Submissions for the 2026 APS Data Awards are now open!
For the 2026 awards, there are 7 categories. Some categories have been updated.
Please review the Award category criteria and entrant guide to best determine which category to nominate for.
We recommend using the Nomination template below to guide your submission. It outlines the key requirements and can assist you in obtaining the necessary approvals within your organisation before completing the online application form.
Awards criteria
Each category in the APS Data Awards will be evaluated based on four key criteria and should be considered in your response.
- Relevance (to the objectives of the awards program and nominated category)
- Originality (novel, innovative)
- Impact (value, measurable benefits)
- Wider applicability (reuse, repeatability, and scalability)
Diversity and Inclusion
The APS Data Awards celebrate the use of data to improve outcomes for all Australians. We encourage entrants to consider how their project or initiative has supported diversity, inclusion and fairness.
When submitting your nomination, we encourage you to also enter the Diversity and Inclusion in Data category if your project:
- improves access to services or outcomes for under-represented diversity groups (for example, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, people with disability or culturally and linguistically diverse communities)
- removes barriers to participation using data insights, or
- promotes fairness or equity through the use of data.
For further information and criteria see Diversity and Inclusion in Data