The following criteria are used to select the Winning National Projects, as well as the Winning International Project.

• Relevancy of the Problem Addressed: According to the aims of the project, it is important that the project addresses a problem that impacts the community.

• Level of Innovation: One of the aims of the pilot project is to encourage creative thinking. Innovation is a decisive criterion in the assessment of each project.

• Level of Improvement: It is important that the problem experienced by the school or school network is solved after the project has been implemented.

• Level of Involvement: It is important to what extent the project encouraged people to participate and how this was achieved.

• Level of Effectiveness: Students are asked to submit a detailed plan of their project before they are awarded a grant. It is important to know how well the school adheres to their project plan, particularly in relation to time schedules and budget.

• Level of Impact: What are the environmental benefits of the project? Have people’s attitudes changed? It is important to consider the tangible impacts of the project, on the school and the wider community.

• Possibility of implementing the project in other Eco-Schools: If other schools experience the same kind of problem, how easily could they follow the project and use the same solution?

• Project Sustainability: How sustainable is the project? Will it achieve short or long-term results?

• Dissemination Strategy: How well was the project communicated within the school and to the wider community? It is important that all schools, especially within the Eco-Schools network are aware of the project and benefit from its innovation and good practices.

• Measurement System/Tool: Reports are expected to describe how the measuring sytem/tool was used and its level of effectiveness.