2024 Leadership Award Nominations
Nominations due Friday, April 19
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A NOMINATION CHECKLIST
NAGDCA Leadership Award nominations are now open! We need your help identifying NAGDCA members who have done incredible work over the past year to create secure retirement futures for their public sector employees. NAGDCA’s Leadership Awards are given in five categories, and winners are selected by the Awards Committee who review and score each nomination.
Plans of all types and sizes are encouraged to submit nominations. Asset size and plan resources will be taken into consideration during the scoring process. Industry partners may nominate clients or plans may self-nominate. The winners are announced in August and will be recognized at NAGDCA’s Annual Conference in September. Please review the categories and guidelines closely before preparing a nomination.
NAGDCA-Art Caple President’s Award – Separate Nomination Process for 2024.
NEW – Is your plan currently spearheading a long-term project or campaign that’s yielding remarkable results? This year, the President’s Award criteria will undergo updates to spotlight strategic initiatives with enduring impacts, deserving of heightened recognition. Start collaborating with your team to identify potential submissions, and stay tuned for the nomination period opening in late April. Members will receive the updated award criteria in March for reference.
Leadership Award Categories
Holistic Financial Wellness
For plans that improved participant results with targeted messaging and/or education that underscores the connection between financial and physical health. For example, campaigns that address the impact financial stress has on employee physical health, productivity, and retirement savings AND how such stress often leads to participants prematurely tapping into retirement savings to pay their day-to-day and unforeseen expenses. Common campaign/program topics include college savings, college and credit card debt reduction, balancing work and personal wellbeing, elder care, post-retirement financial and care planning, and planning for future generations.
Plans of all sizes and types are encouraged to submit a nomination that includes details of the messaging and/or education, usage data, and success metrics demonstrating improved participant outcomes.
Materials and supporting media used to engage and inform should be included with the submission, if possible.
National Retirement Security Month (NRSM)
For plans that utilized this key NAGDCA platform to promote creative ideas and drive participant and plan results. NRSM is a dedicated time to focus on improving employee retirement outcomes. Plans may have utilized a universal campaign or their own custom campaign to promote NRSM.
Plans of all sizes are encouraged to submit a detailed nomination of the campaign and success metrics.
Communication materials and supporting media used to engage and inform should be included with the submission, if possible.
Participant Education & Communication
For plans that improved participant results with targeted multichannel messaging and/or education focused on topics other than holistic financial wellness. Plans making use of segmented content and research aimed at better serving the needs of diverse employees and participants are highly encouraged to submit a nomination in this category. Common award metrics include improved participation, increased contributions, appropriate asset allocation, successful plan asset retention, online tool usage, survey results, and more. (Both universal and custom campaigns are eligible.)
Plans of all sizes and types are encouraged to submit a nomination that includes success metrics demonstrating improved participant outcomes. Multi-vendor plans may consider submitting nominations detailing a creative marketing campaign developed to educate employees about the complexities of the market and raise awareness of the important benefit.
Communication materials and supporting media used to engage and inform should be included with the submission, if possible.
Plan Design & Administration
For plans that augmented plan design to positively impact participant results. This popular category includes investment lineup enhancements. Did your plan develop an ESG policy or strategy? Did you evaluate and implement an in-plan annuity or retirement income option? If so, this is the category for your submission. In addition to investment enhancements, other topics featured in this category may include automatic enrollment, Roth, customer service, adoption of ancillary plans (401a, HRA, HSA), plan document governance, vendor consolidation, and more.
Plans of all sizes and types are encouraged to submit a nomination detailing success metrics, participant results and/or administration improvements.
Communication materials and supporting media used to engage and inform should be included with the submission, if possible.
Technology & Cybersecurity
For plans that improved participants’ user experience through technological enhancements and/or demonstrated the ability to protect participant assets via fraud controls, cybersecurity policies, or other means. Common nominations in this category include website, mobile app, and online tool enhancements and communications campaigns aimed at protecting participants’ personal information. How did technology and/or cybersecurity improve your plan outcomes? This is the category to demonstrate those achievements.
Plans of all sizes are encouraged to submit a detailed nomination.
Communication materials and supporting media used to engage and inform should be included with the submission, if possible.
Nomination Information
Details & Eligibility
- Nominations are judged on measurable results that led to a sound improvement in the plan.
- Nominations are accepted from government members only and governmental staff must have played a significant role in developing and/or implementing the program, project, campaign, or activity.
- NAGDCA welcomes nominations from all public sector defined contribution plan types.
- Plan asset size/plan resources will be taken into consideration during the scoring process.
- Submitting the same nomination in multiple categories is discouraged. If submitting in multiple categories, please ensure that each nomination is unique.
- Prior nominations will not be considered for an award.
- Awards will be limited to up to five winners in each category to ensure that awards are a testament to offering the best retirement savings plans.
Timeline
- April 19 – Award nominations due.
- August – Award recipients notified.
- September – Awards presented to government members and their industry partners at the 2024 NAGDCA Annual Conference.
