2026 President’s Award Nominations
NOMINATIONS DUE FRIDAY, JUNE 12
The NAGDCA – Art Caple President’s Award, established in 2019 to honor the legacy of past NAGDCA president Art Caple, recognizes excellence in public sector defined contribution plans. This prestigious award celebrates successful multi-year strategic initiatives that demonstrate sustained impact on participant outcomes.
Two outstanding plans are awarded annually – one with total assets under management (AUM) of $500 million or more and one with AUM below this threshold, ensuring that plans of different sizes are recognized for their commitment to participant-focused retirement planning.
The recipients of the NAGDCA – Art Caple President’s Award will be announced and honored during the NAGDCA Annual Conference, where their exemplary contributions to participant-focused retirement planning will be celebrated and recognized by industry peers.
Each winning plan receives a complimentary 2027 NAGDCA Annual Conference registration for one individual.
Nomination Requirements
Plan Eligibility
The award is open to all public sector defined contribution plans administered by government entities. The nominee must be a member of NAGDCA. Nominees will be evaluated within their respective categories to ensure fair comparisons based on available resources and plan size. Plans will be categorized as follows:
- Standard Plan – Plans with total assets under management (AUM) of less than $500 million
- Large Plan – Plans with assets of $500 million or more
Dual Submissions
Each eligible plan may submit only one Art Caple President’s Award nomination per award year. The same project or initiative may not be submitted for both a NAGDCA Leadership Award and the Art Caple President’s Award in the same year.
Project or Program Scope
Nominees must demonstrate involvement in a completed multi-year strategic project or program aimed at enhancing participant outcomes, such as retirement readiness, financial literacy, or investment education. Initiatives that are single year in scope are not eligible and should be submitted for consideration under the NAGDCA Leadership Awards. Governmental staff must have played a role in developing and/or implementing the program.
Significant Impact
Nominees should illustrate the measurable impact of their initiative on participant financial security and well-being. This may include increased plan participation rates, improved investment performance, enhanced retirement readiness metrics, or other tangible outcomes.
Innovation and Creativity
Nominated projects should showcase novel approaches and creative strategies in addressing the evolving needs and challenges of plan participants. Submissions should reflect original thinking and be clearly distinct from prior award nominations to be considered innovative.
Participant-Centric Approach
Nominees must embody a participant-first mentality, prioritizing the interests and financial goals of plan participants in all aspects of plan administration and service delivery.
Documentation and Supporting Materials
Nominations must be provided as one PDF document no longer than 10 pages that includes:
- An executive summary (required as the first page) that clearly highlights the initiative’s outcomes and measurable results. The summary should address: “What did you accomplish?”
- A plan profile outlining the types of plans offered, plan asset category (per the $500M threshold), asset size, number of participants, industry partner(s), etc.
- Comprehensive documentation outlining the project’s objectives, implementation strategies, and results achieved.
- Supporting materials, such as participant testimonials, performance metrics, or educational resources.
Submissions that do not follow the format and requirements outlined below may be returned for revision and could be disqualified from scoring if there is insufficient time to make corrections.