The Council of State Archivists (CoSA) Awards Program is pleased to acknowledge individuals, institutions, and programs that have enriched and strengthened our nation's state and territorial archives. The Awards Program rewards innovative efforts and provides encouragement for the development of new and remarkable projects. By recognizing exemplary achievements, the CoSA hopes to inspire others to make similar contributions to the field of government archives. The awards will be presented at the CoSA annual meeting and all recipients will be recognized on CoSA's website and other communication outlets.
For more information about each award, directions for applying, and a list of past recipients, click on the titles below.
2025 Nominations, Selection, and Presentation Schedule
Sample Press Release
Award winners can use this Sample Press Release to help publicize their award.
The Council of State Archivists Awards Program is generously sponsored by
Victoria Irons Walch Leadership Award
Recognizes the sustained leadership and outstanding contributions of an individual or institution to the development of state and territorial archives or to CoSA.
Victoria Irons Walch Emerging Leader Award
Encourages the development of an emerging leader in state and territorial archives by providing training funds for an individual to attend leadership training.
Advocacy for Archives Award
This award acknowledges an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to efforts by state, territorial, and local government archives to ensure the preservation and availability of the American historical record.
CoSA-NHPRC SHRAB Award of Merit
CoSA and the NHPRC are pleased to recognize outstanding SHRAB single or multi-year projects and programs with the SHRAB Award of Merit.
Ancestry Leadership Award
Established in 2014 through the generous support of Ancestry, this award exists to support our next generation of leaders in state/territory government archives. Nominees will have demonstrated their leadership to the field of government archives and CoSA. Support is offered to mid-career employees at CoSA member institutions to attend the CoSA Annual Meeting to advance their understanding of the field and collaborate with colleagues.
Rising Star Awards
These awards acknowledge outstanding contributions by individual staff.
Atlas Travel Stipend
Established in 2024 through the generous support of Atlas, this award is intended to promote growth and inclusion by supporting travel to the CoSA Annual Meeting for those individuals who are typically underrepresented in the CoSA Community. The Awards Committee defines “underrepresented” in the broadest way, and nominees may represent such communities as an individual or by the institution at which they work. By receiving this support, individuals can contribute to critical conversations in the field and make important connections with colleagues.
CoSA Travel Stipend
Recognizing the value of networking with colleagues, the CoSA Board of Directors established this opportunity in 2024 to provide travel support for the CoSA community to attend the CoSA annual meeting.
CoSA Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award was created by the CoSA Awards Committee in 2023 to recognize a peer who has performed dedicated service to CoSA and, in so doing, elevated the work and the voice of state and territorial archives. The recipient will be nominated by and chosen at the discretion of the committee, and may not be given every year.
President's Awards of Excellence
The President's Awards of Excellence are given at the discretion of the CoSA President and are not open for nominations.