Phoenix Awards

Since the dawn of history, fires and floods have destroyed homes, possessions, and lives. Even today, with all our modern advances, natural disasters still destroy our most precious possessions. The people who restore damaged property have a unique role in a setting of personal tragedy and stress; they strive to restore the damaged property in the most effective way possible. Professional restorers respond to these crises daily, performing an essential human service.

To recognize conspicuously high achievement in disaster restoration, the Restoration Industry Association has established the RIA Phoenix Awards for Innovation in Restoration and Reconstruction. Phoenix Award recipients will be recognized at RIA's International Restoration Convention + Industry Expo and receive one complimentary pass to the Convention. In addition to earning the respect of fellow RIA members, this award provides a vehicle for winners, challengers, and the entire RIA membership to achieve recognition in the media and in the insurance industry for their contributions.

Call for Applications: 2027

Complete one application for each project being entered. 2027 is the first year where there will be no application fees to submit your project for consideration.

 The deadline to pay and apply is January 8, 2027.

Please click here for your Phoenix Award FAQ and Submission Guidelines.

For a project to be considered for an award, all required materials and payment must be submitted by the deadline.

Apply For 2027 RIA Phoenix Award

Award Categories

Projects should have been completed between January and December 2026 (the applicant’s portion of the project must be fully completed, and the entire project must be 90% completed in this timeframe).

There is no minimum project size.

Innovation in Restoration

Awarded to a contractor/firm for a restoration project, personal property, or building which does not include building reconstruction. Generally, includes the restoration and/or remediation of a structure and its contents, does not include major reconstruction as part of the project; may include drying out a structure and reframing, drying, and/or cleaning contents. Projects may be residential or commercial.

Innovation in Reconstruction

Awarded to an individual contractor/firm, may encompass some restoration, but generally requires significant rebuilding of the structure – e.g., new roof over most or all of an entire structure; expansion or redesign of an existing structure to make it better fit a customer’s current needs. Projects may be residential or commercial.

Past Phoenix Award Winners