• CSAE’s Awards and Recognition Program recognizes the best and brightest in association leadership, from outstanding teams to individual luminaries.

    CSAE is excited to celebrate and recognize members and organizations who have demonstrated significant accomplishments, exemplary leadership and tireless commitment to Canada’s association community.

    CSAE embraces equity, diversity and inclusion and is committed to proactively identifying and addressing any systemic barriers in our policies, practices, procedures, programs, and services so that we can provide a respectful, inclusive and safe work environment, represent the associations we serve and lead by example. We strongly encourage nominations from/for equity-deserving individuals.

    Awards

    Individual Leadership (Opens May 2026)

    • Community Leader Award recognizes a member who has been an inspiring leader, influential mentor, and/or has advocated on behalf of the association sector.
    • Empowering Leader Award recognizes a member who is focused on advancing association excellence through knowledge sharing in the membership community.
    • Social Innovation Leader Award recognizes a member who is focused on developing innovative and creative strategies and initiatives to leverage CSAE’s community and the association sector.
    • Young Leader Award recognizes a member who is 35 years of age or under has demonstrated remarkable promise as a rising leader in the association sector.

    Association Excellence (Opens May 2026)

    • Award of Excellence recognizes outstanding team achievements and organizations’ initiatives to advance association excellence in alignment with the five competencies of the Certified Association Executive (CAE ®) program.

    The 2026 Centre of Excellence Awards are now closed for applications.

    Recognition

    Membership Milestones

    • Membership Milestones recognize individuals who have continuously maintained their membership for 15, 20, 25 and 30+ years.

    Past Recipients

    Click here to view the list of past recipients.

    Learn More

    For awards, recognition and bursary inquiries, connect with Lexie Bilhete, Engagement Specialist at lexie@csae.com

    Thank you to our awards and recognition program partner

    E-News Archives

    Our Partners

    Our partners are best in class companies that deliver quality products and/or services to the association sector – click below to see for yourself!