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2024 Awards Nomination Period Is OPEN Through March 1, 2024





If you have questions about the ACNM awards, please contact Lily Mecke at [email protected] for further assistance.


Lifetime Visionary Award (Previously Known as the Hattie Award)
The Lifetime Visionary Award honors an exceptional CNM/CM who is an ACNM member, has been certified for at least ten years, and has provided either continuous outstanding contributions or distinguished service to midwifery and/or MCH, or contributions of historical significance to the development and advancement of midwifery, ACNM, or MCH. **Sitting Board of Directors members are not eligible for this award.

Excellence in Leadership and Innovation Award (Previously Known as the Kitty Award)
The Excellence in Leadership and Innovation Award honors an exceptional, relatively new CNM/CM who is an ACNM member, has been certified for less than ten years, and has demonstrated innovative, creative endeavors in midwifery and/or women's health clinical practice, education, administration, or research.  **Sitting Board of Directors members are not eligible for this award.

Additional Awards
The following awards are not necessarily given yearly and there may be more than one recipient in a given year. Nominations must come from an ACNM member or staff. Nominees may be a CNM/CM, ACNM staff, other professional or a consumer. If the nominee is a CNM/CM, then he/she must be an ACNM member in good standing. To submit a nomination for one of these awards, please click here.


Exemplary Partner Award 

This award honors an individual and/or organization partner that aided in the development and advancement of midwifery. 

Health Equity Award 

This award honors an exceptional CNM/CM who is an ACNM member and has provided outstanding contributions in advancing health equity and eliminating health disparities through clinical practice, education, administration, scholarship, research, community building, or advocacy. **Sitting Board of Directors members are not eligible for this award.


Distinguished Service Award

This award recognizes a CNM/CM who is an ACNM member for an unusual and exemplary effort in the field of community service, innovation in midwifery practice, education or research. **Sitting Board of Directors members are not eligible for this award.

Media Award
This award honors a media event, a book, a film, an expression of art that presented midwifery in an accurate and positive manner and in doing so helped to promote the profession of midwifery. The nominee need not be a CNM/CM.  **Sitting Board of Directors members are not eligible for this award.

Public Policy Award
This award recognizes legislative, regulatory or health policy effort that furthered the profession of midwifery or has a significant impact on the practice of midwifery either nationally or locally. The nominee need not be a CNM/CM. **Sitting Board of Directors members are not eligible for this award.

Outstanding Preceptor Award
This award honors a preceptor of student CNM/CMs who has shown outstanding qualities for leadership and teaching, been a mentor for multiple students, and has repeatedly promoted high standards of midwifery education. Nominations will be submitted by educational programs. The preceptor need not be a CNM/CM. If the preceptor is a CNM/CM, ACNM membership is required. 

Excellence in Teaching Award
This award honors one teacher from each ACME pre-accredited/accredited education program who has shown outstanding qualities for teaching, who has inspired students to excel and who repeatedly promoted high standards of midwifery education. The nominee need not be a CNM/CM. If the nominee is a CNM/CM, ACNM membership is required. 

Regional Awards
The following awards are presented by the ACNM BOD Regional Representatives at any time during the year with the exception of the Exemplary Affiliate Award, which is presented at the ACNM Annual Meeting. Submission criteria is listed for each award.

Exemplary Affiliate Award
This award is decided by the Regional Representative and the National Office staff and given to an affiliate that demonstrates one of the following:
  • Exemplified aspects of effective member communication and organizational structure
  • Tackled a challenging project
  • Actively engaged members in effecting a positive change in legislation
  • Overall, represented the ACNM Vision, Mission, and Values on the affiliate level

Clinical Stars Awards

This award is given in honor of midwives in clinical practice for 25 or more years who are members of ACNM and who have demonstrated excellence in clinical practice and positive mentoring of other CNM/CMs.

"Midwifing Midwives for a Lifetime" Commendation
This honor recognizes midwifery education programs that have educated midwifery students, increased access to midwifery education through innovation and service and put the heart of midwifery into their educational program. Award applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

With Women for a Lifetime Commendation
This honor recognizes midwifery services that have provided innovative and compassionate midwifery care to families, expanded access to women's health care as provided by certified nurse-midwives and/or certified midwives, and put the heart of midwifery into practice.

Every midwifery practice is eligible to apply for one silver (at least ten years of service) and golden (at least twenty years of service) commendation, and one platinum (at least 40 years of service) commendation.



There are also scholarships, awards, and opportunities available from the A.C.N.M. Foundation.

If you have questions about the ACNM awards, please contact Lily Mecke at lmecke[email protected] for further assistance. 




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