Decoding the FAO Partnership Award: What Makes a Winning Entry?

Recent Trends in Award Entries

The FAO Partnership Award has attracted a growing number of submissions in recent cycles, reflecting an increased emphasis on multi-stakeholder collaboration in food systems. Recent entries show a clear shift toward projects that combine measurable impact with innovative governance models.

• More entries focus on climate-resilient agriculture and smallholder inclusion.
• Digital tools for data sharing and supply chain transparency appear more frequently.
• Partnerships that span public, private, and civil sectors are favored over bilateral agreements.
• Entries increasingly include evidence of community-level behavior change rather than just output metrics.

Background of the Award

Established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the award recognizes partnerships that advance sustainable food security, nutrition, and agricultural development. It is not a cash prize but a formal acknowledgment that can raise a partnership’s profile and unlock further support. Judging criteria typically emphasize relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and potential for scaling.

The award aims to highlight replicable models that others can adapt, rather than one-off successes.

Key Concerns for Applicants

Many prospective entrants worry that their partnership’s story will not stand out among hundreds of submissions. Common questions revolve around how to frame impact and how to demonstrate that the collaboration itself—not just the outcomes—added value.

• Defining additionality: What did the partnership achieve that individual organizations could not?
• Evidence quality: How to present verifiable results without overwhelming judges with data.
• Scalability language: Describing potential for replication in different contexts, not just larger budgets.
• Inclusivity proof: Showing that marginalized groups were genuinely engaged, not merely mentioned.

Likely Impact on Partners and Projects

Winning the FAO Partnership Award often leads to increased visibility among donors and policymakers. For smaller organizations, it can serve as a credibility signal when applying for grants. But the impact extends beyond publicity—awards often catalyze internal reflection that strengthens partner coordination.

• Winners report easier access to multi-year funding and technical partnerships.
• Case studies of winning entries are used in FAO capacity-building materials.
• Some winners leverage the award to advocate for policy changes in their countries.
• Non-winners gain valuable feedback that improves future project design.

What to Watch Next

As the award evolves, future criteria may place greater weight on conflict-sensitive approaches and youth engagement. The FAO is expected to release more detailed scoring rubrics, making the application process more transparent. Early alerts suggest that partnerships addressing food loss and waste reduction will be particularly competitive in the next cycle.

For groups considering an entry, focusing on one or two high-quality case studies—rather than a portfolio of activities—tends to resonate more with judges. The deadline for submissions is typically several months before the award ceremony, allowing time for due diligence by FAO teams.