News from APA: Key Updates for the 2026 FAICP Designation Cycle

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The FAICP designation honors individual planners who have demonstrated significant contributions to the profession and society. Being awarded the FAICP designation recognizes excellence in professional practice, teaching and mentoring, research, public and community service, and leadership, elevating planners as role models for the public and their peers.

Key Updates for the 2026 Cycle

In alignment with APA’s "Prioritize Equity" strategic initiative and recommendations from the 2024 FAICP Selection Committee and the College of Fellows Committee, we’ve made several updates to increase transparency and support nominees throughout the process. Highlights include:

  • Annotated Resume → Nominee’s “Story”: The description and focus for the Annotated resume have been revised to better tell the Nominee’s Story.

  • APA Staff Review & Correction Period: Nominees may now correct limited errors, including incomplete nominations, missing signatures, excessive page counts, and the removal of photos with an early submission by July 15, 2025.

  • Enhanced Resources: The Fellows Nomination Guide Page, including the Fellows Toolkit will offer more webinars, office hours, and additional resources for nominators and nominees.

  • FAICP Nomination Evaluation Worksheet: The rubric used by the FAICP Selection Committee for the initial evaluation of nomination packages leading to the committee discussion of each nomination package.

  • FAICP Selection Committee Overview: A clearer understanding of the composition and process during nomination package reviews will be added to the Fellows Nominations Guide webpage which includes the Fellows Toolkit.

  • Improved Nomination Guide & Toolkit: Available in November, this will offer an enhanced user experience, tips, tools, and successful nomination samples to assist nominators.

Eligibility:

In effect for the 2024 cycle, the AICP Commission has updated the eligibility criteria to include members with 10 or more years of AICP membership, reduced from the previous 15 years. Key points to consider regarding this change:

  • FAICP is a prestigious honor recognizing exemplary planning professionals who meet rigorous standards.

  • The 10-year membership requirement is an administrative prerequisite for eligibility. However, the FAICP Guidelines and, most importantly, the primary criteria remain the core tools used by the Selection Committee during their deliberations.

  • While the membership duration requirement has been shortened, the standards and criteria for nomination remain unchanged.

  • Not all AICP members may qualify for Fellowship after 10 years. Nominees and nominators should carefully review the primary criteria to determine whether a nominee meets the qualifications.

Nomination Submission Details

The 2026 Nomination Guidelines and online submission form are available at: FAICP Nomination Guidelines.

  • Nominators must submit the application package as a single PDF file, along with a separate high-quality digital photograph labeled with the nominee’s name.

  • A $100 nomination fee is payable online through the nomination form: FAICP Nomination Form.

  • The submission deadline is July 31, 2025.

For assistance or further questions, please contact us at fellows@planning.org.