Thank you for your interest in the 2027 Trade Association Awards.
These guidelines are designed to help you prepare the strongest possible entry. Please read them carefully before submitting your nomination.
If you have any questions about the awards or the entry process, please contact secretariat@taforum.org.
The Trade Association Awards are open exclusively to UK trade associations.
Entries may be submitted by:
Where a supplier submits an entry, the submission should clearly explain the respective roles of both the supplier and the trade association.
The awards recognise the achievements of trade associations. Where appropriate, both the trade association and delivery partner(s) will be recognised as finalists or winners.
Entries should relate primarily to work undertaken during the eligibility period. Ongoing programmes and initiatives may be entered, provided the submission focuses on achievements during the qualifying period.
There is no limit to the number of categories an organisation may enter. However, each submission should be tailored to the specific category and address the published judging criteria. The same entry should not simply be duplicated across multiple categories.
Entries for the 2027 TAF Awards must be submitted and paid for via the online portal by midnight on the 13/11/26.
Entries submitted after that date, or those that have not been paid for by then, will be disqualified.
If a submission has been paid for but not completed by the cut-off date, no refunds will be offered.
Unless otherwise stated, entries should relate to work undertaken between 1 November 2025 and 13 November 2026.
For ongoing programmes, initiatives or projects that span a longer period, entrants should focus their submission on achievements, outcomes and impact delivered during the qualifying period. You are welcome to include relevant background information where it helps provide context, but judging will be based primarily on work undertaken and results achieved within the qualifying period.
Submission statements together with supporting evidential documentation must be submitted before the published closing date for the Awards in order to be considered.
Unless otherwise stated, submit all documentation electronically via the submission portal.
The names of trade associations that have submitted entries for the Awards may be published in lists of entrants, Finalists or Winners on the TAF website and elsewhere as deemed appropriate by the Trade Association Forum.
Images submitted as part of entries, including photos, document covers, web pages, etc, may be used in connection with the Awards presentation and Judges’ reports and must be declared free from copyright or other restrictions in connection with reproduction.
Any data collected with entries will be stored in a database and may be used in future to send out information that TAF feels may be of interest to members.
By taking part in the Awards you are agreeing to this. Full information about TAF’s approach to data and privacy can be found on the TAF website in our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.
The Trade Association Forum recognises that some information submitted in support of entries may be of a sensitive or confidential nature.
The Forum will do its best to ensure that, where information is indicated to be confidential, confidentiality will be respected and maintained in both the judging process and in any resulting publicity.
Please note that Award entries, together with supporting documentation may from time to time be made available for viewing by other associations in order to share best practice. If you wish to keep information strictly confidential (e.g. financial information), please submit it separately and mark it ‘Confidential’, so that it can be detached or excluded from such viewings.
Full information about the judging process is available on the Judging page.
There will normally be one winning submission per category, though they may also choose to single out other entries for special commendations.
The Judges reserve the right to withhold awards where entries are deemed to be of insufficient merit. TAF is not liable for any associated costs incurred by any entrant in connection with this.
The decision of the Judges is final. No correspondence will be entered into. The Judges reserve the right to move an entry from one category to another without payment of an additional fee. In the event of this, the entrant will be notified.
The Awards Winners will be announced at the awards event on the date detailed on this website.
A shortlist will be announced in the weeks running up to the event, but no information regarding the Winners will be given out prior to the event.
The Winner in each category will receive an Award trophy.
Results will be displayed on the Trade Association Forum website.
Winners of the Awards may also be asked to share their experiences at the TAF Best Practice Exchange or other events which TAF may hold.
Entries for the 2027 Trade Association Awards are now open and will be managed through our online awards platform, Award Force.
Entries close at 11:59pm on Friday 13 November 2026. Late submissions cannot be accepted.
Before starting your submission, we recommend drafting your responses in a separate document. Once complete, you can upload your entry, together with any supporting evidence, through the Trade Association Awards online entry portal.
Entry fees are £145 + VAT per entry for TAF members and £195 + VAT per entry for non-members. Payment must be received before your submission can be accepted.
Each category includes tailored guidance explaining what judges are looking for, along with examples of the supporting evidence you may wish to include. We strongly encourage you to review the Award Categories and Entry Guide before submitting your entry.
If you’re unsure which category best fits your work, or have any questions about the entry process, we’re happy to help. Please contact awards@taforum.org.
If you have any questions about entering, please do not hesitate to contact secretariat@taforum.org.
These industry-recognised awards are supported by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (DBT), which is a longstanding member of our independent final judging panel.
The Awards celebrate the success of trade associations and their staff at all levels and help them move closer to their goals, while also supporting their learning and development.
Receiving a UK Trade Association Award will mean your organisation has the kudos of being an award-winning organisation. On top of that, it is an excellent opportunity to showcase your organisation and its expertise among your contemporaries and encourage others to follow your lead on running a successful organisation which focuses on members’ needs.
By entering, you can benchmark your organisation against other UK trade associations, sharpen the focus of your organisation and its activities, learn from trade association best practice and motivate and reward your colleagues.
You’ll first share your success with guests from the UK’s premier trade associations at the awards evening on Thursday 25th February 2027 at the stunning InterContinental Hotel on Park Lane, and then promote it through press releases, the TAF website, and social media channels to ensure your excellence is recognised.
