Innovativeness is defined by the extent to which a promising policy, original project, new business model or innovative creative practice has been developed to address an important social, economic, environmental or governance problem. The main criterion for innovativeness is the novelty of a solution or approach, its difference from existing methods or technologies, and its unique characteristics aimed at improving existing practices, products or services.

Relevance is determined by the project’s correlation with the acute problems and burning issues of public interest and its ability to respond to changing conditions. In the framework of the Award, relevance is understood primarily as the extent to which the nominated project is relevant to the realization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, contributes to the solution of specific urban and regional development challenges, and is in demand by the project's target audience.

Effeciency is primarily understood as the extent to which a project has a positive impact on the economy and society, contributing to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. An effective project can lead, for example, to improved energy efficiency of urban systems, reduced resource costs, reduced negative impact on the environment, and improved safety of citizens. Project efficiency can be expressed in the better provision of public services, increasing their compliance with the expectations of users, improving their ergonomics and efficiency, etc.

Replicability is defined by the value derived from an initiative that helps ensure policy continuity and inspires other communities, cities and regions to adopt new policies and practices. In addition, replicability is characterized by the technical feasibility of the project. In the context of the Award, replicability refers primarily to assessing the scalability of a project as a "best practice" to other territories, and the feasibility of its implementation in different socio-economic contexts.