The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC), in partnership with Civic Federal Credit Union, proudly presents the Excellence in Innovation Awards. These awards recognize county programs that highlight innovative solutions and achieve notable cost and resource savings, improving services and operations across North Carolina counties.
Award Categories
Each year, the Excellence in Innovation Awards celebrate outstanding county programs in several categories, including but not limited to:
General Government
Health and Human Services
Public Information/Participation
Intergovernmental Collaboration
Winning programs are honored at the NCACC Annual Conference, held every August.
2026 Excellence in Innovation Awards
Application Period: Opens March 2, 2026, and closes April 20, 2026
Awards Presentation: Thursday, August 20, 2026, at the NCACC 119th Annual Conference in Durham County
Eligibility: Programs implemented or improved between January 1 – December 31, 2025
Approval Required: Submissions must be approved by a county manager or department head
No Entry Limit: Submit as many programs as you would like — counties are eligible for up to two awards
Showcase Your County’s Innovation
Counties are encouraged to submit their innovative programs for consideration. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase your county’s successful initiatives and share achievements with peers across the state. For more information or questions about the Excellence in Innovation Awards, please reach out to NCACC Conferences and Events Coordinator Lauralynn Ellis.
Congratulations to the 2025 Civic Excellence in Innovation Award winners! The awards program received nearly 50 applications this year, highlighting the great work taking place across North Carolina counties. After a thorough review by county leaders, staff, and previous award winners, the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) and Civic Federal Credit Union are proud to name 10 outstanding projects as recipients of the 2025 Excellence in Innovation Awards.
Cumberland County – Healthy Conversations
Cumberland County – Social Work Simulation Training
Durham County – DCo Votes Mobile Application
Durham County – Partnering for Progress: Spanish Language Programming
Halifax County – Improving Communication & Efficiency in the Tax Department
Iredell County – Mobile Health Unit
Martin County – Expanding Career & Technical Education to Enhance Economic Growth
County programs that fit the following descriptions may apply for the awards:
General Government — Programs related to environmental protection, economic development, libraries, arts, parks and recreation, human/race relations, mentoring for employees or youth, and general county administrative services.
Human Services — Programs related to social services, health, mental health, and other services to aid the elderly, disabled, low-income individuals, youth, and others in need.
Public Information/Participation — Programs that inform and/or involve citizens in county programs or services. Programs may target specific audiences, such as news media, civic groups, youth, or the general citizenry. Examples include Youth Advisory Councils or other citizens groups designed to engage constituents in the decision-making process.
Intergovernmental Collaboration — Programs that involve more than one jurisdiction (e.g., another county, municipality, state, or federal agency) in delivering services or information to county residents.
The categories above are intended to group similar programs together for judging purposes. NCACC staff will organize the applications into the categories based on the program descriptions and characteristics. All county programs are eligible, even if they do not precisely match one of the categories. Programs that do not elsewhere will be entered as General Government programs.
Each entry must be approved by the county manager or department head. Applications must be completed in full and received by the NCACC by the posted deadline. Programs must have been implemented or improved between January 1 and December 31 of the preceding year. There is no limit to the number of entries a county may submit, but each county may receive a maximum of two awards.
Applications are judged by a panel of county leaders, department heads, staff, and previous award winners. Judges evaluate programs based on innovative solutions to the stated county need, measurable results, use of available resources, and the program’s potential to be replicated by other counties.
Award winners will be notified of their selection in July. Winners are encouraged to attend the NCACC Annual Conference to be recognized for their achievements. Additional details will be provided when award winners are selected.
