or distribution’
Attending the ceremony
- The winners will be announced at the 2015 awards ceremony and dinner at the Hilton Hotel, Manchester on 15th July 2015. The evening will commence with a drinks reception at 6.30pm, followed by the awards ceremony and gala dinner and entertainment.
- If you are shortlisted for an award or awards you will be required to purchase a minimum of 2 dinner tickets for the evening at £65 + VAT each. We are able to offer finalists a discounted rate for a table of 10, which will cost £600 + VAT(Once tickets are purchased, a refund can not be given)
Please register your interest by emailing Patrick Grace at
The NFA awards are not only about celebrating success, they are also an opportunity for organisations to learn from each other’s work and to showcase successful initiatives, that they may be replicated by others in the sector.
NFA Awards 2015 – Category details
1. Best new build scheme
This award is open to all ALMO’s who have developed new homes for their local community, including social and or affordable housing. The winning development will demonstrate that:
For example:
The development has met specific housing need in the local area
Has incorporated high levels of designand sustainability
The scheme has made best use of available public assets
It has added value to the local economy, for example through job creation, and/or the delivery of apprenticeships / training to local people.
Key category questions:
1. Give a brief summary of your project, outlining its aims and objectives and positive outcomes evidenced to date (300 words max)
2. How does your development address housing need in the area? (250 words)
3. How did you ensure that the highest levels of design, sustainability and best use of public assets were met? (250 words)
4. How has your scheme added value to the local economy, how have you been able to evidence this? (250)
5. Please provide an image or photograph to support your entry (max 3 high quality images)
2. Creating greener homes and reducing fuel poverty
This award will showcase the great improvements that ALMO’s have made to the energy efficiency of exiting homes, and/or showcase projects to reduce fuel poverty. The project will need to evidence how improvements are impacting positively on the quality of life for residents and/or helping to address fuel poverty. The winning award will demonstrate:
How improvements made have helped make properties more energy efficient, and how improvement have been funded
The positive impact improvements have had on residents’quality of life
How the changes have helped tackle fuel poverty
Key category questions:
1.Give a brief summary of your project, outlining its aims and objectives and positive outcomes evidenced to date (300 words max)
2. Describe the main improvements you have made to properties and how has this improved energy efficiency? (250 words)
3. How were you able to fund the improvements? (200 words)
4. How has the project contribute to addressing fuel poverty (200 words)
5. How have the improvements impacted on the quality of life for residents? Please demonstrate positive outcomes achieved? (200 words)
6. Please provide an image or photograph to support your entry (max 3 high quality images)
3. Improving the Private Rented Sector offer
This award will celebrate the positive contribution ALMOs are making in improving the quality of homes, tenancy conditions and/or the standard of management within the private rented sector (PRS). The winning scheme willdemonstrate:
An effective partnership with one or more private rented sector landlords, that results in the availability of an additional valuable housing option to people on the housing register, and has helped meet local housing need
How the ALMO, landlord, and tenants are all benefiting from the arrangement.
Key category questions:
1. Give a brief summary of your project, outlining its aims and objectives and positive outcomes evidenced to date (300 words max)
2. Tell us what have been the positive outcomes, of the partnership, for:
a)The ALMO
b)The landlord/property owner
c)Residents
(300 words)
3. How has the partnership with the PRS helped support a sustainable community? (200 words)
4. How did you ensure the highest standard of accommodation and tenancy agreement is offered to residents? (200 words)
5. Please explain how the scheme is funded? Does the scheme deliver additional income / surplus for the ALMO, or deliver added social value to the community? (200)
6. Please provide an image or photograph to support your entry (max 3 high quality images)
4. Integrating housing, care and support services
This award provides an excellent opportunity for ALMO’s to showcase how they are working with their local authority to deliver integrated housing, care and support services. including the provision of suitable housing and support options, for elderly and vulnerable residents who need additional support or specialist accommodation. The winner will be able to demonstrate:
The provision of integrated care and support options within their housing offer for older people
The development of additional specialist services to support the wellbeing of older residents and others in the local community (for example; outreach services into local communities)
Can demonstrate partnerships with other public services such as health and social care providers to tackle local challenges for health and wellbeing
Key category questions:
1. Give a brief summary of your project, outlining its aims and objectives and positive outcomes evidenced to date (300 words max)
2. Outline the additional health, care or support options offered above the standard sheltered housing service provision (150 words)
3. Please evidence the benefits the project delivers for individual service users and/or the wider community (350 words)
3. How has the project addressed local challenges, and delivered positive outcomes for local public sector partners (such as health or social care) (250 words)
4. Please provide an image or photograph to support your entry (max 3 high quality images)
5. Tackling worklessness and investingsocial enterprise
This awardwill demonstrate how ALMO’s are working withtheir tenants and social enterprise organisations to help reduce worklessness. The award celebrates a successful partnership between the ALMO and the social enterprise business to develop a business model that meets its social goals. Addressing issues such as; long term and youth unemployment, whilst at the same time supporting sustainable growth.
The winning award will be able demonstrate:
Demonstrated how their approach has resulted into positive outcomes for local people and communities
Evidenced successful case studies of how tackle worklessness has impacted on the community and also the wider economy
Partnership / support of an innovative social enterprise that meets meet the needs of the local community and enhanced people’s life chances
Be able to demonstrate a sustainable business model
Key category questions:
1. Give a brief summary of your project, outlining its aims and objectives and positive outcomes evidenced to date (300 words max)
2. Evidence how the project has helped reduce unemployment, and delivered added value to the local economy. What measures have you used to measure the added value?(300 words)
3. Demonstrate the enterprises sustainability in terms of future profit and growth. How has the initiative been funded to date, and is there opportunity to grow the service in the future? (250 words)
4. Please provide an image or photograph to support your entry (max 3 high quality images)
6. Helping tenants manage the impact of welfare reform
This award will recognise a project or initiative designed to help tenants manage the impacts of welfare reform, that has been well received and can demonstrate positive outcomes for tenants and the wider community.
