The All India Football Federation has begun the search for India's nominees for the AFC Special Grassroots Awards: The Best Grassroots Leader, The Best Grassroots Club and The Best Grassroots Project across all Member Associations that will be presented during the AFC Grassroots Conference in 2018.

Applications are now open for individuals, clubs, academies, schools and other sporting organizations to send in their applications specifying the details of their Grassroots accomplishments in a report format along with a cover letter stating why they deserve to be nominated. 

The last date for filing the applications is July 14^th 2018. All applications should be emailed to grassroots@the-aiff.com, aiff@the-aiff.com

 The criteria for each category is as follows -

1) Best Grassroots Leader:

”An individual who has done outstanding work in Grassroots football”

• A leader who deals with players in clubs, NGO, school, etc. — Not a football politician
•  For current work
•  Focus on:

— Achievement (created/expanded a club, project or other activity)

— Longevity

— Impact (deals with how many players, activities, and involving people)

2) Best Grassroots Project:

"An outstanding grassroots football project run by a nationaI/regional association, club, agency or school”

• Not the "general business” of the organization
• Evidence of support of the AFC Grassroots Philosophies
•  Focus on:

— Innovation

— Social responsibility

— Impact (number of participants, involving people, and activities)

—A wide range of participants (age, gender, level of playing ability, disabled, etc.)

3) Best Grassroots Club:

"An amateur club which does outstanding grassroots work"

• Clubs who have a holistic grassroots approach
• Evidence of growth and retention
• Focus on:

— A wide range of participants (age, gender, level of playing ability, disabled, etc.)

— Partnership (with schools or other local bodies)

— Activities (trainings, projects, events, competitions, etc.)