What's the Application Process Like?

Help Us Collect the Right Data.

The NorthCoast 99 program is designed to collect valuable data from organizations that, in turn, allows us to create valuable benchmarking reports and content for applicants.

Tell Us About Your Workplace.

The application includes questions about your workplace practices and policies, compensation, work-life balance, benefits, professional development initiatives, culture, diversity and inclusion, and talent acquisition and attraction practices.

Get Other Employees Involved.

The application also requires organizations to survey a portion of their top performers and new hires. We provide you guidance and resources to easily organize and communicate with your employees.

Begin the Application Process Early.

The application process is comprehensive, so we recommend starting early and working with a team of individuals knowledgeable about your workplace policies and practices.

Who judges the application?

Winners are not selected based solely on employee feedback and surveys, or elected by a panel of judges.

Instead, the names of applicant organizations are removed from the submissions, and each application is scored through a combination of objectively weighted points based on top-performer preferences and points assigned by internal reviewers for responses to open- and closed-ended questions.

Tips for applying for NorthCoast 99:

1

Make It a Team Effort.

Split up the application into sections, and have individuals who specialize in those topics complete those sections.

2

Track Programs & Initiatives.

Throughout the year, document your workplace programs and initiatives in one place, making it easier to reference when completing the application.

3

Share Workplace Details.

Providing the details of your workplace practices allows us to better judge the quality of your organizational programs and policies.

The Value of Applying

What are the benefits?

Completing the NorthCoast 99 application costs a one-time fee of $149 and comes with highly valuable benefits, including:

Top Performer Summary Report

This valuable publication provides insight into the opinions and level of engagement of your top employees, each of whom participate in a 67-question survey.  More >>

Applicant Summary Report

This is a customized benchmark report prepared for your organization, allowing you to compare your results with those of the other applicants and 99 winners.  More >>

Winner Practices Report

This report is a comprehensive summary of best practices, benchmark data, stories, examples, and case studies based on data provided by the NC 99 Winners.  More >>

And if your organization is named a NorthCoast 99 winner, we provide even more benefits to leverage and brand your award!

Receive 2021 Application Updates

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who is eligible?

To be eligible for the award, your organization must have been in existence for a minimum of three years and have at least 15 full-time-equivalent employees in Northeast Ohio.

Only employers located in Northeast Ohio are eligible for the award. For the purpose of this award, Northeast Ohio is defined as the 22-county region including:

  • Ashland
  • Ashtabula
  • Carroll
  • Columbiana
  • Crawford
  • Cuyahoga
  • Erie
  • Geauga
  • Harrison
  • Holmes
  • Huron
  • Lake
  • Lorain
  • Mahoning
  • Medina
  • Portage
  • Richland
  • Stark
  • Summit
  • Trumbull
  • Tuscarawas
  • Wayne