The ACA Research Award honors and recognizes high-quality, original research conducted by an ACA member (or an ACA member and other colleagues working in collaboration) in areas of interest to the counseling profession and the divisions or organizational affiliates of ACA.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
For the purpose of this award, research involves systematic inquiry or investigation using quantitative or qualitative techniques that result in usable findings and recommendations for the field.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE 
Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 11:59pm ET 

AWARD NOTIFICATION 
Week of January 12, 2026

JUDGES 
ACA Awards Committee

PRIZE 
Complimentary registration for the 2026 ACA Conference and Expo (April 9-11, 2026, Columbus, Ohio) and recognition during the event. Winners will receive further information at the time of award notification.

Sponsor:  The American Counseling Association Foundation

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ELIGIBILITY, RULES AND CRITERIA
The research must:

  • Be published between September 2024 to August 31, 2025, in a research journal specializing in counseling, psychology, measurement or education.
  • Involve systematic inquiry or investigation using quantitative or qualitative techniques that result in usable findings and recommendations for the field. Restrict nominations to projects that are original research.
  • Be concerned with problems of interest and significance to the counseling profession, with findings that are applicable beyond the immediate setting.
  • Be in an area of interest to one or more ACA division or organizational affiliate.
  • Use research procedures that are of the highest quality, including a clear definition of population, selection of appropriate sampling techniques and controls, use of appropriate research design, adequate and correct quantitative or qualitative analysis of data and use of valid, reliable instruments.
  • Show careful interpretation of results and conclusions that do not go beyond the data.
  • Be scholarly in organization and presentation.
  • Nominations must come from an ACA member. Self-nominations are accepted.
  • The awardee must be an ACA member.
  • An individual can only be nominated for one award per year.

NOMINATION GUIDELINES
In your nomination submission, briefly:

  • Clearly state the purpose of the study, which must be an original, systematic inquiry to discover facts or principles.
  • Briefly describe how the findings of the research are important for the counseling profession and identify one or more ACA divisions or affiliates to which this research is relevant.
  • Include one copy of the research article, including the publication date.

Nomination Checklist:

  • Nominee biography
  • Nomination letter
  • Supporting materials
  • At least one but no more than two, letters of recommendation
  • Research overview (including one copy of the research article)