NAGARA Annual Awards Program

NAGARA
Program Excellence Award

Award Description

The NAGARA Program Excellence Award recognizes outstanding, innovative and successful government archives and records management programs or initiatives. This award was established to recognize a collaborative team or government program for the development and implementation of a creative product or program that enhances the goals of government records management and preservation.

Bruce W. Dearstyne
Distinguished Service Award

Award Description

The Bruce W. Dearstyne Distinguished Service Award is a career recognition award established to recognize NAGARA members who have made a significant contribution to promote and enhance the mission of NAGARA. This honor is intended to acknowledge, to the greatest possible extent, NAGARA’s appreciation, esteem, respect and regard. This award is open to all NAGARA members, past and present.
 

Nominations Process

Nominees must be current or former members of NAGARA. However, a person does not need to be a NAGARA member to submit a nomination. Up to two people or programs will be selected by the NAGARA Board to receive each award each year. Nomination information and deadlines will be announced by NAGARA. Winners will be notified in advance of the Annual Conference, where award presentations will take place.

Submitting Nominations

Nominations must include the name(s) and contact information of the nominee, the name and contact information of the nominator, an abstract not to exceed 200 words, and a narrative statement of 500 – 1500 words indicating why this person/program should receive the award. Endorsement letters, news articles, and other supporting documentation may also be submitted along with the letter of nomination.

Selection Criteria

This award is open to all NAGARA members. The product, project or program must be administered under the authority of a NAGARA member (individual or government program), or a NAGARA member (individual or government program) must be able to demonstrate that (s)he/they played a significant role in developing and implementing the product or program.

In selecting those who will receive the award, consideration will be given to innovative and/or successful programs or activities that have been of positive benefit to the institution, the community the institution serves, and/or to the profession. Such criteria may include, but are not restricted to, the following:

• Innovation. The product or program must be innovative and not rely wholly on the application of techniques or procedures that are common practice in most government archives and records management programs of similar population size. Examples of innovative products or programs might include: developing new services for customers; creating techniques for recruiting new customers; generating new revenue sources; improving the administration of, or enhancing the cost effectiveness of, an existing service; enhancing the level of understanding and appreciation about government recordkeeping issues; developing a creative way of implementing a new legal requirement, etc.
• Scope, Importance, and Value of Activity/Contribution. Is the product, project, or program important? Who benefited? Has the product or project affected the overall program? How has the product or program helped the customers of the program? Has customer, supervisor or colleagues’ feedback been positive?
• Effectiveness Measures. Has the product or program led to measurable efficiencies and/or cost savings? Has the product or program significantly improved service delivery or operations? Can the product or program be replicated in other government programs? Did the product or program overcome barriers to success?
• Quality and Creativity. Has the product or program demonstrated leadership? Has the product or program demonstrated excellence? Is the product or program innovative? What partnerships supported the success of the product or program? Was new technology used, or was existing technology used in new and innovative ways?

Selection Criteria

In selecting those who will receive this career-recognition award, special weight will be given to individuals who have had a broad long-term effect on the association and the profession, and considerations may include, but will not be restricted to, the following: How important might the contribution be to NAGARA’s success? Has the contribution fulfilled an objective of the strategic plan?Has the contribution made a NAGARA-sponsored event/program more successful? Can NAGARA build upon the new partnerships established? Has the contribution demonstrated leadership? Has the contribution demonstrated excellence? How much effort was involved in the contribution? Has membership feedback been positive?