The Summit Awards are designed to recognize outstanding contributions from members of the Romanian-American and diaspora community. Each year, a call for nominations is made publicly, and anyone from the community can put forward candidates they believe deserve recognition.

The awards are decided by an independent Awards Committee, typically comprising 5 members, including representatives from partner organizations and community leaders (for example, the Consul General of Romania was part of the 2025 committee). The Romanian United Foundation (RUF) does not make these decisions, nor does any single person.

No. Once the nominations are submitted, the decision rests solely with the Awards Committee. Organizers, including RUF staff and volunteers, are not involved in the selection process.

Only individuals who are nominated can be considered. If someone deserving was overlooked, it may be because a nomination was not submitted in time or because the committee was not aware of the full scope of their contributions.