Women of Inspiration™ Awards

Award Categories

Nominate a Woman of Inspiration™

Women of Inspiration™ Awards

Women of Inspiration™ Awards recognizes the achievements of women who lead, inspire and motivate. We celebrate women from diverse industries and stages of life along with the allies who SupportHER™.

A Woman of Inspiration™ is an extraordinary woman who inspires those around her to be more and do more. She is an everyday hero, entrepreneur, CEO, business leader, changemaker, game-changer and role model who leads by example with courage, confidence, commitment, and integrity.

She uses her influence and position of power to inspire change. She is admired and respected for her resilience, leadership and humility. She has grit and fights for what she believes in, regardless of the barriers. She isn’t afraid to roll up her sleeves. She ignores the naysayers and fearlessly steps outside of her comfort zone to pave the road for others to follow. A Woman of Inspiration doesn’t wait for opportunities, she creates them!

This year, we celebrate women inspiring change in their networks, workplaces and communities.

Since 2015, the Universal Womens Network™ has celebrated over 1,000 women with nominations across North America reaching 7,000 entrepreneurs and professionals with over 2 million impressions. The Women of Inspiration™ Awards was inspired by our founder to celebrate one woman in 2015 who helped her through an unimaginable Seven Year Journey. Every woman has a story. Your story does not define you, it empowers you.

Nominate a Woman or Apply. Nominate a SupportHER (Ally)

Step 1: Nominate or Apply – Deadline June 1 (Complete Nomination Package by June 15)

Nominate a Woman or Apply

Nominate a Company – Top Company – Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) SupportHER™ Awards – Deadline June 1 (Submit Application by June 15)

Step 2: Completed Nomination Package – Deadline to June 15

Step 3: Share the good news that you have been nominated! Nominees receive a special Women of Inspiration™ Awards Nominee Logo to add to your signature, website, LinkedIn, and Social Media Platforms.

Step 4: Purchase your tickets for the Women of Inspiration™ Awards – Friday, November 3, 2023 (details to be announced)

ELIGIBILITY

Nominees and nominators will receive a notification once a nomination has been received.
A nomination package must be completed by the nominee by the deadline in order to be eligible.
All completed and eligible nomination packages will be forwarded to the Selection Committee for judging. Universal Womens Network™ Inc. reserves the right to withhold an award in any category.
Nominees are eligible for re-nomination in subsequent years by submitting a new Nomination Package and meeting the requirements for nomination.
Finalists will be notified prior to the event to attend the VIP Reception and Awards. Award winners will be announced at the Women of Inspiration™ Awards.
Nominee Award tickets are not included. The nominee must be present to be eligible for an award
Nominee and finalist’s names, bio, and photos may be published for editorial, marketing, or promotional materials for Universal Womens Network™, Women of Inspiration™ Awards.
The nominator provides consent on behalf of the nominee for submitting the Nomination Form. A Nominee may opt to decline the nomination by contacting Universal Womens Network™ Inc.
Women of Inspiration™ Award Recipients agree to become Mentors or Ambassadors for a min of one year.
Nominees will receive updates about our network, nomination deadlines and details about our awards. Nominees may opt out of receiving communications at any time however will be deemed ineligible for award consideration.
Nominees are encouraged to lead by example and show support for fellow nominees
All programs and content are in English
Once the nomination package has been submitted, no edits to photos or additional content will be accepted.
Nominees must not alter the logo or create any new deliverables other than the awards logos collateral provided.
Universal Womens Network™ Inc. reserves the right to decline a nomination and rescind an award from the winner in cases of fraudulent or criminal allegations, accusations, investigations or charges.

The Women of Inspiration™ Awards recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of women on a national scale. It is also an opportunity to connect local, national, and global stakeholders, network, and build valuable relationships with other thought leaders, industry experts, and visionaries

WHY NOMINATE?

By nominating a woman, you are telling her and the world that she is an extraordinary and courageous woman that is inspiring others and making an impact on the lives of others. A woman of inspiration is resilient, overcomes challenges with grace and lifts those around her. By nominating a woman, you are honoring her accomplishments, the opportunity to build a legacy, validating her hard work, dedication and contribution in the workplace, elevating her personal and professional profile, an opportunity to be recognized locally, nationally, and globally.

Nominating a woman who inspires you shows her that she has made an impact. This recognition could make all the difference in her world to keep moving forward in her purpose. When we celebrate the achievements of one woman, we celebrate all women!

