Basic Criteria & Disqualification:

1. Site complies with the Basic Criteria of this award program.
2. Site does not fall under any of the Disqualification elements.

Content:

1. Site has five (5) or more quality pages of content. 
2. Site has useful content and not just links to other sites.
3. Site shows a consistent theme and/or purpose.
4. Site is relevant and remains consistent with the majority of the site's topic. 
5. Site presents a positive and valuable contribution to the internet community.  
6. Site shows that updates have been done and are done on a continual basis.   
7. Site with background music has a way of turning it off. 
8. Site has no advertising pop up windows or banners (required free server banners are exempt).
9. Site has a section devoted to awards they have received and has a clear link to that section from their menu or index.
10. Site is viewable in both 800x600 and 1024x768 resolution. 
11. Site is able to be viewed in the following browsers and should function well within Internet Explorer 5.5+, Netscape 4.08+. 
12. Site has no horizontal scrolling in resolutions of 800x600.  

Design:

1. Page load time is 60 seconds at 56kbps. 
2. If Flash page is used, does it have a Non Flash entry point.
3. Images used maintain a consistent design theme and compliment each page. 
4. Site has no more then two (2) animations per page.
5. If graphics are not self made, appropriate credit is given to designer.
6. Good use of white space. 
7. Site uses alt tags on images and graphics.  
8. Site uses height and width tags on images and graphics.
9. Background color compliments font color.  
10. Font sizes are easily read and compliment the page. 
11. Text is not always centered, unless used to set apart a special statement.  
12. Text and images compliment the other. 
13. Headers and titles are not overpowering in size.  
14. Graphics are optimized to improve download time.

Top

Navigation:

1. Site has good navigational structure to facilitate visitors' ease of   getting around site.  
2. Menu's are visible on top, bottom or sides of the page.  
3.  Navigation consists of more then using the "Back" button.  
4. All external links open in a separate window.
5. All internal links open within their own window. 
6. Site has No broken links.
7. Sites with long vertical scrolls (more then four (4) mouse clicks) show a Top link within that section and also at the bottom of the page. 
8. Site has some type of feedback link, in order for visitor to be able to contact the webmaster.   

Interaction:

1. Site teaches or entertains and gives the visitor a reason to return.
2. Site provides some type of resource that the visitor can utilize and come back to.  This can be in the form of FAQ's, free screen savers, tutorials etc.
3.  Site has an area where guests can either read, sign or view a guest book, talk in a chat room or post on a message board.
4. Site has an on site search engine to assist visitor in finding information on specific areas of site.

Overall Appeal:

1. Site has that overall appeal that will make the judges go WOW!!!