Awards and Scholarships

The Society of American Archivists annually recognizes leaders and achievers in the field of archives. SAA offers a variety of professional recognitions and financial assistance through an awards competition, student scholarships, and the naming of Fellows.

Do you know of an individual or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to the archives profession? Or promoted greater public awareness of archives? Have you published a groundbreaking book, written an outstanding article, or developed an innovative finding aid? Do you need financial assistance to attend a professional conference or graduate school? Click on the links below to learn more about SAA's twenty different recognitions and to nominate a deserving colleague—or yourself!  

The deadline for submitting a nomination or application is February 28. Nominators/applicants are apprised of the selection committee's decision in May. Awards are officially presented during the SAA Annual Meeting. 

Fellows of the Society of American Archivists

Awards for Contributions to the Archives Profession

• Distinguished Service Award  

For an archival institution, education program, nonprofit organization, or government organization that has provided outstanding service to its public and has made an exemplary contribution to the archives profession; prize: a plaque     

• Sister M. Claude Lane, O.P., Memorial Award

For significant contribution to the field of religious archives; prize: a certificate and $300

• Spotlight Award

For work for the good of the archives profession and of archival collections; prize: a certificate and complimentary registration for individual or group (up to 5) for SAA Annual Meeting

• Diversity Award 

For outstanding contributions in advancing diversity; prize: a certificate and one complimentary registration for SAA Annual Meeting

• Archival Innovator Award

For the greatest overall current impact on the profession; prize: a certificate and one complimentary registration for SAA Annual Meeting

• Mark A. Greene Emerging Leader Award

For early-career archivists who have demonstrated significant promise of leadership; prize: a certificate

• J. Franklin Jameson Archival Advocacy Award

For promoting greater public awareness, appreciation, or support of archival activities or programs; prize: a plaque

Awards for Writing and Publishing

• C.F.W. Coker Award

For finding aids, tools or projects that involve innovative development in archival description; prize: a certificate and $250

• Waldo Gifford Leland Award

For writing of superior excellence and usefulness in the field of archival history, theory, or practice; prize: a certificate and $1,000

• Preservation Publication Award

For outstanding published work related to archives preservation; prize: a certificate and $750

• Theodore Calvin Pease Award

For superior writing achievement by a student of archival studies as nominated by his/her instructor; prize: a certificate and $250, as well as publication in the American Archivist

• Philip M. Hamer-Elizabeth Hamer Kegan Award

For increasing public awareness of a specific body of documents; prize: a certificate and $500

Travel Awards and Student Scholarships

• Mosaic Scholarship

Financial and mentoring support to students of color pursuing graduate education in archival science, encourages students to pursue a career as an archivist, and promotes the diversification of the American archives profession; prize: a scholarship of $5,000, complimentary 1-year membership to SAA, and complimentary registration for SAA Annual Meeting

• Josephine Forman Scholarship

Financial support to minority students pursuing graduate education in archival science, encourages students to pursue a career as an archivist, and promotes the diversification of the American archives profession; prize: a scholarship of $10,000, complimentary registration for SAA Annual Meeting, and possible invitation to attend General Commission on Archives and History meeting (with funding provided)

• Brenda S. Banks Travel Award

Recognizes and acknowledges individuals of color who have demonstrated professional archival experience and manifest an interest in becoming active members of the Society of American Archivists; prize: complimentary registration, hotel, and travel to attend the SAA Annual Meeting, as well as complimentary 1-year membership to SAA

• Donald Peterson Student Travel Award

Supports students and recent graduates from graduate archival education degree programs within North America to attend SAA’s Annual Meeting; prize: complimentary registration, hotel, and travel (up to $1,500) to attend the SAA Annual Meeting

• Harold T. Pinkett Student of Color Award

Recognizes and acknowledges graduate students of color who, through scholastic and personal achievement, manifest an interest in becoming professional archivists and active members of the Society of American Archivists; prize:  complimentary registration, hotel, and travel to attend the SAA Annual Meeting, as well as complimentary 1-year membership to SAA

• Oliver Wendell Holmes Award

Enables international archivists, who are currently training or studying in the United States or Canada, to augment their experience by traveling to the Annual Meeting of the Society of American Archivists; prize: a certificate and $1,000

Awards Selected by SAA Fellows

• F. Gerald Ham and Elsie Ham Scholarship

Financial support to graduate students in a professional archival studies program; prize: a scholarship of $10,000 and complimentary registration for the SAA Annual Meeting

• Fellows’ Ernst Posner Award

For outstanding essay in most recent volume of the American Archivist: prize: a certificate and $500

Additionally, the SAA Council may, at its discretion, give the SAA Council Exemplary Service Award for special contributions to the archives profession. These are officially presented during the SAA Annual Meeting.