Best In Delco Awards

How the Awards Work

A transparent, community-driven process designed to celebrate the businesses that truly make Delaware County special — chosen by the people who live and work here.

Our Philosophy

The Best In Delco Awards exist to honor businesses that earn their reputation through genuine quality, community service, and local pride — not through who spends the most money. That's why nominations are always free and winners are determined entirely by community votes.

Businesses can choose to purchase an Award Spotlight Package to increase their visibility during the voting period — but this never influences the outcome. Every vote counts equally, and the community decides who wins.

The Process

Step by Step

STEP 01Free for Everyone

Community Nominations Open

Anyone — residents, customers, employees, or business owners — can nominate a Delaware County business.

Nominations are completely free. No account, no fee, no barrier.

You'll need to provide your email address (to prevent duplicate nominations) and optionally a note about why the business deserves recognition.

You can nominate the same business in multiple award categories if they qualify.

STEP 02Quality Control

Editorial Review

Our editorial team reviews every nomination to confirm the business is active, located in Delaware County, and fits the award category.

Nominations that don't meet eligibility criteria are removed — this keeps the competition fair and meaningful.

Businesses that have been nominated can optionally purchase the Award Spotlight Package during this phase to maximize their visibility when voting opens.

The review process typically takes 3–5 business days.

STEP 03Optional — $149

Award Spotlight Package (Optional)

Nominated businesses can purchase the Award Spotlight Package ($149) to amplify their visibility during the voting period.

This includes a nominee badge on their directory listing, a dedicated social media feature post, homepage placement during voting, and a vote reminder callout.

Importantly: the Spotlight Package is about reach, not results. It helps more community members discover the nomination — but it does not add votes or influence the outcome in any way.

Businesses that win without the package receive the same winner's badge and recognition as those who purchased it.

STEP 04Free to Vote

Community Voting

Voting is open to all Delaware County residents and visitors — completely free.

Each person can vote once per award category per voting cycle (verified by email).

The voting period is open for 30 days, giving the community ample time to participate.

Live vote counts are visible on the awards page so nominees and voters can track the competition in real time.

STEP 05Community Decides

Winners Announced

Winners are announced publicly on the Best In Delco website, social media channels, and via email to all voters and nominees.

Each winner receives a prestigious Best In Delco Award badge permanently displayed on their directory listing.

Winners are featured on the homepage and receive a dedicated press write-up published on the site.

The award badge can be used by the business on their own website, social media, and marketing materials.

Award Cycle Timeline

Best In Delco runs two award cycles per year

Jan – Feb

Nominations Open

Community nominates businesses across all categories

March

Review & Spotlight

Editorial review + businesses can purchase Spotlight Package

April

Voting Open

30-day community voting period — everyone can vote

May

Winners Announced

Results published, badges awarded, press features published

A second cycle runs July – November for the fall awards season.

Our Integrity Commitment

We take the integrity of these awards seriously. The Best In Delco Awards are only meaningful if the community trusts them. Here's our commitment to you:

No Pay-to-Win

Purchasing the Award Spotlight Package never adds votes or influences the outcome. Winners are determined solely by community votes.

Duplicate Vote Prevention

Each email address can vote once per category. Our system detects and removes duplicate or fraudulent voting attempts.

Editorial Independence

Our editorial team reviews all nominations independently. Advertising relationships with Best In Delco do not influence award eligibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I nominate a business I own?

Yes — self-nominations are allowed and treated the same as community nominations. However, the community still decides the winner through voting, so the best strategy is to encourage your customers to nominate and vote for you.

Is there a limit to how many businesses I can nominate?

You can nominate one business per award category per cycle. If a business qualifies for multiple categories, you can nominate them in each one separately.

What does the Award Spotlight Package actually do?

It gives your nominated business maximum visibility during the voting period — a nominee badge on your listing, a social media feature post, homepage placement, and a vote reminder callout. It helps more people discover your nomination. It does not add votes or change the outcome.

What happens if a nominated business closes before voting ends?

If we become aware that a nominated business has permanently closed, we remove them from the active nominations out of respect for the community and the award's integrity.

How are winners notified?

Winners are notified by email (using the contact information on their directory listing) and announced publicly on the Best In Delco website and social media channels.

Can a business win in multiple categories?

Absolutely. A business can be nominated and win in as many categories as they qualify for. Some exceptional businesses have won multiple awards in the same cycle.

Ready to Nominate?

Think of a Delaware County business that deserves recognition. It takes less than 2 minutes and it's completely free.