Nominations are accepted in two categories: Professional Leadership and Program Impact. These prestigious awards bring national recognition to outstanding professionals, who provide leadership at Network member agencies and are leaders within The Network, and best practice programs that stand out for their impact.

Please take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to nominate an exceptional program and/or leader you feel deserves to be recognized at PowerNET 2026.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, January 30, 2026. Award decisions for the professional leadership and program impact categories will be communicated in early March after the Review Committee has met. The Committee may choose to make one or more awards in a category.

If you are submitting a nomination for the Program Impact Award and have already submitted an application for the program for the Innovation Exchange, please email Linda Blumberg. You will not need to submit a second application for the Program Impact Award.

Please note that any professional leader who or a program at an agency that previously won an award is not eligible for renomination. A list of previous winners can be found here. Network Board members are not eligible for the Professional Leadership award.

Information & Eligibility

• Winners will be recognized at the PowerNET Conference.
• Winners of Professional Leadership or Program Impact Awards (or a representative) are encouraged to attend the Conference to receive their awards in person.
• Member agencies that submit nominations or are nominated for awards must be in good standing with The Network.
• Member agencies may submit only one nomination per award category.
• The Program Impact Award winners will be invited to present a NETTalk on their program.

This award category recognizes the important work of dedicated lay leaders to member agencies and the Jewish human service sector. Every Network member agency is invited and encouraged to identify and submit the name of a lay leader whom they wish to honor with The Network Lay Leadership Award of Excellence.

We encourage all member agencies to select one exceptional lay leader, who has made a significant impact on your agency and community, to honor with a Network Lay Leadership Award of Excellence. Only one lay leader per agency can be submitted.

Past awardees have found the award very meaningful, and many lay leaders come to PowerNET to receive their award in person. The PowerNET 2026 awards will be presented on May 6 at the Annual Meeting/Awards’ Ceremony. Each selected lay leader receives a special certificate of recognition from The Network for their service to their organization, community, and the human service field. All lay leaders’ names, along with a description of their service contributions, will be included in a list of awardees that will be publicized at PowerNET and on The Network’s website. Lay leaders on the Network Board can be selected by their agency for the Lay Leadership Award. The Network will also provide a news template that agencies can use locally to help promote their Lay Leadership Award winner as a lay leader who is being recognized nationally.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, January 30, 2026. Lay Leaders whose names have been submitted for the award will receive notification in early March.