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 (Apply by August 29, 2025)
- 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 (Apply by August 29, 2025)
- 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 2025 Centre of Excellence Awards are now open for applications. Please click here to nominate a candidate or submit an application.
Recognition
Association Champions
- Association Champions is peer-to-peer recognition that acknowledges volunteers who have been CSAE champions and association ambassadors in the community.
Membership Milestones
- Membership Milestones recognize individuals who have continuously maintained their membership for 15, 20, 25 and 30+ years.
Bursaries
Aspiring Leader (Applications Closed)
- Aspiring Leader Bursary assists emerging professionals wishing to pursue careers in the association sector. The Aspiring Leader Bursary is presented in honour of Donna Mary Shaw.
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
