American Society for Public Administration

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2024 ASPA Awards Open for Nominations

The nomination process will close on October 27, 2023.

Click here to submit a nomination

Awards will be presented at ASPA's 2024 Annual Conference, taking place in Minneapolis, MN from April 12 to April 16, 2024.

AWARD DESCRIPTIONS AND CRITERIA

National Public Service Awards (NPSA)—Awarded jointly with NAPA

Award winners are selected from all levels of public service: local, state and federal governments, as well as international and public service nonprofit organizations. Awards are not made by category, so there could be, for example, two county winners and no winners from a state government. While individuals may hold a position in academia or a nonprofit organization, all recipients must have made significant contributions as career public servants in at least one level of government. Nominees holding elected office will be evaluated on the basis of their careers in public service, excluding time served as an elected official. Legislative branch staff are eligible, however legislators without public management experience should not be nominated. Nonprofit organizations are those with a service delivery mission. NPSA winners will be those who have, on a sustained basis, done some or all of the following:

Made a profound difference in improving service to the public
Been willing to take risks to achieve change
Fostered a more democratic society
Served as a champion of social equity
Changed the way a governmental organization operates so that it better achieves its goals
Achieved substantial savings in government
Developed a cadre of other government leaders

A recipient of an ASPA or ASPA Endowment Award may not receive the same award more than once. An ASPA or ASPA Endowment award recipient must wait at least one year after receiving it before being eligible for different one.

Gloria Hobson Nordin Social Equity Award

This award recognizes lifetime achievement and effort in the cause of social equity. Candidates may be employees of state, local or federal government; employees in the nonprofit sector; or employees of colleges and universities. Elected public officials are also eligible for the award. Employees from the private sector are also eligible for the award, but the emphasis is on achievement and effort in the public sector. Candidates do not have to be ASPA members. Nominations may be submitted by anyone, including self-nominations. Candidates will be evaluated on three criteria:

The impact of their efforts on social equity
The consistency and level of effort on behalf of social equity
The duration of the effort on behalf of social equity

No more than one individual may be selected for the award annually.

Nesta M. Gallas Award

This award has been established to honor the lifetime achievements of a dedicated public servant and seeks to honor a pioneering and innovative leader whose career has been demonstrably characterized by:

Exemplary efforts to uphold legal and ethical standards locally, nationally and internationally
Sustained work to advance gender equality and diversity
Responsible, democratic and expert accomplishments in public affairs locally, nationally and globally
Mentorship of young academics and public servants who would seek to continue such professionalism in service to the public

No more than one individual may be selected for the award annually.

Public Integrity Award

This award pays tribute to an individual or organization that has made outstanding contributions to responsible conduct in public service. The recipient may represent any domain of public service; local, state, national or international government; or nonprofit; and presents evidence of accomplishing, or causing to accomplish, significant programs or projects benefiting the general public.

No more than one individual may be selected for the award annually.

Elmer B. Staats Lifetime Achievement Award

This award was established to honor a public administrator's career accomplishments and contributions to public service and ASPA over a lifetime. The award criteria are threefold:

Career Accomplishments: The nominee may be retired or still in the workforce but must have:

At least 20 years of professional public service
Made outstanding contributions to an organization or organizations on a sustained basis
Managed, created or facilitated significant programs and/or projects within their area of responsibility to the ultimate benefit of the general public

Contributions to Public Service: Service and contributions to the public sector and/or nonprofit sector are important factors in this award. Such activities may include service on boards and commissions, governmental service and service to professional organizations.

Contributions to ASPA: The nominee must have distinguished themselves through two or more of the following:

Excellence in leadership of ASPA as its national president
Outstanding service as a current or former member of the ASPA National Council
Major contributions to the success of ASPA's national committees or boards
Excellence in the leadership of ASPA Sections and/or Chapters
A sustained effort to enhance the image of the profession through ASPA
Other distinguished service to ASPA

No more than one individual may be selected for the award annually.

