Readers:
For the 18th year, The Bond Buyer’s editorial board will identify and recognize the year’s most outstanding municipal finance transactions. As always, we will be looking for deals that exemplify the creativity and resourcefulness this industry brings to bear on projects that advance the infrastructure and quality of life in the nation’s municipalities.
This year, we’re expanding the program, increasing the slate of honored deals from eight to 10. We are also adding several new categories to better represent the full diversity of the communities and public purposes this market comprises: the new lineup means there will be an opportunity for deals of any size, complexity or structure.
The following categories will return from previous
- Regional awards for each of our five coverage areas (Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Midwest, Far West).
- A Small Issuer award for municipalities with less than $70 million of revenue in their last fiscal years.
- An award honoring a standout Healthcare deal.
Those seven awards will be joined by these new categories:
- P3: Over the past decade, public-private partnership deals have won numerous regional categories, and even won the overall Deal of the Year. Now, we’ll carve these deals out into their own category.
- ESG/Green: Deals in this category have occupied a growing share of applications in recent years. Green bonds have achieved the kind of volume and market momentum that make it clear they merit their own award.
- Innovation: Formerly known as the Non-Traditional award, this category has been rebranded to better reflect the changing dynamics of the muni business. We’re focusing less on what “isn’t traditional” and more on rewarding innovation and ingenuity.
Application forms for this year’s Deal of the Year awards can be accessed at
The program will also, once again, feature the Freda Johnson awards for the private and public sectors, celebrating Trailblazing Women in Public Finance. Nominations for those awards also close Sept. 30.
Please note the eligibility requirements below, and let us know if you have any questions. Otherwise, good luck, and we hope to see you in New York on Dec. 4.
Eligibility
Deals that close between October 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019 are eligible for this year’s judging.
Attach to your application some photos of the project and a nominating statement of one page or less that explains the following:
In what category is the deal being nominated (note on the nominating statement if you think it should be considered in multiple categories)
- The basic structure of the deal, the use of proceeds / purpose of the transaction
- Why the deal was done, and
- Why the deal deserves recognition
