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GOVERNMENT & POLICY AWARDS - COASTAL SUMMIT
BEST RESTORED BEACH AWARDS
BEST RESTORED SHORE AWARDS
PROFESSIONAL & PROJECT AWARDS - NATIONAL COASTAL CONFERENCE
STUDENT AWARDS - NATIONAL COASTAL CONFERENCE
GOVERNMENT & POLICY AWARDS - COASTAL SUMMIT
ASBPA awards federal officials and members of Congress who champion coastal causes at the national and/or local level. Awards are presented during the Coastal Summit. Nominations for 2026 are now closed.
How Do I Nominate?
Any ASBPA member can submit a nomination that outlines the accomplishments of the nominee.
Congressional Awards
ASBPA awards members of Congress for their work in advancing policy to help beaches and coastlines. Nominations may recommend one of the following awards, but the Awards Committee will determine the appropriate award.
Coastal Advocate
ASBPA’s highest congressional award, a lifetime achievement award for a Member of Congress.
Friend of the Coast
Congressional award for shorter term or more project-specific contributions.
Congressional Staffer Award
The Congressional Staffer award will be given to a single staff member for his or her efforts both to promote beach preservation and to facilitate project requests in the past.
The Corps of Engineers Award
This award honors a member of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who contributed to the cause of beach management and preservation. These can be staff from the district who make projects happen, or staff from divisions, headquarters, ERDC or elsewhere who have improved the Corps’ coastal capabilities.
Agency Award
The Agency award will be given to a single staff member at a federal agency (other than the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) for his or her efforts to promote beach preservation or advance and implement policy to improve the health of U.S. coastlines.
BEST RESTORED BEACH AWARDS
The Best Restored Beach award honors restored beaches annually to build awareness of the value of restored beaches. The award-winning projects on America’s open shoreline and on the Great Lakes’ shorelines could include:
- Beach and shoreline renourishment projects on open coastlines
- Dune restoration and dune building projects
- Coastal resiliency projects with a sandy beach or dune component
- Inlet management and regional sediment management (RSM) projects including beach placement
- Beach and shoreline projects on open coastlines with structures that enhance the performance of beach renourishment projects
Award Information:
Award recipients will appoint a designated representative to be present at the annual meeting awards ceremony at the national coastal conference 100th anniversary celebration on October 6th in Atlantic City, NJ to accept the award. ASBPA encourages nominations from established, as well as new projects for the Best Restored Beach Awards. The Committee will evaluate nominations based on responses to questions in the award checklist below. We welcome you to expand on or describe in more depth what efforts were required for the project.
Nominations checklist to include:
- Nominator’s contact information: name, email, contact number, mailing address.
- The name and contact information for the nominee’s public affairs specialist who will coordinate media for the award.
- Project location.
- The name of the project manager and the construction contractor. If consulting firms were used in the design and/or permitting, provide the consulting firm’s principal scientist, biologist, ecologist or and/or engineer as appropriate.
- Project narrative, including the following:
- Effectiveness and Purpose. Describe the primary objective(s) of the project and any secondary objectives. Discuss the effectiveness of the project in meeting both primary and any secondary goals.
- Design features including constraints and challenges. The nominee should provide a comprehensive description of the design, and identify the issues that influenced the design.
- Construction Methods. The nominee should provide a description of construction methods. Projects with innovative design and construction methods that were effective and able to meet project’s purposes will be favored.
- Describe the funding sources and how any obstacles or hurdles were overcome. Projects with public/private partnerships and monitoring to document project performance success will be favored.
- Several professional, quality color photographs of before and after the restoration project. Please include your consent to use the photographs in our publications.
- A statement about why you consider this project a Best Restored Beach in the United States. (It is important to let the Committee know that you are passionate about your project and that the restoration project was a benefit to the shoreline habitat).
- Quantified outcomes (benefits resulting from the successfully executed project) are especially helpful.
- Please include beach nourishment data for your current project, and historic beach nourishments to include volume (cubic yards), cost, and length of shoreline restored. Your project will be added to our national beach nourishment database located at https://asbpa.org/national-beach-nourishment-database/.
Nominations closed on April 22, 2026.
What is a best restored beach?
Communities across the continental United States have been restoring their beaches for 50+ years. Although some areas are relatively new to the process, others have a long history of successful replenishment projects. Coney Island, New York celebrated 100 years of beach nourishment in 2023! In many cases, the restoration process is so well established that beach goers are not even aware they are enjoying a restored beach. Beach restoration places sand on the beach to increase its width and height, in combination with building high and wide dunes increasing a shoreline’s resiliency and ability to mitigate storm damage and flooding from severe storms. Restoring the beach is one of the best methods to allow the beach to naturally adjust to short-term sea level rise, and remain an important part of the nearshore ecosystem.