Paul P. Van Riper Award

The award is given to an ASPA member who has made significant contributions both as an academic and practitioner. Award recipients will have distinguished themselves through their current active engagement in and contributions to developing the public service of the future. Special consideration will be accorded nominees with at least two of the following attributes:

A distinguished professional and nationally recognized leader who is actively and continuously engaged in contributing significantly to the practice and study of public administration throughout the ten years preceding nomination for the award
An exceptional innovator in the practice and/or study of personnel administration and human resource development, with a focus on meeting the "human capital" challenges of the 21st century
An outstanding contributor for at least 10 years of service to ASPA, including previous recognition for exemplary service through an ASPA-affiliated National, Section or Chapter award

No more than one individual may be selected for the award annually.

Donald C. Stone Service to ASPA Award

This award pays tribute to ASPA members who have contributed outstanding services to the Society. Any individual currently an ASPA member and who has been an ASPA member for three consecutive years is eligible for consideration. The award can be presented to more than one person.

Current or former ASPA presidents and the current president-elect are not eligible. Letters of nomination may be submitted by any current ASPA member on behalf of another member and should include a brief narrative of the nominee's services to ASPA. The award will be based on:

Outstanding service as a member or former member of the National Council
Major contributions to the success of national committees
Excellence in leadership of Chapters or Sections
Outstanding contributions to the planning and conduct of national or regional conferences
Sustained effort to enhance the image of the profession through ASPA
Other distinguished service to ASPA

No more than two individuals may be selected for the award annually.

Dwight Waldo Award

This award is presented to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the professional literature of public administration over an extended career. To be eligible the nominee must have:

At least one article published in Public Administration Review
Twenty-five years of active scholarship that has furthered the discipline of public administration

No more than one individual may be selected for the award annually.

John W. Gaston, Jr., Award for Excellence in Public Service Management

This award is presented to a public manager for excellence in public service management, particularly in the areas of natural resource management or environmental protection. Selection criteria include demonstrated attention to the achievement of results that contribute to public safety, health, welfare and the quality of the environment through:

Strategy
Structure
Systems
Shared values and skills

No more than one individual may be selected for the award annually.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Exemplary Practices Award

This award is presented to individuals and organizations who have made outstanding contributions to a more equal society. Up to four awards may be presented to individuals and/or organizations representing the following categories: federal, state or local government units; educational institutions; nonprofit institutions; private sector organizations. A narrative, not exceeding five pages in length, will provide the basis for the nomination. Emphasis will be on achievement and results, not simply effort. The following will also apply:

Complexity of the problems addressed and organizations directed
Severity of the problems addressed
Use of original/innovative/effective approaches
Impact of contributions

Up to four awards may be presented to individuals and/or organizations representing the following categories: federal, state or local government units; educational institutions; nonprofit institutions; and private sector organizations.

International Public Administration Award

This award honors an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to the study and/or practice of public administration.

For an individual to be eligible for nomination, they must:

Hold citizenship in a country other than the United States.
Live and work (primarily) in a country other than the United States.
Contribute significantly to the field of public administration as a scholar, practitioner or both, as demonstrated by publications, other awards and honors and the testimony of the nominee's colleagues and beneficiaries of the nominee's work.
Be recommended or sponsored by an individual or institution affiliated with ASPA in a demonstrable way.

For an organization to be eligible for nomination, it must:

Be headquartered in a country other than the United States.
Develop and deliver its primary program(s) in a country other than the United States.
Contribute significantly to the field of public administration by providing an environment that nurtures and advances the practice and/or teaching of public administration.
Be recommended or sponsored by an individual or institution affiliated with ASPA in a demonstrable way.

No more than one individual or institution may be selected for the award annually.

Patricia Yearwood Chapter/Section Newsletter Awards

The award is given annually to recognize newsletters as a vital means of communication and a valuable service offered to Chapter and Section members. All Chapters and Sections are eligible. Chapters and Sections wishing to be considered must submit at least three issues of their newsletters.

No more than one Section and one Chapter may be selected for the award annually.

Oveta Culp Hobby Training Award

This award recognizes Chapters and Sections that provide excellent professional development to members through planned activities. All Chapter and Section programs presented during the past year are eligible. Nominations should explain how the programs meet the following criteria:

Is the program offered to ASPA members and transferable to other organizations?
Is the program a vehicle for ensuring ethical practices in government?
Does the program identify new topics and target audiences?
Does the program promote knowledge and skills to be a creative, ethical and responsible public manager?
Does the program identify beliefs and practices to excel in the public service?

