European Association Awards 2027

Celebrating excellence in the Association community

29 April 2027 | Brussels

Venue
TheMerode | Place Poelaert 6, 1000 Brussels
A beautifully renovated 16th-century building in the heart of Brussels, right next to the Palace of Justice.

Good to know
TheMerode is on Place Poelaert in the city centre, a long way from Merode metro station in Etterbeek. Plan your route to Place Poelaert and you'll be in the right spot.

By metro
Louise station on lines 2 and 6 is about a five-minute walk away. Both lines run directly from Brussels-Midi.

By tram
Trams 92 and 93 stop at Poelaert, a two-minute walk from the door.

By train
From Brussels-Midi, hop on metro 2 or 6 to Louise. Coming from Brussels Airport, take the train to Brussels-Midi and switch there.

By car
Interparking Place Poelaert sits right on the square. Parking in the area is limited, so public transport is the easier option.

By bike
TheMerode has bike parking on site.

Overview

The European Association Awards recognise outstanding Association projects and the professionals who deliver them. A jury of Association leaders selects the winning projects, which are then shared across the sector as examples of best practice.

What’s in it for the Winners?

- Take the stage at the Awards Ceremony and hold your trophy in front of 300 association professionals

- Get a video interview showcasing your winning project

- See your case study published in Boardroom Magazine

- Gain the opportunity to present your case study later in the year to an engaged ESAE audience

4 Categories

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Rewards projects built around the principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, either within the Association, or externally, with regard to its members, stakeholders, or the general public. The Award will also consider the concrete impact of the presented projects.

Digital Communication

Rewards the use of innovative digital tools in the optimisation of an Association's outreach or of its ability to represent the interests of its members towards institutions and the general public.

Event Innovation

Rewards innovation in the rethinking of an Association's meetings and events. It can pertain to the design and format of an event, or to the use of new technologies to make it more inclusive, efficient, sustainable, or able to reach more stakeholders.

Impact

Rewards projects focusing on the overarching vision and values of an Association rather than on its day-to-day operations. This can include a legacy project, a charity initiative, a mentoring or educational programme, or a policy impact.

After registrations are closed, the Secretariat verify eligibility. Applications are shared with the jury for evaluation.

Application Process

Any Association (i.e.: membership-based, not-for-profit, organisation) conducting some of its activities in Europe can apply, regardless of whether it is an ESAE member or not.
Nominations from Association Management companies directly, public authorities or corporate entities are not eligible.
An Association can apply for two different categories but with different projects.
After registering to the platform, applicants can begin their submission by providing a title and short description, KPIs used, as well as quantitative data, including overall budget and measurements. Finally, they will be asked for the lessons learned and the future steps aligned with their organisation's mission and vision.
Applications can be saved and be resumed at a later stage if not all data is in hand.

Eligibility Criteria

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Contact us at info@esae.eu