Elevate her leadership confidence and visibility
Provide her recognition on a local, national, and global level
Validate her hard work, while affirming she’s on the right path
Discover new opportunities to further her personally and professionally
Increase her circle of influence with other like-minded women
Attract and retain key talent and recognize your leaders

We believe that “Every Woman Has a Story” and look forward to recognizing women and the men who SupportHER™ across North America inspiring others in their community and around the globe to do more and be more!

Company Awards

Top Companies – Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) SupportHER™ Champions

WHO CAN BE NOMINATED?

Any individual or organization may nominate a Woman of Inspiration™. Nominate a woman or Apply.

We accept nominations from women from all stages of business and life representing all industries. Previous nominees have included women from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds: entrepreneurs, businesswomen, professionals, executives, scientists, arts and media, not-for-profits, journalists, thought leaders, authors, athletes, lawyers, doctors, musicians, youth, women with disabilities, advocates and women in public service from across North America.

NOMINEE BENEFIT

Announcement as Woman of Inspiration™ Nominee on the Universal Womens Network™ website and featured in our newsletter. Watch for social media mentions leading up to the Women of Inspiration™ Awards.
Nominee Badge to announce your nomination on LinkedIn, Social Media, Marketing and Website,
Increase your circle of influence with like-minded leaders and key stakeholders.
Invitation to attend our VIP Nominee Reception.
Elevate your personal and professional profile locally, nationally and globally.
Increased credibility of your business profile or cause.
Enhance your legacy.
Be a part of the Women of Inspiration™ Awards and make valuable connections.
The feeling of being acknowledged, PRICELESS!

AWARD RECIPIENTS

Presented with a Women of Inspiration™ Award Certificate
Opportunity to be interviewed by Universal Womens Network™
Recognized on Universal Womens Network™ website, newsletter, social media
Receive Women of Inspiration™ Awards logos and email signature, LinkedIn, Social Media, Website
Elevate your leadership and build connections with leaders across Canada and USA
Become a part of the Woman of Inspiration™ Alumni
Recognized as Woman of Inspiration™ Award recipient locally, nationally, or globally
Award Recipients Announced with Partners
Awards Announcement in UWomen Magazine™

We believe that being nominated is an honor that should be shouted from the mountaintop! We look forward to celebrating with you!

Women of Inspiration Awards™ – Category Description

The Women of Inspiration™ Award categories recognize inspiring women (and men) from all industries, sectors and stages of life. Women of Inspiration™ celebrates entrepreneurs and leaders across industries along with our SupportHER™ allies. Our awards validate the valuable contribution women make to the workforce or economy, inspire future generations of leaders, bring awareness to industries underrepresented by women and unite companies with the common goal to achieve gender equity.

Authentic Leader Award

The Authentic Leader Award recognizes a woman who demonstrates exemplary leadership and has made significant contributions in her industry. She has demonstrated authenticity and integrity in her leadership style and has inspired and empowered others to be their authentic selves. This award honors a woman who is has earned the respect of her superiors to rise as a role model, but also earned the respect of her peers. She has built trust and credibility through her actions and has fostered a culture of openness, honesty, and transparency in her organization. This award celebrates a woman with an entrepreneurial mindset and has helped to create a more inclusive and equitable work environment for all. She empowers and supports other women in her workplace.

Advocate and Catalyst for Change

The Advocate and Catalyst for Change Award recognizes a woman who has demonstrated a commitment to advocating for and driving positive change in their community, industry, or sector. This award recognizes a woman who uses their voice and platform to speak out on important issues and has worked to bring about positive change through their actions and leadership. This award celebrates women in all sectors and industries: entrepreneurs, community leaders, sports, media, philanthropy, arts, and journalism.

BIPOC Leader Award

The BIPOC Leader Award recognizes a Black, Indigenous or People of Color (BIPOC) female entrepreneur who has made a significant impact in their industry and has demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and resilience. The recipient of this award is a role model for other BIPOC entrepreneurs and is someone who has inspired and empowered others to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. This award celebrates the unique contributions and perspectives of BIPOC entrepreneurs and recognizes the role they play in driving innovation and economic growth.