No more than one Section and one Chapter may be selected for the award annually.

Wallace O. Keene ASPA Conference Scholarships

Awarded to students in the fields of public administration and public policy, this scholarship is intended to provide a student with financial assistance to attend the ASPA Annual Conference, and thereby expand their knowledge of the field and their acquaintance with others with similar professional interests. Students must be ASPA members. The $250 scholarship is also intended to emphasize the impact of ethical leadership on the public's trust in government.

Walter W. Mode Scholarship

The Mode Scholarship is awarded from a special ASPA Endowment fund named in honor of Walter W. Mode, the 30th National President of ASPA and a public administrator with a distinguished record of public service at the federal and international levels. A $1,500 scholarship is awarded for graduate study in public administration to a student who demonstrates a commitment to a career in the public service.

This is a self-applying scholarship award for ASPA members. Nominations by non-members, or nominations on behalf other members, will not be accepted. The applicant must provide information on the following:

Their commitment to public service;
Information on their intended or current graduate study program;
Their educational history (names, addresses and dates of institutions attended, as well as degree or certificate awarded);
Any current and past public service employment;
Involvement/activities with ASPA at the Chapter-, Section-, Regional-, National- and/or International-level;
Community and other service activities;
Any awards, scholarships, or other special recognition; and
Other personal information the applicant may wish to share with the selection committee.

Rosslyn Kleeman Keeper of the Flame Award

The "Keeper of the Flame" Award was established in 2000 as a special recognition for "an individual who has continued to provide public service after their official retirement from the profession." The physical memento is a candlestick. In establishing the award, the National Public Service Award Executive Committee recognized that many individuals retire from their career positions and continue to serve the public in other volunteer or paid positions. Often, these active retirees become very directly involved in their local community, working with civic or nonprofit organizations. Nominations for the Keeper of the Flame Award follow the timeline and other requirements of the National Public Service Awards. Those who have retired from their public service career as of the nomination deadline will automatically be considered for the Keeper of the Flame Award. The Selection Committee has the option of awarding up to two Keeper of the Flame Awards.

The nomination itself may be no more than six pages (including the one-page summary of accomplishments and any attachments)
The nomination may include up to five letters of endorsement (at least two are required)
Letters of endorsement may be signed by more than one individual

Center for Accountability and Performance (CAP) Awards

CAP Organizational Leadership Award

This award, presented to an organization, recognizes outstanding applications of a systems approach to performance measurement that has resulted in a culture change, sustained improvements and demonstrated positive effects on government performance and accountability. The award recognizes an organization, rather than a person that has yielded outstanding results on a sustained basis. The organization may be selected from all levels of public service ̶ local, state or federal government, as well as from international and public service nonprofit organizations. Preference will be given to an organization whose results have been measured and whose impact has been documented in the literature or at conferences.

Emerging Leaders Award of Excellence

This program will recognize five early- to mid-career professionals in the field of performance management at the federal, state and local levels. This award recognizes and encourages a new generation of practitioners who are actively implementing performance management systems, innovating new practices and promoting the importance of performance and accountability within their governments and communities.

Harry Hatry Distinguished Performance Management Practice Award

Awarded to an individual whose outstanding teaching, education, training and consultation in performance measurement has made a significant contribution to the practice of public administration. This award recognizes a person who has made outstanding contributions on a sustained basis rather than a single accomplishment. The award winner must have spent the primary part of their career in public service.

Joseph Wholey Distinguished Scholarship Award

The Joseph Wholey Distinguished Scholarship is awarded for outstanding scholarship on performance in public and nonprofit organizations. Preference is given to a scholarly work that is relevant to the broad public administration community and is of interest to both practitioners and academicians. The author(s) must provide a significant contribution to advancing knowledge in a scholarly journal about the development, implementation, use and impact of performance measurement.

Click here to submit a nomination

Please contact Jordan Thomas with questions about the application process.