State Branch Advocacy Award

The ACA State Branch Advocacy Award recognizes a state counseling organization for excellence in legislative advocacy efforts.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
While, in some cases, legislative accomplishments of importance to the counseling profession at the state and local level are primarily the work of one or more individual counselors, a coordinated effort on the part of the state counseling organization is more likely to lead to success. Effective state counseling organization legislative efforts require collaboration, energy and cooperation of the organization’s leaders and members. The ACA State Branch Advocacy Award was established to help recognize and encourage such collective efforts on the part of a state organization.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE
January 15, 2025 | 11:59pm ET

AWARD NOTIFICATION
February 17, 2025

JUDGES
ACA Public Policy & Legislation Committee and ACA Awards Committee

PRIZE
Complimentary registration for the 2025 ACA Conference and Expo (March 27-29, 2025 | Orlando, FL) and recognition during the event. Winners will receive further information at the time of award notification.

Sponsor: The American Counseling Association Foundation

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Publication Awards

Thomas Hohenshil National Publication Award

Service Awards

Human Rights / Social Justice Awards

ELIGIBILITY, RULES AND CRITERIA

The awardee must be a state counseling organization.
Self-nominations are welcome.
Award recipients must have engaged in a concerted activity aimed at achieving a specific legislative, regulatory or organizational goal. Although actual legislative accomplishments are particularly worthy of recognition, an even greater emphasis will be placed on the effective, collaborative and productive efforts of a state organization’s team of leaders and members working on a specific task or objective.
Nominations must come from an ACA member.

NOMINATION GUIDELINES
The total submission package for this award cannot exceed 16 pages in length. All nomination materials must be combined into one document (all formats accepted), with the nomination letter first.

Nomination letter: Submit a nomination letter of not more than three pages in length (additional appendices and exhibits are welcome). In the letter, briefly describe the legislative program(s), activities or accomplishments that qualify the organization for this award and the effects that these had on counselors and their clients in the state. The nomination should describe the various state organization office-members and other leaders and members involved in the effort.

Explain why the nominee should receive the award by responding to the specific criteria outlined in the nomination guidelines. Keep in mind that the awards reviewers are relying on the information you provide to choose the most deserving recipient for the award. Please address each nomination guideline and make sure your nominee meets the award criteria and requirements. Brevity, clarity and specificity are most important here.

In your nomination letter, identify a contact person and contact information for the organization.

Supporting material: Include a maximum of two letters in support of the nomination from others familiar with the legislative program(s), activities or accomplishments that qualify the organization for this award and the effects these had on counselors and their clients in the state. If there are additional materials (news reports, journal articles, etc.) that you feel help support the nominee’s achievements, please include a copy of them. Keep in mind that the total submission cannot exceed 16 pages in length.