Community Project Award (CPA)
Important Notice: This page is missing 2011-12 information from Optimist International and will be revised as soon as the information becomes available. The information for the
2010-11 CPA Contest is available from our Members page. We thank you for your patience.
The Community Projects Awards (CPA) Program is an annual competition that recognizes Clubs for their community service, youth and fund-raising activities. Participation in the CPA program at the District level is a requirement of the Honor Club Award. First-place winners of District competitions that are submitted for the International judging will receive International Entry patches.
Check out the International CPA Winners for a list of potential project ideas. You can also look at the profiles of successful programs that various Optimist Clubs have developed.
The Community Project Awards program is intended to:
- Encourage significant community-serving activities, which enhance the image of the club and Optimist International.
- Aid Optimist International in acquiring information on outstanding club projects for the guidance of other clubs seeking similar community-serving opportunity.
- Stimulate membership involvement in meaningful Club activities, thereby providing maximum opportunity for individual participation and enhancing the desirability of membership.
- Provide recognition to Clubs for outstanding projects that fulfill the objectives of Optimist International.
- Give the Club a reference book that can be used in the future as a guide for the organization of a similar activity.
The following CPA categories are endorsed by the Activities Committee in order to sufficiently acknowledge the wide array of youth and community projects completed by Clubs each year:
- Community Service - Creative projects organized to serve and support youth and the community. For example, blood drives, Respect for Law awards, tree planting, mentoring, adopting a family stricken with cancer, safety demonstrations, Youth Appreciation banquets, and baseball leagues would be included in this category. Be creative and find out what best fits the needs of your community!
- Fundraising - Innovative, fun activities that are planned and completed for the primary purpose of fundraising should be entered in this category. While the funds raised may be used for a Club program or donated to another organization, any project conducted for the purpose of raising funds should be submitted in the Fundraising category. Enter your Club’s bowl-a-thon, boat regatta, chili cookout or carnival. Creativity is key
Refer to the 2011-12 CPA Rules and Regulations for assistance. You may request guidance from the Programs Coordinator at the International Office by calling (800) 500-8130, ext. 235.
CPA Resources
- The official rules and format of the CPA book.
- The official setup of a CPA book.
- Prepare your project story on the printable blank CPA Story forms (pdf)
- Please refer to the CPA Deadlines for 2011-2012.
- District staff can use the following CPA Judging Sheet for the District competition.
Publicize Your CPA Success
Publicize Your Club's CPA Win at the District or International Level. Optimist International has developed a basic news release that Clubs can use to announce their project as a CPA winner at the District or International level.
Below are sample news releases that Clubs can use to promote this honor. Please note that the .doc version enables users to type their information into fields*, while the .pdf files are for viewing only.
-
NEW! - Community Projects Award Winner (.doc)
NEW! - Community Projects Award Winner (.pdf)
If your Optimist Club or District wishes to use its own letterhead, you can remove the Optimist International logo in the document by opening up the Word document, going to "View," then "Toolbars" and selecting "Forms." When the "Forms" toolbar appears, click on the padlock, then click on the Optimist logo and delete it.
Program Supplies
Support merchandise for this program can be ordered through the online Optimist Supplies operated by the Corall Group.
Bert Hancock<
Activities & CPA Chair
Res: (780) 905-1090
How can you learn more?
Simple ... just filll out our online contact form and I will contact you to see how we can help.
Completing a CPA lets you prepare a permanent record of a successful club project or fund raiser.
CPAs are submitted to the Activities Chair at the 1st Quarter District Conference for judging. Winning submissions are forwarded to OI for judging in the Intenational competition.
We also offer training workshops at our quarterly District Meetings. I invite you to attend a workshop and meet other Optimists who share your interests about how to complete and submit a CPA package.
Privacy Notice: Please be aware that using this online form does not give us permission to publish your contact information on our website. Your personal contact details are provided only to those individuals who need it to allow them to contact you directly.
Online Contact Form
You can use the following online form to contact me. Your information will be emailed to me and I will get back to you as soon as I can: