As Day of Caring/Reaching for Excellence has developed, so has the application process. To choose the best candidates for the program, D. Knight Designs has derived several benchmarks that it feels will narrow the selection process.

The first includes a letter nominating the candidate for participation in the program. The letter can be written by a friend or a family member and should address the following: Why the individual is being nominated, at least two special qualities of the nominee and why the qualities are unique, how the nominee would personally benefit by participating in the program, and how previous work experience the nominee has acquired can be beneficial to prospective employers.