2026 Pinnacle Award for Business Development Nomination

DISCLAIMER

This nomination information will be shared with other states on the Workforce Innovation Awards Nominations website. This public website contains Innovation Award nominations from previous years and indexes them by topic as a shared resource for all states.

Description

The Pinnacle Award for Business Development honors a state workforce agency, or partnership involving a state workforce agency, for an innovative business services initiative, innovative business services framework, or effort of national impact, that addresses the employment/workforce needs of businesses at one or several stages (growth, maintenance, downsizing) and results in significant positive impacts for businesses.

Nominations should be for projects, strategies, or initiatives that have been implemented within the past few years.

Criteria (choose one as primary focus)

Innovative Initiative: a strategy, tool, program, or initiative that addresses one or more business service needs, building on partnerships, leveraging funding, and achieving successful outcomes for businesses
Innovative Framework: a logical framework or model for serving businesses that relies on: predictive data/assessments; innovative business outreach methods; strategic partnerships; leveraged funding; a broad mix of services; behavioral insights, customer-centered design, or process improvement strategies; and/or other elements or methods, and results in integrated and streamlined service delivery, the right services at the right time, and successful outcomes for businesses
National Impact: a commitment to sharing its insights, including exhibiting evidence-based practices that can be replicated, with implications for other states, other industries, and national policymakers

Eligible Nominees

The state workforce agency or a partnership or initiative involving the state workforce agency, must be named as the nominee of the award. The award may recognize specific individuals or agencies within the nomination, such as, but not limited to: the governor, elected official, state administrator, state employment and training director, state staff member(s), business owner or representative, workforce partner, or advocacy group.

Nomination Requirements

Must be submitted by 5:00 pm ET, December 12, 2025
Submit a completed award nomination;
Contain answers to the questions listed on the nomination form within the prescribed word limit;
Include a statement of approval from the agency administrator; and,
Be the single nomination for that state in this category.

Selection Process

The NASWA Employment and Training Committee’s Awards Subcommittee will review all nominations and recommend the recipient to the Chair of the Committee who will approve the selection.