Dream Builder Award

The Dream Builder Award recognizes a woman who has achieved success in an industry that is traditionally underrepresented by women and has made a significant impact through her leadership, advocacy or innovation. This award honors a woman with proven success in her industry, overcome barriers to achieve her goals and has inspired and empowered others to do the same. The recipient of this award is someone who has demonstrated resilience, determination, and a commitment to building a better future for herself and others. She is a cheerleader for women who seek employment in non-traditional areas including manufacturing, heavy equipment operation, construction, transportation, aviation, agriculture, oil and gas, mining, fisheries, forestry and skilled trades.

Game Changer Entrepreneur Award

This Game Changer Award recognizes a woman who has set her goals as an entrepreneur with her vision for her company on a national or global platform. She is a thought leader and visionary with a disruptive mindset able to adapt to changing markets with proven success. She is an inspiring business leader who raises the bar for female entrepreneurs to do the same. She owns at least 51% of her business, generates over

$ 1,000,000.00 in revenue annually with plans to scale her product or services to new levels.

Global Impact Award

The Global Impact Award recognizes an entrepreneur who has made a significant impact on a global scale. This award honors a woman who has demonstrated innovation, resilience, and a commitment to making a positive difference in the world. The recipient of this award is an entrepreneur who used her business to address global challenges and has made a positive impact on a wide range of issues, such as social justice, sustainability, ESG, economic development, and more.

Inspire Award

This award recognizes the achievements of a woman who has made a significant impact in her career, business or field of interest through her work and achievements. She is a role model who has broken barriers and overcome challenges. Her personal story of resilience motivates others to do the same. This award represents women of all industries and sectors. She may be an entrepreneur, business leader, movement creator, consultant, professor, speaker, author, artist, filmmaker or recording artists, coach or athlete.

Rising Leader Award

The Rising Leader Award recognizes a female entrepreneur or business leader who has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and has made a significant impact community or industry. The recipient of this award is someone who has inspired and empowered others to follow their lead and has made a lasting impact through their work. This award recognizes a woman who is impact in the early stages of her business or career and is poised for continued success.

Trailblazer (STEM) Award

The Trailblazer Award recognizes an entrepreneur or business leader who has made a significant impact in the category of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, innovation or research. This award honors a woman who has broken traditional barriers, demonstrates a commitment to innovation and has made a significant impact through creative thinking and problem-solving. The recipient of this award has embraced new ideas, and approaches, and pushes the boundaries of what is possible.

Vision Builder Award

The Vision Builder Award recognizes an entrepreneur with proven success who has demonstrated the ability to turn their vision into reality. This award honors a person who has set bold goals and has worked tirelessly to bring their vision to fruition. The recipient of this award is a woman who has inspired and empowered others to join them in their efforts and has made a lasting impact through their work. This award celebrates a woman who has the ability to see the bigger picture and the ability to bring her vision to life.

Women-Led Award

The Women-Led Award recognizes a female leader who provides the strategic direction for a private company or a publicly traded company. As the CEO or C-Suite executive leader she plays a role in the long-term growth and success of the organization. She leads with innovation and has earned the respect of her board or directors, and executive team and leads by example through her actions to empower advance women in business. She is actively involved in the day-to-day activities of the company including strategic direction and sets the foundation for the culture of the organization. She demonstrates empathy and credibility as brand ambassador and role model for the company.

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award is an award that recognizes a woman who has made significant contributions throughout her career and has demonstrated exceptional leadership, impact, and excellence in her field or industry. The recipient of this award is an extraordinary woman who has manifested a legacy that continues to inspire others. She is recognized as a role model through her extraordinary dedication, personal and professional achievements. *UWN may reserve the right to award an honorary award in this category.

SupportHER™ Award (Allie)

A male or female that actively champions and promotes the success and advancement for women personally and professionally. A SupportHER™ is a team player who champions for the inclusion of women in the goals and the vision of the enterprise who paves the road to empower women in their network, workplace or community. This award acknowledges both companies and individuals for their strong efforts and dedication to support women and gender equality.

Youth Excellence Award

The Youth Excellence Award is an award that recognizes an inspiring young woman who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and has made a significant impact in her career or field of interest. This award is intended to inspire the future generation of women in leadership across industries. This award removes the barriers of age to recognize a young woman for her academic, entrepreneurial or extracurricular achievements.

