Awards

Apply for an Innovation or PAC Award 

Is your organizations doing outstanding work in Advocacy or PAC Management? Consider applying for an Innovation Award or Outstanding PAC Award.

The Innovation Awards recognize excellence in the advocacy concentrations of grassroots, communications and engagement strategy. Winners are honored at The Advocacy Conference.

The Outstanding PAC Awards recognize Association and Corporate PACs that showcase creativity and excellence in PAC engagement. Winners are honored at the National PAC Conference.

Innovation Awards

The awards recognize creative approaches to promoting organization efforts. Presented at The Advocacy Conference each year, these awards recognize outstanding initiatives that showcase creativity, inclusiveness, innovation and organizational relevance. Self-nominations are welcomed and encouraged!

Submissions for the 2027 Innovation Awards will open in January 2027.

The Public Affairs Council’s Public Affairs Innovation Awards recognize top organizations in the following categories:

  • Grassroots Innovation
    Awarded to an organization that utilizes and leverages grassroots advocates and activities in new and innovative ways to build relationships with legislators, mobilize their base and advance advocacy strategy
  • Communications Innovation
    Awarded to an organization that uses innovative communications tactics for advocacy that help organizations get buy-in from key stakeholders, activate advocates or educate the public or legislators about their issues

A hand-picked committee of public affairs community leaders will select this year’s innovators. When reviewing applications, committee members will use the following criteria:

  • Is the strategy adaptable to other organizations?
  • Was the innovation a unique solution to a problem faced by the organization or a unique fit to the organization’s culture?
  • Does the innovation demonstrate that it’s not just an innovation for the organization but the industry as a whole?
  • Could this strategy help other programs overcome their own challenges?
  • What impact did the innovation have and how was it measured?

Innovation Awards nominations are open to:

  • Associations
  • Corporations
  • Advocacy groups
  • Consultants on behalf of any of these types of organizations

Self nominations are accepted and encouraged.

In addition to being recognized as a national leader in advocacy and political strategy, award recipients receive:

  • A complimentary registration to The Advocacy Conference
  • The opportunity to present their creative solutions to fellow attendees during one of the conference’s keynote sessions
  • Recognition at The Advocacy Conference and in Council communications throughout the year
TAC Awards Winner 2023

Innovation Award Winners

TAC Award Winners 2023

2026 Innovation Awards Winners
Grassroots Innovation: Best Friends Animal Society
Communications Innovation: eBay
Lobbying Innovation: U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association

2025 Innovation Awards Winners
Grassroots Innovation: National Apartment Association
Communications Innovation: Trilogy Interactive
Lobbying Innovation: Grupo Estrategia Politica (GEP)

2024 Innovation Awards Winners
Grassroots Innovation: International Paper (IP)
Communications Innovation: Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA)
Lobbying Innovation: Grupo Estrategia Politica (GEP)

Outstanding PAC Awards

Did your PAC have a record-breaking year or launch an innovative new program? Did the creativity and strategy behind your fundraising campaign compel new eligibles to join or donate to the PAC? If so, we want to hear about it.

The deadline to submit nominations for the 2027 Outstanding PAC Awards is 11:59 p.m. on January 15, 2027.

The Public Affairs Council’s Outstanding PAC Awards recognize top organizations in the categories of Outstanding Association PAC and Outstanding Corporate PAC.  These awards, presented at the National PAC Conference, recognize outstanding initiatives that showcase creativity and effectiveness in promoting increased financial or member engagement in the PAC. A committee of PAC community leaders and past award winners will select this year’s award recipients. When reviewing applications, committee members will use the following criteria:

  • What challenges prompted this initiative?
  • How is this effort different from other PAC initiatives?
  • What are the key lessons for other experienced PAC programs?
  • What metrics are provided to demonstrate success of the initiative?
  • How did this campaign promote participation or financial growth in the PAC program and/or take into consideration the organization’s culture?

Outstanding PAC Awards nominations are open to:

  • Associations
  • Corporations
  • Consultants on behalf of any of these types of organizations

Self nominations are accepted and encouraged

If your organization is chosen as an award recipient, you’ll be recognized as a trendsetter within the PAC community, AND:

  • You’ll receive a complimentary conference registration to the National PAC Conference
  • The opportunity to present your PAC initiative during a session at the National PAC Conference
  • Recognition at the National PAC Conference and in Council communications throughout the year

Outstanding PAC Award Winners

2026 Outstanding PAC Award Winners:
Association Winner: NAPEO PAC - National Association of Professional Employer Organizations
Corporate Winner: KOCHPAC - Koch

2025 Outstanding PAC Award Winners:
Association Winner: National Community Pharmacists Association
Corporate Winner: TriNet

2024 Outstanding PAC Award Winners:
Association Winner: Title Insurance Political Action Committee (TIPAC)
Corporate Winner: Walmart PAC (WALPAC)

Questions

Price Fisher
Communications Associate
202.787.5974 | [email protected]

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