Three important reasons for restoring beaches are:
- Storm protection — A wide sandy beach and high dunes help separate storm waves from upland structures and infrastructure thus reducing the impacts of erosion and flooding,
- Habitat restoration — Numerous species rely on wide, healthy beaches as a place to live, feed, and nest,
- Recreation — America’s beaches have more than 2 billion annual visitors from coast to coast.
See list of past BRB award winners.
BEST RESTORED SHORE AWARDS
The ASBPA recognizes projects which address natural resource restoration to enhance shoreline resiliency by addressing environmental degradation, storm impacts, climate change, and sea level rise which all increasingly threaten the nation’s coastal, estuarine and Great Lakes communities. ASBPA understands the time, effort, and money that it takes to restore or enhance an inland or bay shoreline, and we want to recognize your accomplishments. Whether your project involves an estuary or Great Lake, a mangrove or an oyster reef – if it resulted in recreating thriving habitats or improved water quality to benefit multiple uses and aid local economies, we invite you to nominate a project for a Best Restored Shores award.
Nominations can include:
- Back bay projects
- Living shoreline projects (including large freshwater lakes)
- Beneficial use of dredge material for environmental outcomes
- Seagrass, shellfish, reef, and other submerged habitat projects
- Wetlands, mangroves, and other intertidal habitat and shoreline enhancement, restoration, or creation
- Urban waterfronts (where coastal habitat restoration, green design and materials are key aspects)
Nominations closed for consideration in 2026 on July 15, 2026. Nominations remain open throughout the year.
View the call for nominations here.
Recipients of the 2026 award will be notified by August 17, and will arrange a designated representative to be present at the award ceremony on October 6, 2026 in Atlantic City, New Jersey during the ASBPA National Coastal Conference. ASBPA will prepare a press release and social media to celebrate the award recipients, and awardees agree to provide a press release to their local media.
To nominate a Best Restored Shore, click here for the nomination form.
How Do I Nominate a Best Restored Shore?
All nominations should be for projects that have completed construction by Summer 2024. This is to allow a more complete reporting on successful outcomes and lessons learned. The Best Restored Shore Awards Committee will evaluate each nomination based on the responses to the following questions, and please feel free to expand on or describe in more depth what efforts were required.
Best Restored Shore Award 2026 nominations to include the following, in order:
1. Contact information
a. Nominator’s contact information: name, email, contact number, mailing address.
b. The name of the project manager and the construction contractor. If consulting firms were used in the design and/or permitting, provide the consulting firm’s principal scientist, biologist, ecologist and/or engineer as appropriate.
c. The name and contact information for the nominee’s public affairs specialist who will be coordinating with the media for press releases, etc.
2. Project location map.
3. Project narrative, including the following:
a. Effectiveness and Purpose. Describe the objective(s) of the project. Demonstrate the effectiveness of the project in meeting those goals.
b. Design features including constraints and challenges. Provide a comprehensive, concise description of the design and identify the issues that influenced the design.
c. Construction Methods. Provide a comprehensive, concise description of construction methods. Projects with innovative design and construction methods that were effective and able to meet the project’s purposes will be favored where demonstrated with monitoring or other evidence.
d. Funding. Describe the funding sources and how any obstacles or hurdles were overcome. Projects involving public / private partnerships and monitoring to document project performance success will be favored.
e. Outcomes. Ecological, economic, or other outcomes that stem from the successfully executed project. Quantified outcomes are especially helpful.
4. A statement about why you consider this project to represent a Best Restored Shore in the U.S.
5. Historical context/maps/data and before/after photographs.
a. If available, please include historical information for the restored shoreline or area.
b. Several quality color photographs of before and after the restoration to be used in print and online media.
Who Can Nominate a Best Restored Shore?
Representatives of coastal communities or stakeholders can nominate a restoration project. Projects demonstrating economic benefits, quantifiable ecological outcomes, and innovation (in design, construction, and/or partnering/funding) will be most favorably reviewed.
Questions? Email bestrestoredshores@asbpa.org.
PROFESSIONAL & PROJECT AWARDS - NATIONAL COASTAL CONFERENCE
ASBPA awards coastal professionals who excel in their profession and/or have extensively contributed their time and talents to ASBPA. We also award a beach restoration project that has stood the test of time and continues to benefit the local community. These awards are bestowed during the National Coastal Conference.
How Do I Nominate?
Any ASBPA member can submit a nomination that outlines the accomplishments of the nominee and the basis upon which the nomination is being put forth.
The award nominations have closed for 2026.
If you have any questions, please email managing@asbpa.org.
