Marketing: Marketing on a Shoestring

Designed for offices with limited staff, resources and/or time. Entries should demonstrate resourcefulness and creativity executing a marketing initiative that had noteworthy, measurable outcomes. The marketing initiative can be for an event, an activity such as student recruiting, or any initiative that required a call to action. Judges will look for strategic, effective solutions that required minimal expense, staffing and/or time.

All entry materials for this category will be submitted online; no items are to be mailed.

Required: Attach up to five examples and/or provide up to five hyperlinks.

Judging Criteria:

  • Strategy and methodology
  • Ability to serve as a model for other institutions
  • Innovation and creativity
  • Effective use of limited resources (including budget, staff and time)
  • Impact and results

Unless otherwise noted, 2026 Circle of Excellence entries should be original work that was produced or completed between January 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2025.

Jan. 7, 2026: Nominations open

Jan. 28, 2026: Super-saver rate deadline (11:59 p.m. eastern time zone)

Feb. 11, 2026: Early-bird rate deadline (11:59 p.m. eastern time zone)

March 4, 2026: Regular rate deadline (11:59 p.m. eastern time zone)

March 11, 2026: Last-chance rate deadline (at 11:59 p.m. eastern time zone)

March 11, 2026: Nominations close

Mid-June 2026: Global winners announced

Late 2026 through early 2027: Regional and district winners announced. (Check with your CASE region or district for details.)

Who can enter

  • Any CASE member institution is welcome to submit entries to the Circle of Excellence Awards.
  • Nominators must be employed at and on the CASE roster at a CASE member institution.
  • External vendors and third parties, including CASE Educational Partners, may not submit entries on behalf of institutions with which they have worked.

Entry criteria

  • Unless otherwise noted, for the 2026 Circle of Excellence Awards, entries should be original work that was produced or completed between January 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2025. In the case of publications such as magazines, the date on the cover/masthead will be used to determine eligibility.
  • Although use of external vendors, consultants and freelancers is allowed, the work should primarily be designed/ conceptualized and overseen by staff at a CASE member institutions. 

Entry fees and payment

  • All fees must be paid online via credit card. CASE does not accept purchase orders or payment via check.
  • Entries that have not been paid by the close the nomination period will not be judged.
  • Once an entry has been submitted and paid, no refunds will be issued.

Permissions

By entering the Circle of Excellence, the nominator and affiliated institution give CASE permission to:

  • Share relevant contact information with volunteer judges.
  • Use any of the materials submitted with the nomination for promotional purposes, including the CASE website, print and promotional publications, and electronic communications.

Entry and category rules

  • Once an entry has been submitted and paid, it is considered final.
  • The same entry may be submitted to any categories for which it meets the criteria.
  • Institutions may submit more than one entry to the same category.
  • Entries and related materials become the property of CASE and will not be returned.
  • CASE and the lead judges reserve the right to disqualify entries that do not meet entry criteria.
  • CASE and the lead judges reserve the right to move an entry into a more appropriate category, without notice to the nominator.

 

CASE welcomes entries in other languages besides English in this category. While entry questions must be completed in English to facilitate judging, entry materials written in languages other than English are eligible for recognition as long as such materials are accompanied by brief explanations written in English.

You will be able to attach materials and include explanations in English during the online entry process.

You can reach the CASE Awards team at [email protected].

Please include in your correspondence the name of the award (such as Circle of Excellence), and category name, if applicable.