Award Plaques Basics

Award plaques are presented to people for a variety of different reasons. Award plaques should signify the accomplishments, donations or service of the person who is receiving the plaque. The information printed on the plaque should pertain to the special recognition of the person who is being honored.

• Double check all of the information to be printed on an award plaque prior to submitting this information. The spelling of the person’s name should be verified as well to ensure that the plaque is printed correctly. It is easier to double-check information beforehand than it is to fix an award plaque once it has been printed.

• Carefully consider the wording on the plaque based on the formality of the occasion. Remember that the amount of space on an award plaque is limited so you must clearly state the donations, service or accomplishment of the person clearly in a way that can be easily understood.

• Determine what date should be printed on the award plaque. If the award is being presented for years of service, for example, the beginning and ending years should be used. However if the plaque is to recognize a single accomplishment, the date of the accomplishment should be used.

• Mention all noteworthy accomplishments that the recipient has made to the organization who is presenting the plaque. For example, if the award plaque is recognizing a sizeable donation from a person who has made donations in the past, this information should be included as well. You could say "Thanks for this outstanding donation as well as past donations you have made."