Excellence Award

Award Definition: Honors mid- to late-career OTR and COTA certificants who have made sustained and outstanding contributions to occupational therapy practice through leadership, mentorship, scholarship, advocacy, entrepreneurship, or other efforts to support groups, communities, and populations.

Eligibility Requirements

• Current NBCOT certification in good standing is required for the award nominee
• Certified for at least 10 years
• Strong connection to the NBCOT mission must be demonstrated

Geographic Scope

• Not limited to United States; international work is eligible

Award Benefits

• Award recognition
• Featured spotlight in NBCOT publications and social media
• Press release to share the news
• Free certification renewal for the next renewal cycle

Contact Information

• Mailing Address: One Bank Street, Suite 300, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
• Phone: 1-301-990-7979
• Email: info@nbcot.org
• Website: https://www.nbcot.org/awards/excellence-award

Application Status

The application submission window is currently closed. Decisions are announced in mid-summer.

How to Apply

1. Access the award application platform and create an account
   • You can also log in using your Google username and password
2. Complete the award application
3. Attach the following required documents:
   • One (1) professional letter of recommendation/reference
   • Nominee's résumé
4. Submit the application

Note: Self-nomination or nomination by others is accepted.

Application Questions

Describe the nominee's most outstanding and sustained contributions to OT practice:

• Highlight a few specific and notable efforts that stand out
• Indicate if the nominee was the lead/primary contributor or if the contribution was a group effort

Describe how the nominee has demonstrated leadership, mentorship, scholarship, advocacy, or entrepreneurship through their contributions:

• Provide specific examples and/or attachments
• Any attachments should complement the written response

How have groups, communities, and/or populations directly benefited from the nominee's contributions?

• Describe how the nominee has tailored their efforts to serve these groups effectively
• Include concrete examples and any form of evidence that demonstrates effectiveness or positive outcomes for the specified group, community, or population
• Any attachments should complement the written response

How does the nominee's personal philosophy inspire their commitment to making these sustained contributions?

• Personal philosophy should clearly describe the nominee's motivations, values, and guiding principles
• Explain how these shape contributions to OT practice

Submission Tips

• Develop thoughtful responses; avoid rushing
• Stay on track and always connect responses back to the question
• Avoid simply restating questions in your own words
• Include details and examples where indicated
• Avoid broad or vague language
• Keep responses clear and simple to understand
• Be objective about the work
• Consider working with the nominee (if nominating someone else) for a more detailed and well-rounded application
• The application platform saves your work as you go; you can enter and exit multiple times
• Use the "Collaborator" feature to invite others to view and/or edit your application
• Complete time: less than 30 minutes (if materials are prepared in advance)