About Neal Awards Judging

The Neal Awards competition is open to editorial and design staff of B2B media companies.

Awards are given to editors, not to publications. Entries are scored on three criteria: execution and craft, journalistic enterprise and significance to the field served. Most award categories are based on gross revenue classifications (combined print and online) to ensure resource parity.

Judging of the Neal Awards is organized in two tiers:

neal-awards-2022-bruce-byers-min
Stage I: January 17 - February 23, 2024 The Stage I Judging is composed of over 100 experienced industry editors. The highest-scoring entries are passed to the Stage II Judges.
Stage II: March 4 - 15, 2024
The Board of Judges, 15 to 18 professionals knowledgeable in all aspects of business journalism, selects the winners.

The award winner in each category/classification is chosen from four finalists, all of whom will be recognized for their finalist status. The Grand Neal Award, the pinnacle of B2B editorial achievement, honors the most outstanding entry from among the Neal winners in all categories.

neal-awards-2022-bruce-byers-1-min

Lend your expertise to the Neal Awards by serving as a judge!

Neals judging is an incomparable way to get a firsthand view into outstanding examples of industry work. You can see what others are doing, and bring great ideas back to your own business. Judges can also submit Neal entries– you don’t have to choose between entering or judging!

We are seeking for senior-level editors, as well as art and design professionals to volunteer as judges.

For your service, you will get acknowledgement and appreciation from your peers, behind-the-scenes access to exemplary work, and exposure to industry professionals to expand your network! Interested in learning more? Please review the FAQ below or send us an email.

neal-awards-65-byers--9672

Interested in Judging the Neal Awards?

First-round screening is an important part of the Neal Award judging.  As this is the critical initial review process, it relies on a panel of your peers to serve as judges. It’s also an excellent way to review exemplary content by your industry colleagues and gain ideas for your brands.

We are looking for senior-level editors, as well as art and design professionals to volunteer with Stage 1 judging. You are able to submit entries, as well as judge.

Treat yourself to lunch on us if you complete your Stage 1 judging assignments with a $20 Uber Eats gift card!

Please review what to expect as a Neal Award Judge prior to signing up.

FAQ

For Judges

Yes! We encourage entrants and their colleagues to sign up as judges. Entries are carefully sorted in the judge-matching process to avoid conflicts of interest.

Please select the categories you are interested in judging within the judge sign-up form. We try our best to accommodate preferences.

Yes! We encourage as many qualified candidates from a company to participate in Neal Award judging. Sign up to judge here.

Judge and entry matching are determined based on the number of Neals entries and the number of registered judges. Judges should plan to dedicate around 10 hours to entry review (subject to change based on number of entries and of judges). Judging is completed online and across an approximately two-week period; this way, judges can move at their own pace.

You can reset your login online, or reach out to nealawards@siia.net and we’d be happy to help you.

Stage II are by-invitation.  If you are interested in Stage II judging, we encourage you to reach out to nealawards@siia.net to share your current role and background and why you’d like to be considered for these stages.  

We kindly ask if you signed up to be a Neal Awards judge and can no longer fulfill your commitment to please email nealawards@siia.net ASAP to inform us so we can move your assigned entries to another judge.

Judging for Stage I will take place virtually.