Search for Excellence Award

Applications for the Search for Excellence award will be due on March 15, 2021.

Search for Excellence (SFE) is the recognition program of the Iowa Master Gardener program. SFE has seven categories:

Youth/School Gardens
Demonstration/Research Garden (applied scientific methodology)
Workshop or Presentation
Special Needs Audience (i.e. seniors, low-income families, people with disabilities, minority groups, incarcerated individuals, etc…)
Mass Communications (i.e. newsletters, television, radio, social media, website, publications)

Through the Search for Excellence recognition program, Master Gardeners can demonstrate their outstanding contributions to their communities, providing significant learning and impact in the local area. All SFE applications must show that significant learning took place, with the focus on educating the general public rather than individual Master Gardeners. All SFE winning projects must be a team effort. Usually the awards are presented to individual county groups, but cooperation across county lines is encouraged as well.

Search for Excellence Guidelines

Search for Excellence Application Form

Sample SFE Application

2015 Search for Excellence Winners:

Buchanan County Master Gardeners won the SFE award in 2015 Johnson County Master Gardeners won the SFE award in 2015 Marshall County Master Gardeners won the SFE award in 2015 Polk County Master Gardeners won the SFE award in 2015