2025 Certification Application Cycle
Sustainable Jersey operates on an annual certification application cycle with three submission dates. See the chart below for details on the structure and timing of the application cycle. To maximize the potential for feedback and ultimately achieve certification, it is highly recommended to submit an application with documentation for at least two rounds of review. Applicants who wait until the final deadline to submit an initial application and do not meet the certification requirements will have to wait until the next year's certification cycle to resubmit their applications.
New Annual Certification Cycle Continues in 2025
Based on feedback from participants and the desire to recognize all certified municipalities at the Sustainable Jersey Annual Luncheon in November, a new annual certification cycle was implemented in 2023 and this new cycle timeline will continue in 2025. See below for the timeline details. The first application submission deadline is Sunday, February 23.
Timeline
| First Round | Second Round | Third Round |
|---|
| Submission Deadline | Feb. 23 | May 16 | July 31 |
| Return Date | Early-April | Mid-June | Late-Sep. |
Sustainable Jersey Annual Awards including the Sustainability Champions will be based on the point totals achieved following the third and final round of review.
Timeline Details
| Timeline & Submission/Resubmission Requirements |
|---|
Feb. 23
| First Submission Deadline - The application must have actions totaling a minimum of 150 points marked “Completed” to be submitted. Only actions marked "Completed" will be reviewed.
- Documentation for additional actions can be uploaded during the second and final review periods.
Tip: Submit initial applications in February and May and use reviewers' feedback to help achieve certification
|
| Early-April | First Round Review Comments Provided - Each action will be marked as “Approved” or “Must Revise” with comments provided.
- Applicants have the opportunity to complete required activities and/or documentation to receive credit for actions marked as “Must Revise” and submit for additional actions.
|
May 16
| Second Submission Deadline - Municipalities that submitted applications in February have a second opportunity to provide documentation and update actions that were marked "Must Revise" and add new actions to the application.
- Revised actions should be marked as "Completed" then submitted for review.
- Municipalities that did not submit in February can enter the cycle for the first time.
|
| Mid-June | Second Round Review Comments Provided - Each reviewed action will be marked "Approved" or "Must Revise" with comments provided.
- For applications containing actions marked as "Must Revise," there is one final opportunity to complete required activities and/or documentation to receive credit for these actions and submit for additional actions.
|
July 31
| Final Application Submission Deadline - This is the final opportunity to submit documentation for "Must Revise" actions and add new actions to the application.
- All actions submitted should contain documentation to address the reviewer comments. Actions with no documentation will not be approved.
- Municipalities that did not submit in February or May can enter the cycle for the first time.
Note: For applications submitted for the first time in July, the next opportunity to update the application based on reviewer feedback would be February 2026 for 2026 certification.
|
| Late-September | Final Decision on Pending Applications - All municipalities that have met the certification requirements will be certified at the bronze or silver level based on the accumulated points total and considered for the Sustainable Jersey Annual Awards including the Sustainability Champions.
- Certified municipalities and annual award winners will be recognized at the Sustainable Jersey Annual Luncheon held during the New Jersey League of Municipalities Conference in November.
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