Legend Award

The Legends Award recognizes an exemplary leader who makes a significant impact in her chosen field. She is a role model who consistently shows up, leans in and inspires others to do the same. Her dedication and commitment to advancing women is extraordinary. She is passionate about inspiring change in her industry, community, or business network. Women of Inspiration™ Alumni are eligible for this award. Women of Inspiration™ Award winners who have been recognized as Top Women of Inspiration™ Awardee for a minimum of two years may be eligible for this award.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Q and A – 30-minute call and we can answer your questions about our awards and completing your nomination package! CLICK HERE to join at 1:00 pm MST (Mountain Standard Time)/ 3:00 pm EST (Eastern Time)

April 5
May 3
June 7

RULES AND GUIDELINES

Nominees must attend the Women of Inspiration™ Awards Awards.
Nominees must complete and submit a Nomination Package. No late entries are accepted. Complete the Nomination Package.
Nominees must be in attendance at the Awards to be eligible. Nominees are required to purchase tickets.
If you are not already a member, you may choose to become a member of Universal Womens Network™.
Nominees under the age of 18 must have a Letter of Consent from a legal guardian accompanying the nomination
Universal Womens Network™ reserves the right to withhold an award in any category and holds final determination on all awards. Award categories may be subject to change.
The selection committee reserves the right to move a nominee to a category more suited to their strengths and skill sets without notification. View Categories.
Nominee’s and finalist’s names, bio, the photo will be published for editorial, marketing, or promotional materials for Universal Womens Netowork™ and Women of Inspiration™.
Nominees are eligible for re-nomination in subsequent years. A new nomination and Nomination Package must be submitted by the deadline.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who can be nominated? The Women of Inspiration Awards recognizes women from diverse sectors, industries and backgrounds. Anyone may nominate a woman for the award or she may self-nominate. Nominees will be notified via email and invited to submit the Nomination Package. Nominee Packages must be completed to be eligible.
Who is responsible for completing the nomination package? Nominees are responsible for completing and submitting the Nominee Package online to be eligible. A completed nominee package consists of the Completion of questions, Two (2) Letters of Reference, Digital headshot (high resolution, color image, min 300 dpi (min 1MB, Max 5 MB JPEG or PNG).
Letter of Reference – A minimum of two (2) Letters of Reference in support of the nominee must be included with the Nomination Package.
Anyone (other than the nominee) may submit a Letter of Reference on behalf of the Nominee that may speak to the nominee’s credibility, strengths, leadership and accomplishments.
Letters of Reference must be signed and dated and include a contact email. A letter on letterhead is preferred if applicable. Please upload one single PDF to include all documents. * Self-nominations must have Letters of Reference provided by someone other than the nominees.
Letter of Consent – A letter of consent must be provided by parents or legal guardians for women under the age of 18.
Is there a fee to submit a nomination package? No. There is no fee to submit a Nomination Package.
Are nominees required to purchase event tickets? Yes, Nominees are required to purchase tickets to attend the Awards before the deadline. Nominees must be present at Awards to be eligible.
How is judging completed? Judging is based on the contents of the completed Nomination Package submitted to Universal Womens Network™. The Award winners will be announced at the Women of Inspiration™ Awards. Our Selection Committee Members have all signed a Confidentiality Agreement.
How are winners chosen? Nominee Packages are reviewed by our Selection Committee based on the information submitted. Please ensure packages are completed before submitting them. Incomplete packages will not be eligible. No late entries or changes to the nomination package will be accepted once submitted.
Criteria: Completed Nomination Package includes: Headshots, Letters of Reference, Awards and Recognition, Proven Personal and Business Success, Leadership, Mentorship, evidence of advocacy for the advancement of women and personal story of inspiration.
Are past Women of Inspiration™ Nominees or Finalists eligible? Yes
Women of Inspiration™ Alumni – Yes, Alumni would be eligible for the Legends Award
Are there any industry, cultural, or religious restrictions? No
Are International Nominations (outside of Canada) eligible? Yes, Canada and USA
May I submit additional documents for the Selection Committee to review? Yes, there is an opportunity for the nominee to submit a video, website, or social media handle or upload one additional document such as a personal letter and resume.
Can an organization of any size nominate an individual? Yes. Employees may be self-employed or employed by companies of any size.
Who can nominate or apply for the Top Company – Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) SupportHER Champion Award? Anyone may nominate a Top Company. The Nomination Package must be completed by a C-Suite (or designated key stakeholder) of the organization (CMO, CFO, COO, CEO, CTO, CIO, CHRO, CCO, CAO, CSO, CEO, or President).

Award Categories

Nominate a Woman of Inspiration™