Morrough P. O’Brien Award
The Morrough P. O’Brien Award is ASBPA’s highest award, given annually to an individual or organizational member of ASBPA on the basis of 1) an outstanding record in achieving the objectives and ideals of ASBPA; and/or 2) for major direct contributions to ASBPA.
- Nomination should include a list of accomplishments and letters of support (optional).
- Nominate here.
Robert L. Wiegel Coastal Project Award
The Robert L. Wiegel Coastal Project Award is given in recognition to a coastal project that has stood the test of time and has shown a positive environmental, social, or recreational benefit.
- Nominations should include a statement of objectives of the project and the major design features; evidence that the project achieved the desired objectives with a minimum of five years since completion; the environmental, social, recreational and other effects of the project should be described; a statement identifying the agencies and individuals responsible for planning, designing and constructing the work and the individuals that will receive the award; and the cost of the project.
- Nominate here.
Robert G. Dean Coastal Academic Award
The Robert G. Dean Coastal Academic Award is given in recognition of an academic who has made significant contributions furthering the community’s understanding of coastal science or engineering and in fostering young coastal scientists or engineers.
- Nomination should include a list of accomplishments and letters of support (optional).
- Nominate here.
The Guild Family Coastal Stewardship Award
The Guild Family Coastal Stewardship award recognizes an individual donor or philanthropist whose direct financial support has demonstrated an outstanding charitable commitment, and whose generosity encourages others to donate to ASBPA. The Guild Family: John Whitney Guild, James Quimby Guild, Barbara Quimby Guild and Donald George Guild.
- Nomination should include a list of accomplishments and letters of support (optional).
- Nominate here.
Gooderham Media and Communications Award
Gooderham Media and Communications Award will be granted to a media or communications professional who has excelled in communicating the value of our nation’s coasts, to encourage recognition of individuals from traditional media out–lets and other public media platforms. The award will be presented at the annual meeting.
- Nomination should include a list of accomplishments and/or news story(ies) by the nominee.
- Nominate here.
Member of the Year Award
The Member of the Year Award is an award to be given annually to an individual on the basis of their giving of time, talent, and treasury to furthering the goals and objectives of the ASBPA during the previous year.
- Nomination should include a list of accomplishments and letters of support (optional).
- Nominate here.
Rising Star Award
The Rising Star Award is an award to be given annually to a new professional or recent member of ASBPA for their commitment of time, talent, and treasury to furthering the goals and objectives of the ASBPA since they first became involved with the organization. Nominees should not have previously won any ASBPA award.
- Nomination should include a list of accomplishments and letters of support (optional).
- Nominate here.
STUDENT AWARDS - NATIONAL COASTAL CONFERENCE
ASBPA awards students in coastal fields who have demonstrated talent and shown promise to become future leaders in the coastal professions. These awards also come with small monetary prizes. Self nominations are encouraged and expected. These awards are announced during the National Coastal Conference. Nominations are closed for 2026.
How Do I Apply?
Any student can submit an application that outlines their accomplishments according to the specific requirements listed below.
Please submit your entry via the online form.
Application materials and information should be submitted as a PDF or Word upload (max file size 20 mb). If you have any questions, please email managing@asbpa.org.
Nicholas Kraus Coastal Scholar Award
The Nicholas Kraus Coastal Scholar Award is given annually to a graduate student who aspires to advance his or her knowledge and experience of coastal science through an internship with ASBPA. The winner will become the dedicated staff member for the ASBPA’s Science and Technology Committee. The Coastal Scholar will work hand-in-hand with practicing coastal experts to develop technical position papers with the Committee and serve as the liaison for ASBPA with other graduate students in coastal sciences. The Coastal Scholar will work from their home institution and will participate with the ASBPA via conference calls and email. In addition to the experience of working with coastal experts, the award includes a $1,000 cash stipend paid in quarterly payments of $250.
The award winner must attend the National Coastal Conference to receive the award.
- Applications must include a curriculum vita and a paper addressing why the student is interested in becoming the ASBPA’s Coastal Scholar. The paper should include previous experience, education, future goals, as well as expectations of the Coastal Scholar Award position. The paper should not exceed five pages in length, single-spaced.
- Apply here.
James Houston Coastal Economics Scholar Award
The James Houston Coastal Economics Scholar Award is given annually to an undergraduate or graduate student who, through his or her research, is furthering the state of beach coastal or riverine economics as it relates to the goals and mission of the ASBPA. The winner will intern with ASBPA’s Executive Director and Government Affairs Committee to develop economic impact statistics of US beaches. The subject matter is encouraged to be as wide reaching as possible, including economic benefits of beach restoration, benefit cost analysis of beach restoration projects and any other research that includes benefits derived from beach, dune, riverine, and coastal restoration projects. This award includes a $500.00 cash stipend and will be awarded to the student at either the ASBPA National Coastal Conference or the ASBPA Coastal Summit. The award winner must attend the National Coastal Conference or the National Coastal Summit to receive the award.
