NextGen Public
Service Awards

Nominations Are Now Open

 

GovLoop is proud to host the NextGen Public Service Awards, recognizing superior public service and achievement each year at the NextGen Government Training Virtual Summit. The awards recognize deserving individuals selected from the public service community for their intelligence, exuberance and dedication to improving and invigorating government.

Please see below for more information on the awards, eligibility details, the selection process and frequently asked questions.

Award Details & Eligibility Information

General Information
Nominations will be accepted from now through July 31, 2026. Award winners will be notified Aug. 20, 2026, and the category winners are recognized at the NextGen Government Training Virtual Summit on Oct. 21, 2026.

Please read more about the award categories and their specific attributes. The selection committee will determine and assign categories based on the information submitted via the nomination form.

Nominations can be submitted for individuals only. We understand that it takes a village to make change happen; however, we limit award recognition to one person who represents the larger team and their achievements.

Nominator Eligibility
Nominators can come from a range of people — govie, non-govie, colleague, or supervisor. However, we do not accept self-nominations.

Nominee Eligibility
While nominators are not required to be government employees, nominees must be current government employees working at any level of government. When submitting the nomination form, please provide accomplishments within the last two years. We want to ensure the finalists are being recognized for recent achievements taking place in government.

Please read on below for more information.

Award Categories

Manager of the Year

This category recognizes a manager or supervisor who goes above and beyond for their team and individual contributors.
 They actually care about their team, show up for them, listen to their ideas and advocate needs to upper management on their behalf.

Innovator of the Year

This category recognizes an individual who has identified and improved their organization in an innovative way, through remote/hybrid work, brought a process up-to-date or found a way to enhance virtual culture at your agency.

Advancing the Mission Award

This category recognizes an individual who consistently makes a meaningful impact within their agency. Through initiative, collaboration, and a results-driven mindset, this person turns challenges into progress and ideas into action.
Their work moves the mission forward, improves how government operates, and delivers real value for employees, stakeholders, and the public they serve.

Tech Champion

This category recognizes a forward thinker who has utilized technology as part of their approach to transformation.
This individual is an innovative thinker who is trying to move their agency to tools like artificial intelligence or machine learning in order to allow more time for employees to actually do their mission-critical work.

Connector of the Year

This category recognizes an individual who excels at bringing people, teams, and partners together across their agency. This person builds strong relationships, breaks down silos, and creates meaningful connections that help ideas move faster and work get done.
Through collaboration and influence — not just messaging — they keep employees and stakeholders aligned, engaged, and moving toward shared goals.

Selection Process

Two award winners are selected for each category. For each category, nominees must:

  • Be dedicated to public service at the local, state, or federal level.

  • Have made an impact on their work.

  • Continue to strive for excellence and positively advance their organization’s mission.

Each nominee will be thoughtfully considered for the award by a selection committee. Award winners will be notified on Aug. 20, 2026, and will be announced at the Oct. 21, 2026, NextGen Virtual Summit.

The selection committee will score each nominee based solely on what is provided via the nomination form and finalists will be selected based on:

  • The impact they have made on their work or their colleagues.

  • Their leadership qualities.

  • Their commitment to continuously improve government.

  • Their ability to make positive change happen.

FAQ

Who can submit a nomination?
Anyone can submit a nomination, but the nominator must be very familiar with the nominee’s work and accomplishments, which are directly related to public service.

Can I nominate myself?
No, but you can ask someone else to nominate you!

Can I nominate a team?
We only accept individual nominations. You can nominate multiple people individually on a team.

Who is eligible for a NextGen Public Service Award?
Please see the eligibility requirements in the respective section above. All government employees at any level of government are eligible to be nominated.

Which awards category should I select?
There is a dropdown to select which category you think your nominee best fits. The selection committee will designate the final categories based on information provided on the nomination form.

Is there a limit to how many nominations I can submit?
Nope! The more, the merrier.

Does NextGen require agency/office approval before accepting the nomination?
No. While some agencies or divisions may conduct their own internal review process, we do not require advance approval by any particular office.

Who chooses the finalists and winners?
The award winners are determined by a selection committee following careful review of the nominations.

I just submitted a nomination! When can I expect to hear from you?
Nominators and nominees will receive emails on Aug. 20, 2026, notifying them of the status of the nomination.

I still have questions. Who can I contact?
For additional information, contact Leah Anderson at nextgen@govloop.com.

Submit a Nomination Now

Meeting our clients' needs is our first and only priority. Ultimately, we only feel successful when our clients are happy throughout the entire process.

– Karen Justice, Managing Partner

Meeting our clients' needs is our first and only priority. Ultimately, we only feel successful when our clients are happy throughout the entire process.

– Karen Justice, Managing Partner
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