ESSAE’s Annual Awards celebrate the individuals and organizations whose leadership, service, innovation and accomplishments strengthen New York’s association community. Nominate yourself, a colleague, your organization or another eligible ESSAE member organization whose work deserves the spotlight.

Submit a Nomination

Select the appropriate online nomination form:

Before beginning, please review the 2026 Award Nomination Guidelines for complete eligibility requirements, award categories, selection criteria and suggested supporting materials.

Login Save and Return

• A MemberClicks login is required to submit a nomination.
• ESSAE members should log in to their membership profile before beginning.
• Nonmembers can create a complimentary guest account, which is quick and easy.
• Logging in allows you to begin a nomination, save your progress and return later to complete it.

In MemberClicks, an award nomination is saved as a form, similar to an event registration form. The ESSAE Member Login and Account Guide explains how to find and reopen forms, as well as how to locate open and paid membership invoices.

Who May Nominate

• ESSAE members and nonmembers may submit nominations.
• Individuals may nominate themselves or another eligible person.
• Organizations may nominate their own work, and another person may nominate an eligible organization.
• A nominee may be considered in more than one category, but a separate online nomination form is required for each category.

Individual Awards

Individual awards recognize outstanding professionals whose leadership, service and accomplishments strengthen ESSAE and the association community.

General eligibility requirements include:

• ESSAE membership in good standing at the time of nomination.
• Membership dues paid for the applicable award year. For the 2026 awards, the nominee’s 2026 dues need to be paid at the time of nomination.
• Applicable 2027 membership renewal received by ESSAE before the award is presented in spring 2027.
• Current employment by an ESSAE association or Industry Partner member and at least one year in the present role at the time of nomination.
• Service to ESSAE through event participation and volunteer involvement. Individual award categories may include additional service, experience or accomplishment criteria.

Individual award categories:

• George Burton Memorial Award
• Association Member of the Year Award
• Industry Partner of the Year Award
• Rising Star Award

Except for the George Burton Memorial Award, which considers sustained service and achievement, individual nominations should focus primarily on accomplishments during 2026. Specific examples and evidence are strongly encouraged.

Organizational Awards

Organizational awards recognize an eligible organization’s extraordinary 2026 program, project, campaign, publication, practice or initiative.

General eligibility requirements include:

• At least one current staff member who is an active ESSAE member at the time of nomination.
• The qualifying staff member’s 2026 dues paid at the time of nomination and the applicable 2027 membership renewal received by ESSAE before the award is presented.
• Nominated work representing an effort or accomplishment from 2026 and addressing the criteria for the selected award category.

Organizational award categories:

• Professional Development
• Government Relations
• Communications and Public Relations
• Meetings and Expositions
• Inclusive Practices

Each nomination should explain the need or opportunity, objectives, implementation, innovation and measurable results of the work.

Supporting Materials

Supporting materials are optional but encouraged when they help document the nomination or its results. A nomination may be submitted before optional letters or supporting materials are ready, but all additional materials must be received by Friday, January 22, 2027.

Questions and Assistance at Harvest Highlight

Awards Task Force volunteers will be available at Harvest Highlight on Thursday, October 29, 2026 to answer questions about:

• Award categories and eligibility
• Selecting the appropriate award
• Information to include in a strong nomination
• Using the online nomination forms
• Saving and returning to a nomination

Attendees may also complete an Awards Lead Form for Task Force follow-up. A lead is not a nomination and does not place a potential nominee into consideration for an award.

Learn More and Register for Harvest Highlight

ESSAE also plans to offer an online information session after Thanksgiving. Additional details will be posted when available. Questions may be submitted through the ESSAE Contact Us page .

Selection Process

• ESSAE staff administer the program but do not participate in selecting award recipients.
• The Awards Task Force reviews eligible nominations using the published criteria and an approved judging rubric. Task Force decisions are final.
• Judges evaluate only the information included in the nomination and supporting materials. Personal knowledge not documented in the submission should not affect scoring.
• An award is presented only when the Task Force determines that a nomination clearly meets or exceeds the applicable criteria. A category may have no recipient.

Awards Task Force Conflict of Interest Policy

Awards Task Force members who nominate, are nominated themselves, or are affiliated with an organization nominated for an ESSAE award will disclose the relationship and recuse themselves from the discussion, deliberation and voting for that category.

Task Force members are also encouraged to invite other individuals and organizations to participate in the nomination process.

Celebrating the 2027 Honorees

Awards will be presented in spring 2027. The Annual Awards Program gives ESSAE’s association community and Industry Partners an opportunity to recognize leadership, professionalism, innovation and meaningful results.

View Past ESSAE Award Recipients