Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have questions about the Governor General's History Awards? Here are some of the questions we've received in the past. If you have further questions, please contact Brooke Campbell at bcampbell@canadashistory.ca.

Q. Can I self-nominate?

Yes. You can put forward your own project or a project you are involved in. However, you do not need to go through the nomination process before applying. You can directly submit your project to us by filling out an online application. 

Q. Does an organization or individual need to be nominated before applying?

No. You can directly apply without receiving a nomination. 

Q. Who is eligible?

Teaching Award:
Applicants must be residents of Canada, work directly with students in a school setting, teach grades ranging from K–12 during the current school year, and teach units or full courses that include a significant component of Canadian history at any grade level. Team submissions of up to three co-applicants in total are eligible, provided that all applicants meet the eligibility. If a team submission is named as one of the recipients, the prizing will be divided among the co-applicants.

Community Programming Award:
Project teams; historical societies; museums, historical sites, as well as community, heritage, and cultural organizations are all able to apply. Projects must be presented in Canada by residents of Canada, and be completed (or developed in a substantial, new way for ongoing projects) in the 18 months prior to the deadline. If you do not fit into this list, you may still be able to apply. Contact Joanna Dawson at jdawson@canadashistory.ca if you are unsure.

Q. I have been nominated for an award. What does this mean?  

Congratulations! If you’ve been nominated, that means a member of the public, colleague, or community member told us that your work deserves to be recognized. We encourage you to submit an application in order to be considered.

Q. What does an application consist of?

Teaching Award:
You can find more information about the application process, as well as the questions asked in both Stages 1 and 2 here. Please ensure you have read the full award criteria and application requirements before completing the Stage 1 application form.

Community Programming Award:
You can view the full application form and requirements by signing up and logging in. In general. You will need to answer questions about the project you are submitting, such as objectives, activities, outcomes, and impact, as well as provide the contact for two references who will be asked to submit letters of support for your project.

Q. What kind of project can/should I submit?

Teaching Award:
The award aims to recognize a wide variety of projects and initiatives. However, we encourage teachers to consider the following guidelines when selecting a project to submit as part of their award application:

• Projects may take place as part of any classroom subject, but they must include a considerable component of Canadian history
• Projects should be substantial in scope and take place over multiple weeks
• Projects should have sufficient student work and output, ideally through a culminating product, that shows evidence of student research, thinking, and application of learning.
• Projects should be developed uniquely by applicants for their students, or have a unique or innovative element

Community Programming Award:
Examples of eligible types of projects include: civic engagement activities, exhibits, multimedia, preservation projects, and public programming. Projects should creatively commemorate an aspect of Canadian heritage, be supported by at least one recognized historical, municipal, or educational organization and feature strong community engagement.

Q. Who should I ask to write my letters of reference?

Letters of reference should be written by individuals who have experienced, felt the impact of, or are directly involved in the project. They can be written by elected officials, board members, community leaders, teachers, historians, university staff, etc. Generally speaking, the strongest letters come from within reputable or established institutions (including schools) or organizations. 

Q. Will I be able to access my application once I have submitted it?

Once you have submitted your application, you will be able to view it, but you will no longer be able to make any changes.

Q. Will I have to fill out the entire application form in a single session?

No. You can save your progress, exit, and return to make changes at any time before you submit the completed application. You may not go back and edit your form once it has been officially submitted.

Q. I have applied for the award before – can I apply again?

Absolutely - as long as your project still meets the eligibility requirements. We receive many wonderful submissions and some applications may just need a few revisions to help them stand out. Resubmitting your application does not put you at a disadvantage. 

Q. Can I access my past submission?

If you wish to reapply for an award, please contact us to have your application reactivated. Once activated, you can access the data from your previous submissions to the same award by logging into your original account.

Please note that for 2024, Canada’s History is testing a two-stage application process or the Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching. We ask that all applicants, whether they have applied in the past or this is their first time applying, complete the Stage 1 application form from scratch.

Q. What if I can’t remember my username or password to log-in?

On the login/sign up page, you may click on “Forgot your password?” by the Sign-in button. A password reset email will be sent to the email address of your choice.

Q. When will the recipients be announced?

The selection process be completed throughout the summer, and the final recipients will be contacted sometime in early Fall. This will be followed by a public announcement at a later date.