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ABOUT the
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For 15 years, APF presented the Most Significant Futures Works (MSFW) Awards to recognize rigorous and important projects that advance the field of futures studies and foresight. These awards pointed clients and the futures-curious towards understanding the nature of the work. In recent years, the futures and foresight field has evolved and grown tremendously. To reflect that growth, and in celebration of the APF's 20th anniversary, the original awards have been reimagined as the APF IF Awards—“What if” being the central question of our field. Many of the APF IF awards categories contain the DNA of the original MSFW Awards, while other categories have been created after extensive consideration in order to showcase the global, diverse, multidisciplinary, boundary-crossing and continuously evolving nature of the futures and foresight field and of the organization itself.
awards
APF IF AWARDS 2025
Key categories
The purpose of the IF Award key categories are to broaden from the academic constraints and the format descriptor, highlight the values of APF, and reflect our values about recognized awardees
Advancement in the Field
Advancements in methodologies, tools, and practices that demonstrate noteworthy changes, developments, and improvements in the field.
Systems Approaches
Creates understanding using lenses, approaches, and/or practices that put systems, complexity, or holistic thinking at the center.
Deep Past, Deep Futures
Works that promote long-term thinking, intergenerational and/or endogenous approaches, ancestral or pre-Industrial concepts, practice and knowledge; and/or orient towards reconciliation with historically and systematically marginalized groups.
Novel Images of the Future
Robust, deeply researched and realized new images of the future that engender broader imagination, new possibilities, and/or radical optimism.
Experiential Futures
Works that blend the form and function of futures work through design-based, multi-sensorial, experiential and/or play-driven
approaches that employ non-traditional means (including but not limited to literary, podcast, gaming, musical, or other forms and expressions) to explore and engender futures thinking.
Building Futures Bridges
Futures and foresight that builds bridges, leveraging multinational, regional, or global engagement, and/or is the product of
unexpected collaborations or partnerships.
Practice and Applications
Showcases work that clearly demonstrates where futures and foresight were integral to a process and/or practice within a
community, corporate, agency, and governance context to deliver outcomes, effects, and impact.
Participatory Futures
Utilizes participatory futures approaches and practices to create governance, dialogues, change, and/or enhance access to, engagement with, or ownership of futures and foresight for nontraditional clients, cultures, communities, and/or populations.
if aWARDS Q&A
Can I submit work in my native lanaguage?
You can submit optional video or audio recording in your native language, but please include Englush subtitle or a transcript.
Does the submission need to be a completed project?
Yes, please submit a completed project, as we need to see the full scope and outcomes.
What is the reason for asking about AI usage in the submission?
We ask this question for research purposes.
Can I submit multiple works?
Yes, you're welcome to submit multiple projects. However, please avoid submitting the same project more than once. If your project involves a team, make sure your teammates do not submit the same work separately.
What are the benefits of applying?
Our goal is to help you amplify the impact of your work. By submitting an application, you engage in a reflective process—answering key questions that help you clearly communicate your contributions. Additionally, you’ll receive feedback from experienced professionals in the field, making this a valuable peer-reviewed experience.
Can I submit work that has also been submitted to another program?
Yes, that is not a problem. Many people do—it’s part of how we grow and support the field together. Each organization brings a unique community and focus, so tailor your application accordingly. Overlaps in winners do happen, and that’s okay.
Strategic foresight or futures thinking isn't required—what matters is your ability to ask “what if?” and help others explore and respond to that question.
Can I submit work to both APF Student Awards & IF Awards?
Yes, you can. There is no conflict between the two award programmes.
How do the judges decide which category best fits the submission?
The most important thing is to pick categories that resonate with the project. When the applications come in, we categorize them appropriately and assign them to judges who have a deep understanding of the diverse types of work.
Can I submit the video in a different format other than Youtube?
Yes, as long as the judges can access the video/audio. If it's password-protected, please include the password in the submission form.