Royal Bank Award

Honouring Canadian Achievement
For more than 30 years, since Canada's Centennial in 1967, Royal Bank has celebrated remarkable contributions to society with its annual Royal Bank Award for Canadian Achievement. The Award, which consists of $125,000 and a commemorative gold medal, provides exceptional Canadian achievers with the recognition their contributions deserve.  

Contributing to a Worthy Cause
In addition, a companion grant of $125,000 is also made to a recognized Canadian charitable organization of the recipient's choice. In this way, Royal Bank Award recognizes the recipient's accomplishments and as well makes a significant contribution to a worthy cause.     

Candidates
To be considered for the Award, candidates must be recommended by at least two co-nominators to the independent Selection Committee. Candidates may not nominate themselves. Eligible candidates must be: 
- Canadian citizens, living in either Canada or abroad, or
- people who are not Canadian citizens but have established permanent residence in Canada, or
- teams of such individuals.

Candidates for the Award are eligible for consideration if I 'they have made an important contribution to human welfare and the common good. Such contribution will take on additional significance to the committee if it is considered to have taken place outside the normal bounds of the candidate's career.                                           

Candidates for the Award may be active in any of a wide range of endeavours, for instance:
- the arts and humanities
- business and industry
- the natural and social sciences; and
- philanthropy.

The Award may be granted jointly to two or more deserving candidates who have shared in an achievement. If the Award is not granted in one year, then two Awards may be made the following year. Not eligible for the Award are institutions or corporations, people appointed or elected by popular vote to Federal, Provincial or Municipal government positions and officers or directors of a chartered bank. 

Nomination Guidelines
To nominate a candidate for the Royal Bank Award, simply follow these guidelines and send your submission to the address below no later than March 3 1. Use the nomination form attached as your first page. Each nomination must be made by at least two co-nominators. In addition to this information, submissions must include:
- a joint principal letter of recommendation signed by co-nominators, or separate letters
- the nominee's full name, date of birth, citizenship, address and telephone number (residence and business), and information on the nominee's occupation
- a clear statement about the nominee's achievements and why he or she is being recommended;
- an up-to-date resume
- a biographical outline of the nominee
- letters of endorsement from third parties (up to a maximum of 10 letters); and
- relevant back-up material which illustrates the nominee's achievements, i.e. signed statements, newspaper/magazine articles, etc. (Please do not send books, videos, etc.).

Employees of Royal Bank Financial Group may not nominate candidates.

Canadian Achievers
Since its inception, the Award has been conferred upon more than thirty outstanding Canadians. In recent years, they have included John Kim Bell, musician and founder of the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, Naomi Segal-Bronstein, mother of 12 who helped save thousands of third world babies Rick Hansen, wheelchair athlete and champion of people with physical disabilities, Maureen Forrester, Canada's foremost contralto and former head of the Canada Council, and Jean Vanier, friend of people with mental disabilities and founder of L'Arche. Other recipients over the past three decades have been missionaries, scholars, doctors, scientists, artists, authors and humanitarians.

Selection Committee
Seven distinguished Canadians make up the Selection Committee responsible for choosing Award  recipients. The Committee is completely independent of Royal Bank. Its decision regarding Award recipients is final.  

Inquiries and Nominations
For more information or to submit a nomination, contact:

The Secretary, Royal Bank Award Selection Committee, Royal Bank Plaza, 9th Floor, South Tower, 200 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2J5
Tel: (416) 974-8737
Fax: (416) 974-3535