The winning initiative will:
Demonstrate value for money and innovative ways to help residentsmanage the impact of recent welfare reforms, including universal credit
Maximise the use of digital technology to access information and advice
Demonstrate effective partnerships with community groups and advice agencies to maximise local available resources and funding (where appropriate.)
Key category questions:
1. Give a brief summary of your project, outlining its aims and objectives and positive outcomes evidenced to date (300 words max)
2a. Provide evidence of how your initiative has helped tenants manage the impact of welfare reform (250 words)
2b. Provide an example of a positive outcome or campaign case study(150 words)
3. Please explain how has the project been funded? Where applicable outline how you have worked in partnership or involved local advice agencies, organisations or community group to maximise local funds and resources (300)
4. Please provide an image or photograph to support your entry (max 3 high quality images)
7. Most innovative resident engagement initiative (New Award)
This award recognises the fantastic work the ALMO sector does on a daily basis to engage with communities, and place tenants at the heart of service development and delivery. This award will showcase an innovative resident engagement project that has been successful at engaging diverse members of the community. It may also demonstrate the use of more modern methods of engagement such as online activities / social media, or include working in partnership with other local agencies or organisations such as schools, clubs etc.
The winning initiative will:
Demonstrate success at engaging with diverse members of the community.
Evidence the use of a innovative engagement methods, to suit different customer groups / demographics
Demonstrate that customer feedback from the initiative has led to improvements within the ALMO
Key category questions:
1. Give a brief summary of your project, outlining its aims and objectives and positive outcomes evidenced to date (300 words max)
2. Demonstrate how the initiative has engaged with its target audience, and how on-going engagement will be sustained (250 words)
3. Evidence how information and feedback gathered through this resident engagement initiative has led to improved services or positive outcomes for the community (250)
4. Please provide an image or photograph to support your entry (max 3 high resolution images)
8. Working in partnership with your local authority to deliver diversified services (New award)
This award will celebrate the successful partnership between an ALMO and its parent local authority. It will demonstrate how the ALMO has worked closely with its local authority to deliver additional services (over and above core housing management services) to help their council achieve efficiency savings, deliver excellent value for money and provide good quality services to customers.
The winner will:
Have developed diversified services in partnership with their council that meet the needs of the council and the local community over and above the existing core ALMO housing service
Be able to demonstrate that the new service model provides value for money, customer satisfaction and positive outcomes for local people and communities
Be able to evidencehow these new services link to a sustainable business model for the ALMO as well as the councils’ corporate or housing strategic objectives.
Key category questions:
1. Give a brief summary of your diversified services, outlining the aims and objectives of the new service/s and positive outcomes evidenced to date (300 words max)
2. How has the ALMO worked with its parent local authority to develop this new service and why? (250 words)
3. Tell us how the service/s has helped the council deliver on its corporate or housing strategic objectives and why the ALMO was best placed to deliver those outcomes? (250 words)
4. Demonstrate how the diversified service has provided value for money and provided either/or savings for the council or customers as well as delivering an improved service (250 words)
5. Please provide an image or photograph to support your entry (max 3 high quality images)
9. Most effective communication campaign: Tackling negative perceptions (New award)
This award recognises the challenge of identifying and engaging with customers effectively, and celebrates a successful marketing or communications campaign using multi channel communications. This award is focusing on the work individual ALMOs are doing to challenge the negative media perceptions of social housing and tenants.
The winner will:
Demonstrate how it has engaged with staff, residents, communities and the media to tackle public and media negative perceptions, through the promotion of positive images
Have incorporated a range of communication methods / tools, including online and social media presence, to reach different audiences
Be able to evidenced the desired outcomes and influence of the campaign to show it was effective
Key category questions:
1. Please summarise your campaign, including key aims and objectives, messages, and positive outcomes achieved. (300words)
2. Please outline the range of communication methods you used to target different audiences, and indicate which online digital channels you used to place your messages. Please demonstrate how each method contributed to a successful campaign? (200 words)
3. If you actively involved tenants and/or the local community in the development and delivery of campaign messages please explain how they were involved? (300 words)
4. Please provide evidence of positive outcomes / reachand explain how you were able to measurethe campaign success? (200 words)
6. Please provide an image or photograph to support your entry (max 3 high resolution images)
7. You can also submit a short video/ film clip showing your campaign and/orrelevant case studies. The film clip should be no longer than 4 minutes long or a short case study.
10. Apprentice of the year
This award recognises the efforts of an apprentice or trainee and how they have made a difference within the ALMO. The winner will:
- Demonstrate commitment to their work and studies,
- Make a consistently positive impression on theirteam colleagues and the wider organisation.
Key category questions:
1 Please list the outstanding achievements of the apprentice, both in the workplace and at their place of study, and describe howthey havepositively impacted on their team, the ALMO and/or the wider community. (350 words)
2. What personal qualities or actions make the nominated apprentice stand out? (200 words)
3. Please provide an image or photograph to support your entry (max 3 high resolution images)
Guidance notes
Identify the elements that make your project unique and innovative, and what you see as being the critical success factors. Be sure to describe clearly the positive outcomes that have been achieved. Judges will be looking for clear evidence of outcomes (for both the ALMO, and tenants and communities) that link directly to the projects specified aims and objectives.