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The Knighton Award

What are the judging criteria?

Audit shops compete with other shops their same size. Award categories are:

  • Small Shop = 1 to 5 auditors
  • Large Shop = over 15 auditors
  • Medium Shop = 6 to 15 auditors

Note: Shop sizes include the Chief Audit Executive (e.g., The Deputy Comptroller - Audit), but not administrative support personnel. Consultants working as full time employees should be included in the shop size.

Criteria the judges use to evaluate reports for the Knighton Award follow. Each is equally weighted in the judging process.

  • Scope and potential for significant impact;
  • Persuasiveness of conclusions;
  • Clarity and conciseness of communication style; and,
  • Focus of the recommendations on effective and efficient government;
  • Innovation.

How are the best performance audit reports determined?

The ALGA Awards Program Committee, its Chairperson, and the ALGA President coordinate and manage the judging of the entries.

Teams of judges review the reports against the established criteria and are asked to recommend up to three performance audit reports for awards in each award category. Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards, as well as Honorable Mention recognition can be presented to the audit shops issuing the performance audit reports deemed to be worthy of the prestigious Knighton Award. Judges are instructed to only recommend awards and Honorable Mention recognition for reports that they deem to be worthy of recognition. The decision of the judges and the Awards Program Committee regarding this matter are final.


What reports are eligible for the award?

For a report to be eligible to receive the Knighton Award, the following submission guidelines must be followed:

  • The submitting office must be a current organizational member of ALGA. Organizational members are local governments, school districts, boards and authorities that conduct audits as a primary duty. Organizational members must hold current ALGA memberships for all auditors in the audit shop, including the Chief Audit Executive;
  • The submitting office must have issued the audit report during the 2010 calendar year.
  • Each submitting office can submit only one performance audit report;
  • The submitting office must take "majority responsibility" for the conduct of the performance audit. The criterion is intended to ensure that ALGA's members are given equal opportunity for recognition based upon an audit shop's professional growth and achievement rather than its budget. This rule should be considered one of "spirit versus letter;"
  • The performance audit report submitted for a Knighton Award must have been conducted in accordance with either Yellow Book or Red Book standards; and,
  • Judges and their organizations are eligible to participate in the awards program, as long as they do not judge within their category. Awards Committee members and their organizations are also eligible and appropriate provisions will be made to ensure an independent judging process.


What do the Knighton Award winners receive?

Each award winner will receive:

  • An award plaque presented during the annual conference;
  • A press release; and,
  • A letter signed by the ALGA President addressed to the officials requested by the award winners.

Please note that the ALGA Conference Chair (the President-Elect) has the discretion to modify or limit the airfare and hotel accommodations when in the best interest of ALGA.