- Applications must include a curriculum vita and a paper addressing why the student is interested in becoming the ASBPA’s Coastal Economics Scholar. The paper should include previous experience, education, future goals, as well as expectations of the Coastal Economics Scholar Award position. The paper should not exceed five pages in length, single-spaced.
- Apply here.
Student Coastal Advocate Award
The Student Coastal Advocate Award is given to a graduate or undergraduate student who aspires to advance his or her knowledge of and experience in federal coastal policy and advocacy through an internship with ASBPA. The winner will become the dedicated staff member for the ASBPA’s Government Affairs Committee. The Student Advocate will work hand-in-hand with practicing coastal experts to develop policy position papers with the Committee and participate in advocacy efforts seeking to influence federal policy via agencies or congress. The Coastal Advocate will work from his or her home institution and will participate with the ASBPA via conference calls and email. In addition to the experience of working with coastal experts, the award includes a $1,000 cash stipend paid in quarterly payments of $250.
Award winner is expected to attend the Coastal Summit in Washington, DC.
- Applications must include a resume or curriculum vita, a paper addressing why the student is interested in becoming the ASBPA’s Student Coastal Advocate, and contact info for two professional references (either academic or work related). The paper may include previous experience, education, future goals, as well as expectations of the Student Coastal Advocate position. The paper should not exceed two pages in length, single-spaced.
- Apply here.
“Shore & Beach” Journal Intern Award
The “Shore & Beach” Journal Intern Award is presented annually to a graduate student who aspires to advance his or her knowledge and experience of coastal or riverine science through an internship with ASBPA. The winner will become the dedicated staff member for the ASBPA’s “Shore & Beach” journal, working remotely with the Editors-in-Chief to facilitate the print and digital publication of the quarterly journal and other S&B projects as necessary.
The S&B Intern will work from their home institution and will participate with the “Shore & Beach” editors and editorial board via Zoom/conference calls and email. In addition to the experience of working with coastal experts, the award includes a $1,000 cash stipend paid in quarterly payments of $250.
- Entries must include a curriculum vita and paper addressing why the candidate is interested in becoming the ASBPA’s S&B Intern. The paper should include previous relevant experience, education, future goals, as well as expectations of outcomes from the position. The paper should not exceed three pages in length, single-spaced.
- Apply here
Student Educational Award
The Student Educational Award is given annually to an undergraduate or graduate student who, through his or her research, is furthering the state of science of coastal systems as it relates to the goals and mission of the ASBPA. Any research pertaining to coastal science is eligible for consideration. The award includes a $500 cash stipend.
Award winner is expected to attend the ASBPA National Coastal Conference and present his or her findings to the coastal community. Additionally, the winner is strongly encouraged to submit their award nomination paper for peer review by the editorial staff of Shore & Beach, the ASBPA’s technical journal, and possible inclusion in a future issue.
- Applications must consist of a curriculum vita and paper suitable for presentation and publication. Any subject pertaining to coastal science is eligible for consideration. Representative subject areas include natural processes (waves, currents sediment transport), ecology (habitat, ecosystem function), water quality (pollution sources, remedies), economics (cost/benefits of beach projects) and human impact on the coast (coastal structures, dams, restoration projects). The paper may include figures, tables, and photographs and should not exceed 10 pages in length, single-spaced, including references.
- Apply here.
Students and New Professionals Travel Scholarship
The ASBPA Students and New Professionals (SNP) Travel Scholarship is awarded annually to an undergraduate or graduate students who wishes to become more involved with ASBPA and the SNP Chapter. The scholarship provides assistance toward attending the ASBPA National Coastal Conference.
The selected student will be expected to regularly attend SNP monthly meetings and contribute to the Chapter’s efforts to provide networking, professional development, and career guidance opportunities for students and early-career professionals. Applicants should have an interest in coastal science, engineering, policy, planning, environmental management, or another related field that aligns with the goals and mission of ASBPA.
Applications must be submitted through the online application form. The form will request information about the applicant’s education, academic and professional experience, coastal interests, previous involvement with ASBPA or SNP, anticipated conference expenses, available sources of support, and remaining financial need. Applicants will also be asked to describe their previous or current experience, education, research, and future goals, including how these relate to the goals and mission of ASBPA and SNP, in 500 words or fewer. In addition, applicants will be asked to explain why they want to attend the ASBPA National Coastal Conference and how they believe attending will benefit them.