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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!

The deadline to submit nominations for the 2025 Innovation Awards is 11:59 p.m. on November 19.

About the Awards

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
  • Lobbying Strategy Innovation
    Awarded to an organization that finds new and creative ways to connect and work with internal and external stakeholder groups and get them engaged with advocacy efforts or policy priorities

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?
Who Should Apply?

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.

Recognition & Prize

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

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

TAC Award Winners 2023

2023 Innovation Awards Winners
Grassroots Innovation: Feeding America
Communications Innovation: AAA – Auto Club Group
Lobbying Innovation: Community Associations Institute

2022 Innovation Awards Winners
Grassroots Innovation: Vot-ER
Communications Innovation: National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Lobbying Innovation: Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)

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 2025 Outstanding PAC Awards is 11:59 p.m. on December 6.

About the Awards

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?
Who Should Apply?

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

Recognition & Prize

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

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

2023 Outstanding PAC Award Winners:
Association Winner: Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association PAC (OCWGA-PAC)
Corporate Winner: Home Depot PAC

2022 Outstanding PAC Award Winners:
Association Winner: American Academy of Ophthalmology (OPHTHPAC)
Corporate Winner: Sempra (SEEPAC)

Questions

Price Fisher
Programs Associate
202.787.5974 | [email protected]

Featured Event

Is your organization prepared to adapt its social impact initiatives based on who is elected, from the President all the way down-ballot? Navigate post-election shifts at STRIDE this November.

Washington, D.C. | November 21