The NDSA Excellence Awards are now open for nominations until Monday 23 June 2025.
The biennial NDSA Excellence Awards were established to recognize and encourage exemplary achievement in the field of digital preservation at a level of national or international importance. Seeking to highlight and commend all forms of creative and meaningful contributions in the field of digital preservation, the NDSA invites nominations for individuals, educators, future stewards, organizations, projects, and sustainability activities.
Acknowledging that exemplary digital stewardship can take many forms, eligibility for these awards has been left purposefully broad. Anyone, any institution, or any project acting in the context of the categories listed below can be nominated for an award. No NDSA membership or affiliation is required. Self-nomination is accepted and encouraged, as are submissions reflecting the needs and accomplishments of historically marginalized and underrepresented communities.
Awards categories are:
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Individual Award: Recognizing those individuals making a significant contribution to the digital preservation community through advances in theory or practice.
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Educator Award: Recognizing academics, trainers, and curricular endeavors promoting effective and inventive approaches to digital preservation education through academic programs, partnerships, professional development opportunities, and curriculum development.
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Future Steward Award: Recognizing students and early-career professionals making an impact on advancing knowledge and practice of digital preservation stewardship.
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Organization Award: Recognizing those organizations providing support, guidance, advocacy, or leadership for the digital preservation community.
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Project Award: Recognizing those activities whose goals or outcomes make a significant contribution or strategic or conceptual understanding necessary for successful digital preservation stewardship.
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Sustainability Award: Recognizing those activities whose goals or outcomes make a significant contribution to operational trustworthiness, monitoring, maintenance, or intervention necessary for sustainable digital preservation stewardship.
We encourage you to help us highlight and reward distinctive approaches to digital preservation practice. Please submit nominations here: 2025 NDSA Excellence Awards Nominations form. For more information and details on awards from previous years, please visit our webpage.
Nominations will be accepted until Monday, June 23, 2025. Awards will be presented at the NDSA Digital Preservation 2025 conference this fall.
Questions can be sent to the Excellence Awards working group co-chairs: Jessica Venlet (jmvenlet@gmail.com) and Matt Mceniry (Matthew.Mceniry@ttu.edu).