The Extended Research Award recognizes an ACA member who has conducted and published high-quality basic or applied research over an extended period of time (not less than 10 years) on issues of significance and interest to the counseling profession.

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, which may be either basic or applied, must:

  • Have been carried out over the course of at least ten (10) years prior to the year the award will be presented. You must document the approximate date the research began.
  • Answer questions and investigate ideas that are concerned with problems of interest and significance to the counseling profession and have findings that can be applied beyond the immediate research setting. Do not nominate projects that are not original research (i.e., reviews of research).
  • Address issues that relate to areas of interest to one or more ACA divisions and/or organizational affiliates.
  • Have been carried out using research procedures of the highest quality, including clear definitions of populations, selection of appropriate sampling techniques and controls, use of appropriate research design, appropriate and accurate statistical treatment of data and use of valid, reliable instruments.
  • Show a careful interpretation of the results and conclusions that do not go beyond the data.
  • 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:

  • State the purpose of the research or area of inquiry, which must be a systematic inquiry to discover facts or principles.
  • Identify one or more ACA divisions or organizational affiliates to which the research is relevant.
  • Describe how these findings are important to the counseling profession.
  • Indicate the period during which the research was conducted.
  • Include an annotated bibliography of published research of all ACA publications and those in counseling, psychology, sociology, measurement and educational research.
  • Include a sample of published research demonstrating the importance of the line of inquiry.

Nomination Checklist:

  • Nominee biography
  • Nomination letter
  • Supporting materials
  • Maximum of two letters of recommendation
  • Research overview (including annotated bibliography and sample of published research)
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