Quality Independent Web Awards
For some time, the mark of a serious award program has been understood by many to be a rating by an awards-rating index. Holding a rating from an awards-rating index demonstrates to the world that the webmaster is serious enough about his/her award program to take the extra trouble of qualifying for a rating (high ratings from these indices require a lot of work and effort). And being rated by an awards-rating index is undeniably a good way to promote your site, as the awards-rating indices have a lot of visitors from all over the world.
There are, of course, general award indices that list awards (although they may have some nominal qualifications for listing). These are fine for promotional purposes, but your award is listed along with a lot of rated awards, and can be easily lost in the crowd. So, what is the independent award webmaster to do?
Quality Independent Web Awards was established to fill the needs of the independent award site.
The QIWA Certification Program, the original service of QIWA, is still unique in the world of awards. It was established as a certification program, establishing minimum standards for independent web awards programs. This allows the independent awards webmaster to demonstrate that his or her program is, indeed, a quality program, even though it is not rated by an awards-rating index.
The QIWA Listing Program is the newest service of QIWA. With only modest requirements, it allows the independent webmaster who does not desire certification to be listed in the only (as far as I know) awards index exclusively for independent programs.